The Play Pals Program
Play Pals uses the SCERTS framework. SCERTS is a reasearch-based educational model for working with children with autism and their families. This framework provides specific guidelines for helping a child become a competent and confident social communicator, while preventing problem behaviors that interfere with learning and the development of relationships. SCERTS is also designed to help families, educators, and therapists work cooperatively as a team, in a carefully coordinated manner, to maximize progress in supporting a child.
“SC” – Social Communication: the development of spontaneous, functional communication, emotional expression, and secure and trusting relationships with children and adults. “ER” – Emotional Regulation: the development of the ability to maintain a well-regulated emotional state to cope with everyday stress and to be the most available for learning and interacting. “TS” – Transactional Support: the development and implementation of supports to help partners respond to the child’s needs and interests, modify and adapt the environment, and provide tools to enhance learning (e.g., picture communication, visual schedules, and sensory supports). Specific plans are also developed to provide educational and emotional support to families and to foster teamwork among professionals. Would you like more information on Play Pals? Do you have questions about how to get your child involved? Please contact us! |
Our Daily Schedule
Play Pals takes place Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-11:15 AM during the school year. Our daily schedule is filled with fun, learning, and play!
A typical Play Pals day 8:30 - Free Play 8:45 - Circle Time 9:10 - Snack/Potty 9:30 – Speech/Small Group 10:00 – Outside Time 10:30 - Sensory/Craft Time 10:45 - Music Therapy 11:15 - Begin Parent Pickup |
Research Supporting Play Pals and the SCERTS Model |
Parent Testimonials
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Fedewa, M., Watkins, L., Barber, A., & Baggett, J. (in press). Supporting social play of preschoolers with and without autism: A collaborative approach for special educators and speech language pathologists. Early Childhood Education Journal.
Baggett, J., Barber, A., Watkins, L., & Fedewa, M. (October 2022). Play Pals: Encouraging social engagement and learner readiness in an integrated autism preschool. Invited presentation at the Alabama Early Intervention and Preschool Conference, Mobile, AL. Morgan L, Hooker JL, Sparapani N, et al., (2018) Cluster randomized trial of the classroom SCERTS intervention for elementary students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. J86(7):631-644. |
"My son has been enrolled in Play Pals for the last two semesters. The amount of progress he has shown in this short time has been outstanding. The care, motivation, and encouragement the staff has shown my son has been a positive experience that I wish more children and parents could have. Through Play Pals, his vocabulary has expanded beyond all expectation. His social skills with his peers have improved substantially. His imagination has expanded far and wide. Even his aversion to certain types of textures have diminished. He is a happier and more confident child because of Play Pals. This is noticeable to everyone around him. When he isn’t at Play Pals, he wants to be there. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to help us along this journey. "
"The Play Pals program has given our son a place to develop socially and increase his vocabulary, speech, and language. Before Play Pals, he was shy and would not talk to or play with anyone. Now he’s a social butterfly and adventurous. The program has given him the social skills that he will need as he enters school next year. For that we are thankful." |