If you teach a ‘typical’ classroom of students, or you are a parent of a child in a ‘typical’ classroom it is likely that there will be at least one student diagnosed with autism or considered to be on the spectrum. It takes a lot of hard work from parents, teachers, and other students to help a child with autism get the most out of the classroom experience. ASDs (autism spectrum disorders) affect one out of every 88 children in the U.S. and occur more often among boys than girls.
Children diagnosed with ASD are affected in three different areas: Social interaction, communication (verbal and non verbal), and behaviors and interests. The types of ASD that are determined by guidelines in the diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association are: Aspergers syndrome, PDD-NOS (pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified), and autistic disorder. The mildest form is Aspergers syndrome.
Asperger children have normal to above average intelligence. They become obsessively interested in a single object or topic and often learn all about it resulting in a nonstop discussion. Socially they are impaired and sometimes awkward and uncoordinated.
Students that have a more severe form of autism than Aspergers have a diagnosis of PDD-NOS, Not Otherwise Specified. They have: impaired social interaction, better language skills than children with autistic disorder but not as good as the Aspergers child and fewer repetitive behaviors.
If you have a student mainstreamed into your classroom or if your child comes home from school stating that a classmate is autistic, it is likely that the student has either Aspergers Syndrome or PDD-NOS. Educate yourself and your child/children about autism. It isn’t a disease; it is just the way they are. Children have autism; they are not ‘autistic’.
A child with autism has sensory perceptions that are disordered. This means that ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch may be painful. Some schools have a sensory room for students that qualify and is used as a calming place. Many ‘typical’ classrooms have several items that are used in a quiet area for students that have sensory needs. My school had a sensory room that had a daily schedule for students with sensory needs. It was used as a preventative measure when we knew that a specific time of the day or a specified transition would trigger a student’s behavior. Our sensory room had controllable lighting and contained many tactile objects for touch. There was a stereo system, a warm water bed, and a weighted blanket for comfort. Many objects for hugging, rolling, and climbing were supplied as well as cushions for solitary areas were provided for children.
Following directions isn’t always easy for a child with autism. It is not that they don’t listen to instructions, it’s that they don’t understand what is being stated. Children with autism need to be directly spoken to in plain words. So if the teacher or parent in charge is speaking to the class as a whole, the student with autism won’t realize they are included.
Using idioms in a ‘typical’ classroom would be confusing for a student with autism. They interpret language very literally. This also includes puns, nuances, double entendres, inference, metaphors, allusions, and sarcasm. (I am a believer that sarcasm should never be used in the classroom by anyone).
Expressing feelings is difficult for students with autism because of their limited vocabulary. It is best to have feeling cards or body language cards available for communication purposes. Visual language also comes in handy when showing a student how to do something. Many students are visual learners and would benefit from pictures. I know through my own experiences of constructing something I need a picture to follow. Many adults use a day-planner so why not utilize a visual schedule for children. It provides help for all young children especially those with limited reading ability or vocabulary.
Look for strengths and don’t focus on what a student can’t do. I get less frustrated when my husband comments on the positive aspect of my golf game and not the bad putts or the drive into the trees. Looking for strengths pertain to all students. Encourage how to interact with other children and provide assistance when necessary. Students with autism don’t know how to interact with others and give the appearance to be ‘loners’. All children need to learn to play together in structured activities.
Children need unconditional love, patience, and understanding. The above characteristics pertain to children and young adults. They need to understand differences and be shielded against the unkindness of others.
When I was a principal, our ‘typical’ classrooms had mainstreamed students with autism. The classroom strategies that were practiced throughout the day made the classroom as a whole a stronger learning environment. Every student benefited from helping each other and learned how to build effective communication skills.
One of my second grade students was having a difficult time with other students pushing in line to get on the bus. He couldn’t understand why they were pushing because ultimately everyone would get a seat. He finally yelled, “Stop pushing me! I can’t stand it because I have Asperbergers!” He was becoming aware of his triggers and was asking everyone to back off so he would’t have a melt down. He was learning how to deal with his syndrome even though he didn’t know the correct pronunciation.
Educate yourself and your students to be aware and have acceptance for students with autism. This was my first experience with mainstreaming and I have learned that the more we talk to our children about accepting and understanding differences, the less likely they are to bully other kids. When children are in acceptance of the ‘nerds’ the ‘quirky’ or the ‘weird’ students, you are also teaching them to be accepting of other kinds of differences such as accents, music differences, religious beliefs, and skin colors. And, as mentioned earlier, remember to discuss the strengths of individual differences and not just the differences.
