What is Attention Autism?

Attention Autism is an intervention approach which aims to work on the early fundamentals of language including awareness of others, attention, listening, shared attention, switching attention and turn-taking.

Attention skills are an integral part of how we connect with people, the world around us and how we learn.  As we know these early skills can be particularly difficult for children with Autism.  We make these interactions irresistible by using activities that are worthy of the child’s attention by engaging in activities with overflowing enthusiasm.  When pupils are having fun they are more likely to join in and engage.

How we use it at Hill Top?

Attention Autism approaches are used with pupils on our informal pathway, at the early stages and then moving through to pupils on the semi-formal pathway.

Stage 1: FOCUS- The Bucket

The aims are to…

• Focus pupils’ attention on the adult led activity
• Engage their attention with enthusiasm
• Relax and enjoy these times together
• To anticipate shared good times

Stage 2: SUSTAIN- The attention builder

We offer an activity that has a sequence building to a final fantastic experience.  We make this as long or as short as appropriate depending on attention levels.  We add additional vocabulary at a later stage.

Stage 3: SHIFT- Interactive game

Once children are attending to an adult led activity for a longer period, it is time to begin modelling turn-taking skills and how to shift attention from self to the rest of the group.  We began to add more vocabulary.

Stage 4: 1, 2 & 3 TRANSITIONS- Table top activity

Once pupils have reached stage 4, it is time to practise completing a more independent activity in which pupils will achieve success.  We encourage children to watch a demonstration of the activity then they take their pack of resources, go to their own space and carry out the activity independently.  The focus should be on the progress and attention rather than the end result.  Children are then encouraged to come back together and share in celebrating the end result!

In Hill Top we are trained in intensive interaction. This approach is used as an intervention, but also as a communication approach generally. 

Intensive Interaction is an approach to help people with social communication difficulties. Intensive Interaction is partly based on what we know about how infants naturally learn the Fundamentals of Communication in usual development. The basic techniques are about tuning in and building a share repertoire.  

Tuning-in means reading a person’s emotional, psychological, cognitive and physiological signals and sensitively responding in ways that are meaningful and convey understanding.  

As they are repeated, interactions will gradually grow and expand in duration, sophistication and complexity. Gradually, a repertoire of familiar activities is built up and further developed. A familiar repertoire provides the confidence for the person to experiment, to try new things, which can then become part of the expanding repertoire. Shared familiarity also makes it increasingly possible for the practitioner to suggest new variations during the flow of the interactivity.