Autism Spectrum Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Disorders and the

ClassroomClassroom

Autism Spectrum Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Disorders and the

ClassroomClassroomSeptember 21, 2010September 21, 2010

What are ASD’s?• A category of neurological disorders

characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development

• 5 Disorders under the PDD umbrella:– Autism– Asperger’s Disorder– Childhood Disintegrative Disorder– Rett’s Disorder– Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not

Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

Affected Areas• Communication skills• Social Interaction skills• Behavior

The number and intensity of symptoms vary with each case

Communication• Difficulty initiating or sustaining conversation

• Stereotyped and repetitive use of language

• Difficulty talking about abstract concepts– May have difficulty with “why” and “what if”

questioning

• May have peculiar voice characteristics

Social Interactions • Non-verbal difficulty

– May have limited use or understanding of non-verbal behavior

– May not understand meaning of common facial expressions

• Difficulty with age-appropriate peer relationships

• Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, accomplishments, interests with others

• May appear to have a preference to be alone, when in actuality wants peer interaction

Behavior

• Restricted, repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior and interests

• Prefers routine and structured environments

• May become upset with loud noises and/or demonstrate an intolerance for stimulating environments

Uneven Cognitive Profile

• Visual-perceptual skills often better developed than verbal skills

• Expressive language often better developed than receptive language (can be hyperverbal)

• Typical strengths: rote learning, spelling, sight word vocabulary, factual knowledge, math computation

• Typical weaknesses: reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, character analysis, prediction, written work, differentiating relevant from irrelevant detail, difficulty generalizing skills from one setting to another

Challenges• Bullying

– Other adolescents begin to question authority while the student with an ASD is still in the mentality of following the rules

– Being a stickler for the rules, the student with an ASD may correct another student who is breaking a rule

– Other adolescents may misinterpret the ASD student’s behavior

Challenges, Continued

• Depression & Anxiety– May become frustrated and

disappointed by social difficulties

• Sensory Processing Issues– May easily experience sensory

overload which can affect learning

Educational Supports• Effective Instructional Strategies:

– Visual aides• Schedules, outlines, graphic organizers, pictures,

models, charts, lists• Multi-sensory instruction

– Classroom structural strategies• Preparation for change in schedule• Predictable, consistent routine & consequences• Peer model/tutor• Provide clear & specific instructions

– Supports• Positive behavioral supports• Counseling • Social skills instruction

Educational Supports– Instructional Supports

• Organizational assistance• Comprehension checks• Cueing to relevant details• Assistance in generalizing skills (may need to re-

teach in different settings)• Break down the steps within a task• Modeling• Repetition• Provide clear & specific instructions• With group work, may need to designate specific

tasks for each student– Language

• Avoid idioms, double meanings, sarcasm, and slang

Questions?

Comments?

References• Henry, K. (2005) How Do I Teach This

Kid?• Jackson, L. (2002) Freaks, Geeks &

Asperger Syndrome• Schmidt, C., & Heybyrne, B. (2004)

Autism in the School-Aged Child. • Sicile-Kira, C. (2004). Autism Spectrum

Disorders.• Smith Myles, B., & Andreon D. (2001)

Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence