Open-ended questions are a great way to encourage creativity, critical thinking, and communication in children with autism. However, it can be difficult to know how to teach these skills. This guide will give you some tips on how to teach open-ended questions to children with Autism using easy and fun strategies.
1. What are Open-ended questions?
Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” They require children to use their imagination and critical thinking skills to come up with an answer.
This can be a challenge for children with autism, who may be used to more concrete thinking. However, open-ended questions are an important part of learning. They help children to think creatively and to see different sides of an issue. With practice, children with autism can learn how to answer open-ended questions.
2. Why use open questions with children with autism?
It is widely known that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have difficulties with social interactions and communication. This can make it hard for them to understand the give-and-take of conversation, and to know what to say in order to keep a conversation going. open questions are a great way to encourage communication with children with ASD, as they give the child a chance to elaborate on their interests and ideas, without putting pressure on them to come up with a witty rejoinder or to keep the conversation going.
There are several reasons why you might want to use open questions with a child with ASD:
- open questions can give you insight into what the child is thinking about. They help to gather information about the child’s interests and thoughts. Many children with ASD have difficulty communicating their interests and thoughts, as they may not have the words to describe them.
- open questions can provide opportunities for learning. When we ask open-ended questions, we are inviting children to think critically and explore their thoughts and ideas. This can help children with autism develop their problem-solving skills and learn more about the world around them. For example, answering questions such as “How” require the child to describe a process, and questions that start with “When” require the child to understand the concept of time.
- open questions can help foster relationships and helps children with autism make friends. When we ask open-ended questions, we are showing interest in another person and inviting them to share their thoughts and feelings. This can help children with autism to feel more connected to others and to build stronger relationships.
- they help the child to understand the concept of conversation. Many children with ASD find it hard to understand that conversation is a two-way process and that they need to take turns in order to keep the conversation going. By asking open questions, you can help the child to understand that they need to share information in order to keep the conversation going. Some examples of open-ended questions you can use with children with autism include: What do you like to do for fun? What are your thoughts on _____? How do you feel about _____?.
- Another reason to use open questions is that they can help the child feel more comfortable in social situations. Many children with ASD feel anxious in social situations, as they feel they are being watched and judged. By asking open questions, you can help the child to feel more relaxed, as they will not feel the need to perform or say the right thing.
- open questions also allow the child to take the lead in the conversation, which can help to build their confidence.
Open questions are a great way to develop higher-level of thinking and encourage communication with children with ASD. By asking open questions, you can help the child to understand the concept of conversation, feel more comfortable in social situations, and express their interests and thoughts.
3. How to teach Open questions to children with autism
Teaching open-ended questions to children with autism can be a challenge, but it is important to keep the questions simple and concise.
a. Picture Cards
One way to teach open-ended questions to children with autism is to use picture cards.
For example, you can use a picture of a child playing with a ball. The child might be asked, “What is the child doing?” The child would answer, “The child is playing with a ball.” This is an open-ended question that requires the child to use his or her imagination.
Other examples of open-ended questions include, “What do you think the child is feeling?” or “What do you think will happen next?”
b. Social stories
Here is an example social story about asking open-ended questions:
“You may have noticed that people tend to ask you a lot of questions. Sometimes, these questions can be really difficult to answer. Other times, they can be really easy. It’s important to answer questions because it shows that we are listening to the person who is asking the question. It also shows that we are interested in what they have to say.
Sometimes, people will ask us open-ended questions. These are questions that can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. Open-ended questions usually start with words like “why”, “how”, or “tell me about”. Answering open-ended questions can be tricky, but it’s important to try. If we can answer these questions, it shows that we are thinking about what the other person is saying.
Here are some tips for answering open-ended questions:
- Take a deep breath and think about the question before you answer.
- It’s okay to take your time. Notice how long it takes the other person to answer the question, and takes that same amount of time to answer.
- If you’re not sure how to answer the question, it’s okay to say so. You can say something like, “That’s a really good question. I’m not sure, but let me think about it.”
- Sometimes, we can answer the question with a question. For example, if someone asks you how your day was, you can ask them about their day.
- Remember, there is no wrong answer to an open-ended question. Just try your best and have fun!”
