The Use of the Technique of «Theme Photobooks» in the Work with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Intellectual Disorders

Abstract

The technique of «Theme Photobooks» is chosen out of the method of phototherapy and is developed by a group of American specialists in the process of remedial work with children or adults with disturbance of devel¬opment or autistic spectrum disorders. «Theme Photobooks» are an optional tool for remedial activities with children, enabling their development. Activities with Theme Photobooks consist of several stages: choice of an interesting or relevant for the child topic, selection of the objects for photographing, creation of photobooks (selection of images, their placement, making up the inscription to the photo), creation of the stories based on the pictures. The use of the technique of «Theme Photobooks» increases the intensity of communication pro¬cesses, which leads to the normalization of the child’s behaviour and considerably extends the chances of social integration. The article contracts the technique of «Theme Photobooks» with the methods PECS and «Social Stories», it also gives examples of activities with children with autistic spectrum disorders, beginning from the stage of the acquaintance of the teacher with the child to the selection of photos for the Theme Photobook «Rules of Behaviour Outdoors»

Keywords

• autism spectrum disorders
• phototherapy
• «Theme Photobooks»
• interaction
• communication
• language development
• social integration