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Do touch: physical contact and people who have severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Author(s) -
HEWETT DAVE
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
support for learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1467-9604
pISSN - 0268-2141
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9604.2007.00458.x
Subject(s) - mainstream , autism , psychology , special education , work (physics) , learning disability , special educational needs , special needs , pedagogy , mainstreaming , challenging behaviour , multiple disabilities , developmental psychology , political science , mechanical engineering , psychiatry , law , engineering
Dave Hewett PhD. is well known within the education and care fields for his invaluable work on communication with both children and adults who have severe and profound learning difficulties (with or without autism). However, because his work until recent times has tended to occur within more segregated services, he is only now becoming known to staff working in mainstream education as the children with more severe learning and communication difficulties are beginning to receive inclusive schooling. In this article he shares his thoughts, backed up with research, on the importance of touch for us all, but focusing on the reasons this needs special attention for those who have profound additional disabilities. Before concluding, the author offers us some very useful tools when working with children where touch and intensive interaction may be part of a teaching programme to help in building a relationship, and opening early communication channels.