Training Play Behavior in a 5‐year‐old Boy With Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was twofold: (a) to investigate if it was possible to train three different games (both as a leader and as a participant) to a child with developmental disabilities through interaction with 4 typically developing peers, and (b) to examine if correct responding would be maintained after the training was faded. A multiple probe design across three games was used. The results showed that the child learned both skills as a leader and as a participant in all three games, and that skills were maintained for a period of 3 weeks after the training had stopped.

Teaching Young Children with Special Needs and Their Peers to Play Board Games: Effects of a Least to Most Prompting Procedure to Increase Independent Performance

“…In addition, the classroom teacher reported that the intervention was helpful in teaching the children to play games. This study supports previous research suggesting a least to most prompting procedure implemented for each step of a task is an effective means of teaching game play skills (Arntzen et al 2003;Deming 1999;Oppenheim-Leaf et al 2012). In the present study, after a task analysis of each board game was created, the participants were taught the steps of the game using least to most prompting.…”

“…However, there are few studies on teaching and assessing board game skills to young children with special needs in order to facilitate their play skills. Arntzen et al (2003) investigated the effect of teaching games and the maintenance of game skills with a 5-year old boy with developmental disabilities. The child was taught two roles (i.e., leader and participant) in three different games.…”

“…Playing games may be one of several favorite play activities among young children in classrooms. Teaching game skills may facilitate the engagement in classroom activities with peers for young children who have limited communication skills and a limited play repertoire (Arntzen et al 2003;Baker 2000;Oppenheim-Leaf et al 2012). Augmenting play skills may encourage children to share common activities and develop comparable play behaviors (Baker 2000;Jung and Sainato 2013;Oppenheim-Leaf et al 2012).…”

Social Behavior and Skills in Children

“…One study dealing with this objective was reported by Arntzen, Halstadtrø, and Halstadtrø (2003). The study included a 5-year-old boy who was apparently between the moderate and mild levels of intellectual disability.…”

Teaching Board Game Play to Young Children With Disabilities

“…Teaching children with disabilities how to independently play board games with their peers provides an opportunity for them to interact with their peers, strengthen existing relationships, and expand their social communication and play repertoires. Engaging in board games also provides a context for children to learn to follow rules, practice turntaking, share materials, help their peers, and engage in sustained conversations that may include compliment giving or commenting on the game (Arntzen et al, 2003;Baker, 2000;Barton et al, 2018c;Davis-Temple et al, 2014;Oppenheim-Leaf et al, 2012). Finally, teaching children a generalized leisure activity-such as how to play board games-might have a positive impact on their long-term well-being.…”