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Autism & Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Definitions
What is Autism?
Autism has many definitions, but generally is defined as being a developmental disability that affects the brain. It alters how people perceive what they hear, see and sense, creating difficulty for people with Autism to develop normal relationships with people and with their environment. Children are born with Autism, and it is a life-long disability. There is no known direct cause, however, it is believed to potentially be genetic in nature. Diagnosis can be made at about three years of age, when the development of speech, language and social patterning is fully visible. Autism displays itself in many ways, and as there is such a broad variation in the symptoms, it is labelled as a spectrum disorder. Throughout the life of a person with Autism, the symptoms do change as he/she gets older and learns and matures. What is ASD? ASD is the term Autism Spectrum Disorder. This term is often used to describe children who are diagnosed with the following: Asperger’s Syndrome Autism Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS) *As this is a spectrum disorder, there are many other definitions that could be included. The above mentioned are the most common.* Prevalence of ASD Depending on the definition of ASD and the broadness of the spectrums included, the prevalence rate is anywhere from 4-5 per 10 000 births to 10 per 10 000 births. Males have a higher tendency to have ASD than females. Again, depending on the criteria used, the ratio of male to female ASD rates are about 3:1 ranging to 4:1. What are the signs of Autism/ASD? There are numerous common signs of Autism/ASD. As it is a spectrum disorder, there is no definite sign, and each person with Autism/ASD exhibits a unique combination: no two people with Autism/ASD have the same signs. Common signs include: being non-verbal; being withdrawn from others; not making eye contact; being socially awkward/unaware of common social expectations and norms; a state of anxiousness; difficulty making friends; constant repetition of a word, an idea or a thought; underdeveloped communication skills; reactions to sensory input; complete focus on one idea or train of thought and difficulty changing this focus; etc. An exhaustive reference for common signs of Autism/ASD in children can be found at: http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ed_autisminc.pdf, Chapter 2. Best Practices in the Classroom There are many definitions of 'best practices' available to read through. Each educational jurisdiction appears to have its own guidelines. However, these guidelines nearly all state similar suggestions and the educational outcomes are all of the same nature: to best educate the student. The following list is a compilation of ideas presented in many of these guides. A brief description of each idea is included. The documents are listed below if the reader is searching for further information. Educating peers about Autism/ASD As students are integrated in the classroom, it is important that the peers of a student with Autism/ASD are aware of what Autism/ASD is. Research has shown that having not only the parents and teachers aware of the conditions presented by a student with Autism/ASD, but it is also important that the peers of the student with Autism/ASD are aware as well. The parents must be on-board with this disclosure. Having peers know and understand the child with Autism/ASD will allow the peers to be understanding and empathetic, rather than turned away, as they will understand why the student behaves the way he/she does. Studies have shown that students with Autism/ASD benefit greatly from being integrated into the classroom, so having their peers understand the conditions they are facing will only help increase this benefit, as the peers will be able to make accommodations for the student. There are many resources and lesson plans found in the following document from PEI: http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ed_autisminc.pdf Social Skills / Self-control The teaching of social skills and self-control will need to be explicitly taught to a student with Autism/ASD, as these skills are not learned in the same manner as other students in the classroom. It is necessary to constantly model and reinforce positive examples of the desired behaviour when witnessed coming from other students, including the student with Autism/ASD. It is important that the teacher and EA are also involved in this modelling. APPROACHES TO INSTRUCTION There is a vast array of approaches to instruction. The ones listed below are the most commonly referred to, however, there are others that may be more suitable for a particular situation, as each student with Autism/ASD presents a unique set of needs. Predictable, Calm Working Environment Having a predictable, calm working environment is especially important to students with Autism/ASD. It is also something that the majority of students prefer. Therefore, this can be a classroom expectation that can be upheld throughout the year, and is a sign of mutual respect for all members of the classroom. The teacher can establish routines and patterns during the school day, which will keep the student with Autism/ASD on track. Visual Instruction Visual Instruction is the most highly recommended form of instruction for students with Autism/ASD. The use of visual aids often intersects with strengths possessed by the student in the areas of concrete thinking, memory work, and visual-spatial relationships. Visual aids can be used repetitively with the concepts, and are tangible items the student can work with. Abstract concepts/thinking is an area that students with Autism/ASD will struggle with. Therefore, when possible, concepts in this area need to be taught with the use of visual aids. Graphic symbols have been found to be very effective. Visual aids can be used to: organize, teach and encourage positive behaviour, social skills and self-control; introduce new concepts; provide instructions and or directions; etc. Provision of Positive Reinforcement and Praise Positive reinforcement and praise must be task specific to what the student is working on or has done. If praise is too general, it will not be associated with any actions that have taken place. The use of positive reinforcement may also work, but not through the use of tangible rewards. A reward can be time to work on a favourite task or routine, etc. It is important to gather likes and dislikes from parents and other caregivers, as they will know what will be of value to the student. Appropriate Planning As students with Autism/ASD are often anxious/nervous, it is important to ensure that lessons are planned to the level of the student, so as to avoid unnecessary anxiety and therefore potential behaviour problems. Carefully planning lessons, activities and assessment that reflect gradual scaffolding and increase of knowledge will allow the student to avoid being frustrated and acting out. Oral instructions As many students with Autism/ASD have difficulty in retaining oral information, it may often be more beneficial for both teacher and student for instructions to be visual, either on the board, or in a graphic form for the student. Having a graphic representation or a place to look for the instructions will allow the student to refer to the instructions whenever needed, and will lesson chances of he or she becoming frustrated with not knowing what to do. If and when oral instructions are used, it is important to break down the instructions into manageable steps for the student. This may involve gradually releasing the steps once the student has achieved what is needed to move on to the next. Assignments/Tasks It is important to break down tasks and assignments into sections so that the student can work on one area at a time. Many students will benefit from this, and this could be a strategy used for the whole class. For the student with Autism/ASD, it will alleviate stress and anxiety of being overwhelmed with things to do, and he/she will be able to work more efficiently without worrying that he/she is not getting the whole task done at once. Using a combination of tasks and sub-tasks will help greatly. This involves breaking down the task into components and having the student learn/work on the pieces and then at the end will be able to put them together, thus completing the task in that manner, rather than all at once, which can be very overwhelming. Preparing the Student Often, it can be useful or necessary to prepare the student for what is going to be happening, learned or approached next in class. This allows the student time to process that there will be a change in routine, a new topic being discussed/learned. Often, students with Autism/ASD are most comfortable with a predictable environment. All students in the class can benefit from being aware of what is going to be taking place, not just the student with Autism/ASD. Encouragement of Independence It is important to encourage students with Autism/ASD to be independent thinkers. It is easy for these students to become completely reliant on direct, adult prompts. However, it is important for their development that they learn to become independent and not to be overly reliant on being prompted by an adult (EA or teacher). This independence comes from the EA not always sitting beside the student when working or in class, using graphic aids to self-organize, follow routines/instructions, If and when possible, it is important to have the student help develop these graphic aids/organizers, as it will be he/she who is using them, or being directed back to them to use, so it is important that the student understands them! Resources: Government of PEI http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ed_autisminc.pdf British Columbia Education http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/autism.pdf Callahan, Henson & Cowan. (1998). Social Validation of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism by Parents, Teachers, and Administratorscial Validation of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism by Parents, Teachers, and Administrators. 38(4), 678-69. Odom, S; Collet-Klingenberg, L; Rogers, S; & Hatton, D. Effective Educational Practices for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders. (2003). Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 18,150-165. Accessed June 12, 2014 from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/ 10.1080/10459881003785506 |