by Sean Sweeney August 12, 2019 4 min read
Welcome to our last entry in this year’s “Summer Study Series!” Here in Massachusetts we still have a little summer left, though I know some of you have already headed back to school.
If you are here on the MindWing Blog, you probably have clearly seen the issues related to narrative language that our students with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit, and are aware of the connections between narrative and situational awareness, perspective-taking, and conversational skills, among other areas of social cognition, language processing, and executive functioning.
I am frequently asked to conduct evaluations encompassing social cognition and pragmatic language and always find it extremely valuable to include a detailed assessment of narrative language. However, in doing so, and having reviewed previous assessments of these students, I often find that I am like a newcomer to a desert landmark, standing there saying “Hey, look at this…?” Why haven’t the examiners before me documented and then suggested interventions around these inevitably present narrative language issues?
Given that narrative is an under-identified and under-supported area, but also to support our own assessments and interventions, I’d like to spread the word about Lynne Hewitt’s Narrative as a Critical Context for Advanced Language Development in Autism Spectrum Disorder (2019) as a helpful tutorial. I’ve seen Dr. Hewitt speak on the overlaps between speech-language pathology and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), so was very excited to see that she has written about this topic! Some of the major points of the tutorial are as follows:
I’ve often found that last point to be very true and relevant, and leads me to a quick (and not new) tech tip. YouTube, again, is an extremely helpful resource for setting the context for any kind of narrative work. You don’t need to know your way around the Federation to find a Star Trek clip from any of the multitude of TV shows and movies that have been released at this point. Dropping into the middle of a story will provide clients with the opportunity to illuminate the larger narrative for you and work on some of the objectives described in this article. As an SGM®/Thememaker® user, you will certainly find the tutorial reinforcing of the techniques you are currently applying!
I hope you all have had, and will continue to have a great summer! Live Long and Prosper!
Hewitt, L. E. (2019). Narrative as a critical context for advanced language development in autism spectrum disorder. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 4(3), 430-437. doi:10.1044/2019_pers-sig1-2018-0021Noel, K. K., & Westby, C. (2014). Applying theory of mind concepts when designing interventions targeting social cognition among youth offenders. Topics in Language Disorders, 34(4), 344-361. doi:10.1097/tld.0000000000000036
Sean Sweeney, MS, MEd, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and technology specialist working in private practice at the Ely Center in Needham, MA, and as a clinical supervisor at Boston University. He consults with local and national organizations on technology integration in speech and language interventions. His blog, SpeechTechie (www.speechtechie.com), looks at technology “through a language lens.” Contact him at sean@speechtechie.com.
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