Directives guiding the storytelling of an autistic pupil and classmates

Authors

• Anniina Kämäräinen University of Eastern Finland
• Eija Kärnä University of Eastern Finland
• Panu Olli University of Eastern Finland
• Lotta Romppanen University of Eastern Finland
• Anni Kilpiä University of Eastern Finland
• Katja Dindar University of Oulu
• Kaisa Pihlainen University of Eastern Finland
• Calkin Suero Montero Uppsala University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23997/pk.147421

Keywords:

autism spectrum, classmates, directives, inclusion, social interaction, storytelling

Abstract

This case study examines how one autistic pupil and two classmates design and write together a fictional
story. The purpose of this study is to create, through descriptive analysis, an overall picture of the process
of shared story creation and the amount and forms of each pupils’ participation. The data consists of
video recordings collected in five Finnish lessons during spring and autumn 2020. The 4th-5th graders
first designed the story on a shared paper and then wrote the story in a shared online document on
laptops. Data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The quantitative analysis
showed that pupils’ participation varied; for example, an autistic pupil produced more verbal turns as
a scriber compared to situations where a classmate was a scriber. The qualitative results indicated that
the pupils directed their storytelling through proposals regarding the task management or the content
of the story. When pupils wrote the story with the laptops, the directives were largely changed into
suggestions, even commands, to direct the classmates’ actions. The results highlight the importance of
alternating the roles and acknowledging the pupils’ strengths and learning environment in group work
in inclusive classes.