Loudness of Speech

Children with ASD sometimes have problems with how loud they talk. Their voice can be rather loud and rough at times and is perceived to be aggressive when they do not actually feel that way. Unless someone knew them well their communications are very frequently misinterpreted. Telling the person with ASD that people do not like to hear loud voices because it frightens them is not enough for them to understand how loud they are speaking.

Make a loudness thermometer to visually show the person with ASD how loud they are speaking. This enables them to see how loud they are talking and how much they need to adjust their speech.



Make a thermometer that is divided into 10 intervals, making ten at the top the loudest and five for normal speech. Demonstrate to the child how loud actual speech is on each level. Have the child talk and show them on the thermometer how loud they are speaking. Have them adjust their tone and show them on the thermometer their speech loudness. During the day when the child talks too loud or too soft, show them on the thermometer how loud/soft they are talking and have them adjust their tone accordingly.

*Click on the picture for a larger view to make a copy to use at home/school.