MOTIVATING TO LEARN
Psychologist discovering new ways to teach autistic children

Nathan Call's work environment is a parent and child's dream. From floor to ceiling in a storeroom, he has shelves of toys. That's the child's dream. The fact that they are arranged so neatly is the envy of many parents. But it is not all about play time for Call, a psychologist and assistant professor in LSU's Department of Psychology. He works daily to create a better life for Louisiana's autistic children.

Autism involves an entire spectrum of symptoms which may appear in many autistic children but not all; each child requires a different approach. A child may exhibit behavioral deficits such as lack of eye contact, poor verbal capabilities, or a lack of self-care skills. They may also exhibit behavioral excesses like throwing a tantrum to get a desired item, such as a cookie or specific toy. Researchers realize that what works with one child may not work with another, so their task becomes that of discovering what motivates each individual. Once this motivation has been discovered, researchers can begin the process of modifying the child's environment, in the hopes of seeing a change in their behavior.

“We're not trying to learn how to correct autism. We're trying to learn the best way to teach a child with autism,” says Call.

During summers, Call and his team work with autistic children in LSU’s Audubon Hall, but work continues throughout the year at various locations. Funded by the Louisiana Department of Education, the Autism Treatment and Research (ASTAR) program, begun by former LSU Department of Psychology professor Dorothy Lehrman, works with local schools for the rest of the year, allowing researchers to spend time with the children on a daily basis. At least two researchers, sometimes three, are necessary when working with any given child. While one person works with the child directly, another worker, often an undergraduate student involved in the program, records the data needed to continue the research. A third person may record data as well to preserve the integrity of research.

In addition to providing research experiences for these students and providing a service to autistic children and their families, ASTAR also serves as a tool for educators. A two day workshop is held in both the northern and southern regions of Louisiana. During this workshop, Call and his team give lectures to teach educators how to work with autistic children in their classes. This year ASTAR's contract provided more than $100,000 to cover the cost of the lectures, materials, and travel for the program and the four graduate students who participate.

ASTAR's summer program, now in its fourth year, has the added benefit of allowing teachers to work with the children participating in the program using a hands-on approach. In this way, teachers and researchers can learn and practice techniques for working with autistic children directly.

It is during these times that the toys come off of the shelves and into the hands of the children, so the ASTAR team can discover new ways to understand and motivate them. As the summer progresses, researchers are able to take greater steps with each child and the teachers who come to learn find they are able to return to their own schools with a better understanding of how to work with and benefit each individual student.

ON THE WEB:
LSU Department of Psychology
Louisiana Department of Education

from Winter 2005