ASSIGNMENT 27

I​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​observe​ ​the​ ​social​ ​interactions​ ​at​ ​an​ ​indoor​ ​swim​ ​meet​ ​this​ ​weekend.​ ​​ ​This environment​ ​was​ ​hot,​ ​noisy,​ ​and​ ​crowded.​ ​​ ​Upon​ ​entering,​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​walk​ ​through​ ​hallways where​ ​people​ ​have​ ​set​ ​up​ ​chairs​ ​and​ ​be​ ​careful​ ​not​ ​to​ ​step​ ​on​ ​their​ ​belongings.​ ​​ ​There​ ​is​ ​a snack​ ​bar​ ​set​ ​up​ ​in​ ​the​ ​hallway​ ​with​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​sugary​ ​items.​ ​​ ​As​ ​you​ ​walk​ ​by,​ ​these​ ​items​ ​are​ ​on display​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​look​ ​at​ ​but​ ​not​ ​touch.​ ​​ ​There​ ​are​ ​also​ ​signs​ ​posted​ ​about​ ​where​ ​you​ ​are​ ​not allowed​ ​to​ ​go​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​locker​ ​rooms​ ​and​ ​certain​ ​hallways​ ​connected​ ​to​ ​the​ ​locker​ ​rooms. Security​ ​guards​ ​are​ ​watching​ ​and​ ​they​ ​look​ ​for​ ​eye​ ​gaze​ ​and​ ​may​ ​use​ ​verbal​ ​warnings​ ​if​ ​you​ ​get close​ ​to​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​restricted​ ​area.​ ​As​ ​you​ ​cross​ ​through​ ​security,​ ​they​ ​check​ ​your​ ​hand​ ​stamp and​ ​watch​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​not​ ​bringing​ ​in​ ​food​ ​or​ ​drink.​ ​​ ​They​ ​give​ ​eye​ ​contact​ ​and​ ​gesture​ ​you​ ​to move​ ​forward.​ ​​ ​In​ ​the​ ​natatorium,​ ​the​ ​environment​ ​is​ ​extremely​ ​stimulating.​ ​​ ​There​ ​is​ ​loud​ ​music playing​ ​during​ ​the​ ​swim​ ​warm-ups,​ ​fluorescent​ ​lights,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​hot​ ​and​ ​people​ ​are​ ​moving​ ​in​ ​many directions​ ​back​ ​and​ ​forth​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​find​ ​a​ ​place​ ​that​ ​they​ ​can​ ​see​ ​their​ ​swimmer. As​ ​the​ ​meet​ ​starts,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​whistles​ ​and​ ​buzzers​ ​to​ ​indicate​ ​when​ ​to​ ​get​ ​on​ ​the​ ​blocks​ ​and again​ ​to​ ​start​ ​the​ ​race.​ ​​ ​The​ ​unsaid​ ​social​ ​rule​ ​at​ ​a​ ​swim​ ​meet​ ​is​ ​that​ ​no​ ​one​ ​gets​ ​up​ ​or​ ​down from​ ​their​ ​seat​ ​until​ ​each​ ​race​ ​is​ ​over.​ ​​ ​Proper​ ​social​ ​etiquette​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​remain​ ​seated​ ​so​ ​that no​ ​one​ ​misses​ ​seeing​ ​their​ ​swimmer.​ ​​ ​Another​ ​unsaid​ ​rule​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​should​ ​not​ ​walk​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of anyone​ ​who​ ​is​ ​taking​ ​pictures​ ​or​ ​video​ ​while​ ​their​ ​child​ ​is​ ​swimming.​ ​​ ​This​ ​happens​ ​frequently and​ ​you​ ​must​ ​check​ ​around​ ​your​ ​area​ ​before​ ​you​ ​move​ ​from​ ​one​ ​place​ ​to​ ​the​ ​next.​ ​​ ​I​ ​noted several​ ​people​ ​look​ ​around​ ​as​ ​they​ ​move​ ​quickly​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bleachers​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​way​ ​for​ ​others​ ​to see. As​ ​you​ ​are​ ​sitting​ ​on​ ​the​ ​bleachers​ ​watching,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​people​ ​in​ ​very​ ​close​ ​proximity,​ ​so moving​ ​up​ ​and​ ​down​ ​is​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​begin​ ​with,​ ​but​ ​when​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​move,​ ​you​ ​must​ ​be​ ​careful not​ ​to​ ​step​ ​on​ ​someone’s​ ​toes​ ​or​ ​hit​ ​their​ ​back,​ ​computer,​ ​etc.​ ​because​ ​the​ ​area​ ​is​ ​crowded​ ​and the​ ​bleachers​ ​are​ ​narrow.​ ​​ ​The​ ​spectators​ ​are​ ​talking​ ​to​ ​each​ ​other​ ​during​ ​the​ ​race,​ ​which​ ​is already​ ​noisy​ ​with​ ​coaches​ ​and​ ​parents​ ​screaming​ ​from​ ​the​ ​stands​ ​and​ ​on​ ​deck.​ ​​ ​I​ ​watch several​ ​spectators​ ​move​ ​around​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​their​ ​friends,​ ​play​ ​on​ ​their​ ​phone,​ ​work​ ​on​ ​their computers​ ​or​ ​read​ ​during​ ​the​ ​meet.