A point is a full answer
In every pack, a correct response is your child pointing to or tapping the picture that answers the question. Speaking is not required. If you ask “What do you use to sweep the floor?” and your child touches the broom, that counts, even if they never say “broom”.
This matters because a spoken answer mixes two skills: understanding the question and producing the word. Separating them shows you which one is holding your child back. A child who points to the mop every time you ask what washes the floor understands the question. The talking can be worked on separately, with your child’s speech therapist.
How to teach wh questions to an autistic child at the table
Print at actual size. Each practice page has ten picture cards. You don’t have to show all ten on day one. Cut them apart and start with a small set, for example the broom and two pictures that are clearly different. Add cards back as your child gets the easy ones without help.
Read the question exactly as it’s written in the adult guide, once. Then wait. It isn’t a race. Keep your eyes off the right answer, keep your face neutral and don’t name the object. Children are very good at reading where an adult is looking.
Keep sessions short. The packs suggest 3 to 5 minutes: one easy win, 3 to 6 practice turns, then something your child enjoys. If your child wants to stop, stop.
During teaching you can help. Show your child how to look along the row of pictures before choosing, then give less of that help on the next turn. When Musa was learning, he once answered “what can you eat?” by tapping a car. Nobody made a fuss. The car went away, he looked again and found the food. A calm second try is the whole point.
- What do you sit on? (chair)
- What do you use to water the plants? (watering can)
- What do you use to cut your nails? (nail clippers)
- Who helps children learn? (teacher)
- Who do you visit when you are sick? (doctor)
What questions first, then who
“What” questions about everyday objects are a good place to start because your child uses the answers every day: the mirror, the spoon, the broom, the chair. The What Questions pack sticks to what things are for.
“Who” questions are about jobs. The Who Questions pack asks who fixes cars, who grows food, who drives the ship. Ask about the job, never about a person’s name, and use plain descriptions of what the worker does. A picture book about community helpers is a good warm-up.
From single pictures to busy scenes
The four rotating question packs use one photo scene per round: a farm stable, a library and garage, a classroom, a lake and playing field. The question type changes from turn to turn, so your child has to listen to the first word. In the farm pack you might ask “Where is the horse standing?” (stable), then “What catches the milk?” (bucket), then “Who is brushing the horse?” (groom).
A busy scene is harder because your child has to search for the answer. Show one scene at a time and cover the rounds you aren’t using, but never cover part of the scene itself. If your child gets stuck, suggest looking over the whole picture, then drop that reminder on later turns. Ask only the question printed for that round. Don’t carry a question from one scene over to the next.
Take the questions off the page
The packs work best when the same questions come back during the day. Ask “What do you use to water the plants?” while you’re holding the watering can. Ask what we drink from while you’re putting cups on the table. At the park, ask who is kicking the ball. A few willing turns at breakfast and a few at playtime often go better than one long session.
Teach first, check later
The check rounds are separate from the practice rounds. During a check you record your child’s first response before giving any help. No hints, no pointing, no second chances between attempts. The log uses three marks: I for independent and correct, H for correct with help, X for incorrect or no response. If your child says no, stop and write that down instead of forcing a score.
The log tells you what to do next. If it’s mostly I, try a new example or let another adult ask. If your child needed some help, keep the same skill and make one thing easier. If you see X again and again, go back to fewer pictures and teach again. The check is an informal snapshot of familiar material, not an assessment.