How to use flashcards to help your child with autism learn
Many children with autism and other developmental delays, both verbal and nonverbal, are visual learners, which is why flashcards are a great resource that you can use to help them learn. Flashcards can help children develop those important early language skills, build vocabulary and learn how to recognise and respond.
Using flashcards can be really fun and there are lots of different ways you can ‘gamify’ learning to make it a fun activity for both of you. So here are four different activities to help your child with autism learn through flashcards:
1. Recognise and respond
If your child is not yet talking, or your child is nonverbal, start by labelling the images for them. You can point and say the name of each item to help introduce them to some basic words and labels. As they get used to this activity, you can begin to put two pictures next to each other and say, “which one is the___”. If your child already has some language skills, flashcards are a great way to boost their existing vocabulary.
2. Generalising
Learning that a label is not equal to one thing. The word ‘apple’ is used for an apple that is red, green, has a bite out of it or is chopped up. These are all ‘apples’. Learning to recognise and understand that different pictures of an object can share the same name can sometimes be tricky for children with speech and language delays. Rockmelon Flashpacks include up to six variations of each item, location, person and thing to help you teach your child how to generalise.
3. Video Flashpacks
Rockmelon is changing the way children learn. Video Flashpacks now allow children to learn action labels in context using short clips that explain the way that word can be used, e.g. the action ‘running’ is shown as a video rather than a still image. This new and engaging way of learning allows your child to understand each activity in context. Rockmelon has hundreds of short action videos which your child will love!
4. Linking to real life
See that apple on the flashcard? It is the same item as that round red thing in the bowl on the table. Similarly, preparing for a trip to the doctor might not be as scary if you can show your child what to expect first, right? You can use flashcards to help your child make the link between real-life items and locations.
