Autism
Definition:
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental condition which affects a person’s ability to communicate, socialise and think flexibly. This condition affects how
students interact with teachers and other students in the classroom. ASD is very broad and not two individuals display all the same symptoms (Amaze, 2011).
Impact on Student Learning
Autism has many different characteristics and no two students with Autism learn or behave the same way. Students with Autism may have difficulty with many verbal aspects of learning and interacting in the classroom, including in the following areas (Wagner, 2009, p. 22):
-Reciprocal language: students may have difficulty with conversational exchange; including listening, responding, building on topics, staying on topic, and taking turns talking.
-Appropriateness of language: students may have difficulty with grammar, pronouns, gender, and tense.
-Students may use personal idioms and have an unusual way of describing things.
Also, students with Autism ‘often have difficulty in comprehending verbal information, following long verbal instructions, and remembering a sequence of instructions’ (British Columbia. Ministry of Education. Special Programs Branch, 2000, p. 11) this can have a large impact on their ability to learn in the classroom and access the curriculum. If much of the curriculum is delivered through verbal means, a student with Autism may not be able to fully process the information which is being presented to them. Students with Autism may also find it difficult to function in a classroom environment; there may be a number of physical factors that impact on a student with Autism’s ability to learn such as sounds and positioning of objects in the room (British Columbia. Ministry of Education. Special
Programs Branch, 2000, p. 13).
Impact on Teaching
There are a number of implications for teachers who have students with Autism in their classroom. There are many factors teachers must take into account when teaching students with Autism, including the environment in which they are teaching, what they are teaching, and how the curriculum is to be taught. Another factor that has a significant impact on teaching students with Autism is the behaviour, usually problematic, that these students display. Negative behaviour traits can include violence towards other students and the teacher. When teachers are planning their lessons, the Ministry of Education in British Columbia (2000, p. 13), states that ‘teachers need to consider the problematic behaviour and its function for that particular child—for example, gaining attention or avoiding something’; it is by understanding why a student displays this problematic behaviour that the teacher can put in place strategies to minimise and/or avoid the negative behaviour. Teachers need to be aware of the individual characteristics of the student with Autism in their classroom and plan accordingly.
Teaching Strategies
The most important teaching strategy teachers can adopt when planning lessons is knowing the individual needs and abilities of students with Autism. Teachers should have ‘Individual Learning Plans’ in place for students with Autism. Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009) note that by knowing students’ strengths, weaknesses and needs the teacher can choose what specific skills will be taught, and that the teacher should ‘capitalise on the student’s strengths and use them to teach new skills’ (p. 22). When creating ‘Individual Learning Plans’ Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009, p. 26) give the following advice to teachers:
- Be realistic in the number of goals you set
- Do not underestimate the students potential
- Be realistic in the types of goals you set
- Choose goals for which your student has the prerequisite skills.
- Choose goals that give your student access to reinforces
- Choose goals that are developmentally and chronologically appropriate for your student.
- Choose goals that focus on the student’s interests and take advantage of his or her strengths.
- Choose goals that are prerequisites for other important skills.
- Choose goals that have the potential to reduce or eliminate problem behaviours.
Once ‘Individual Learning Plans’ are in place the teacher should adopt strategies which contribute to the effective learning of students with Autism in the classroom. Many strategies which have been implemented successfully in classrooms include and are often centred on visuals which contribute to successful visual learning and retention. The teacher should aim to incorporate visual cues to enhance the learning of student’s with Autism (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 41). Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009) state that it is crucial to have a well-thought-out system of visual supports in place to assist the student in the autism spectrum (p. 33). As many students with Autism respond to visual stimulus, teachers should also aim to include gestures, body positions and facial expressions when delivering information to be retained. To promote literacy and positive behaviour in the classroom teachers can display written rules, which should be determined with input from the student and parents.
Another strategy that can be used to promote literacy is the labelling of object around the classroom (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 44).
The classroom environment can also be used as a strategy when teaching students with Autism. An environmental consideration is ‘the impact, both positive and negative, the location and space have on the success of students with autism’ (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 45). The teacher should consider the needs of each student and adjust the environment, as much as possible, to accommodate these needs. Teacher should consider the positioning of desks, and where the teacher positions themselves to deliver the class; it is essential for the student with Autism to be able to see the teacher at all times.
Support Networks in Schools
There is some support available for schools and teachers who have students with Autism. An Australian government initiative which aims to provide support to people, and the families of those, with Autism, is the Helping Children with Autism campaign; however this initiative is only available for children up to six years old.
