1. Connecting with your Asperger Student A Young Adolescent Advocacy Project CI 3920 Christina Byerly December 3, 2009

2. Advocacy Project for Asperger Syndrome  This presentation is to raise the awareness of Asperger Syndrome and the implications for teachers when an Asperger student is in their Middle Grade class.  By completing this project, I show that as a middle school teacher candidate that I understand and can relate the following ASU Middle Grades Teacher Preparation Standards: Standard 1 Young Adolescent Development Middle grades teacher candidates understand the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to young adolescent development and provide opportunities that support student development and learning. Standard 7 Family and Community Involvement Middle grades teacher candidates understand the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to working collaboratively with family and community members and use that knowledge to promote student learning. Standard 10 Diversity Middle grades teacher candidates understand the major concepts, legislation, principles, theories, and research related to diversity and use that knowledge to provide an equitable education that models acceptance, provides appropriate learning experiences, and advocates for all young adolescents.

3. Definition of Asperger Syndrome  Defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders  “The essential features of Asperger’s Disorder are severe and sustained impairment in social interaction and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities

4. Broad Characteristics of Aspergers  Lack understanding of human relationships  Lack understanding of roles of social convention  Naïve and lacking in common sense  Inflexible  Inability to cope with change  Average to above average intelligence  Superior rote memories  “Lives in our world but in his own way”

5. Seven Defining Characteristics of Asperger Syndrome  Insistence on Sameness  Impairment of Social Interaction  Restricted range of interests  Poor concentration  Poor motor coordination  Academic difficulties  Emotional vulnerability

6. Insistence on Sameness  Overwhelmed by minimal change  Highly sensitive to environmental stressors  Anxious and tend to worry obsessively when they don’t know what to expect

7. Impairment in Social Interaction  Inability to understand complex rules of social interaction  Naïve  Extremely egocentric  May not like physical contact  Do not understand jokes  Unnatural tone of voice  Lack tact  Have well-developed speech but poor communication  Labeled as “little professor”

8. Restricted Range of Interests  Eccentric preoccupations  Intense fixations  “Lecture” on areas of interest  Ask repetitive questions about interest  Have trouble letting go of ideas

9. Poor Concentration  Off task  Distracted by internal stimuli  Very disorganized  Difficulty sustaining focus on classroom activities

10. Poor Motor Coordination  Physically clumsy and awkward  Have stiff awkward gaits  Unsuccessful in games involving motor skills

11. Academic Difficulties  Average to above-average intelligence  Lack high level of thinking and comprehension skills  Images are concrete, abstraction is poor  Impressive vocabularies give false impression they understand what they are talking about  Respond like a video that plays in set sequence

12. Emotional Vulnerability  Lack emotional resources to cope with demands of classroom  Low self-esteem  Self-critical  Prone to depression  Rage reactions/temper outbursts

13. Basic Supports for Asperger Student in the Inclusion Classroom  Individualized Education Plan (IEP)  Help in developing social skills  Protection from bullying and teasing  Trained teachers and paraprofessionals  Positive behavior interventions  Respect for coping limitations and a “safe place”  Modified curriculum (including homework modifications

14. Individualized Education Plan  Parents and educators develop together  Tailored to meet individual needs of each child  Include all areas of students development (academic achievement, social and adaptive behavioral goals, development of fine and gross motor skills, and communication skills Standard 1, 7,10

15. Help in Developing Social Skills  Help them understand “Hidden Curriculum”  Need to be taught social skills  Educate classmates on reasons why child behaves the way they do  Teach children what to say and how to say it  Model two-way interactions and let them role play Standard 1, 10

16. Protect from Bullying and Teasing  Easy targets  Create alternate activities for high- risk times like recess and lunch  Use “buddy system” Standard 10

17. Bullying Video for Aspergers  http://www.autismspot.com/videos/B ullying-What-you-must-know http://www.autismspot.com/videos/B ullying-What-you-must-know

18. Trained Teachers and Paraprofessionals  Educate yourself on characteristics of Asperger students  Don’t have unrealistic expectations for the student  Know clues when student is over- stimulated  Have nonverbal clues between teacher and student Standard 1, 10

19. Positive Behavior Interventions  To effectively intervene with a behavior problem, it is important to understand the causes of behavior  Assess situation and educate student on more appropriate ways of getting needs met  Create a plan of action when behavior problems arise Standard 1, 10

20. Respect for Coping Limitations and a “Safe Place”  Monitor stress level of student  Implement a “safe place” or “safe person” to aid student in management of stress Standard 1

21. A Modified Curriculum (including homework)  Modifications to curriculum are necessary  Lighten load of homework  Work together with parents to ensure that the requirements for homework are not too intensive Standard 10

22. Resources http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/autism/may.htm http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/karen_williams_guidelines.html http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities/a/asperg.htm http://www.aane.org/about_asperger_syndrome/asperger_syndrome_education_middle.html http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Life_with_Aspergers http://specialneedsparenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/aspergers_syndrome_and_bullying http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/schools.html http://www.ehow.com/how_2185327_help-teen-aspergers-keep-friends.html http://thespringstoneschool.org/index.php/about/ http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/bullying.html http://www.mindsandhearts.net/gfx/pdf/Strategies%20to%20reduce%20bullying%20asperger%20syndrome.pdf http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/teen.html http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/geneva3.html http://www.autismspot.com/videos/Bullying-What-you-must-know http://apn.150m.com/Original%20APN%20Website/7support.pdf http://canisitwithyou.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/imagine-this-a-narrative-on-bullying/

23. Most students with Asperger’s Syndrome are very verbal and very bright. “Our civilization would be extremely dull and sterile if we did not have and treasure people with Asperger’s Syndrome.” Dr. Tony Attwood