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The nuance in play

Autism Society of America 2005 - Pre-conference workshop on the Integrated Play Groups Model

By Aylin Guvenc - reprinted with permission from The Autism Spin

www.the-autism-spin.typepad.com

I felt honored when Pam interrupted her own lecture to recognize me.  I had no idea that she even remembered my name.  When one attends a large university like SFSU, one doesn’t assume that they are any thing more than a number or a vague impression.  I suppose having interesting hair is also instrumental in being recognized:  “I’d remember that Mohawk anywhere!”     

Because I was already familiar with the Integrated Play Groups (IPG), the information itself was not new.  The theory, guidelines and procedures for setting up a playgroup, as I discovered from setting up my own, are the easiest parts of the process.  The true art of being a good facilitator lies in the interpretations of behavior, and facilitation of communication that is not intrusive in the least, and serves to promote a bridging of common goals- learning to play with other children.   It was with the goal of learning more about the art of facilitating IPG that I attended this seminar.

To the uninformed casual observer, IPG could look fairly benign.  Put a couple of typically developing kids with an autistic kid, provide toys/activities that promote interaction, set up boundaries and rules, then sit back and observe, whilst tossing in some stock phrases such as:  “What do you think Johnny wants to play with?” and “How can you show Johnny what you want?” 
However...

Scaffolding- a buzz word in special education- is the nearly intuitive ability to know where a child is currently (in this context, her play/interactive skills) and to provide a structure that is bare enough to support building, but not so bare as to fall apart.  Think of a sculpture.  Before building the sculpture, the artist first must create an armature (a scaffolding) that gives the initial shape, informs the artist where to put the sculpting material in order to create the finished product, and supports the sculpture so it doesn’t collapse.  It is in this fashion that monuments are built.  In the IPG model, scaffolding is building a structure of support around the needs of the target student.  In order to do so, we must first use keen observational skills to find where that child is in their play development.  As with any behavior, play too is developmental.

The key to being a good facilitator, and thus accomplishing the goals of integrated playgroups, is to be an excellent interpreter.  Children with autism are sending messages, just as clearly as typical kids do with their voices.  The difference with a typical child and a child with autism (CWA) is this: provided you speak the language of the child, and are not hearing impaired or deaf, you can easily interpret what the typical child is saying.  The child with autism is another ball of wax altogether.  For some, this understanding comes naturally, perhaps the facilitator recognizes responses in the CWA that they too have experienced. For others, it is a studied skill.  It requires intimate knowledge of how the bodies sensory systems operate, studying developmental milestones, and reading the communicative intent of children who do not know how to communicate through conventional means. 
This is complicated.

So what did I learn? 

1.    The setting of the space and materials chosen for play took on a greater significance.  I began to refine my ideas of how successful play spaces could be created impromptu.  I thought about the boundaries of a play area, how important they are in establishing the proximity of the children to one another, and how they will interact.  I began to think about problem solving as a way to ignite an interaction that all could participate in.  Ex: (problem): we don’t have a wall to our house/store/submarine etc., how do we know where is inside and where is outside?

2.    I began to realize that I had been using a particularly useful technique in drawing the attention of the other children around a particular act or way of playing that the CWA was engaged in and asking questions leading to how they might interact together.  A technique becomes even more useful when one is cognizant of using it. 

3.    To chill out and not get so involved- to let the play take its course- I can be in the playing, yes, but it is not about me.  It is about a preferably invisible hand that provides support, structure and boundaries so that children playing feel safe to explore and take risks.  It is not up to me to interpret every action- I need to trust in children’s play, allowing them to make their own interpretations.  They are after all sentient human beings with thoughts and opinions that happen independent of me.  I need to respect this and allow it to happen. 

4.    It is helpful to look out for developmental milestones to see where I can prompt the child to move next- or what I may expect her to be exploring in the near future. 

5.    Identifying a child’s likes and dislikes are very important- as is helping children to uncover one another’s likes and dislikes through guided observation. For example:  if Sol (a typical child) doesn’t seem to catch on that Ray (the CWA) becomes visibly shaken when Sol raises his voice, it may be necessary to show Sol how Ray responds to loud noise, and ask him what he can do to help Ray.

6.    There is much to be learned through observing video clips of Play Groups.  The subtleties and nuances of decision making on the part of the facilitator take on greater significance when viewed in the moment.

7.    Being a succesful facilitator requires having a quick, excellent imagination...in other words, being able to play well. It is part of this facilitation that enables the play to flow, and for behaviors that a CWA may perform out of context in isolation to be interpretted as relevant by her fellow play mates.

