Introduction
RPM uses rapid-fire prompting to initiate a child's response through the use of a low-tech alphabet board for spelled communication. RPM, created by Soma Mukhopadhyay, is used to activate the reasoning part of the brain so that the child becomes engaged in learning. It is recommended that parents start using RPM at home by reading their child's familiar and beloved childhood books as well as age appropriate curriculum. Typically, a lesson begins with reading a few sentences related to a single topic or focus. Next, a question is asked of the topic. Then, possible answers are initially written on paper. The teacher taps the choices of answers while reading them out loud, and then encourages the student to select one. As the child becomes more advanced answers are spelled on letter boards. This eventually leads to open-ended communication.
Related Sites
RPM+ for Autism and Other Disabilities Description: RPM+ for Autism & Other Disabilities, LLC provides videos of students using the RPM+ approach.
Helping Autism Through Learning and Outreach (HALO) Description: Halo is a non-profit organization that provides the RPM. You will be able to navigate this website to learn about RPM and purchase materials.
Books
Tools
Parent Forums/Blogs
Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.
Forum/Blog Name: Emma's Hope Book Description: Blog about an autistic girl named Emma, her success with the Rapid Prompting Method, as well as some of her creative writing.
Forum/Blog Name: SOMA RPM Parent Forum Description: This is a forum for parents using the SOMA RPM web site.
Consumer Corner
Community Library
An Overview of a New Way of Looking at Autism Description: Overview of RPM from the founder’s web site.
Rapid Prompting Method Helps People With Autism Communicate Description: Article describing the experiences that parents and their children with autism had using RPM.