Tips for effective communication with autistic pupils

Published on 08 April 2022

Author: Joe Butler

Joe Butler is an education/autism consultant and co-author of Is That Clear? Effective Communication in a Neurodiverse World. Here, Joe offers eight communication tips for school staff working with autistic pupils.

Communication differences between autistic and allistic (non-autistic) people are two-way, and can lead to mutual misunderstandings. When talking with an autistic pupil, or with a group of learners where autistic pupils may be present, it is important to consider whether what you think you’ve said, or asked, is clear. The responsibility is all too often unfairly placed on the autistic pupil to learn what response is expected, to and make changes to ‘fit in’ to a largely neurotypical world. Mainstream schools are geared towards those in the neuro-majority. Effective communication is a shared responsibility and only works when everyone is included.

As school staff, we should consider the way we communicate and the adjustments we can make, to better support autistic pupils. In doing so, we also become more inclusive of autistic parents, carers and colleagues. Clear communication ultimately benefits all of us.

Of course, every autistic person is different. It is important to learn from your individual pupils what works best for them, and what they need from you. These tips, adapted from Is That Clear? Effective Communication in a Neurodiverse World, are based on what autistic people want you to know and do.

Slow down

Receiving information from someone who is speaking too quickly can be overwhelming for an autistic person. Allistic people can find slowing down difficult at first. You may start off slower but then find yourself speeding up. Adding pauses is a good way to adjust the pace of your language.

Allow processing time

Pauses give your autistic pupils processing time. As a general rule, give at least 10 seconds. More or less time may be needed dependant on:

It is important not to fill these pauses with more language – the autistic person is working really hard during these silences.

If you don’t get a response straight away, don’t assume that you haven’t been heard or are being ignored. If you do need to repeat the instruction, use the same words, ideally backed up visually, unless it is apparent that the pupil does not understand them. Introducing new language means they may have to go right back to the beginning of reprocessing what has been asked. Only rephrase instructions if there is still confusion.

Make it visual

Many autistic people find visual information easier to process and retain than purely spoken information. You can add visual support to your communication using objects, pictures, symbols or the written word, either on paper or by using technology, for example apps.

Make it personal

Use the person’s name so they know that you are speaking directly to them. When speaking to groups, recognise that an autistic pupil might need an individual prompt as they might not realise your instruction includes them. Use “Samira, come here please” rather than “Class 2, I’ve asked you to come here”.

Short and manageable questions and instructions

Less is more! Avoid overwhelming your pupil with too much language or information to process. Ask yourself what the important message is, and break it into manageable chunks that keep to the point. Only ask one question or give one piece of information at a time, and check the first has been understood before adding more.

Allistic people use questions in different ways, including rhetorically. It can be difficult for an autistic pupil to work out which questions need an answer and how much information is being requested from them. Make questions clear and direct and limit the number you ask.

Avoid open-ended questions, such as “How was your day?” The autistic person may feel obliged to provide you with every minute detail. If questions involve choice, it may help to give limited options.

Say ‘what to do’ rather than ‘what not to do’

Another potential challenge for your autistic pupils is the use of negatives in instructions, for example “Don’t get your phone out in class”. This could easily be heard as Get your phone out in class because ‘get’, ‘phone’ and ‘class’ are the key words. Asking a pupil to “Leave your phone in your pocket” is much clearer.

Avoid confusing language

Allistic people use abstract language that have figurative meanings. These are very different to their literal meanings, so it’s easy to jump to conclusions and get the wrong end of the stick.

Understanding ‘time’ can not only be conceptually difficult, but so too the language used to describe it. Avoid vague phrases such as “I’ll be there soon”. Instead of saying “You can play football later” try saying “First dinner, then football”, and back this up visually. Precise times cannot always be trusted either, for example “I’ll be there in a second”. Give realistic and accurate timings and stick to them.

Size expressions are also tricky. There’s a big difference between a big ladybird and a big rhino, which makes a big announcement or big wait difficult to understand.

Validate different ways of communicating

Spoken language is only one form of communication. We communicate with our actions, through eye-contact, gestures or touch. Just as with spoken language, autistic and allistic people can mutually struggle to understand each other’s non-verbal communication. Autistic people can find eye-contact and unwanted or unexpected touch painful, so never insist on this.

Many autistic people use repetitive sounds or movements (stims), such as humming or rocking, to help them to focus or self-regulate. These can communicate changes in emotions. Stims should never be discouraged unless harmful, in which case safer alternatives should be explored with the pupil.

Just as visual clarification can support a pupil’s understanding, many autistic people need to express themselves through writing or pictures rather than using spoken language. This can include the use of technology. This might be all the time for some, or only at times of increased overwhelm, stress, unfamiliarity or exhaustion for others. Ensure you provide and value different ways of communicating to enable effective communication for every pupil.

Further information

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