*this break out presentation/workshop will be conducted in English
*本分组演讲/研讨会将以英语进行
Speaker(s): Dr. Denise Lai-Chua (Centre for Applied Practice in Education)
Topic: C.E8 A Language-Based Approach to Teaching a Theory of Mind
Synopsis: In research studies about a Theory of Mind in Autism, there will usually be some participants who will succeed in passing the standard false-belief tasks. Differences in linguistic ability have been cited as a partial explanation for this discrepancy. In particular, the understanding and use of verbs of cognition (think, know) and verbs of communication (say, ask) seem to be especially salient. This is because such verbs allow for what is said to be true/untrue. For example, “Mary says there is pizza in the fridge” leaves open the possibility that Mary could be wrong, or that the pizza has been eaten by someone else, or that the hearer heard the wrong thing from Mary. By using the verb “says” in this way, someone’s mental world has been represented – though indirectly, and this representation may be different from our own.
But how can we teach the understanding and use of verbs of cognition and verbs of communication effectively, especially with children on the Autism Spectrum who may struggle with the abstractions involved?
Join Dr Denise in this practical workshop where participants will collaborate with each other to craft creative learning activities that harness pedagogies in social play, social interaction and social communication to teach the power of verbs and by extension, a Theory of Mind.
See the rest of 2024's Break Out Sessions here!
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