This world in which we live in an interesting place. It consists of varieties of experiences. Everyone lives in the same circle. Everyone tries to understand each other, help and get helped by them. The ability to communicate effectively through verbal and nonverbal means becomes an important part of one’s social life.
This interpersonal skill leads one to a successful life. Some people can easily acquire these skills but they do not. Some people have difficulty in understanding these skills but they must learn to understand the communications of life.
What is Autism?
Autism is a kind of mental disorder in children that makes social skills and nonverbal communication challenging to them. They suffer from repetitive behaviors. It is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It has many subtypes that help us to understand it in a more precise manner.
What are the social skills that are needed by the children having Autism?
- They need to learn playing skills. Learning to share the toy.
- They need to learn conversation skills. Learning to use particular body languages for certain things and using specific language.
- They need to learn emotional skills. Learning to know the feeling of others and also to feel oneself.
- They need to learn problem-solving skills. Learning to deal with decision making and conflict management.
Methods to develop social skills:
- Playing games
One can be taught through a precise play. One might play a scene. Games can be played in which there are turns. Teaching them to take their turn each time helps them to learn this skill of following rules.
- Acting out a play
A drama with some real-life situations can be performed and make them participate. The story with some decision making themes, like how to decide who will get the only left piece of bread, should be enacted.
- Using visuals
The dashboards, pictures, checklists, and visuals should be used to make them spell out the names. These visuals help them to remember things for a longer time.
- Social interaction
Interaction with healthy children may help them to associate themselves with others and develop a sense of brotherhood among themselves. This is the best way to teach them to learn social skills.
The children suffering from Autism can develop their interpersonal skills through proper training by following the methods discussed above. Autism can be cured to a large extent by developing social skills in them.
This would not only cure them of their disabilities but also make them more productive and successful. Social skills are nothing but certain rules and behaviors formed for different situations. These social skills are naturally absorbed by the children in the same manner as they naturally learn the language.
The language and behavior both determine social skills. It has become one of the main attributes of the people in the corporate, academic and professional world. Autism is the situation of lack of understanding to grasp the language as well as social skills. But it can successfully be eradicated from one’s life with proper training and education under special guidance.
