THE CONTRIBUTION OF STRUCTURED PLAY AS A PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGH-FUNCTIONING ASD IN KINDERGARTEN: THE TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejae.v8i2.4936Palavras-chave:
high-functioning ASD, structured play, educational programs, digital play, gender dimensionResumo
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of structured play as a learning and educational tool for students with high-functioning ASD. Qualitative research was applied to investigate the above purpose. 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary school kindergarten teachers. The results of the survey showed that the majority of the teachers considered structured play to be necessary for the effective education of students with high-functioning ASD. Also, educators can easily integrate it into their daily educational practice, although the curriculum limits its use. The biggest obstacles that teachers encounter have to do with available educational materials, infrastructure and the need for training. The majority of teachers stated that new technology and digital play are very important in enhancing the skills and progress of students with high-functioning ASD. Finally, teachers differed among themselves regarding the gendered dimension of gaming with the majority stating that they do not choose games that reinforce stereotypes.Referências
Anderson, L. (2020). Schooling for pupils with autism spectrum disorder: Parents’ perspectives. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50, 4356-4366.
Azad, G. F., Marcus, S. C., & Mandell, D. S. (2021). Partners in school: Optimizing communication between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 31(4), 438-462.
Bania, T. A., Antoniou, A. S., Theodoritsi, M., Theodoritsi, I., Charitaki, G. and Billis, E. (2019) The Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale: Translation and Cross-Cultural Validation into Greek. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-8.
Bariffe, C., & Pittas, E. (2021). Early childhood teachers’ beliefs and practices about the inclusion of children with Autism in Jamaica. International Journal of Special Education, 36(2), 66-77.
Carruthers, S., Pickles, A., Slonims, V., Howlin, P., & Charman, T. (2020). Beyond intervention into daily life: A systematic review of generalisation following social communication interventions for young children with autism. Autism Research, 13(4), 506-522.
Charitaki, G., Kypriotaki, M., & Alevriadou, A. (2023). Greek adaptation of the teachers’ Attitudes Towards Teaching All Students (ATTAS-mm) scale. Equity in Education & Society, 27526461231177457.
Chester, M., Richdale, A. L., & McGillivray, J. (2019). Group-based social skills training with play for children on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49, 2231-2242.
Cogher, L. (1999). The use of non-directive play in speech and language therapy. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 15(1), 7-15.
Cook, A., & Ogden, J. (2022). Challenges, strategies and self-efficacy of teachers supporting autistic pupils in contrasting school settings: a qualitative study. European journal of special needs education, 37(3), 371-385.
Freeman, S., & Kasari, C. (2013). Parent–child interactions in autism: Characteristics of play. Autism, 17(2), 147-161.
Fyssa, A., Tsakiri, M., & Mouroutsou, S. (2023). Pursuing early childhood inclusion through reinforcing partnerships with parents of disabled children: beliefs of Greek pre-service early childhood educators. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(1), 34-50.
Gunn, K. S., Trembath, D., & Hudry, K. (2014). An examination of interactions among children with autism and their typically developing peers. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 17(5), 327-338.
Hardiyanti, F. P., & Azizah, N. (2019, April). Multimedia of Educational Game for Disability Intellectual Learning Process: A Systematic Review. In International Conference on Special and Inclusive Education (ICSIE 2018) (pp. 360-368). Atlantis Press.
Hong, S., Hoon Ryoo, J., Lee, M., Noh, J., & Shin, J. (2020). The mediation effect of preservice teacher attitude toward inclusion for students with autism in South Korea: A structural equation modelling approach. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(1), 15-32.
Iriberri, N., & Rey-Biel, P. (2021). Brave boys and play-it-safe girls: Gender differences in willingness to guess in a large-scale natural field experiment. European Economic Review, 131, 103603.
Kok, A. J., Kong, T. Y., & Bernard-Opitz, V. (2002). A comparison of the effects of structured play and facilitated play approaches on preschoolers with autism: A case study. Autism, 6(2), 181-196.
Margari, L., Palumbi, R., Peschechera, A., Craig, F., de Giambattista, C., Ventura, P., & Margari, F. (2019). Sex-Gender Comparisons in Comorbidities of Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00159
Odom, S. L. (2019). Peer-based interventions for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder: History and effects. School Psychology Review, 48(2), 170-176.
Papanastasiou, G., Drigas, A., Skianis, C., & Lytras, M. D. (2017). Serious games in K-12 education: Benefits and impacts on students with attention, memory and developmental disabilities. Program, 51(4), 424-440.
Patel, S., Rivard, M., Mello, C., & Morin, D. (2022). Parenting stress within mother-father dyads raising a young child with an autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 99, 102051.
Paweni, S. N., & Rubovits, D. (2000). The power of play. Exceptional Parent, 30(10), 36-39.
Phillips, A. L., & Anderson, A. (2020). Cyberbullying, digital citizenship, and youth with autism: LIS education as a piece in the puzzle. The Library Quarterly, 90(3), 264-282.
Rhoads, S. E. (2005). Taking sex differences seriously. Encounter Books.
Saridaki, M., Gouscos, D., & Meimaris, M. G. (2009). Digital games-based learning for students with intellectual disability. In Games-Based Learning Advancements for Multi-Sensory Human Computer Interfaces: Techniques and Effective Practices (pp. 304-325). IGI Global.
Sherratt, D., & Peter, M. (2002). Developing play and drama in children with autistic spectrum disorders. Routledge.
Solomon M., Miller M., Taylor S. L., Hinshaw S. P., Carter C. S. (2012). Autism symptoms and internalizing psychopathology in girls and boys with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 42:48–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1215-z
Syriopoulou-Delli, C. K., Cassimos, D. C., Tripsianis, G. I., & Polychronopoulou, S. A. (2012). Teachers’ perceptions regarding the management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42, 755-768.
Tsamoura, E. (2020). The Integration of Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Kindergartens of General Education. Open Access Library Journal, 7, 1-16. http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=98486abstract
Weisgram, E. S. (2019). Reducing Gender Stereotypes in Toys and Play for Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder Kids. American Journal of Play, 12(1), 74-88.
Whitlock, A., Fulton, K., Lai, M. C., Pellicano, E., & Mandy, W. (2020). Recognition of girls on the autism spectrum by primary school educators: An experimental study. Autism Research, 13(8), 1358-1372.
Downloads
Publicado
Edição
Secção
Licença
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).


