5 Ways to Use the Curiosity Approach to Build Communication Skills in Autistic Learners

The Curiosity Approach, with its child-led, play-based framework, offers unique opportunities to enhance communication skills. Below are five ways curiosity-led activities, such as storytelling with props and collaborative play, support both verbal and non-verbal communication development in autistic learners, grounded in research and innovative design.

1. Encouraging Storytelling with Sensory Props

Concept: Using props like textured puppets or scented objects in child-led storytelling sessions sparks curiosity and invites communication.

Impact: Storytelling promotes expressive language and narrative skills, with research showing sensory props enhance engagement in autistic learners (Quill, 1997). Non-verbal students can use props to convey ideas, supporting alternative communication.
Innovation: Integrate a “prop board” with visual symbols, allowing students to select items and build sentences, inspired by augmentative communication strategies (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013).

2. Facilitating Collaborative Play with Open-Ended Materials

Concept: Collaborative play with loose parts (e.g., blocks, fabric) encourages peer interaction and communication through shared exploration.

Impact: Joint play fosters turn-taking and verbal exchanges, while non-verbal cues (e.g., pointing) support social communication, as noted in autism studies (Ganz, 2007). Child-led dynamics ensure comfort and participation.
Innovation: Add a “communication cue box” with picture cards or sound makers to prompt interaction, enhancing both verbal and non-verbal skills.

3. Promoting Inquiry-Based Conversations with Curiosity Boxes

Concept: Curiosity boxes filled with intriguing items (e.g., feathers, small mirrors) prompt students to ask questions or comment, driving communication.

Impact: Inquiry-based activities boost verbal language development, while non-verbal learners can respond with gestures or eye contact, aligning with research on curiosity-driven learning (Whitebread et al., 2017).
Innovation: Include a digital recorder for students to capture their thoughts, offering a novel way to practice communication at their pace.

4. Supporting Role-Play with Sensory Scenarios

Concept: Child-led role-play using sensory-rich scenarios (e.g., a pretend market with textured goods) encourages imaginative dialogue and interaction.

Impact: Role-play enhances verbal communication and social scripts, while non-verbal students can use props to act out roles, supported by evidence on play-based therapy (Kasari et al., 2012).
Innovation: Use a “role-play guide” with tactile prompts (e.g., a shopping list in braille or symbols) to scaffold communication for diverse learners.

5. Enabling Group Storytelling with Collaborative Murals

Concept: Creating murals with sensory materials (e.g., paint, textured rollers) as a group activity sparks shared narratives and communication.

Impact: Collaborative art promotes verbal collaboration and non-verbal cues like pointing or nodding, with studies showing art enhances social communication in autism (Martin, 2009). Child-led input ensures engagement.
Innovation: Incorporate a “story mat” where students place objects to build a group story, blending tactile and communicative elements.

Conclusion

The Curiosity Approach, through curiosity-led activities like storytelling with props and collaborative play, provides a dynamic pathway to build communication skills in autistic learners. By integrating evidence-based practices with innovative tools, educators can support both verbal and non-verbal development, creating inclusive classrooms that nurture expression and connection. Explore further resources like the Hanen Centre or autism communication research for additional insights.

References (for context, not exhaustive):

• Quill, K. A. (1997). Instructional Considerations for Young Children with Autism.
• Beukelman, D. R., & Mirenda, P. (2013). Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
• Ganz, J. B. (2007). Classroom-Based Strategies for Children with Autism.
• Whitebread, D., et al. (2017). The Importance of Play in Early Childhood.
• Kasari, C., et al. (2012). Play and Joint Attention in Autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
• Martin, N. (2009). Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism.