Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
IDEA Definition
“a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, usually evident before age 3 that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with ASD are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term does not apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected because the child has an emotional disturbance”
[34 C.F.R. 300.8(c)(1)]
[34 C.F.R. 300.8(c)(1)]
Characteristics:
Restricted, Repetitive Patterns of Behavior, Interests, or Activites:
Socialization: (also see Learning Disabilities)
Restricted, Repetitive Patterns of Behavior, Interests, or Activites:
- Repetive Speech
- Motor Movements
- Use of Objects
- Rituals and Routines
- Restricted Fixatation on Interests, topics or activities
Socialization: (also see Learning Disabilities)
- Difficulty reading non-verbal cues (body language or facial expression)
- May not utilize appropriate verbal & non-verbal cues in interaction
- Difficulty understanding jokes, puns, sarcasm, and idioms
- Difficulty with rules of conversation (taking turns)
- Difficulty with physical space
- May not follow instructions appropriately and get into trouble but not understanding why
Strategies and Resources:
ASD refers to a wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment or disability a person may have. This means that students who have been diagnosed with ASD vary greatly from one another. Their needs differ, so some of the suggested strategies may work for one student, while they are ineffective with another student, or may not be needed for him or her.
General Accommodations for Students with ASD
● Placement of desk based on student’s sensory sensitivity
● Allow for escape outlet/cooling off spot
● Minimize noise/distractions
● Leave class early to avoid crowded noisy halls
● Use of visuals:
- Individual visual schedule
- Highlighting important information
- Using completed models
- Color coding relevant information
- Providing visual directions
- Making endings obvious by use of finished box, folder, etc.
● Advanced warning of changes in schedule
● Avoid using figurative speech and idiomatic language
● Turn marker
● Copy of notes/lecture
● Provides choices
● Shorten assignments
● Frequent breaks
● Extended time on assignments/tests
● Model tasks
● Chunk assignments
● Opportunities for movement
● Provide visual and verbal clues
● Provide calming manipulatives
● Noise canceling headphones
● Sensory diet
● Social stories and social scripts:
- Written
- Video
● Provide three-part transition clues:
- Stopping
- Moving to
- Starting
https://davisadvocates.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/accommodations-autism-spectrum-disorder-2/
Social Skills Training
Social skills are a primary core deficit of children with ASD. The "hidden curriculum" refers to a set of social rules or guidelines that most people understand intuitively. These are the rules that everybody seems to pick up naturally, that everybody just knows. However, individuals with ASD do not pick up these rules naturally, and these rules need to be taught directly to them. A child who does not intuit or know these rules is at risk for social isolation. The desire to interact with others is often in place in individuals with autism, but the processes that allow social interaction to occur can be so overwhelming that they do not know where to begin. Take care not to interpret social deficits as a lack of desire or avoidance of social interaction. It is critical to recognize that social challenges in autism are bidirectional--they may manifest as deficits (such as a lack of social initiation) or excesses (such as one-sided conversation in a highly verbal student with High Functioning ASD).
What are Some Things to Consider When Addressing Social Skills?
● Extend a feeling of welcome to your classroom, lunchroom, or gym and model for the
other students that the student with autism is a valued part of the group
● Get to know the student and meet him where he currently is in terms of both social skills and interests, and be ready to work from there.
● Appropriate social behavior requires social understanding; be aware of the need to build foundations and scaffold skills in appropriate developmental sequence, expecting growth through supports, practice and direct teaching.
● Be aware that free play, recess and other unstructured times are the most difficult times for children with autism; think about how to impose structure on activities; this also applies to older students, though with needs for age appropriate supports and structure.
● Focus on social development in areas of interest and competence for the student--not where language, fine motor or other challenges will create an overwhelming experience.
● Recognize that a student with autism is likely to have anxiety before, during and after social situations, which can result in avoidance or inappropriate behaviors. Building competence is essential to reducing this anxiety.
● Use care in expectations of appropriate eye contact, shaping this over time. Often students with autism have a difficult time maintaining eye contact and insisting on eye contact can cause discomfort and additional stress. It is often best to begin with requiring the student to direct his body toward the talking partner, then after significant practice in social situations and increased comfort level as a result of supports, eye contact develops or can be targeted more directly.
● Note that the social challenges, while very real in each instance, will be decidedly different for individuals along the autism spectrum.
● It is important to note that students with autism, especially more verbal students who perform well academically and are therefore less inclined to have consistent adult supports, can be the target of teasing and bullying. As a result of their social challenges they often do not “pick up” on non-verbal cues such as tone of voice or the hidden intention of a request or comment. Students with autism often go along with the teasing and/or bullying because they do not identify that it has a negative intent. The desire to make friends, coupled with the difficulty in doing so, means they often encounter peers with dishonest intentions. It is important to be on the lookout for this and to respond quickly if teasing and bullying become an issue.
Are there Specific Strategies for Supporting Social Skills?
