The Halo Center has published a little pamphlet of Autistic people’s writing. It’s called “Voices” and this year’s issue – “Voices” 2013 edition – is available for purchase ‘here‘. One of Emma’s fabulous folk tales is in it, along with dozens of others. For anyone who is even remotely interested in Soma Mukhopadhyay’s Rapid Prompting Method or RPM, it is a great sample of the writings of a wide range of people of all ages who do not rely on spoken language to communicate, but who write to communicate.
“Butterflies used to be sticky as butter. But they had curiosity.” ~ Emma
I am not going to reprint Emma’s entire story here as I hope some of you will go over and purchase a copy.
Soma and RPM have completely transformed our lives. It is my dream that every school, every educator, every therapist, and all people who are in the field of autism have the opportunity to witness someone like my daughter writing her thoughts on the letter board. Eventually Emma will write on her iPad and computer, but for now she is using a laminated letter board with me, her iPad with the person she sees here and the laminated board, which she even holds herself at times, with Soma.
A Session With Soma
Emma's Hope Book 
Just curious….I can’t really see her letter board. Nathan just uses one that is black type on white paper. But Emma’s looks…blue? Or maybe it is just the angle. I was wondering if anyone has ever looked into using different colored paper or type to see if it is “easier” to look at? I know some kids use colored overlays when reading black type on white paper so that it is easier to read. I realize most kids use the stencils. Nathan didn’t take to them at all. I understand why….to me they were hard to look at because you could see through them. I think it was distracting him and that it was hard to actually see the letters with all the other “stuff” you could see. He does much better with a rolled letter board (so he can only see 2 lines of letters at a time). Just wondering if anyone ever considered colors other than black and white.
hi Beth,
Actually Halo has different colored backgrounds. Emma chose both the blue and red background, so we have both. If you go to the Halo Center link (first link on the post today) I’m pretty sure you can see them in their “store”.
Got it. Not one that Nathan can use yet. He uses a rolled one with two lines showing (6 lines total). These have 5 lines. I may have to get creative on the computer….
Although I had read about Soma in previous posts this is the first time I have encountered the HALO Center. Thank you for posting their link: I now know much more about HALO and RPM.
(((Alex)))
There are some great videos on the site of kids working with Soma.
Hi Ariane, my boy is 7 at the moment, and his verbal development seems to be quite similar to Emma’s. I think I read in some of your old blog posts that Emma did a literacy program that helped her learn letters/spelling and how to write/type. I hope you don’t mind me asking, what was the name of the literacy program?
Hi Lana, you are correct. The woman who began it insisted that her “behavior” piece be followed and it was that part that eventually made us stop using her method. The only method I wish we’d done instead of this woman’s and the stem cell treatment was Soma Mukhopadhyay’s RPM – rapid prompting method. RPM will teach reading, writing, and anything and everything else. I do wish we hadn’t wasted our money and my daughter’s time on all this other stuff…
Thanks for the response, it means a lot.
LOVE THIS!
(((Bird)))
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