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
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
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