The Action Research On The Peer-support To Improve Social Communication Disorder For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Special Education Schools

Social communication disorder has been identified as one of the core defects of children with autism spectrum disorders(ASD),which seriously hinders their adjustment to life and interpersonal interaction.Peer Support is an effective intervention method for social communication disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders,which has been proved effective in the evidence-based practice reports on autism issued by the National Autism Center and the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders and many other international authoritative institutions of autism.It emphasizes the training of ordinary children or special children with good social skills,the establishment of appropriate social patterns with autistic children as a partner,and the reinforcement of appropriate social behaviors of autistic children,so as to improve the social communication ability of autistic children.Currently,peer support has been paid more attention and studied in the international community,but in the field of special education in China,there are few empirical studies on the improvement of social communication disorders of autistic children by taking exceptional children as training partners in special education schools.Therefore,in this study,three special children were trained in special education schools in order to improve the social communication disorder of the three children with autism spectrum disorders through activities.First of all,in the design of peer training program,the author supports the key points of training in the relevant research on peer support at home and abroad,and selects the higher frequency as the preliminary peer training content.In terms of the design of peer support activities,the author established the content of peer support activities by referring to the compulsory curriculum standards,teaching materials,students’ interests of the school and issuing self-designed questionnaires to teachers.Secondly,this study adopts the method of action research,and in the process of research implementation,it adopts five rounds of action research with the cycle of "planning – acting--observing--reflecting".The author continuously adjusted the content of peer training,materials and links of peer support activities,and the three groups were conducted 12 times separately.After 36 times of peer support activities,finally developed a feasible action plan suitable for the improvement of social communication disorders of children with ASD in special schools.By analyzing the frequency of social initiation,social response and peer prompt of each autistic child in each activity,and combining with the subsequent interviews with parents and teachers,the social communication disorder of children with autism spectrum disorder was effectively improved after peer support.Based on the research,the author draws the conclusions: firstly,the implementation of peer support in special schools is effective in improving the social communication disorders of autistic children;Secondly,"video demonstration--group teaching--peer training--peer trial teaching--peer leadership(teacher assistance)--peer self-assessment--additional training" is a form of peer support activities suitable for improving social communication disorders of autistic children.;Thirdly,peer training improves the ability of trainees to assist autistic children in social communication;Fourthly,the effect of peer support on improving social communication disorders in autistic children is affected by multiple factors such as the degree of autism,peer’s motivation,and the design of peer support activities.Based on the research results and the current research status of peer support in China’s special education schools,this paper reflects on and suggests the implementation of peer support in special education schools to improve the social communication disorders of autistic children.