Intensive Interaction
Intensive Interaction is a method for assisting kids and adults who are still learning how to communicate and interact with others. And communication is transferring thoughts, information, emotion, and ideas through gesture, voice, symbols, signs and expressions from one person to another.
History of Intensive Interaction
- In services and schools all over the UK, Intensive Interaction continued to be gradually introduced during the 1990s.
- Growing acceptance of “person-centered” perspectives on care, which categorized people’s needs according to their individual or private circumstances.
- The first Intensive Interaction research papers start to appear in academic journals specializing in learning disabilities (initially – Watson & Knight, 1991).
- In special schools all over the UK, intensive interaction became more widely accepted and used. Additionally, it began to spread widely among several adult services.
- Dave Hewett created “The Intensive Interaction” DVD in 2006. film of intensive interaction sessions being held in various settings, such as with adults receiving residential and day assistance as well as with youngsters in special schools.
- Dave Hewett, Cath Irvine, and Graham Firth began collaborating in 2006 with the goal of charting a course that would eventually (almost!) result in the founding of the Intensive Interaction Institute.
- Brisbane, Australia, hosted the first Australasian Intensive Interaction Conference in 2008. (this being mainly through the inspiring work of Dr Mark Barber and Janee Williamson).
- Exploring the Envelope of Intensive Interaction, a DVD produced by Intensive Interaction Australia, is released a year later (produced by and featuring Mark Barber & Karryn Bowen). Some motivational Intensive Interaction video from Australian special schools was included on this DVD.
- Cath Irvine in the UK began fostering the developing Intensive Interaction Regional Support Groups throughout the UK.
Components of Intensive Interaction
Intensive interaction supports communication’s fundamental components. These features are:
- keeping the gaze;
- making use of facial expressions;
- letting outsiders into your personal space;
- taking pleasure in the company of another individual;
- focusing and paying attention to the other individual
- making use of nonverbal cues;
- By voicing what you mean to say;
- being aware of bodily contact.
Useful techniques and things to consider when practising “Intensive Interaction”
Be persistent
This is a crucial component of intensive interaction; remember to be patient with kids and not anticipate immediate results. You might not notice children mirroring or interacting with you right away during your first session because some kids can take longer to trust adults. So be patient and take your time during your sessions; they shouldn’t feel hurried.
Notice the child’s lead.
Arguably the most significant aspect of intensive interaction, you should allow the child to take the initiative during these sessions. Let the youngster set the tempo by reflecting what they are doing. It’s okay if the youngster decides to end the session.
Have a keen eye for detail
When leading these sessions, you should make sure you have a keen eye for detail. Pay close attention to the child’s facial expressions, gestures, and movements so you can imitate how they are communicating with you.
Both have planned and spontaneous sessions.
Your “Intensive Interaction” sessions don’t necessarily need to be pre-planned; they can also happen spontaneously. Take advantage of the chance to interact with a child who wants to talk to you if you find yourself in such a situation. Additionally, it’s a good idea to try and schedule Intensive Interaction sessions throughout the day. By doing this, you can encourage children to talk to you frequently.
Benefits of Intensive Interaction
- Having fun together.
- Enhancing vocalizations, focus, and attentiveness.
- Utilizing non-verbal communication, such as physical contact, eye contact, and facial expressions.
- Managing and regulating arousal levels.
- Dividing space and taking turns.
- Physical and emotional growth
” Intensive interaction is a method for teaching communication skills to young children and individuals with autism, deep and multiple learning disabilities, and severe learning challenges. Although it may involve many persons who have some speech and language development, the approach is focused on teaching the fundamentals of communication, the communication concepts and performances that come before speech development “.
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Jannatul Kawser Riktha
Intern, Content Writing Department
Youth School For Social Entrepreneurs (YSSE)