8.    Dont be afraid of props.  They fuel the imagination.

9.    Play is a process- The product is immaterial.

10.   Kids play as all mammals play. They can read social cues and know the difference between play as fighting, and fighting as fighting. These signals are, when you think about it, really complicated, relying on subtle cues.  To conceptualize in another species, I visualize the way dogs play- they bare thier teeth, and growl, but each dog knows what the other dog's intention is.  One of the objectives in play is to teach children who dont understand these cues how to begin seeing them- or how to adapt around them.
This is complicated...
But fun

True Friendships-Real Play: The Making of a High Quality Integrated Play Groups Program

Tara Tuchel M.S. CCC-SLP - Autism Specialist

Willow River Elementary School - Hudson, Wisconsin

How I Began Integrated Play Groups

My Background 

I became involved with Integrated Play Groups when I attended an Initial Seminar with Pamela Wolfberg in the spring of 2000.  I was inspired by her stories and her work.  I run the district wide elementary autism program at one of the local elementary schools in Hudson, Wisconsin.  I have 5 boys in my communication based program.  My background is that I am a speech/language pathologist with an early childhood minor.  Because of my early childhood experience, I understand the importance of play in child development.  Because of my speech/language background, I understand the importance of social communication skills.  This is why Integrated Play Groups sounded so appealing to me.  I decided to take action.

Writing Grants

I wrote a grant that would allow me to obtain advanced training, supervision and consultation time with Pamela Wolfberg.  I was awarded that grant, and I began to learn more about Integrated Play Groups.  I then wrote a 2^nd grant in order to obtain funding for toys and materials for my “play room”.  Thankfully, that grant was awarded also due to a very supportive community funding program in Hudson.

Setting up the Play Environment

I work in a building that was built in 1919, so there are many little “useless” rooms.  I turned one of these “useless” rooms into my playroom.  Over the summer of 2000 I was able to purchase toys/materials recommended by Pamela Wolfberg, and get started on the play environment.  

Recruiting and Preparing the Players

By the time the 2000-2001 school year began, I was almost ready to get started.  When the school year began, I sent home permission slips with my students, and the peers that I chose as expert players.  (Though one of my 3^rd grade students picked his own group members)  Once the permission slips were returned, and the members were in place, I had a meeting with the expert players in order to explain to them our objectives for the novice player.

Important Things I Learned from Integrated Play Groups

In October of 2000, my Integrated Play Groups were under way.  I learned many, many things over the next 7 months, as did everyone else involved.  Here are some of the important things I have learned:  

One of the things I learned from my first year doing Integrated Play Groups is that I needed to relax (especially at first) and be a good observer.  By observing closely, and not intervening, I was able to pick up on the level that each of my students was at.  It was important for me to take good baseline data.  

Let the children lead the way.  Sometimes I had great ideas for play schemes or themes to use, but the children decided to play something else.  This is OKAY!  Be ready to watch the “planned stuff” flop, and watch the kids come up with their own ideas!

It is okay (even encouraged) to repeat favorite activities.  I had one student who learned to act out a “police chase” with his play group.  They all loved playing police chase, and switching roles (which was a new step for my student).  I allowed them to do it for the last 3 months of school, but we just added to it.  At first it was just the actual police chase (police chased and caught the robber), but then we expanded on that and had a whole story about it.  The police would sit at a table and eat doughnuts (ha-ha), and the robber would steal money from the video store clerk (we could first play video store for a while). Then the video store clerk called 911 and the police chased, caught, and put the robber in jail.  The place of the robbery could change to any number of places, but we continued to keep the police chase as part of the play because the kids just LOVED acting it out each time.   

Use visuals!!!  This is something I really worked on at the end of the school year.  I added tags to hang like a necklace that had a picture and word on it for different roles (cashier, doctor, janitor, etc…) so the kids could switch roles visually and physically.  I also took digital pictures of all of the toys or toy sets in my playroom and attached them to a foam board with Velcro.  This way, one students could pick what they want to do if they are too overwhelmed by looking around the room to decide.  Also, I had one student who wouldn’t share any of the dolls in the dollhouse.  He hoarded them all every time we entered the play room.  I had an idea to help facilitate sharing, but I didn’t have much faith that it would work.  I took a digital picture of each and every doll in the dollhouse.  I used Velcro to attach them to a piece of laminated paper, and brought it to the next Play Group.  I showed it to my student and I said, “I’m going to play with the baby, who are you going to play with?”.  He chose one, and then I said “Now who do you think Baylie is going to choose?  He watched as Baylie picked a picture of a doll and reached and held the corresponding doll of the dollhouse.   It was the moment of truth, and it worked!  From then on, Richie let the other children play with dolls with him.  (Though he did have his favorite doll that we always let him choose.

