Language and communication are complex challenges for students on the autism spectrum, so we asked Fran Reinitz, MA, CCC, SLP the Speech Department Coordinator at The Forum School about her approach to teaching.

How does your work interface with that of other teachers and specialists?

Cross curriculum and cross environment are mainstays for targeting essential elements of language and for generalizing new knowledge. Work in the therapy room can support academic language needed in math, reading, science and social studies. We have also been able to reinforce concepts taught in Health classes like stranger awareness and keeping our bodies safe.

Even swimming skills can be supported! Our swim teacher was trying to teach one of the students to blow bubbles in the pool but that child could not exhale on demand. When she asked if I could help, we immediately began working on learning to blow bubbles into a bowl of water through a straw. Over time the skill was generalized to the pool allowing that child to move forward with his swimming skills.