Here are other social stories:
c. Other strategies for teaching open questions
There are many other strategies that can be used to teach open-ended questions to children with autism:
- One strategy is to model the questions for the child. The child can then watch you ask the questions and see how you form the questions.
- Another strategy is to have the child answer questions about a picture or a short story. This will help the child to understand how to form questions.
- A third strategy is to use puppets or other objects to ask questions. This can help the child to understand how to ask questions and understand the answers.
Tips on teaching open questions
Open-ended questions are important for all children, but they are especially critical for children with autism who might not otherwise be able to engage in conversations. Here are some tips for parents and educators who want to use more open-ended questions with children on the autism spectrum:
- Make sure the child understands the question. Open-ended questions can be confusing for children with autism because they often require higher-level thinking and inferencing skills. If a child doesn’t understand the question, they won’t be able to answer it. You can use posters that your child or student can refer to for help recognize what the question is about (Who Questions ask about a person and What Question ask about an object or an action).
- Give the child time to answer. Children with autism might need more time to process the question and formulate a response.
- Listen to the child’s answer and ask follow-up questions. After the child responds, show that you’re interested in what they have to say by asking a follow-up question. This helps to encourage back-and-forth communication
- Practice, practice, and more practice until the child masters open questions and the art of conversation.
4. How to use open questions to encourage communication?
When it comes to asking questions, it is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every child is different, and what works for one child may not work for another. With that said, there are some general tips that can be helpful when asking open-ended questions to children with autism:
- One tip is to ask questions that are based on the child’s interests. This can help to engage the child and make the conversation more enjoyable. If you are not sure what the child is interested in, you can ask about their favorite activities, TV shows, or toys.
- Another tip is to use simple language when asking questions. This can help to avoid confusing the child or causing them to become overwhelmed.
- It is also important to give the child time to process the question and respond.
- It can also be helpful to provide visual cues when asking questions. This can be done by using hand gestures or facial expressions. For example, you can raise your eyebrows when asking a question to indicate that you are looking for more than a one-word answer.
- Finally, it is important to be patient when asking questions. Children with autism may need more time to process the question and form a response.
- It is also important to avoid pressuring the child to answer the question.
- Encourage your child to ask you questions as well. This will help them understand the concept of turn-taking, and it will also give you a chance to model how to ask an open-ended question.
By following these tips, you can help to make the conversation more enjoyable and successful when talking with children with autism.
5. What types of questions to avoid?
Open-ended questions are a great way to encourage conversation and get to know your child better. However, there are some types of questions that you should avoid asking. Here are five examples:
- Questions that can be answered with a single word such as “What’s your favorite color?” or “What’s your favorite food?” These types of questions don’t encourage conversation.
- Questions that are too personal such as “Why do you think you’re different from other kids?” or “What do you think people think about you?” These questions can make your child feel uncomfortable and can be difficult to answer.
- Questions about their autism such as “What do you think autism is?” or “How do you feel about having autism?” These types of questions can make your child feel like their autism is a bad thing and can be difficult to answer.
- Questions that are too difficult such as “How do you feel when you’re around other people?” or “What do you think about when you’re by yourself?” These questions can be overwhelming and difficult to answer.
- Questions that are leading such as “You must be so tired after a long day at school, right?” or “You must be excited to go to the park tomorrow, aren’t you?”
These types of questions can be frustrating for children with autism who may not feel the same way as the question implies.
6. How to adapt open questions for different children?
As every child is different, it is important to adapt your questions to suit each individual. Here are some tips on how to do this:
- Try to find out what interests the child and ask questions about those topics. For example, if they are interested in trains, you could ask them what their favorite type of train is.
- Make sure the questions are at the right level for the child. If they are struggling to understand complex questions, keep them simpler.
- Encourage the child to ask questions themselves. This will help them to understand the concept of open questions and how they work.
- Finally, don’t forget to praise the child for their efforts. This will help to encourage them and make them more likely to try again in the future.
In conclusion, open questions are an essential tool for promoting communication in children with autism. By asking questions that require more than a one-word answer, we can encourage children to share their thoughts and feelings, and explore their interests. With patience and consistency, we can help children to build the skills they need to communicate effectively.
If you’re looking for ways to get your child with autism to open up and communicate more, then check the Autism Aid Store for over 60 different materials to teach Open or WH Questions for children.
