Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Classroom September 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

Questions? Comments?

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