Resources

Reflection Questions

The Reflection Questions document can be downloaded at any time and used in a variety of ways. You can view it before starting your work so that you know which questions will be asked in the videos and/or on the webpages. You can also access it at the end of your work so that you can see all your responses to the questions. This tool can be helpful for documenting your learning and referring to later or for sharing it with others in group discussions or as demonstration of your online progress.

Discussion Questions

The Discussion Questions provided below can supplement and extend your individual learning and be used by facilitators or coaches to prompt meaningful discussions.

1. Why are peer-mediated intervention approaches important for children with ASD?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Social impairment is a defining feature of autism.
   • PMII increases the number of opportunities that children with ASD have for interacting with peers.
   • PMII helps children with ASD learn important social skills, such as exchanging materials and initiating interactions.
   • PMII has positive effects on children's' academic, interpersonal, and personal-social development.
2. How would you go about training peers using a peer-initation training approach?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Select highly social peers to be included in the training.
   • Teach peers how to use specific strategies that can be used to facilitate play and social interaction (e.g., organizing play, sharing) through the use of peer-adult and peer-peer role play.
   • Allow peers to practice skills with focal child in a structured play setting by providing prompts and reinforcement as necessary.

   • Extend social initiations across the day by embedding social interaction opportunities into ongoing classroom routines and activities so that the focal child has multiple occasions to practice skills in different settings and with different peers.

3. How are peer social networks different from the peer-initiation training approach?

   A correct answer should include a statement such as:

   • Peer social networks are typically used with older children and adolescents.
   • Peer social networks involve teaching peers how to maintain physical proximity with focal children throughout the day, establish and maintain eye contact, and initiate social interactions with focal children.

   • Peer-initiation training approaches are focused on the use of play-based skills (e.g., organizing play, sharing) and are more appropriate for young children (i.e., ages 3 to 8 years).

4. Several types of peer-mediated intervention strategies were presented in this module. Which do you feel would be most beneficial to the child with ASD?

   Answers to this question will vary. Each should be supported by content taken directly from the module regarding a particular peer-mediated intervention strategy.
   

5. Continuing your answer to Question 4, what steps would you take prior to implementation to promote its success?

   Answers to this question will vary. Each should be supported by content taken directly from the module regarding a particular peer-mediated intervention strategy.
   

Activities on this page are provided at both the introductory and advanced level and can be copied and used within existing professional development or university coursework.

Introductory Activities

1. Implementing PMII: Early Childhood

   Using the sample activity script provided in the "Peer-Initiation Training" section, create a new activity that can be used with the children in your classroom.

2. Implementing PMII: Elementary School and Early Adolescence

   Using the sample activity script provided in the "Peer Support Network" section, create a new activity focused on a specific skill that can be used with the students in the classroom.

3. Extending Initiations across the Day: Early Childhood

   Using the activity matrix template presented in the section focused on "Peer-Initiation Training," create an activity matrix for a child with ASD.

4. Extending Initiations across the Day: Elementary School and Early Adolescence

   Using the activity planning form presented in the section focused on "Peer Support Networks," create an activity plan for a student with ASD.

5. Implementing PMII: Early Childhood Activity 2

   Devise the steps you would take to develop an intervention plan for Taylor that could be implemented in his preschool classroom based upon the information provided in the case example below. State in your plan the reasons for including each step in the process.

   Example Taylor:

   Taylor is a 4-year-old child with autism who spends most of his time wandering around the classroom and has few interactions with typically developing peers. He also has difficulty getting and staying engaged in activities and will remain in an activity for only about a minute before leaving. Upon leaving the activity, he usually wanders around the room while flapping his hands. Most of the children in the classroom seem hesitant to interact with him because of these behaviors. His teacher, Melissa, has noticed that one peer, Anna, often tries to hold Taylor's hand when they are on the playground; however, he pulls his hand away. Melissa has observed that Taylor is most engaged with toys that have moving parts such as cars, trucks, and trains. He often lines them up and spins their wheels. Another concern is that Taylor's communication skills are very limited. He only is able to say a few words including "more," "help," "food," and "drink." Because of his limited play and communicative skills, Melissa is concerned that he will not be able to interact with peers. Melissa would like for Taylor to have more interactions with peers as well as increase his ability to initiate and stay engaged in activities.
   

6. Implementing PMII: Elementary School and Early Adolescence Activity 2

   Identify the steps you would take to develop an intervention plan for Emily that could be implemented in her classroom based upon the information provided in the case example. Include in your plan the reasons you included each step in the process.

   Example Emily:

   Emily is a 10-year-old girl with ASD with good verbal and academic skills, but she interacts very little with other children. During small group learning activities throughout the day she does not initiate conversations or interactions with her peers. On the playground, Emily spends most of her time talking to and staying close to her teacher, Evan, and does not play with the other children. When she is not near Evan, she sits in the grass and watches the other children play. At lunch time, Emily often sits at an empty table in the back of the cafeteria. During informal observations, Evan has noticed that Emily seems very interested in one of the other girls in the class. Emily always wants to be behind this student when they are waiting in line or walking down the hall to another activity. He has tried having Emily sit next to this student during small group activities, but this strategy has not promoted any social interactions between Emily and her peers. A goal on Emily's IEP is to interact more with peers throughout the day; however, Evan is not certain how to accomplish this goal. Emily's mom also is very concerned that Emily is lonely and does not have any friends.
   
   

Advanced Activities

1. Making Adaptations to Existing Activities

   Adapt an activity or daily routine to incorporate peer-mediated strategies.

2. Research Activity

   Using the Evidence-Based Practice list provided in the Resource section, read at least two articles on PMII and prepare a summary to share with a parent group or school team.

3. Teaching Others about PMII

   Using what you have learned from the PMII module, design a visual format for presenting this information to others working with a child with ASD. This might include strategies for describing peer-mediated strategies that are useful for different children to general educators, a brochure or fact sheet that explains to parents and siblings how to implement PMII at home and in the community, etc.