Friday, October 14, 2016

Autism, Stimming and the RPM letter board

When the Letter Board is Used for Stimming

Stimming, for Aiden, is like having a best friend. It helps calm him down when he's anxious, giving him something to do when he's bored. I've noticed he uses the letter board to do stimming is well.  Always on the lookout to gather information to help him, I decided to ask on and about it with the letter board.

ML: “Aiden, I've noticed that sometimes when we are working on spelling with the letter board, your fingers move over the board before pointing out the letter you wants. What's happening when you do that?  How does it feel when your fingers move across the letter board?”

Aiden: “Sometimes I get caught up in the shapes of the letters in the textures. I like moving my fingers over the letter board.”

ML: “What helps bring you back to focus on spelling the word?”

Aiden: “When you ask me a question like, ‘is that letter ‘A or B’, or when you say, “focus Aiden, what's the next letter?’”

I then thank him for sharing with me, letting him know it's easier for me to understand what he needs when he shares information with me. I tell him, “It helps my brain to become smarter so I can become better at helping you learn. This way, we are helping each other to become smarter.”


Changing up my pace and vocal variety also helps keep his interest from stimming.  What works for you?

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