● Reinforce what the student does well socially--use behavior-specific praise and
concrete reinforcement if needed to shape pro-social behavior
● Model social interaction, turn taking, reciprocity.
● Teach imitation, motor as well as verbal.
● Teach context clues and referencing those around you--e.g., if everyone else is standing, you should be too!
● Break social skills into small component parts, and teach these skills through supported interactions. Use visuals as appropriate.
● Celebrate strengths and use these to your advantage.
● Identify peers with strong social skills and pair the student with them so he has good models for social interaction.
● Create small lunch groups, perhaps with structured activities or topic boxes.
● Focus on social learning during activities that are not otherwise challenging for the child.
● Support peers and student with structured social situations with defined expectations of behavior.
● Provide structured supports or activities during recess.
● During group activities it is beneficial to help the student define his role and responsibilities within the group. Assign a role or help him meditate with peers as to what he should do.
● Use video modeling.
● Teach empathy and reciprocity. In order to succeed in human interaction, a person needs to be able to take another’s perspective and adjust the interaction accordingly. While their challenges often display or distort their expressions of empathy, individuals with autism often do have capacity for empathy. This can be taught by making a student aware -- and providing the associated vocabulary -- through commentary and awareness of feelings, emotional states, recognition of others’ facial expressions and
non-verbal cues.
● Use social narratives and social cartooning as tools in describing and defining social rules and expectations.
● Develop listening and attending skills and teach ways to show others that he is listening.
● Teach a highly verbal student to recognize how, when and how much to talk about himself or his interests.
● Teach social boundaries--things you should not talk about (or whom you might talk to about sensitive subjects) and maintaining personal space (an arm’s length is often used as a measurable distance for conversation.)
● Teach Relationship Circles to assist in understanding social rules and boundaries, and how these vary based on how well you know someone.
● For older students, it is important to learn about the changes that take place in their bodies and appropriate hygiene as they grow, and communication supports and visuals should be employed to help explain and teach.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/documents/family-services/improve_social.pdf
How to Be Friends with Someone with Autism
• Accept your friend’s differences.
• Simplify your language by using short, simple phrases.
• Help your friend to cope with sensory overload.
• Get to know your friend’s fascinations, skills, and talents.
• Help prepare your friend for what is happening next by telling him or her what is next on the schedule.
• Use pictures or written words to communicate if that helps your friend.
• Model proper social behavior by setting a good example.
• Pay close attention to the things your friend likes and dislikes.
• If you notice something is bothering your friend, then ask an adult to helpyou make things better.
• Remember that even if your friend is not talking to you, it doesn’t mean thathe or she does not like you being around.
• Keep in mind that your friend may not understand how you are feeling.
• Ask before you give your friend a hug. He or she may not like being touched.
• Invite your friend to play with you. Teach him or her how to play the game.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Childrens-Literature-Kit-Socially-Including-Students-with-Autism-Guide
Resources:
Computers and Technology
Model Me Kids: Videos for Modeling Social Skills
www.modelmekids.com
Social Skill Builder: Quality Learning Tools
socialskillbuilder.com
Watch Me Learn: Visual Teaching, Video Modeling, and an iPhone app.
www.watchmelearn.com
https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/community-connections/social-skills-and-autism
Documentary:
Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers, ResearchAutism.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yAAOI6JUsM
Webpages:
http://autismteachingstrategies.com/free-social-skills-downloads-2/
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2011/03/28/12-activities-to-help-your-child-with-social-skills/
http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/1free_social.html
Autism Services:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/autism.html
Autistic Meltdowns
What is the difference between an autistic meltdown and a temper tantrum?
1. Autistic children don't look or care about another's reactions during a meltdown, but tantrums are thrown with attention-seeking in mind.
2. Meltdowns often also include-self harm while children in a tantrum take care not to get hurt.
3. Meltdowns can occur anywhere and autistic children don't want a social situation, while tantrums are done in public for optimal exposure/using the audience to their advantage.
4. Meltdowns will wind down slowly on their own, but tantrums require a situation to be resolved.
5. Meltdowns have the child feel out-of-control, while tantrums have the child feeling all-so-powerful.
6. Meltdowns will continue even after being given what was denied in the first place, but tantrums will end the moment their goal is achieved.
How can you help calm down a child with an autistic meltdown?
● Take steps to prevent from the beginning by removing potential triggers
● Make a list of all the things that seem to affect a meltdown, researching as it occurs
● Use pressure with weighted blankets and massages
● Use a diversion that often makes your child happy, whether it's silly faces, singing a funny song, etc.
● Keep yourself calm so as to allow for a safe spot to come back to
● Lavender and chamomile oils are great aromatherapy
● Positive verbal feedback and an accepting body language work wonders
● Noise-cancelling headphones can help reduce auditory stimuli and quicken the end of a meltdown
● Pop up a tent or create a small but cozy space for alone time with items of comfort for the child
● A weighted blanket or body warmer can help calm the child
● Speaking in short and simple sentences will help the child understand what you are saying.
