#088: Planning Group Therapy For Autistic Students

“Rose, I’m not sure how to plan a session. I have 5 autistic students that I need to see for group therapy to work on social language instruction and I am not sure what activities to plan to help them remain engaged and work on their individual and social language goals.”

I received this question in an email from one of my listeners! So today’s episode I am sharing my customizable framework for planning group therapy, along with some great resources, activity ideas, and freebies!

Group Therapy Framework
Tools: SmartBoard or iPad for sharing visuals with group

Question of the Day

• Try a “Would You Rather” or other choice-based question.
• Have students come up to tally their choice, and encourage interaction with the next peer
• Check out my Let’s Talk and Would You Rather resources for the SmartBoard

Literacy-Based Activity

• Read an adapted book with real-life pictures, real-life scenarios (book should have one sentence, one picture - I have linked some I created but feel free to DIY your own!)
• Pull up book on large screen, smart board, or iPad
• Read TOGETHER, differentiate reading by having students read known sight words

Extension Based Activity

• Expand and dig deeper into the functional vocabulary related to the adapted book
• Try a simple writing activity 
• Another great idea is categorizing and labeling based on the book

Leisure Based Activity

• A fun activity that our kids love and can be generalized at home
• Relevant to use over the lifespan
• Ideas: Modified Uno, Modified Connect Four, The Grocery Store Game, Yoga

I have linked all of the resources and freebies I shared today that can be used in this customizable framework for planning group therapy sessions for autistic learners, be sure to check them out!

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• A framework for planning group therapy instruction for autistic learners.
• Free activities for group therapy.
• What shared goals can you work on within group therapy?
• How can group therapy benefit all learners?
• How to facilitate peer-to-peer interaction in group therapy.
• Encouraging participation and social engagement in a group.

Mentioned In This Episode:
 
Fall Freebie Would You Rather by ABA SPEECH
Farm Visit Adapted Book by ABA SPEECH
Grocery Store PPT
Register for the Pyramid Educational Consultant’s Third Annual FUNctional Communication Conference on October 17th & 18th
ABA Speech: Home
Start Communicating Today – Waitlist – ABA Speech
​​Help Me Find My Voice – EVERGREEN – ABA Speech