Joint Attention

Joint attention can occur when two people share interest in an object or event and there is understanding between the two people that they are both interested in the same object or event. Therefore, we need to see the value of the interests of the child or young person and use it to teach new skills, language and communications nuances.

As discussed by Brenda Myles, children will attend when they are allowed time to accrue specific skills, when they are engaged.

Student engagement and ownership are therefore critical if the child is to recognise the benefits to him or her by being socially interactive, where the child is a learning partner whose interests are utilised to develop a range of skills. 

Ros Blackburn further advises that by recognising individual interests the individual’s needs can be met, allowing the student to feel more included, accepted and thus strive to address his or her difficulties with social interaction.

As further advised by Ros Blackburn:

How Can Shared Interests be Encouraged?

• In schools, having shared interest groups at lunchtime and after school could be introduced.
• Within the home environment family members could, join groups with similar interests.

Temple Grandin (2008) reminds us,how she sought refuge in doing things that she was good at.  In Ireland, we have seen the rise of Coderdojo groups as children with autism find similarly interested peers, where the focus of the activity is used to develop friendships and social interactions.

To watch Brenda Myles keynote on this subject: click here.

For more information on Coderdojo: click here

Early Steps to Developing Joint Attention

Kari Dunn Buron sees the early steps towards developing Joint Attention as:

• Joint social pleasure – from the same interest
• Responsive smiles – demonstrating enjoyment, child with autism may need to be taught specifically phrases such as,
  • Well done
  • Marvellous
  • Good job
  • I enjoyed that
  • You did really well
  • Do you want to see what I can do?
  • Let’s try this together to see how good we can be
• Maintaining social engagement – the above phrases would demonstrate a desire to be involved in the same activity – where the focus is the enjoyment and completion of the activity rather than focusing on the interaction. Michelle Garcia Winner refers to this as the “Teaching the social fake”, yet Patsy Daly’s presentation on Wellbeing in School, discusses that having similar interests, doing similar things together, even within the realms of companionship, may be the friendship and play skills children with autism need to amass as these may be their insight into what is a friend?
• Eye contact – We can challenge ourselves, who is the eye contact for? Is the child with autism? Is it the person who is speaking? Does it add or detract from the interaction?

To listen to Kari Dunn Buron discuss: click here.