● Do NOT tell the child to “stop it” or “get a grip.” This will only add to their frustration and continue the meltdown.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/11406/10-tips-calm-down-autistic-child-meltdown
How can you make sure that the child does not cause self harm?
● If the person is self harming guide the hands to a firm surface so they can hit that instead of themselves.
● Have them bite a clean cloth that is wrapped around their hand so they do not directly bite their hand. This way they still are biting themselves without causing physical harm.
● Head butting: get crash mats and a helmet for the child.
Remember that autism is not an excuse for hitting others or for being mean.
http://themighty.com/2015/04/what-a-meltdown-feels-like-for-someone-with-autism/
How can you help prevent an autistic meltdown?
● Keep an eye on the child's body language.
- The child may appear stressed or agitated
- The child may shut their eyes, cover their ears, and even curl up in a ball.
- Try to engage them in a physical activity that helps to get rid of energy
- Bring the child outdoors or into a quiet room so they can calm down.
● Set aside time to have fun.
● Brainstorm coping methods together.
● Use positive reinforcement. What causes meltdowns?
● overstimulating or distressing environments.
● Not being able to communicate with others.
● Not having someone to listen to them when they want to talk.
● Leaving the normal day-to-day routine.
● Too much involvement from other people.
● Loud noises and visuals (lights) can accelerate the meltdown
http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Autistic-Children%27s-Meltdowns
How to make a calm down corner.
1. Set aside a corner in the building.
- This needs to be a place that is quiet and has little activity around it.
- Try to find a pace with walls around it to help keep out other activities that could cause the meltdown to become worse.
2. Make the area comfortable.
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Stuffed Animals
- Bean Bag chairs
3. Find ways to minimize sensory input
- White noise
- Chairs with large backs to help block the view
- Create something that the child can curl up under or inside like a pop-up tent
4. Add a few sensory tools
- Audio: a radio with soothing nature sounds
- Visual: drawings with the user's favorite color, blankets, pillows
- Tactile: toys with various textures
5. Place some basic activities in the corner
- Books
- Sketchbooks
- Coloring books
- Puzzles
- Logical Games
6. Try out the corner when you are not stressed
- Sit in the corner for 20 minutes when not having a meltdown just to make sure you have enough to do when you are having a meltdown
http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Calming-Down-Corner
High Functioning Autism “Hidden Disability”
It’s important for the student to know what is going to happen and what is expected from them.
Routines:
Students with high functioning autism generally do not handle transitions well, extra verbal and visual cues may need to be employed in the classroom, as well as providing direct instruction in how to make a transition. Change is often hard to deal with.
- Use visual organizers for daily routine.
- Highlight any changes in routine.
- Stick to routine as much as possible
- Prepare student for potential changes in routine
- Give advance notice of unusual events such as field trips or exams.
- Have a set seating arrangement for class.
Communication:
Students with HFA tend to interpret language very literally. These students have difficulty interpreting tone and facial expressions or non verbal communication.
- Verbal skills tend to be a strength or relative strength, so whenever possible, use verbal cues that are short, direct, and concrete.
- Avoid giving “meaningful looks”. Tell them in clear, short statements what they should do.
- Avoid slang or idiomatic speech -Avoid sarcasm, jokes, or metaphors -Incorporate visual cues and graphic organizers for expression type tasks
- Use props if possible to initiate eye contact.
- Breakdown multitasking to manageable steps.
- Provide written step by steps or graphic organizers.
In the Classroom:
For lecture and teaching sessions, accommodations may be needed.
- Provide “Brain Breaks” during long periods to help with staying focused
- Choices can be stressful so limit number of choices.
- Be aware of the need for extra support and take this into account in assessments or devise an alternative assessment method to group work.
- Use these individuals' exceptional memory of factual information as a strength
- Be generous with praise and be specific on why you are provide it.
Students interests:
HFA students have high interests in a single topic that dominate their conversation. They tend to engage in pervasive questioning of discussion in isolated interests that may interfere with the classroom lesson
- Take advantage of the student’s “special interest”
- Limit to a designated specific time during class to discuss the topic -Use the student’s fixated interest as a way to provide other interests.
- Instructing the student to write the question down and that you will meet with him after class to answer his question
The 5 Point Scale
Strategy that involves breaking down behaviors into concrete parts in order to help a child more easily understand their own responses and feelings by using a chart to rate behavior on a visual scale. This chart can be use so students can identify their feelings and help manage behavior.
Strategy resources:
http://www.5pointscale.com/
http://www.theautismprogram.org/wp-content/uploads/5-point-scale.pdf
http://autismteachingstrategies.com/
Resources:
http://www.researchautism.org/educators/aspergersteps/index.asp
http://www.schoolbehavior.com/disorders/aspergers-nld/classroom-tips-for-students-with-asperger%E2%80%99s-disorder/
http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/university/disability/faculty-staff/classroom-issues/autism/autism-strategy.htm
Information Provided by:
Nathan Gowans, Josh Scott, & Laura Tiemann "EDUC 2010" Fall 2015