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Unit 3:Autism:Strategies and Interventions
In our final unit we will learn how to adapt our classroom environment and instructional strategies to help our students with ASD.
Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
- Identify at least 1 learning characteristics of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and at least one modification that can be made in the general education classroom to accommodate the ASD learner after reading through 3 case studies.
Overview
Watch the following video on ten tips for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Do you currently implement any of these techniques? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APY2akeZPLk
Classroom Strategies
The following suggestions may help teachers provide better learning experiences in an inclusive classroom:
Retrieved from:http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/8761-22-tips-for-teaching-students-with-autism-spectrum-disorders
1. Use Task Analysis –very specific, tasks in sequential order.
2. Always keep your language simple and concrete. Get your point across in as few words as possible. Typically, it’s far more effective to say “Pens down, close your journal and line up to go outside” than “It looks so nice outside. Let’s do our science lesson now. As soon as you’ve finished your writing, close your books and line up at the door. We’re going to study plants outdoors today”.
3. Teach specific social rules/skills, such as turn-taking and social distance.
4. Give fewer choices. If a child is asked to pick a color, say red, only give him two to three choices to pick from. The more choices, the more confused an autistic child will become.
5. If you ask a question or give an instruction and are greeted with a blank stare, reword your sentence. Asking a student what you just said helps clarify that you’ve been understood.
6. Avoid using sarcasm. If a student accidentally knocks all your papers on the floor and you say “Great!” you will be taken literally and this action might be repeated on a regular basis. 7. Avoid using idioms. “Put your thinking caps on”, “Open your ears” and “Zipper your lips” will leave a student completely mystified and wondering how to do that.
8. Give very clear choices and try not to leave choices open ended. You’re bound to get a better result by asking “Do you want to read or draw?” than by asking “What do you want to do now?”
9. Repeat instructions and checking understanding. Using short sentences to ensure clarity of instructions.
10. Providing a very clear structure and a set daily routine including time for play).
11. Teaching what “finished” means and helping the student to identify when something has finished and something different has started. Take a photo of what you want the finished product to look like and show the student. If you want the room cleaned up, take a picture of how you want it to look some time when it is clean. The students can use this for a reference.
12. Providing warning of any impending change of routine, or switch of activity.
13. Addressing the pupil individually at all times (for example, the pupil may not realize that an instruction given to the whole class also includes him/her. Calling the pupil’s name and saying “I need you to listen to this as this is something for you to do” can sometimes work; other times the pupil will need to be addressed individually).
14. Using various means of presentation – visual, physical guidance, peer modeling, etc.
15. Recognizing that some change in manner or behavior may reflect anxiety (which may be triggered by a [minor] change to routine)
16. Not taking apparently rude or aggressive behavior personally; and recognizing that the target for the pupil’s anger may be unrelated to the source of that anger.
17. Avoid overstimulation. Minimizing/removal of distracters, or providing access to an individual work area or booth, when a task involving concentration is set. Colorful wall displays can be distracting for some pupils, others may find noise very difficult to cope with.
18. Seeking to link work to the pupil’s particular interests.
19. Exploring word-processing, and computer-based learning for literacy.
20. Protecting the pupil from teasing at free times, and providing peers with some awareness of his/her particular needs.
21. Allowing the pupil to avoid certain activities (such as sports and games) which s/he may not understand or like; and supporting the pupil in open-ended and group tasks.
22. Allowing some access to obsessive behavior as a reward for positive efforts.
Putting it All Together
- Read through the following case studies.
- Identify a learning characteristic of a student with autism and address a strategy that you can implement to help the child in your classroom.
- Record your information on a sheet of paper.
- Create two columns. Label one characteristic and label the second characteristics (see example below).
| Characteristics | Strategies |
|---|---|
Case Study 1
Max is a 3rd grade student who has a difficult time when classroom subjects change. He often is unable to get out the items he needs and the class is always waiting for him to be ready. How can you help him?
Case Study 2
Ella is a kindergarten student who is always talking about Dora the Explorer. You notice that the students no longer want to play with her at recess because Ella dominates the conversation with Dora. How can you help her?
Case Study 3
James is a 4th grade student who has a difficult time completing his work at his table of 5 students. He will often get off task and miss deadlines of assignments. Can you help him?