In my opinion, teaching kids on the autism spectrum to read nonverbal communication is as practical as teaching a blind person how to navigate a sightseeing tour. 

It makes more sense to teach them what information is being communicated nonverbally (e.g. emotions, boundary setting, interest) that they’re missing and how to get it using the strengths they have. 

People who are blind read through touch using Braille or through text to speech technology. I am verbal and ask a lot of questions. 

👉 “Do you have any feelings about that?”
👉 “Would you like to hear more about this or talk about something else?
👉 “How much more time do you have, I don’t want to keep you?”
👉 “I sometimes get a bit loud when I talk, it’s okay to let me know by ‘insert cue’.”

So I use that strength to ask the questions most effective at getting the information I need. 

It can be hard enough to keep yourself regulated emotionally, manage your anxiety and find the words to express yourself let alone decode the other person’s nonverbal communication.