I always end Play Groups with a group handshake, and then I let all of the kids play on the sensory equipment (swings, trampoline, etc…) for 5-7 minutes.  Then, they all pick a starburst, and are on their way.  They seem to like this routine.

One thing that I want to add for the 2001-2002 school year is to have ongoing meetings with the expert players to discuss problems/successes/ideas to help support the novice player.  One meeting at the beginning of the year is just not enough.

Have fun!!!  Sometimes  if you get in there and play it can help to get things going.  If you act goofy, the kids will respond.  Then, you can slowly downplay your part, and fade out.  This is a good way to add a spark to a low energy day.

What the Children Experienced in Integrated Play Groups

How the Children Benefited

The past year has been a blast, and I know that all of the children involved have made positive gains from being involved in this program.  The typical students have gained insight into autism, and have learned compassion and tolerance.  All of the students involved have developed true friendships with their peers with autism.  They are the first ones to sit by them at morning meeting, the first ones to pair up with them during gym class, and are protective of their friends.  The benefits have clearly carried over into the mainstream setting.  

I would like to share a few stories about my students and their friends:

Daniel's Story - "Video Store"  

First, I have a 3^rd grader named Daniel.  He loves to be with his friends, but has a very difficult time maintaining the topic of conversation with his friends.  He constantly wants to talk about whatever he is obsessed about at the time.  (Last school year it was movies)  Well, after trying to get him to play a number of different things during Integrated Play Groups (but him only talking about movies the whole time), I was unsure of what to do next.  I spoke with Pamela, and she suggested making a “video store”.  What a WONDERFUL idea!  Boy did it work out successfully.  Daniel was so excited to start the video store.  Our first step, was collecting “check boxes” to use as movie cases.  We emailed all  the staff in our school, and the check boxes started coming our way.  (Daniel also emptied out all of his dad’s check boxes that were in storage at home and brought them to school….oops)  Then, the Play Group got together and started making covers for these check boxes.  I had cut out white paper to fit on the box, and the kids used markers to make the title, cover picture, who was in the movie, rating, etc…  They made movies for about 8 consecutive sessions.  They were having a lot of fun, and Daniel was in his glory because it was now appropriate for him to ask everyone all about the movie they were making.  For the rest of the school year, the kids played “video store”.  They had tags to wear indicating the role they were to be, and they made up rental slips for the cashier to fill out.  This summer, during vacation, Daniel called and left a message on my answering machine.  He asked if me and my kids wanted to come over to his house to “rent a movie”.  That tells me that he had a lot of fun, and misses playing.

Greg's Story - "Ring-around-the-Rosy"

Another student of mine, Greg, was in 2^nd grade.  He has very little language and demonstrates echolalia.  During his first play session, he cried for 10 minutes, until we ended the session short.  Since then, he has made steady progress.  He was able to imitate his peers with play animals, but due to the “mother-hen” nature of the 2 expert players, it turned into a drill session.  They would say “make the horse jump over the fence”, he would, and they would say “good job!”  This would continue for the whole session if I let it!!!!  I decided that I needed to find Greg’s true level of play that he would genuinely ENJOY.  Then, we found it.  He needed sensory input, and he was at a level of play were he enjoyed games such as “ring around the rosy” rather than toy play.  So, I got all 3 kids and myself up on the trampoline (which Greg loves), and we played “ring around the rosy” together.  We all held hands, and jumped in a circle, and when it came time to “all fall down” we all fell down on the trampoline which made us bounce all over.  You would not believe the laugh that came from Greg’s gut when we all fell down.  At first he just stood there and laughed (which was great in itself), but then we taught him to fall down too, and he could not get up because he was laughing so hard.  This was a treat for the expert players, who rarely hear him utter a word, let alone laugh uncontrollably.  We were all so proud.   The next time we entered the play room, Greg said clearly “RING AROUND ROSY”!!!  How is that for motivating!!!  Of course we played and played and played ring around the rosy for a long time.

These are just 2 case examples, but there are stories like this for all 5 of the students that I have had the opportunity to work with.  

It has been a joy to implement Integrated Play Groups into my program at school.  The benefits to all involved are numerous.  Be flexible, and mostly…enjoy.

