Canucks Autism Network: Supporting Individuals with Autism

in Sport

Stephanie Jull, PhD, BCBA-D: Director of Programming, Canucks Autism Network

Outline

• Canucks Autism Network

• Autism?

• Group Strategies

• Coaching Tips

• Motivation Tools

• More Resources!

Canucks Autism Network

• Non-profit in Vancouver

• Hands-on Programs

– Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna

• Training for sports and recreation providers

Autism is on the rise Current estimate (2014) from US Centers for Disease Control: 1 in 68 children; 1 in 42 boys Reasons are unclear MUCH more support is needed

autismspeaks.org, 2014

Autism Prevalence is on the Rise

Community Sport

• Rates of physical activity are consistently lower

• Participation in community recreation and sports activities is often unsuccessful

Where do kids with autism fit?

• 40% have average to above average intelligence

• Do not qualify for Special Olympics

Training and Outreach

• CAN/Special Olympics Canada NCCP Modules

• Working with CAC

• Working with ViaSport

Autism

What is Autism?

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Social-emotional reciprocity

• Nonverbal communication

• Developing friendships

• Repetitive behaviour

• Routine & change

• Sensory sensitivities

Autism: Social Reciprocity

Core Feature:

• Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity

– Difficulties with perspective taking

– Poor conversation skills

– Poor social initiation skills

Supporting Social Reciprocity

• Taking turns

• Understanding someone else’s perspective

• Joining into activities

Autism: Nonverbal Communication

Core Feature

• Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors

– Reading sarcasm, body language, tone of voice

– Differences with eye contact

Supporting Nonverbal Communication

• Use concrete language

• Don’t expect eye contact all the time

Autism: Developing Relationships

Core Feature:

• Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships

– Difficulties with 'reading’ the social world and learning expected behaviours

– Challenges sharing imaginative play

– Difficulty engaging others

Supporting Relationships

• Often social rules and routines need to be explicitly taught

– How to be a “good teammate”

– How to lose, how to win

Autism: Repetitive Behaviour

Core Feature:

• Stereotyped or repetitive speech, motor movements, or use of objects;

– Repetitive behaviours

– Repetitive speech

Autism: Anxiety/Change

Core Feature: • Excessive adherence to

routines, ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, or excessive resistance to change;

– Anxiety: with changes in routine, new activities, people

Autism: Restricted Interests

Core Feature:

• Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus;

– Strong special interests

Autism: Sensory Reactivity

Core Feature: • Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to

sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment;

Hyper: Sound, lights, texture, etc. Hypo: Temperature, pain

Delays with Physical Literacy

• Sports environments = social environments

• Sports may be challenging both physically and socially

• Poor physical literacy due to fewer opportunities?

If you’ve met one individual with autism,

you’ve met one individual with autism!

Questions?

Support Strategies

• Group Strategies

• Coaching Tips

• Motivation Tools

Group Strategies

Good Coaching on Steroids

• Great Practice Plans

– Lots of Structure, Little Wait Time

– Strategies for Social Inclusion

– Appropriate Competition and Challenge

Inclusive Coaching

• Code of Conduct

– Player

– Parent

• Supporting Officials

Coaching Tips

• Show and say • Short and clear

Teaching Strategies

• Modeling:

– Pros and Cons

Visual Cues

Motivation Tools

Motivation: First-Then

Motivation: Countdowns

Motivation: Timers

Motivation: Choices

Motivation: Point Systems

Motivation: Visual Schedules

More Resources

More Resources

• ViaSport Webinar

– Viasport.ca/resources

• Physical Literacy Resources

– http://piseworld.com/physical-literacy-resources/

• Downloadable Visual Supports • http://www.canucksautism.ca/Learn_more_about_

autism/Visual_Supports.htm

Training/Partnership Opportunities

• Full Day Workshops

• Training/Try-It Events

Any questions?