She could not be more correct. These concepts are key to identifying what personal values students or your child might have. Once established they are essential to creating boundaries that uphold individual values, which therefore set the foundation towards stabilizing gained friendships, thus allowing them to flourish.
Our students communicate with people every day, verbally and nonverbally. Methods of communication are so immeasurable! However, there is one major piece that identifies the growth of understanding between two friends: awareness.
Each individual, especially those on the spectrum, process and decode information differently. Therefore, it is important to be aware of how a message is presented and then received in order for effective communication. For example, Sally is a very verbal individual and often raises her voice when excited. Kelly is a soft-spoken, nonverbal individual who struggles with loud environments and initiation.
Sally is interested in becoming friends with Kelly. We should go out to shop sometime! Thus, it is important for Sally to identify what type of person Kelly is first, and pinpoint the best way to communicate. Young adults on the spectrum struggle with perspective-taking and theory of mind, consequently gaining this communication skill may be particularly difficult.
For this reason, expect this to be a growing process; improving by even a small margin proves existence of success in the future. Once young adults have increased awareness of communication processes, they are likely to understand each other more effectively.