Observations of the children in their classrooms and communication with school personnel confirmed that this is a school that strives to put into practice what it preaches. In each of the classes I visited the children were actively engaged in learning through creative, hands-on activities. The teachers guided the children individually, in pairs and in small groups. There was a sense of ease with which the teachers and children communicated with one another. The children’s colorful artwork, written stories and creations were neatly displayed on walls, windows and shelves offering further evidence of children learning in active and meaningful ways. With all that was good about this program it was heartening to learn that the teachers recognize that there is indeed room for growth. They expressed the need and desire to learn more about children with autistic spectrum disorders and how best to address their social and educational needs.

A Public Special School

My final visit was to a special school that I had to convince my host would be important for me to see. I wanted to know where the majority of children with special needs with limited resources end up going to school. Located in central Jakarta, this special school was subsidized by the government for families with limited incomes. The school occupied a two-story structure, stretching across half a small city block. It appeared to have been constructed sometime in the 1940’ or 50’s with little added.

To the right of the school was a courtyard with a large makeshift canopy, beneath which a throng of women congregated. Some sat around small fires cooking and sipping tea. When I inquired as to who these women were I learned that they were mothers who brought their children with special needs from all around Jakarta to go to this special school. Because of the long distances they had to travel, these women waited the entire school day until the children were dismissed.

I was introduced to the director of the school who explained to me that the children here had mild developmental delays and among them were some children with autism. He took me around to visit some of the classrooms where I met the teachers and students. The classrooms were all identical and diminutive in size; each packed with wall-to-wall wooden desks. The students were seated two to a desk facing a blackboard at the front of the room where the teacher carried out academic instruction. The children seemed thrilled to have an unannounced visitor (one boy even called out to me in English, "Hey blondie!"), which apparently broke the tedium of their usual routine. From what I could see, they spent most of their day in a very cramped space engaging in paper and pencil tasks directed by the teacher. 

Clearly this was a school that had the best of intentions to prepare these children in as close to a traditional education as possible. What saddened me was a sense of the potential lost, as these children seemed capable of so much more. 

Having had the opportunity to visit these three different schools made me aware that I had many more questions than answers for addressing the needs of children with autism in Indonesia. As a visitor to a foreign country, I had to remind myself that there is much I do not understand as I am viewing these children and their schools through my own cultural lens, which is undoubtedly distorted. My views on educating children with autism in regular schools and other inclusive settings are shaped by my own personal experiences as a researcher and practitioner. Having worked with children from all walks of life (along with their families, teachers and therapists) has hopefully enriched and broadened my understanding. It is through the telling of their stories that I felt I could best impart my knowledge in a meaningful way to members of the Indonesian community participating in the conference. I hoped to be able to offer guidance with the understanding that there are no definitive answers--no absolutes, no cures, no one right approach for every child--but there is hope if we can recognize each child's unique potential. With this in mind, I shared my work, listened closely to the other speakers while paying special attention to the faces and voices of the participants.

YPPAI Conference

Day 1:

Welcome - Ms. Ir. Melani D. Wangsadinata

Ir. Melanie D. Wangsadinata, M.Arch gracioulsy welcomed participants to the conference. She introduced parents and professionals to the YPPAI organization before introducing the next very distinguished guest.

Opening Address - Dr. Ir. Indra Djati Sidi

Ir. Indra Djati Sidi, MSCE. Ph.D., - Director General of Education for the Republic of Indonesia gave an opening address. To my delight, he rang a ceremonial gong to officially kick off the conference. Although his talk was primarily in Bahasa Indonesia (the local language), enough was translated for me to recognize that as a government official he was committed to raising awareness and generating support for improving the education of children with autism in Indonesia.

Integrated Play Groups Initial Seminar - Dr. Pamela J. Wolfberg

The rest of Day 1 was devoted to presenting an initial seminar on Integrated Play Group. I shared with participants the theory and practices of this inclusive model for guiding children with autism to socialize and play with typically developing peers. For more details, click on IPG model and Courses-Seminars.

Day 2:

Keynote - Dr. Connie Semiawan

On the second day, Professor Dr. Connie Semiawan (University Professor in Jakarta) gave a keynote address. (Fortunately, she gave me an English translation in hard copy). She began her talk in a most humble way, claiming that she is not an expert on autism. But as a highly respected educator she offered a most critical perspective. Her talk focused on why children with autism should be afforded the same right to an appropriate education as those considered “normal.” She cited the 2^nd Act on Education, 1989, which declares that equal educational opportunities and special attention should be given to exceptional children. In her translation she writes:

The changing social environment of exceptional children has spawned a new atmosphere with a different vocabulary which also count[s] for the autistic child. One of the terms today often used is normalization. The creation of a normal as possible and stimulat[ing] social environment, I believe will invite the child into a learning atmosphere where he does not only feel secure, but most of all will reinforce him to actualize his potential fully and support him to overcome his limitations and developmental deficits.

