The most effective method for working with autistic children, according to the provided data, can be described as an individual, dynamic approach that involves active interaction with the child rather than merely adapting external tools to match his habits.

Dynamic Personal Engagement: Rethinking Autism Intervention

The most effective method for working with autistic children, according to the provided data, can be described as an individual, dynamic approach that involves active interaction with the child rather than merely adapting external tools to match his habits.

For instance, one observation notes that various specialists engaged children in activities such as moving small objects, rocking on the floor, and establishing contact through physical closeness. In this case, the results were astonishing – the progress of one child (Andryusha) was incomparable with that of children who had been attending the group for several years. This underscores the importance of live, personal contact and the active involvement of the child in the process (source: link txt).

At the same time, another approach based on the use of special cards, although it facilitated communication, resulted in the child becoming isolated from genuine interaction with the surrounding world. The authors of the text note that this method often remains a cul-de-sac, as it does not promote the development of independent and meaningful communication skills (source: link txt, page: 39).

Thus, given the aforementioned observations, the most effective method can be regarded as one that involves active, live interaction and adapts to the individual characteristics of the child, allowing him to acquire essential communicative skills, rather than a method where communication is constructed solely through the use of cards or other auxiliary tools.

Supporting citation(s):

"Autistic individuals exhibit stereotypical behaviors, and one of the English specialists spent a long time monotonously moving small objects together with the child from one pile to another. Another, sitting with the little one on the floor, rocked back and forth with him. The third (a woman) attempted to establish contact with a five-year-old autistic child by crawling with him on the carpet. The results of the work were evident: the children who had attended kindergarten for two to three years, even if they had made progress in their development, did not improve to the extent of little Andryusha. In fact, it was not even comparable. The successes were incomparable. Much like the methods themselves." (source: link txt)

"When communication with an autistic child is adapted to his routines and habits, for example, special cards are invented. On these cards (to borrow the word from Soshinsky) 'depict the actions the child would have liked to perform: eating, going for a walk, and so on.' And instead of teaching the autistic child to perform the difficult yet important task of saying, 'I am hungry,' he is silently given a card depicting a bowl and spoon. While this does ease communication, it results in a dead-end. Communicating via cards does not introduce the child into the human world, leaving him isolated. Soshinsky’s team decided 'not to interpret gestures unless they are supported by speech or at least an attempt at speech. For example, Andryusha was pointing at a jar of sugar. Natasha (the grandmother) did not understand this gesture. This lack of understanding continued for half an hour, even an hour.'" (source: link txt, page: 39)