Abstract: A therapeutic method for developing the ability of subjects with autism spectrum disorders to produce and perceive spoken language, including sequentially modeling a set of words, the speaking of which involves making a first and a second articulatory gesture, as pictures corresponding to such words are displayed, in order to induce the subject to attempt to say the modeled words, until the subject is able to produce the constrictions of the oral-pharyngeal cavity associated with both of said articulatory gestures of the words together with vibration of the vocal folds, and the subject is able to produce such words intelligibly. The subject's ability is incrementally expanded using sets of words involving the making of other articulatory gestures until the subject is able to intelligibly produce words involving substantially all of the articulatory gestures used in the language of interest. Positive visual reinforcement is given to the subject for each word that the subject is able to produce intelligibly.