The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • P-20 Ed Careers

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • P-20 Ed Careers
  • When Education Data Takes a Dystopian Turn

  • Don’t Table the IPads Just Yet

  • Mistakes to Avoid While Learning Spanish

  • Tell/Summarize (literacy skills): Everything You Need to Know

  • Education Technology Innovation in Elearning

  • The Real Risk of Customized Learning

  • Informative Speech Topic Ideas

  • Writing Prompts: Everything You Need to Know

  • How Many Paragraphs Should There Be in an Essay?

  • How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay

EdTech & Innovation
Home›EdTech & Innovation›How Students with ASD Learn Social Skills from a Robot

How Students with ASD Learn Social Skills from a Robot

By Chris Piehler
February 7, 2018
8959
1
Spread the love

A speech-language pathologist shares how she collaborates with a two-foot-tall humanoid named Milo to help students with autism become more attentive and engaged in discussion.

By Jean Graham

Many people may not know that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S. One in 45 children ages 3–17 are currently living with ASD. But how does this affect our classrooms?

As a speech-language pathologist at Broome-Tioga BOCES in New York, I work closely every day with about 24 students who have ASD. With a growing program at BOCES, we decided to pilot Milo, a robot equipped to help students with ASD develop stronger communication and social skills, to work along with our current instruction and therapy. Milo walks, talks, and demonstrates human facial expressions on his own face as well as through videos on an accompanying iPad. Through the curriculum that comes with Milo, students learn to recognize facial expressions, how to greet people appropriately, and how to navigate social situations such as birthday parties. While my district only just started using Milo last fall, we have already seen students with ASD benefitting in a variety of ways.

Decreasing Tantrums and Meltdowns

Ultimately, Milo has given these students the power of control. Those with ASD tend to have meltdowns (dysregulations) and tantrums, which in turn cause a loss of control. While the two may sound similar, they actually have distinct causes and effects.

The reason for a meltdown could be any sort of overload, whether it be sensory, information, or emotional. A tantrum, on the other hand, is said to mean the child is trying to get something, whether that be a toy or attention. Once they receive what they want, the tantrum often resolves itself. With a meltdown, the disruptive behavior may continue even after the child gets their way. It’s considered a “storm that needs to blow itself out.”

Regardless of whether the child has a meltdown or tantrum, the foundation of the problem is that they have lost control. With Milo, students have been able to regain that control and bring themselves back to a sense of awareness of their surroundings. They have a clear idea of what is happening in the lesson when following along with the iPad, giving them the reassurance of knowing exactly what to expect.

Those with ASD can also struggle when interacting with other people, including people their own age. With Milo, you see a connection and shared experience with each interaction. Milo also plays games like Follow the Leader or Red Light, Green Light, which provide children a say in the relationship. They can direct their learning path, even if only for a few minutes.

There is no doubt that using Milo is a learning process. Having a schedule and providing structure for my students has helped them along the way. Using Milo has allowed them to hone in on joint attention, shared experience, interacting, and sharing with other people—ultimately allowing them more time to learn.

One student in particular began to display observable growth in these skills after meeting Milo just one time.

Jake Meets Milo

Typically, Milo works with students ages 5–17, so Jake, at 14, presented a challenge that younger students don’t. Because of Jake’s age, his behaviors were a little more ingrained than younger students’. When we first started our group sessions together, it was difficult to get him to focus and engage in group discussions. He was easily overwhelmed and lost attention quickly.

The first time Jake and Milo met, Jake came into my classroom and the robot was set up on the table, with Milo at eye level and a safe space between the two. He was very intrigued by Milo’s presence when first meeting him. Jake tends to self-talk, stim, and turn his center away from the group. But with Milo, he is completely engaged, with a significant decrease in self-talk or overt stimming behaviors. He speaks about Milo as if he is a friend and greets him by saying, “Hi, Milo.”

In his lessons with Milo, Jake can watch symbols displayed on Milo’s chest screen that help him better understand what he is saying. During these lessons, Milo has Jake watch short clips (about 4–5 seconds) that demonstrate various social behaviors. Milo then asks Jake questions to determine if the learners in the video are demonstrating the behaviors correctly.

The first session was intended for Jake to familiarize himself with Milo. We made it a priority to focus on the Calm Down module, which teaches kids with ASD how to calm themselves down when they are feeling overstimulated. This helps prevents tantrums and meltdowns by presenting tactics such as having the child take a deep breath, squeeze a stress ball, or simply count to 10.

When Jake came back for his second time around, he demonstrated that he had nearly memorized the first lesson. When Milo asked a question, Jake picked the correct icon from the Calm Down tools choice board before Milo had read the options out loud. This choice board was created to have available during moments when the student needed to refer to the strategies outside of a structured setting with Milo. Jake has also generalized the greetings that Milo has taught him, and uses them in his own life with others.

The benefit of using technology like Milo and the robots4autism curriculum is the flexibility it allows when working with students who may fall anywhere along the autism spectrum. After all, when you meet someone with autism, you meet one individual with autism. Each story is different, but every one of these kids are incredible students who want to learn.

