Please note: This subject had been discontinued and is no longer on offer.

This subject ‘Using the ESDM Approach to Become a Play Partner’ provides students with the opportunity to develop knowledge in the use and application of the EDSM approach to support young autistic and neurodivergent children across a range of settings. The ESDM approach has a wide scope of research to support its effectiveness for young autistic and neuro-divergent children in a range of areas. In this subject, students will gain knowledge and skills required to utilise assessment to identify the strengths, interests and learning needs of young autistic/neurodivergent children so they can develop comprehensive teaching plans that will promote the child’s learning and engagement with others. Participants will learn how to engage young autistic and neurodivergent children in play and to understand and respond to the child’s cues. Students will also learn important strategies for: capturing the child's attention; finding the child's smile and optimising child motivation; offering choice; following the child's lead; acknowledging and responding sensitively to the child's non-verbal communication; teaching the child to observe and imitate the actions, gestures, vocalisations, facial expressions and play of others; engaging the child in joint attention; promoting communication and language through routines and games; and embedding the ABCs of learning in play and daily routines.