This activity was taken from the Disability Awareness Activity Packet by Bev Adcock and Michael L. Remus. 

http://www.vcu.edu/partnership/C-SAL/downloadables/PDF/DisabilityAwarenessPacket.pdf 

 

 This activity is designed to show how people with autism are bothered by things most people don’t notice. People with autism are often extra sensitive to noise, movement and even things like background noises most of us don’t notice. Remember, not everyone with autism has these problems.

 

Divide  a large group into groups of 5. Each person will have a job to do. Go over their jobs and tell them they will start when you give the signal.  

 

Person #1 - You will play the part of a person with autism. Your job is to try and listen to what Person #5 is reading to you so you can take a test on the material. Try to ignore everyone else.

 

Person #2 - Stand behind the person playing the part of someone with autism. Rub the edge of an index card (or cardboard) against the back of their neck. You do not need to rub hard, but keep doing it over and over.

 

Person #3 - Grab a book (any book will do), lean close to Person #1 and read in a loud voice the entire time.

 

Person #4 - Pat Person #1 on the head and shoulder the entire time.

 

Person #5 - Using a normal voice, read a paragraph to Person #1 then ask them questions about what you read.

 

Do NOT try to drown out the other noises. If time permits, have all the members take a turn being Person #1 before you discuss it. How did it feel to be have so much commotion going on? Did it make them want to scream or get away? Were they able to concentrate on the paragraph being read? What might have helped?