SIA= Special Interest Area
Definition: SIAs are often solitary pursuits or preoccupations that dominate the person’s time, attention, and conversation
Benefits of Special Interest Areas for students with Autism
- Improves academic skills: high motivation in SIA
- Supports communication:develop advanced vocabulary
- Improves self-confidence:student becomes “expert” in this area
- Helps reduce anxiety: more relaxed and fewer meltdowns
- Intrinsic engagement: instrisic motivation and engagement
- Increased social engagement: when SIA is included into treatment plans
- Executive functioning:improved focus on SIA
My Special Interest Social Social Story
Although there are many benefits to SIAs, sometimes kids need to take a break from them to focus on something else. The social story teaches how to re-focus then go back to the SIA when done learning something new.
I created a social story to help kids with autism understand their special interest area.
Here is a sneak peak at the story:
The first part of the story defines and shares the benefits of a SIA:
The book asks the reader what they like. The story then goes on to discuss the need to sometimes “pause” the SIA to learn something new.
A free first-then schedule is included in this social story! You can laminate or use a plastic page protector and use a wet erase marker to write on it.
Get the story here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/My-Special-Interest-Social-Story-5517826
With love and respect,
Sarah
sarahrazzano@yahoo.com