Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit difficulties with acquisition of language and social skills. In this study, the authors evaluate the effects of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) combined with book reading to teach vocabulary words to young children with ASD during play. Replicating the study procedures of McLeod, Hardy, and Kaiser (2017), two young children with ASD participated in the play-based EMT intervention with book reading three to five times a week. Results indicated that the use of the EMT with book reading was effective in teaching five target words to each child and the obtained language skills were maintained at high levels. After intervention, the parents reported high satisfaction and expectation of longterm benefits of the intervention. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disordersAmerican Psychiatric Publishing2013th ed.
2.
BellonM. L.OgletreeB. T.HarnW. E.Repeated storybook reading as a language intervention for children with autism: A case study on the application of scaffoldingFocus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities1552–582000
3.
BosselerA.MassaroD. W.Development and evaluation of a computer-animated tutor for vocabulary and language learning in children with autismJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders33653–6722003
4.
ChoS. J.GannottiM. E.Korean-American mothers' perception of professional support in early intervention and special education programsJournal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities211–92005
5.
CoyneM. D.Kame'enuiE. J.SimmonsD. C.Prevention and intervention inbeginning reading: Two complex systems10.1111/0938-8982.00008Learning Disabilities Research & Practice16262–732001
6.
DickinsonD. K.PorcheM. V.Relation between language experiences in preschool classrooms and children's kindergarten and fourthgrade language and reading abilities10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01576.xChild Development82870–8862011
7.
GastD. L.LloydB. P.LedfordJ. R.GastD.LedfordJ.Multiple baseline and multiple probe designsSingle subject research methodology in behavioral sciences: Applications in special education and behavioral sciencesRoutledge251–2962014
8.
HanM.MooreN.VukelichC.BuellM.Does play make a difference? How play intervention affects the vocabulary learning of atrisk preschoolersAmerican Journal of Play3182–1052010
9.
HancockT. B.KaiserA. P.The effects of trainer-implemented enhanced milieu teaching on the social communication of children who have autismTopics in Early Childhood Special Education2239–542002
10.
HancockT. B.KaiserA. P.DelaneyE. M.Teaching parents of preschoolers at high risk: Strategies to support language and positive behaviorTopics in Early Childhood Special Education22191–2122002
11.
HancockT. B.Ledbetter-ChoK.HowellA.LangR.LangR.HancockT. B.SinghN. N.Enhanced Milieu Teaching InEarly intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorderSpringer International Publishing177–2182016
12.
HarrisJ.GolinkoffR. M.Hirsh-PasekK.Lessons from the crib for the classroom: How children really learn vocabularyHandbook of Early Literacy Research349–652011
13.
HemmeterM. L.KaiserA. P.Enhanced milieu teaching: Effects of parent-implemented language interventionJournal of Early Intervention18269–2891994
14.
KaiserA. P.DickinsonD. K.HoferK. G.RobertsM.DarrowC. L.McleodR.FreiburgJ. G.The effects of two language-focused preschool curricula on children's achievement in pre-school and kindergartenWashington, DC2010. JunePaper presented at the Institute for Educational Sciences
15.
KaiserA. P.HamptonL. H.MccauleyR.FeyM.GilliamR.Enhanced milieu teachingTreatment of language disorders in childrenBrookes2017nd ed.
16.
KaiserA. P.HancockT. B.NietfeldJ. P.The effects of parent-implemented enhanced milieu teaching on the social communication of children who have autismJournal of Early Education and Development4423–4462000
17.
KaiserA. P.HesterP. P.Generalized effects of Enhanced Milieu TeachingJournal of Speech & Hearing Research371994
18.
KasariC.KaiserA.GoodsK.NietfeldJ.MathyP.LandaR.Almirall. .D.Communication interventions for minimally verbal children with autism: A sequential multiple assignment randomized trial10.1016/j.jaac.2014.01.019Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry53635–6462014
19.
KazdinA. E.Acceptability of alternative treatments for deviant child behavior10.1901/jaba.1980.13-259Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis13259–2731980
20.
KennedyC. H.Manipulating antecedent conditions to alter the stimulus control of problem behaviorsJournal of Applied Behavior Analysis27161–1701994
21.
KennedyC. H.Single-case designs for educational researchPearsonMinneapolis, MN2004st ed.
McleodR. H.HardyJ. K.KaiserA. P.The effects of play-based intervention on vocabulary acquisition by preschoolers at risk for reading and language delays10.1177/1053815117702927Journal of Early Intervention39147–1602017
NeumanS.DickinsonD.NeumanS.The challenge of teaching vocabulary in early educationHandbook of early literacy researchGuilford Press2011
26.
OliveM. L.De La CruzB.DavisT. N.ChanJ. M.LangR. B.O'reillyM. F.DicksonS. M.The effects of enhanced milieu teaching and a voice output communication aid on the requesting of three children with autismJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders371505–15132007
27.
PetersonP.CartaJ. J.GreenwoodC.Teaching enhanced milieu language teaching skills to parents in multiple risk familiesJournal of Early Intervention2794–1022005
28.
RescorlaL.Age 17 language and reading outcomes in late-talking toddlers: Support for a dimensional perspective on language delay10.1044/1092-4388(2008/07-0171Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research5216–302009
SemelE.WiigE. H.SecordW. A.Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals ® -Preschool-2 (CELF ® -Preschool-2)Pearson Assessments2004
31.
ShevellM. I.MajnemerA.WebsterR. I.PlattR. W.BirnbaumR.Outcomes at school age of preschool children with developmental language impairment10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2004.12.008Pediatric Neurology32264–2692005
32.
TaborsP. O.SnowC. E.DickinsonD. K.DickinsonD. K.TaborsP. O.Homes and schools together: Supporting language and literacy developmentBeginning literacy with language: Young children learning at home and schoolBrookes313–3342001
33.
WarshawS. P.Hawaii Early Learning ProfileVORT CorporationMenlo Park, CA2006
34.
WilliamsC.WrightB.CallaghanG.CoughlanB.Do children with autism learn to read more readily by computer assisted instruction or traditional book methods? A pilot studyAutism671–912002
35.
WrightC. A.KaiserA. P.ReikowskyD. I.RobertsM. Y.Effects of a naturalistic sign intervention on expressive language of toddlers with Down syndromeJournal of SpeechLanguage, and Hearing Research56994–10062013
36.
ZimmermanI. L.SteinerV. G.PondR. E.Psychological Corporation2011Preschool Language Scale. Fifth Edition (PLS-5
