Using Image Cards to Develop Vocabulary in Grade 1 Autistic Students at SLB Bintang Harapan, Bandung

Sep 28, 2026

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication and social interaction, often leading to vocabulary deficits. The study evaluates whether picture cards improve Grade 1 students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in pronouncing new vocabulary. An experimental Single Subject Research (SSR) A-B-A design was used with baseline-1, intervention, and baseline-2 phases. Results show stable improvement in baseline-1 (43.33%), stronger gains during intervention (71.66%, +26%), and further improvement in baseline-2 (74.99%, +13.40%), indicating visual aids effectively support vocabulary mastery.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background on autism and language communication

Verbal communication barriers and classroom concerns

Need for media to improve pronunciation and reciprocal communication

Using Image Cards to Develop Vocabulary in Grade 1 Autistic Students at SLB Bintang Harapan, Bandung [https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v10i5.1341](https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v10i5.1341) *Adia Permata, N. Dede Khoeriahiab 12Prodi Pendidikan Luar Biasa Universitas Islam Nusantara, Indonesia Corresponding Author: [adiapermata012@gmail.com](adiapermata012@gmail.com) | A B S T R A C T | | | --- | --- | | Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that arises during early development and directly affects communication patterns and social interactions, often resulting in vocabulary deficits. One strategy to address these challenges is the use of picture cards, which serve as a visual aid to support children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in pronouncing vocabulary. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of picture cards in improving the ability of students with ASD to pronounce new vocabulary. The research employed an experimental design using a Single Subject Research (SSR) approach with an A-B-A design. The subject of the study was a Grade 1 student with ASD enrolled at SDLB Bintang Harapan. The study focused on the student asthe primary recipient of the intervention, and data were collected across three phases: baseline-1, intervention, and baseline-2. During the initial baseline phase (baseline-1), four measurements were taken, resulting in a stable mean score of 43.33% . This phase showed a minor improvement of 6.66% in level change. In the intervention phase (B), which consisted of eight sessions, the student’s performance demonstrated a consistent upward trend, with a mean score of 71.66% and a level change of +26% . In the final phase (baseline-2), further improvement was observed, with an average score of 74.99%, an upward trend, and a level increase of +13.40% . The results indicate that the application of picture cards was successful in enhancing the student’s ability to pronounce new vocabulary. The intervention not only improved accuracy in vocabulary pronunciation but also demonstrated the potential of visual aids to support language development in children with ASD. Overall, this study provides evidence that picture cards can be an effective tool for fostering vocabulary mastery in students with autism spectrum disorders.
Keywords: Autism, Picture Cards, Vocabulary | | | Article History:
Received 08th August 2025
Accepted 15th October 2025
Published 17th October 2025 | | INTRODUCTION According to DSM V (2013), children with autism are children who experience mental disorders characterized by the appearance of symptoms at an early age, accompanied by limited patterns of communication and social interaction. Individuals also exhibit limited behaviour and repetitive actions. In Anderson's research (2017), children with autism are characterized by a delay in language development, and they also have difficulties in social interaction. Meanwhile, according to (Kim et al., 2013), children with autism are not unable to speak or hear, but they experience difficulties in understanding what others say. This can occur because there are problems with the sound processing system in the brain's mechanism for speaking. Based on this, verbal communication that is usually conveyed when someone speaks does not involve the ‘brain processing system’ as in typical general development stages. The communication barriers faced by autistic students are caused by reduced activity in certain brain regions, such as language ability, which is influenced by activity in various brain areas including the temporal lobe, which processes auditory information; the Broca's area, which regulates language production; the cerebellum, which supports motor coordination; and the supplementary motor area, which plays a role in planning speech movements, storing vocabulary, and regulating the muscle movements required for speaking. Furthermore, according to Pratiwi, M. R., Mardiana, L., & Yusriana, A. (2019), children

FAQs

What research design is used to test the picture cards intervention?

The study uses a Single Subject Research (SSR) experimental design with an A-B-A structure: baseline-1, intervention (B), and baseline-2.

How did students with ASD perform across the phases?

During baseline-1 the mean score was 43.33%, during the intervention it increased to 71.66% (+26% level change), and in baseline-2 it further rose to an average of 74.99% (+13.40%).

Why are picture cards considered helpful for vocabulary learning in children with ASD?

The document explains that autistic children often face difficulties in language development and communication, and picture cards function as visual aids to support pronunciation and vocabulary mastery.

Sep 28, 2026

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