The Fight of the Century Autism Spectrum Disorders VS Homework Presented by: Kristie Lofland

Why do students with Autism Spectrum Disorders have an emotional reaction to just the thought of doing their homework and such difficulty completing assignments???? Answer: 1.Degree of Stress 2.Profile of Cognitive Skills

Students with ASD have two curriculums at school: academic curriculum and social curriculum. Because they have to consciously learn social skills, have difficulty reading social cues from teachers and students, deal with noise and chaos in the school environments, have unexpected changes in the school routine and may experience various sensory difficulties, they rarely have an opportunity to relax during the school day.

The degree of stress experienced by the ASD student is evident through behavior and mood. Become Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde – passive and compliant at school but intolerant and aggressive at school or vice versa. Extreme anxiety or anger. Panic Walking out of class; refusal to go to school “School is for learning, home is for fun or relaxation” The student’s significant and pervasive problems in planning and organization should never be mistaken for laziness or noncompliance.

Profile of Cognitive Skills Students with ASD have difficulty with executive function – the ability to do all that it takes to keep your mind on what you are doing in order to accomplish a given task. Executive function deficits in ASD can cause the following symptoms: distractibility, impulsivity, inflexibility/rigidity and transition difficulty. In turn, these difficulties create problems with problem solving and mental planning; organizational skills; self-monitoring; and application of skills. Other features include difficulty generating new ideas; a need for supervision and guidance and determining what is relevant and redundant; poor time perception and time management.

The most commonly reported homework problems include: The student did not write down the homework assignment. The student wrote down only part of the homework assignment. The student does not remember or know the details about the assignments that were given verbally in class. The materials necessary for completing the assignment did not come home with the student. Getting the homework assignment home is only 1/3 of the challenge. The other 2/3 consists of getting the homework completed and turning it in at school on time.

STRATEGIES FOR COMPLETING HOMEWORK: 1.Create a learning environment. Classroom – adequate seating, lighting and removal of distractions, working surface only has equipment relevant to task Home – Same as above. Distractions can be visual such as toys or TV. Their working environment must be safe from curious siblings. Create a daily homework timetable. Use a time to show how much time is remaining to complete each section of homework. Make sure that homework time does not coincide with the student’s favorite television program, etc. If it does, record program for later viewing.

Use regular breaks to promote concentration. Homework can be divided into segments. The usual mistake is to expect too much prolonged concentration. 2.Teacher preparation of the homework. Highlight key aspects of the homework sheet, written material and questions so that the student know which aspects are relevant. Ask the student to formulate their plan before they commence doing the work. Use project planners, homework guides, problem solving guides. Present homework assignments visually (on board, etc.) in addition to orally. Reduce the amount of homework.

3.Memory Problems Use assignment notebooks or planners. Use a small cassette recorders used for dictation of homework,instructions, etc. Telephone number of another student in class to ask for clarification of assignment. If appropriate, telephone number of teacher. 4.Supervision Difficulty getting started or knowing what to do is a common problem. May need a parent/adult to supervise the start of homework and be available if the student requires assistance. May need help to remain calm and logical if the student makes a mistake.

5.Cognitive Style Consideration needs to be given to the student’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses. If student’s strength is visual then use flow diagrams, mind maps and demonstration techniques. If student’s strength is verbal, then written instructions and discussions may help. Use of computer and keyboard. May need parent/adult to be a “scribe” typing the material/answers for the child and proofread together with student making corrections. Teachers should adapt homework so that a good portion can be completed on a computer.

Set up a homework system in a meaningful routine that answers for questions for the student: 1.What work? 2.How much work? 3.When is it finished? 4.What happens next?

Students with ASD have difficulty learning new material. Therefore, homework should be designed to consolidate and practice known information rather than introducing a new concept. Students with ASD may have difficulty with explaining their answers. They may provide the correct answer to a math problem but be unable to explain the steps to how they arrived at the answer. Because a parent is more emotionally involved than a teacher, it may be difficult for them to be objective and emotionally detached. One option is to hire a homework tutor.

Question: If homework is associated with such anguish, what can be done to reduce the despair of the student who is exhausted from their day at school, the parent who tries to motivate their child and the teacher who recognizes that homework is not most effective means of education for the student? Answer: 1.Allow the student to complete the homework at school. Do homework before or after school in the library or other room in the school or doing other homework completion periods. At the secondary level,reduce the number of classes and allow extra SRT time, study periods or resource classes.

Question: What if all of these strategies are unsuccessful? What is an alternative? Answer: If all the strategies are unsuccessful or unobtainable, then consideration should be given to exempting the student with ASD from homework.