Qualities, Friendship and Feelings

By Jenny Rickard - 1996

Available from the Australian Counsel for Educational Research, 19 Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria 3124, Australia.

Email Address for ACER: sydney@acer.edu.au

Jenny has produced three excellent card games that are particularly valuable for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The Feeling Game consists of two sets of cards, one with faces and one with feelings words and two games and worksheets that can be used by a class teacher or therapist. Games include matching the word and facial expression as well as discussion of when someone might feel that particular emotion. The Friendship Game comprises a set of cards which express friendly and unfriendly actions. The child makes a decision as to whether the action on each card is a uniting or dividing word or action. The teacher or therapist can discuss with the child or children why particular words or actions would be perceived as friendly or not friendly. The Qualities Game includes a set of 60 quality statement cards and I find this game particularly useful when explaining the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome to the child. Here the child and family members can identify their personality qualities. Sometimes the child needs such prompts to determine their positive attributes. This game is particularly useful for encouraging self esteem.