Joint Action Routines: Introduction
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently
have trouble gaining meaning from what we say and do in our social interactions.
Interacting with others tends to be confusing and unpredictable. As
a result, many children have difficulty participating in social events
or avoid them altogether. When interactions are made more predictable
and logical, children with ASD are better able to participate and communicate
with others.
Creating interactions that are predictable,
logical and repeatable is what Joint Action Routines are all about!
What is a joint action routine?
In general, a joint action routine is defined as
a routine interaction between two or more people. Following a predictable
and logical sequence of events the activity relies on routine verbal
exchanges by those involved. At first glance, joint action routines
may look like many of the activities we participate in daily. For example,
joint action routines may occur while children play with toys, prepare
a project, or complete a daily living routine such as making their bed.
However, to be a true joint action routine, an activity must be predictable,
logical and repeatable over time. McClean and Snyder-McClean (1984)
are credited with developing the concept of joint action routines.
A joint action routine, frequently referred to
as a JAR, is a specific strategy to encourage communication skills in
children. Thus, the goal of JARs is primarily to develop spontaneous
conversation and increased social understanding. Given a familiar and
predictable routine, teachers or parents can encourage communication
by providing frequent repetition and rehearsal of target language within
a functional or motivating activity.
If you want to know more about joint action routines
read on. From this point on we will refer to joint action routines as
JARs
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