The importance of play in special education for students with autism and the role of teachers

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that manifests in diverse ways, with varying support needs related to communication, interaction, and learning. In the school context, play can connect children's actions with meanings constructed through relationships with other people. This article aims to understand the importance of play in the education of students with autism and to discuss teachers' roles in planning inclusive practices, with a focus on early childhood education. This is a bibliographic and documentary study using a qualitative approach and an exploratory and descriptive design, organized as a narrative review. A review of the theoretical framework and supplementary searches of scientific and official sources established a corpus of 17 documents, including theoretical works, scientific articles, and regulatory sources. The interpretive analysis brings together the foundations of play, student diversity, planning, and teacher education. The discussion indicates that the contribution of play-based activities depends on the relationship between pedagogical objectives, accessibility, children's interests, and teacher mediation. The sources also reveal limitations in generalizing the results of studies conducted with small numbers of participants. Proposals are presented for classification games, pretend play, and collaborative storytelling, accompanied by adaptations and criteria for observing individual progress. The article concludes that play should be intentionally and flexibly integrated into the curriculum and supported by continuous monitoring, teacher education, and the institutional conditions necessary for participation and learning.