Developing Play and Drama in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Learning through play is a well-established principle that underpins much educational practice, yet it is often overlooked in association with children with autistic spectrum disorders. This book considers the wide-ranging benefits of developing play and taking it into drama with these children. The authors demonstrate how to implement such approaches via a highly practical, structured developmental framework, within which participants may gradually learn to be creative. They also discuss the psychology and pedagogy of autism in relation to play and drama and connect them to everyday learning situations using a wealth of examples. This accessible approach to play and drama can offer a powerful, memorable, integrating way forward for children with autistic spectrum disorders - and enjoyable, fun opportunities for teaching and learning.

Introduction; Why play?; Play and learning; Play and children with ASD; Learning to play; Taking play into learning; Drama: Play as learning; Play in Practice.

Dave Sherratt coordinates provision for children with autism at Mowbray School, North Yorkshire, and is a tutor on autism at the University of Birmingham. Melanie Peter is a lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Suffolk College (an accredited college of the University of East Anglia) and a freelance consultant in the arts and special education needs. She is also a tutor on autism at the University of Birmingham.