Mike Marsh writes:
As the cliche goes if you have met one autistic student, you
have met one autistic student. Autism,
has such a range from those who cannot use language at all to those who present
TV programmes or are paid public speakers.
There are some things that we can do in the classroom to
support all of our students with autism.
Probably the best piece of advice is to speak to the
student. We know autism is a range of impairments
that affect social communication, social interaction and behaviours. Many autistic people also have sensory
difficulties around, smell, taste, noise or textures. The expert is the person themselves. Where do they find it best to sit in your
room? What cues or prompts do they need
from you? It is useful to know if they have
any specific interests which you could tap into during lessons. Whilst there will be some information in
their student profile your classroom environment is unique and may present unique
challenges- even if it is something as straightforward as feeling comfortable
with the person they sit next to.
Some ‘basics:
1. Have a routine for your classroom and give
warning if this routine will change- a clear set seating plan, a driving
question, whole class questioning. However you structure your lessons keeping to
a routine will reduce anxiety which in turn increases students ability to
learn.
2. Have a To do list or lesson structure either on
the board for all or in front of the student.
· 3. Keep instructions simple give information in
chunks. For some students back this up
with written or visual prompts.
· 4. Regularly check for understanding.
Further Reading:
A short introduction:
More detailed information , Units 11-20 are
the most useful from a classroom perspective.
Information on why girls are under diagnosed and how to support girls in the classroom.
Dean Beadle excerpt from a talk about being
Autistic.
No comments:
Post a Comment