Repetition and Predictability: Helping Children with Autism

Robots can teach children with autism in a way that is repetitive and predictable, which allows for repeated practice, and ultimately boosts their academic success. 

The solution can be found simply in allowing more time to build repetition routines to help them reinforce learned skills to their existing repertoire. 

Educators can supplement by teaching a child with Autism with an NAO Robot that can engage in a systematic practice of concepts they are exposed to in the classroom.

Consistent Positive Reinforcement Works Wonders

Consistent positive reinforcement empowers young learners and focuses on encouragement and acknowledgment. Providing necessary amounts of positive reinforcement can be draining and difficult for educators, especially with multiple children in a learning environment. Interactive robots can be a significant help in this capacity.

These robots provide consistent positive reinforcement that can adapt to individual needs without tiring. The added benefit is that children with autism often respond more to robots than humans.  Interactive robots are the perfect vehicle to guide enhanced assisted learning. Robots for kids with autism can open up new pathways to learning and reinforce daily living skills, academics, and social-emotional learning.

Learning in a Safe Environment

Educators and parents both have a common goal in ensuring that their children receive balanced learning in a safe environment. Interactive robots can produce a safe and non-judgmental environment for children with autism. 

Through positive reinforcement and repetition, children learn new concepts without struggling to navigate subtle nuances in human-human interactions.

Not only do robots provide a “cool factor” for young children, but they also appropriately respond to all children with special needs in a universal language they can understand. 

Changes in Behavior in the Presence of Robots

Four main behaviors are associated with autism:

  1. Difficulty in communication
  2. Difficulty in social interactions
  3. Obsessive interests, such as drawing
  4. Repetitive behaviors