Jean Graham is a speech-language pathologist at Broome-Tioga BOCES in Broome County, New York.

Previous Article

How EdTech Companies Can Persevere Through Superintendent ...

Next Article

10 Habits of Tech-Savvy Schools

Chris Piehler

Related articles More from author

  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    October 13, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & Innovation

    Renaissance Offers Unlimited, Free Access to More Than 6,500 Digital Books and News Articles

    February 1, 2021
    By Chris Piehler
  • EdTech & Innovation

    Boost Parent Engagement with Bloomz and Win $10,000 for Your School’s PTA

    June 19, 2019
    By Chris Piehler
  • EdTech & InnovationTeachers

    The power of the iPad in Kindergarten

    March 28, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & Innovation

    Learning Upgrade launches interactive whiteboard courses

    November 5, 2015
    By
  • pass or fail
    EdTech & InnovationTrending Topics

    Personalized Learning Starts with Less Teacher Talk, More Student Voice

    June 26, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

1 comment

  1. Can Pokemon Go Be Part Of the Classroom? - The Tech Edvocate 17 September, 2020 at 13:27 Reply

    […] regulation. A specialist in the research of autism learned that the app was able to improve the social skills of students with autism, and it also renewed their desire to […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial Intelligence

    The Difference Between AI, Machine Learning And Digital Assistants

  • Artificial Intelligence

    AI Has Started a Revolution in Education

  • Artificial Intelligence

    3 Reasons Why AI Can Be Your New Teaching Sidekick

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • When Education Data Takes a Dystopian Turn

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 27, 2022
  • Don’t Table the IPads Just Yet

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 27, 2022
  • Mistakes to Avoid While Learning Spanish

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 27, 2022
  • Tell/Summarize (literacy skills): Everything You Need to Know

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 27, 2022
  • Education Technology Innovation in Elearning

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 26, 2022
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 21, 2016
  • pass or fail

    Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2017
  • Should We Be Teaching or Facilitating Learning?
    on
    May 26, 2022

    17 Ways to Facilitate Student-Centered Learning

    […] Lynch, Matthew. “17 ...
  • Define Philosophy Of Education And Discuss Its Scope - hmsc
    on
    May 26, 2022

    What You Need to Know as an Educator: Understanding the 4 Main Branches of Philosophy

    […] What You Need ...
  • Laws restricting lessons on racism are making it hard for teachers to discuss the massacre in ...
    on
    May 25, 2022

    How we should discuss racism with students?

    […] at a Walmart ...
  • After Buffalo shooting, new laws are making it hard for teachers to talk about racism – ...
    on
    May 25, 2022

    How we should discuss racism with students?

    […] Mexicans at a ...
  • OTR Links 05/23/2022 | doug — off the record
    on
    May 23, 2022

    The Future of Teacher Professional Development

    […] The Future of ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work

    Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Unlike most other learning initiatives, this program deeply ...
  • International Education

    Globalization: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. There ...
  • AssessmentEducation LeadershipHigher EducationInternational EducationProfessional DevelopmentTeachers

    So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests

    Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. If you’re planning to pursue a degree in business, law, medicine, or graduate ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    What Extracurricular Activities Impress Colleges the Most?

    Spread the loveWhen you apply to schools that offer holistic admissions or apply to a college using the Common Application, you will have to describe your participation in extracurricular activities. ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    Tips for Working on a College Group Project

    Spread the loveIt can be a great experience to work together and do a group project in college. But it can also be a nightmare if there is no cooperation ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early ChildhoodLanguage Education

    Long Vowels: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveLong vowels are special vowel types that sound exactly like the letters which comprise them. Long vowels are typically taught after short vowels because while it seems less ...
  • Early Childhood

    What is a Digraph (vowel)?

    Spread the loveA vowel digraph refers to the distinctive perception of one sound when two vowels are placed together in one word. e.g., ow, oa, ie, ea. For learners, vowel ...
  • Early Childhood

    What is a Digraph (consonant)?

    Spread the loveA consonant digraph refers to the distinctive perception of one sound when two consonant letters are placed together in one word, e.g., ch, ng, sh, ph. It’s important ...
  • Early Childhood

    Modifications: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the adjustments made to what a child is required to learn in school. Some common examples of modifications include reworded questions in easier language, ...
  • Early Childhood

    Wraparound Services/Programs: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThese are programs that have social measures available for children who are at risk.  Hypothetically, these services are engineered toward developing a strong sense of self and the ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Twice-Exceptional: What Does it Mean?

    Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. As a matter of fact, such ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    A Guide to Talent Search Programs

    Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Different avenues are then provided for these students to channel their ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationK-12

    Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. For instance, gifted students are placed in one group, and students with special needs ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Cluster Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. For example, about five to seven extremely bright pupils with comparable skill ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationHigher Education

    Merit Scholarships: Everything Your Need to Know

    Spread the loveThese are monetary gifts awarded by institutions to superbly gifted students, who have set themselves apart by their exceptional performance in schoolwork, regardless of whether they require the ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of America’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2022 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.