Language & Autism - Strategies - Dialogue:
Jokes - Puns

In a natural developmental trajectory each step in the acquistion of thinking and language involves social/communicative sharing with others. Simple dialogue progresses to more and more complex and purposeful exchange and interaction. It occurs in lock step with the growth of understanding and expression. Communication can speed skill acquistion and allow for better retention and recall. At the very least dialogue is rewarding when it is purposeful and endearing when it is positive and appropriate.
        My students often struggle with humor. Processing the meaning of the spoken or written words and associated context may take longer than the interaction will allow. Finding something funny about an idea may get lost in the moment. Early experiences of shared amusement and laughter may be limited. As humorous interactions become more sophisticated it may be difficult to know when and why something is funny. Pairing typical humor with lots of drama and laughter may be helpful in building a repertoire of amusing experiences.

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JOKES
Physical     Knock-Knock     Riddles     Puns     Anecdotes