Helping Children with Autism Package:
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/program-services/for-people-with-disability/helping-children-with-autism
Amaze is a Victorian organisation that offers support to schools that have students with Autism.
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Support Networks in the Community
Amaze is an organisation in Victoria which provides support to people with and the families and carers of people with Autism. Amaze provides information about and strategies for dealing with Autism as well as access to other support services.
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Relevant Legislation:
There are a number of Australian and International Laws and Legislation that need to be upheld when teaching student’s with Autism in the classroom. Students
with Autism have the same rights as every other Australian student to access a quality education free from discrimination, based upon disability and/or learning needs.
Children's Services Act 1996 states that education must be available to all children. Regardless if students have a form of Autism they are entitled to an education under law. Students with Autism have the same rights as every other Australian child to receive an education (Australian Government, 1996).
Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, like the Children’s Services Act 1996, states that children are to have access to appropriate education services regardless of disability. If a child with Autism desires to attend a mainstream school, the principal and teachers need to ensure that they provide the child with Autism with a quality education that meets their needs (Australian Government, 2005).
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 under this Act all students with a disability, including those with Autism, have the right to access an education which is free from discrimination and inequality (Australian Government, 1992).
Under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 teacher should strive to continue to imporce the education they provide to all students, including those with special needs such as Autism (Australian Government, 2010).
It is outlined in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 that teachers need to ensure they adjust their teaching to meet the needs of students with special needs. The teacher needs to understand how a student with Autism learns, and ensure they provide an education which is tailored to suit the individual needs of a student with Autism (Australian Government, 2006).
The Mental Health Act 1986 determines that any student with a mental health condition has the right to receive a quality education. A student with Autism should be given the opportunity to attend the school of their choice as long as their educational and wellbeing needs are met (Australian Government, 1986).
Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 all children have the human right to access education. Teachers need to provide a quality education to
students with Autism (United Nations, 1948).
Teachers need to ensure they are familiar with relevant legislation and provide students who have Autism with the education they require. Teachers may need to adjust their teaching styles to meet the needs of student’s with Autism.
Useful Links
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Autism Spectrum Australia: http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/a2i1i1l445l487/welcome.htm
Helping Children with Autism, Australian Government: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/program-services/for-people-with-disability/helping-children-with-autism
Teaching Students with Autism, Government of British Columbia: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/autism.pdf
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental condition which affects a person’s ability to communicate, socialise and think flexibly. This condition affects how
students interact with teachers and other students in the classroom. ASD is very broad and not two individuals display all the same symptoms (Amaze, 2011).
Impact on Student Learning
Autism has many different characteristics and no two students with Autism learn or behave the same way. Students with Autism may have difficulty with many verbal aspects of learning and interacting in the classroom, including in the following areas (Wagner, 2009, p. 22):
-Reciprocal language: students may have difficulty with conversational exchange; including listening, responding, building on topics, staying on topic, and taking turns talking.
-Appropriateness of language: students may have difficulty with grammar, pronouns, gender, and tense.
-Students may use personal idioms and have an unusual way of describing things.
Also, students with Autism ‘often have difficulty in comprehending verbal information, following long verbal instructions, and remembering a sequence of instructions’ (British Columbia. Ministry of Education. Special Programs Branch, 2000, p. 11) this can have a large impact on their ability to learn in the classroom and access the curriculum. If much of the curriculum is delivered through verbal means, a student with Autism may not be able to fully process the information which is being presented to them. Students with Autism may also find it difficult to function in a classroom environment; there may be a number of physical factors that impact on a student with Autism’s ability to learn such as sounds and positioning of objects in the room (British Columbia. Ministry of Education. Special
Programs Branch, 2000, p. 13).
Impact on Teaching
There are a number of implications for teachers who have students with Autism in their classroom. There are many factors teachers must take into account when teaching students with Autism, including the environment in which they are teaching, what they are teaching, and how the curriculum is to be taught. Another factor that has a significant impact on teaching students with Autism is the behaviour, usually problematic, that these students display. Negative behaviour traits can include violence towards other students and the teacher. When teachers are planning their lessons, the Ministry of Education in British Columbia (2000, p. 13), states that ‘teachers need to consider the problematic behaviour and its function for that particular child—for example, gaining attention or avoiding something’; it is by understanding why a student displays this problematic behaviour that the teacher can put in place strategies to minimise and/or avoid the negative behaviour. Teachers need to be aware of the individual characteristics of the student with Autism in their classroom and plan accordingly.
