Participate in a one to one interaction in a health and social care context (P5)

Setting: Special needs school, individual work.

This interaction took place in a class room with a five year old boy with severe autism playing with playdough.

Communication skills | Notes on skills used | Preferred method of communication of service user. | The best form of communication with the boy is to use clear speech so they can understand all the words you are saying. He also knows sign language because speech can be difficult for him to understand, so I used basic Makaton while speaking so he could fully understand. | Listening | Because the child has severe autism he doesn’t have any speech, he sometimes repeats words he has heard before but they have no meaning, so because of this there’s nothing to listen to, but after saying something to him I would still look at him and make eye contact in case he did say anything. I look at more of their mannerism more than what he says. | Responding to questions | He isn’t able to ask questions, but if he would like something he would use a book full of pictures, he would then point at what he wants and I would repeat what t picture is so he knows the word. | Tone of voice | While the boy was being well behaved I had a soft and gentle tone so he knows he is being good and I am happy, but when he started to misbehave by getting up and eating the playdough I would make my tone firm so he knows he is doing something wrong, I noticed that my tone was a bit too aggressive at times and made the child distressed then lowered it. | Pace (speed you spoke at) | I spoke at a steady pace, not too slow because it can sound intimidating but slow enough that everything I said was clear and understandable | Language – formal/informal/jargon etc. | I spoke quite formally to the boy but I also used simple words so he could understand everything