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Autism Teaching Methods:
DIR®/Floortime™
Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a child psychiatrist in
the Washington, D.C., area, has developed a form of play therapy that uses
interactions and relationships to teach
children with developmental delays. This method is called the
Developmental,
Individual-Difference,
Relationship-Based model, or "DIR®/Floortime"
for short. Floortime is based on the theory that autism symptoms
are caused by problems with brain processing that affect a child's
relationships and senses, among other things.
With Floor Time, the child's actions are assumed to be purposeful. It is the
parent's or caregiver's role to follow the child's lead and help him develop
social interaction and communication skills.
For example, a boy may frequently tap a
toy car against the floor. During a Floortime session, his mother may imitate
the tapping action, or put her car in the way of the child's car. This will prompt the
child to interact with her. From there, the mother encourages the child to
develop more complex play schemes and incorporate words and language into play. Floortime is more child-directed than some teaching methods. Its goal is
to increase back-and-forth interaction and communication between child
and adult.
Some school systems are incorporating this strategy
into their programs, but usually do not make this their primary means of
educating preschool-aged children with autism or PDD. With its strong emphasis on
social and emotional development, the Floor Time method may be a natural complement to a
behavioral teaching program ─
such as Applied Behavior Analysis or Verbal Behavior
─
or to a TEAACH program.
Floortime is being
used by some families who prefer a play-based therapy as a primary or secondary treatment,
especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Floortime advocates say it can be used
along with other therapies.
Research into Floortime is continuing.
A randomized, controlled study is underway in Canada to determine the
effectiveness of intensive DIR/Floortime treatment for one year and two
years.
In a 2005 study, Dr. Greenspan and
Serena Wieder Ph.D. reported on 16 teens who had responded favorably to DIR/Floortime
therapy
in their early childhoods. Ten to 15 years later, these boys had "healthy peer
relationship and solid academic skills," according to the
Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders (ICDL),
which Dr. Greenspan chairs.
Floortime DVD Training Series, The Basics: Relating and Communicating by
Stanley Greenspan M.D. and Serena Wieder Ph.D. This two-disk set teaches the
basics of using the Floortime Method to teach your child.
Floortime DVD Training Series. Set 2 Sensory Regulation and Social Interaction
for families who've moved beyond the basics. FloortimeDVD Training Series. Set 3: Symbolic and Logical Thinking
completes their training series.
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