Teaching Strategies
The most important teaching strategy teachers can adopt when planning lessons is knowing the individual needs and abilities of students with Autism. Teachers should have ‘Individual Learning Plans’ in place for students with Autism. Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009) note that by knowing students’ strengths, weaknesses and needs the teacher can choose what specific skills will be taught, and that the teacher should ‘capitalise on the student’s strengths and use them to teach new skills’ (p. 22). When creating ‘Individual Learning Plans’ Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009, p. 26) give the following advice to teachers:
- Be realistic in the number of goals you set
- Do not underestimate the students potential
- Be realistic in the types of goals you set
- Choose goals for which your student has the prerequisite skills.
- Choose goals that give your student access to reinforces
- Choose goals that are developmentally and chronologically appropriate for your student.
- Choose goals that focus on the student’s interests and take advantage of his or her strengths.
- Choose goals that are prerequisites for other important skills.
- Choose goals that have the potential to reduce or eliminate problem behaviours.
Once ‘Individual Learning Plans’ are in place the teacher should adopt strategies which contribute to the effective learning of students with Autism in the classroom. Many strategies which have been implemented successfully in classrooms include and are often centred on visuals which contribute to successful visual learning and retention. The teacher should aim to incorporate visual cues to enhance the learning of student’s with Autism (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 41). Ben-Arieh and Miller (2009) state that it is crucial to have a well-thought-out system of visual supports in place to assist the student in the autism spectrum (p. 33). As many students with Autism respond to visual stimulus, teachers should also aim to include gestures, body positions and facial expressions when delivering information to be retained. To promote literacy and positive behaviour in the classroom teachers can display written rules, which should be determined with input from the student and parents.
Another strategy that can be used to promote literacy is the labelling of object around the classroom (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 44).
The classroom environment can also be used as a strategy when teaching students with Autism. An environmental consideration is ‘the impact, both positive and negative, the location and space have on the success of students with autism’ (Ben-Arieh & Miller, 2009, p. 45). The teacher should consider the needs of each student and adjust the environment, as much as possible, to accommodate these needs. Teacher should consider the positioning of desks, and where the teacher positions themselves to deliver the class; it is essential for the student with Autism to be able to see the teacher at all times.
Support Networks in Schools
There is some support available for schools and teachers who have students with Autism. An Australian government initiative which aims to provide support to people, and the families of those, with Autism, is the Helping Children with Autism campaign; however this initiative is only available for children up to six years old.
Helping Children with Autism Package:
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/program-services/for-people-with-disability/helping-children-with-autism
Amaze is a Victorian organisation that offers support to schools that have students with Autism.
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Support Networks in the Community
Amaze is an organisation in Victoria which provides support to people with and the families and carers of people with Autism. Amaze provides information about and strategies for dealing with Autism as well as access to other support services.
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Relevant Legislation:
There are a number of Australian and International Laws and Legislation that need to be upheld when teaching student’s with Autism in the classroom. Students
with Autism have the same rights as every other Australian student to access a quality education free from discrimination, based upon disability and/or learning needs.
Children's Services Act 1996 states that education must be available to all children. Regardless if students have a form of Autism they are entitled to an education under law. Students with Autism have the same rights as every other Australian child to receive an education (Australian Government, 1996).
Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, like the Children’s Services Act 1996, states that children are to have access to appropriate education services regardless of disability. If a child with Autism desires to attend a mainstream school, the principal and teachers need to ensure that they provide the child with Autism with a quality education that meets their needs (Australian Government, 2005).
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 under this Act all students with a disability, including those with Autism, have the right to access an education which is free from discrimination and inequality (Australian Government, 1992).
Under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 teacher should strive to continue to imporce the education they provide to all students, including those with special needs such as Autism (Australian Government, 2010).
It is outlined in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 that teachers need to ensure they adjust their teaching to meet the needs of students with special needs. The teacher needs to understand how a student with Autism learns, and ensure they provide an education which is tailored to suit the individual needs of a student with Autism (Australian Government, 2006).
The Mental Health Act 1986 determines that any student with a mental health condition has the right to receive a quality education. A student with Autism should be given the opportunity to attend the school of their choice as long as their educational and wellbeing needs are met (Australian Government, 1986).
Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 all children have the human right to access education. Teachers need to provide a quality education to
students with Autism (United Nations, 1948).
Teachers need to ensure they are familiar with relevant legislation and provide students who have Autism with the education they require. Teachers may need to adjust their teaching styles to meet the needs of student’s with Autism.
Useful Links
Amaze: http://www.amaze.org.au/
Autism Spectrum Australia: http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/a2i1i1l445l487/welcome.htm
Helping Children with Autism, Australian Government: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/program-services/for-people-with-disability/helping-children-with-autism
Teaching Students with Autism, Government of British Columbia: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/autism.pdf