Social Skills - Interpreting Non-Verbal Communication Homework

Interpreting Non-Verbal Communication Homework

This assignment helps students practice interpreting nonverbal cues such as body language, eye contact, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to struggle with interpreting nonverbal cues, due in part to the fact that they usually do not perceive or understand the behavior of others as often or as accurately as neurotypical learners. Prior to assigning this homework assignment, therapists can work on interpretation of the elements of nonverbal communication through practicing identification of signs of emotion in videos (e.g., clips of television shows) without sound. Complementary materials include Tone of Voice, Kinesics: Interest vs. Disinterest, and Developing Empathy, which can round out this skill with ease. This homework assignment helps students generalize the skill of interpreting nonverbal behaviors in everyday social interactions. In addition, the assignment teaches students that it's just as important to react helpfully to another's feelings as it is to observe and accurately identify those feelings.