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​fan​ ​that​ ​make​ ​continuous​ ​droning​ ​noises during​ ​the​ ​race​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​natatorium​ ​from​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​sauna. As​ ​I​ ​was​ ​taking​ ​notes​ ​for​ ​this​ ​assignment,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​a​ ​little​ ​surprised​ ​at​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​times​ ​I thought​ ​to​ ​myself​ ​that​ ​this​ ​environment​ ​would​ ​be​ ​challenging​ ​for​ ​a​ ​person​ ​with​ ​ASD.​ ​​ ​From​ ​the stimulating​ ​environment​ ​to​ ​the​ ​social​ ​expectations​ ​and​ ​rules,​ ​all​ ​was​ ​overwhelming​ ​to​ ​think about​ ​someone​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​watching​ ​who​ ​would​ ​need​ ​specific​ ​instructions​ ​on​ ​how​ ​to​ ​interact​ ​as well​ ​as​ ​warnings​ ​for​ ​the​ ​loud​ ​noises.​ ​Sounds​ ​and​ ​noises​ ​may​ ​even​ ​become​ ​more​ ​magnified​ ​for those​ ​with​ ​ASD. “Successful​ ​social​ ​skills​ ​require​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​read​ ​and​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​nonverbal​ ​cues​ ​of​ ​others and​ ​to​ ​clearly​ ​express​ ​thoughts,​ ​feelings​ ​and​ ​intentions​ ​through​ ​facial​ ​expressions,​ ​gestures and​ ​body​ ​language”​ ​(Boutot,​ ​p.​ ​125,​ ​2017).​ ​​ ​For​ ​the​ ​individual​ ​with​ ​ASD,​ ​everything​ ​about​ ​this environment​ ​would​ ​be​ ​challenging.​ ​​ ​Where​ ​most​ ​people​ ​can​ ​tolerate​ ​the​ ​music,​ ​the​ ​talking​ ​and ignore​ ​the​ ​buzzers,​ ​even​ ​the​ ​fluorescent​ ​lights​ ​and​ ​fan​ ​noise,​ ​those​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​are​ ​very​ ​sensitive

to​ ​those​ ​stimulants​ ​and​ ​being​ ​in​ ​this​ ​environment​ ​may​ ​result​ ​in​ ​aggressive​ ​or​ ​anxious​ ​behaviors. Individuals​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​also​ ​may​ ​find​ ​it​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​navigate​ ​obstructions​ ​and​ ​may​ ​bump​ ​into​ ​others​ ​in such​ ​a​ ​tight​ ​environment.​ ​​ ​In​ ​addition,​ ​the​ ​social​ ​rules​ ​are​ ​not​ ​clear,​ ​so​ ​intentions​ ​and​ ​facial expressions​ ​would​ ​be​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​read.​ ​​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​not​ ​interrupt​ ​someone​ ​else’s​ ​view of​ ​the​ ​event,​ ​you​ ​must​ ​be​ ​aware​ ​that​ ​what​ ​you​ ​are​ ​doing​ ​might​ ​interfere,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​moving​ ​up​ ​or down.​ ​​ ​Individuals​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​lack​ ​this​ ​social​ ​awareness.​ ​​ ​Navigating​ ​this​ ​swim​ ​event​ ​would​ ​be difficult​ ​for​ ​someone​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​if​ ​they​ ​are​ ​new​ ​to​ ​that​ ​environment,​ ​or​ ​can’t​ ​generalize appropriate​ ​social​ ​etiquette​ ​to​ ​that​ ​environment.​ ​​ ​Helping​ ​someone​ ​with​ ​ASD​ ​through​ ​this​ ​event might​ ​include​ ​warnings​ ​of​ ​what​ ​will​ ​occur,​ ​headphones​ ​to​ ​block​ ​out​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​noises​ ​and sitting​ ​in​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​natatorium​ ​that​ ​has​ ​easy​ ​access​ ​up​ ​and​ ​down​ ​for​ ​breaks. References Buron,​ ​K.​ ​D.,​ ​&​ ​Wolfberg,​ ​P.​ ​(2014).​ ​Learners​ ​on​ ​the​ ​autism​ ​spectrum​ ​(2nd​ ​ed.). Shawnee​ ​Mission,​ ​Kansas:​ ​AAPC​ ​Publishing. Boutot,​ ​E.​ ​(2017).​ ​​ ​Autism​ ​Spectrum​ ​Disorders:​ ​Foundations,​ ​Characteristics,​ ​and Effective​ ​Strategies​ ​(2nd​ ​ed.).​ ​Boston,​ ​MA:​ ​​ ​Pearson. Daou,​ ​N.,​ ​Hady,​ ​R.​ ​T.,​ ​&​ ​Poulson,​ ​C.​ ​L.​ ​(2016).​ ​Teaching​ ​Children​ ​with​ ​Autism​ ​Spectrum ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​Disorder​ ​to​ ​Recognize​ ​and​ ​Express​ ​Emotion:​ ​A​ ​Review​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Literature.​ ​International Electronic​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Elementary​ ​Education,9(2),​ ​419-432.​ ​doi:ISSN:​ ​1307-9298