Name: FABIANA ZANOL ARAUJO
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 31/05/2019
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| MARIA DAS GRAÇAS CARVALHO SILVA DE SÁ | Internal Examiner * |
Summary: In several descriptions of a child with autism it is pointed out that the way of relating and playing of these children demonstrates a very restricted and quite peculiar way, due to the serious general impairment of their psyche. This situation directed this study to the relational aspects of children with autism, considering that the biological factors are not immutable. Behavioral transformations occur from the insertion of these children in sociocultural environments and in the belief of human potential. Thus, the study aims to understand the relational aspects of children with autism in a university playroom. The research aims to identify the relationships between children with autism and adults in an inclusive context, and to analyze the relational aspects of autistic children with their peers in playing games. It is a qualitative research of the case study type, based on the historical cultural approach. In order to carry out the case study, it uses the database organized by the counselor of this study that carries out a broader research, entitled "The playing time of the child with autism in the toy library: inclusion, pedagogical mediation and language", which began in March 2016, with a duration of three years. The organized database contains 24 classes conducted during the period from March to November of 2016, with video recordings, a routine diary, photographs and semi structured interview with the relatives of children with autism who are members of the study. The participants were 17 children, aged between three and six years old. Ten non disabled children from a Center for Early Childhood Education, six with autism and one with Down syndrome, all from the City of Vitória/ES. The children were assisted by 13 trainees of the Physical Education Course, in a weekly meeting, every Thursday, from 2 to 3 pm. During the playing time, trainees took on the role of leading the class, accompanying children with disabilities and recording lessons through video recording and photographs. Throughout the investigation phase, two categories recurrently appeared, namely: the constitution of bonds, to analyze the interaction of the child with autism with the adult during playing time; the body dimension in its experiential space time subcategory of the child with autism in the relationship with their playmates, to analyze the interaction of the child with autism with colleagues. The results show that, in the category of bonding, what is perceived is that, while the child with autism does not establish bond with the adult, its actions with the environment becomes poor, limited only to its interests; and when the child with autism establishes a relationship of bond with the adult, its actions with the environment is enriched, expanding its possibilities to feel, to think and to act. With regards to the category of the corporal dimension, after configuring the bond with the adult, the interaction of th e child with autism with his peers, toys and games is increased. Through the proxemic analysis, which consists in the analysis of the personal occupation of the social space by the child itself, it is perceived that there is a social distancing of the children with autism in relation to the peers. However, some situations and actions have been identified and have contributed to reduce this physical distance to the personal and intimate levels, those are: the solidarity and friendship, the establishment of n ew friendships, the difference / diversity issues and collaborative actions. The study reveals that by inserting in the pedagogical activities the interaction between children with and without disabilities / autism, it becomes necessary to recover values and knowledge that include the body and its expressions, movement, gesture, affection, emotions, playfulness and enchantment, as well as values and knowledge capable of dealing with differences. Therefore, it is important to motivate children to learn by the meaning manner, including the contributions they can make from their experiences, and play as a driving force in the interaction of children.
Keywords: Physical Education. Childhood autism. Interaction. Playfulness.
