Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that education promotes well-being, but we also know that many autistic pupils struggle to participate in school. This presentation provides an overview of the outcomes achieved through an action research project conducted in two special educational schools for autistic pupils (10-19 years old) where we implemented a play-based approach to encourage and enhance participation in school activities. The initial aim was to support social learning through live action roleplay (larp), but as our understanding of participation was widened, we incorporated additional elements such as collaborative world-building, storyline development, character creation, costume design, and a workshop where the pupils crafted magical support animals. This promoted increased agency among the pupils as they got to choose between various activities and determine in what way they preferred to participate. In this presentation, I will primarily highlight two aspects: (1) the role of playfulness and humor in strengthening the relationships between pupils and educators, and (2) the recognition that participation can take various forms, of which some may not be immediately apparent. From a cognitive point of view, I will also propose that (a) larping provides a safe and brave space where autistic individuals can push their social boundaries, and (b) that narratives are particularly favorable in relation to autism, as they provide an interactional context that facilitates social interaction.

About the speaker

Ingela Visuri
Senior lecturer, Department of Religious Studies, Dalarna University
Postdoctoral researcher, Interacting Minds Centre, Department of Culture, Cognition and Computation, Aarhus University

Free of charge - All are welcome to attend