Language & Autism - Strategies - Context (Word Relationships):
Basic Concepts - Description

As a person develops, there are certain basic concepts that he or she is inclined to investigate. It is important to discover where something is. A person should note how much or many there might be. The size, color, and shape, and what it may be part of will be of value. A person may look at when it occurs in our day. And a person will surely develop a feeling based on the emotion he or she experiences in his or her learning. These notions of location, number, description, time, and feeling serve as anchors for this new memory he or she is building. And they become important pathways for recall and additional learning. Also when describing the various aspects of an event the size, color, shape, and relative part of the whole becomes important.
        My students may acquire vocabulary to name a specific object or photo that is presented to them. Making the connection that there are similar items that bare the same name is a much harder task for them. When teaching new words it may be helpful to present several versions of the target in different media formats and with varied sensory aspects. Related information with regard to basic concepts, functions and categories and the language that describes these aspects can help make important connections. Placing an item within a typical event with attention to setting and people may be another helpful strategy. Selecting typical iconic representations of words within typical events and scenarios can often insure a high degree of redundancy in day to day experiences.

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DESCRIPTION LESSONS
Size     Color     Shape     Part/Whole