Picture the scene: a group of toddlers sitting in a circle watching as an adult climbs some steps and pours a milk bottle full of coloured water over a white shower curtain on the floor, and asks the children if they want a go. Naturally, everyone does. Although these toddlers all have autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), they find a way to communicate their enthusiasm to take a turn.
This sort of exciting visual activity is used by 'the little group', an acclaimed nursery for children with autism. The guiding principle behind 'the little group' approach is simple: as children with autism have difficulty communicating verbally, they will be shut out of a verbal curriculum, but as they have excellent visual skills they can engage in a curriculum delivered using a very visual approach. Communication and curriculum are interwoven.
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