Session 1 - Dr. Pamela Wolfberg

I next presented on policy and practice pertaining to the education of children with autistic spectrum disorders in regular schools in the U.S.A. I first attempted to summarize the challenge of educating children with autism in light of social, communicative, imaginative, sensory and behavioral difficulties. I next highlighted some principles of best practice, many of which are guided by policy based on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Children–1959, American Disabilities Act (ADA)–1990 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-1997. I next focused on the IEP process as a model aimed at assuring every child a free and appropriate education within the least restrictive environment. My session concluded with an overview of current best practices for educating children with autism in inclusive settings.

Session 2 - Ms. Jura Tender

Ms. Jura C. Tender (Director of ISADD Perth, Australia) next spoke about her work as a behavioral consultant to families of children with autism in Indonesia. Ms. Tender has a Masters degree in clinical psychology and has many years of experience as a behavioral therapist. She is currently director of a private organization, which provides intervention services and consultancy to children with autism based on Applied Behavior Analysis and Discrete Trial Training. She has played a major role in developing and overseeing home-based programs in Indonesia. Ms. Tender shared some of the challenges and successes with the many children she has served over the years. She suggested that children learn in different ways and at different rates and how important it is to appreciate even the small steps of progress they make.

Session 3 - Ms. Christina ByrnesMs. Christina Byrnes (Special Needs Learning Center, Sekolah Cita Buana Jakarta) next shared her work. Much of her talk was in Bahasa Indonesia so I was not able to understand it all. What I did learn is that she is concurrently coordinator and special needs teacher at a private school for children with special needs in central Jakarta. The school serves a small number of English speaking children. Ms. Byrnes apparently has lived and worked in Indonesia for some time. She pointed out her personal belief that there is a problem in Indonesia with children being raised by boannas (nannies) who are overly protective and doting; that this leads to a form of learned helplessness. She stressed the need for more consistency, structure and higher expectations in the care and education of children with autism.

Session 4 - Dr. Pamela Wolfberg

In the last session I shared a case portrait of Teresa, a girl with autism who is featured in my book, “Play and Imagination in Children with Autism." She was among the first of many children to participate in Integrated Play Groups.  Now an adult, Teresa has found her niche as an accepted and contributing member of society. By sharing Teresa’s story, I hoped to engender a sense of promise that it is possible to tap into the potential of every child. So often we are taught to see that the glass is half empty rather than half full. I attribute Teresa's success to the many caring people in her life who guided her to grow and develop—in her own way, at her own pace—in a secure, loving, joyful and creative atmosphere. Based on what I was learning about Indonesian culture, I felt that these qualities might resonate and thus be easily embraced in the care and education of children with autism. 

Closing - Dr. H. Arief Rachman 

Dr. H. Arief Rachman, M.Pd. (Local School Prinicipal) closed the session by summarizing the events of the past two days and moderating discussion among the participants and presenters. From what I could understand, he affirmed the importance of providing children and youth with autistic spectrum disorders the right to an appropriate education. He emphasized the importance of creating a school culture that is open to diversity and inclusion. Many questions were raised that demonstrated the widespread interest and need for more information and resources. Dr. Rachman helped to bring everyone together to see that they are all part of a common cause. The YPPAI is that critical link to move the country forward in raising greater awareness of autism while advocating for access to the most appropriate education and treatment. 

*I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to Ir. Melani D. Wangsadinata M. Arch., Ir. Sofia M. Alisyahbana MSc. Ph.D., Ibu Rohani Wangsdadinata, and Ibu Atty Bambang of the YPPAI and all others who helped to make this conference such a great success. I am especially grateful to my host family for their gracious hospitality, as well as the directors and teachers who welcomed me into their schools. Special thanks goes to all the precious children who mostly made me laugh, sometimes made me cry and always made me wonder.

To learn more about autism in Indonesia and how you can help, contact: 

Yayasan Pemberdayaan Penyandang Autisma Indonesia (YPPAI)

Jalan Bangka 10 No. 42

Jakarta 12720, Indonesia

Phone or fax: (021) 717-91353 

E-mail: autism@link.net.id

Mailing list: autism-indonesia@egroups.com 

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