Autism Spectrum Disorder Information  Resource  for  High  School  Teachers    

 

Figure  1    

 

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? 4

Facts About ASD 5

Common Characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder 6

Benefits of Inclusive Education 7

Role of the Teacher in Differentiating Instruction 8

Life Skills Syllabus 9

Communication Challenges in the Classroom 10

Effective Strategies to Manage Communication Challenges 12

Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom 13

Effective Strategies to Manage Behavioural Challenges 15

Social Challenges in the Classroom 16

Effective Strategies to Manage Social Challenges 17

Resources for Teachers 18

References 19

 

This booklet was established to help high school teachers develop their understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the educational implications associated with the disorder. It is important that educators have a thorough understanding of ASD, in order to implement effective strategies in classroom instruction to benefit the learning experience of students with ASD. This booklet includes an abundant of evidence-based practices in which educators can incorporate to counteract the challenges and educational barriers ASD students may experience in the classroom. Additionally, this booklet suggests ways in which educators can incorporate differentiation within the classroom utilizing the Board of Studies syllabus, including the Life Skill outcomes and content.

Introduction

TIP Effective classroom management can significantly improve the educational outcomes of students with ASD, as well as all students.  

Figure  2  

3  

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term used to refer to individuals that experience a form of neurological impairment, which significantly affects their social, behavioral and communication skills. 1 ASD is a lifelong disability that affects approximately 1 in 165 children.2

Autism spectrum disorders include3: v Autism v Asperger Syndrome v Rett Syndrome v Childhood Disintegrative Disorder v Pervasive

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

Individuals with ASD exhibit no differences in physical appearance and the severity of disability is different for every individual. 4

TIP

Understand the type of autism spectrum disorder your student has and the severity of their disability. Hint: Advise a meeting with the parents.

Figure  3  

 

 

ASD affects arou

nd 1

in every 100-110

people5

There is no single, known cause of ASD 5

ASD is diagnosed in around four times as

many males as females5

ASD is a l

ifelong

condition

and

there is n

o cure5

Unemployment rates for individuals with ASD are around 65% compared with only about 6% for the whole population 5 Early

intervention can

have tremendous

results in helping

those affected to

live to their full

potential5

Figure  3  

Figure  4  

Figure  5  

5  

 

à Repetitive movements and sounds à Structured daily routines à Compulsive behaviour patterns à Possessive of particular items and objects à Unexpected verbal/behavioural outbursts à Easily distracted and frustrated

à Use of short or incomplete sentences à Echolalia- verbatim repetitions à Repetition of phrases, movie quotes, etc à Inability to interpret facial/body expression à Delayed language development à Difficulty upholding a conversation

   

 

     

Common Characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Communication

Behavioural

Social

 

à Little to no eye contact à Lack of personal space à Often prefers to be alone à Dislikes like being touched à Finds it difficult to make friends à Difficulties with taking turns

2,  3,  6,  9,  13  &  16  

Figure  6  

Figure  6  

Figure  6  

 

  7  

   

 

Benefits  of  Inclusive  Education  

Despite the several challenges students with ASD face, inclusive education “provide[s] a

supportive environment in which young children can grow and learn side by side with their

typically developing peers and can stimulate learning, development and children’s feeling of

acceptance” 2

Inclusive education can benefit ASD students in the following ways:

þ Increased learning opportunities þ Improved self-esteem þ The establishment of friendships and

support networks þ Development of greater social

interaction skills þ Greater exposure to positive behavioral

modeling þ Learning adequate life skills þ Opportunity to become increasingly

independent and develop responsibly7

In order to optimize the learning

experience for individuals with ASD, it is crucial that educations employ a range of

effective strategies that can be incorporated into the classroom to

prevent learning barriers.

 

     TIP      There  is  a  vast  range  of  strategies  that  can  be  implemented  to  counteract  ASD  challenges.  Get  to  know  the  specific  learning  needs  of  your  ASD  student/s  and  plan  effectively  to  meet  those  needs.  Hint:  Discovering  what  strategies  work  best  may  be  a  case  of  trial  and  error.      

 

Role  of  the  Teacher  in  Differentiating  Instruction  

Recent  studies  have  detected  an  increase  in  children  with  ASD  attending  inclusive  education  2.  There  is  an  abundant  of  challenges  ASD  students  experience  in  the  classroom  which  educators  should  be  aware  of.  It  is  crucial  educators  plan  effectively  to  address  student  diversity  within  the  classroom,  including  students  that  exhibit  learning  difficulties  and  disabilities.    

 

As  mentioned  previo

usly,  the  level  o

f  severity  diffe

rs  

amongst  individua

ls  with  ASD;  thus,  s

imilar  to  the  

way  that  all  stud

ents  have  diffe

rent  learning  ab

ilities,  

educators  must  implement  stra

tegies  to  meet  the

ir  

student’s  need

s.  In  order  to  pl

an  effectively,  it

 may  

be  useful  to  ad

vice  a  meeting  w

ith  the  ASD  stud

ent’s  

parents  or  guar

dians.  Through

 gaining  a  great

er  

understanding  

of  the  student’

s  specific  skills,

 

abilities,  degree

 of  impairment  and  trigger

s,  

educators  can  a

lter  their  classr

oom  instruction  to  

benefit  their  ed

ucational  outco

me.    

 

TIP What works for one

student may not work for another. Keep a few extra strategies up your

sleeve.

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

 

  9  

i

Life Skills Syllabus

As  mentioned,  differentiation  is  a  vital  aspect  of  classroom  instruction  as  it  aims  to  meet  the  educational  needs  of  all  students.  Additionally,  teachers  can  incorporate  the  Life  Skills  Syllabus  to  ensure  students  with  a  disability  obtain  essential  skills  necessary  for  every  day  life.  An  effective  example  is  teaching  students  with  ASD  communication  skills  by  incorporating  English  stage  6  Life  Skills  objective  1,  which  highlights:      Student  will  develop:    1.  Knowledge  about  and  skills  in  effective  communication  

A  student:    1.1  gives  attention  to  another  person,  an  object  or  an  event  in  their  environment    1.2  responds  appropriately  to  cues  in  a  range  of  environments    1.3  makes  requests  to  satisfy  needs  and  wants  and  to  obtain  services  or  assistance    1.4  lets  others  know  that  they  approve  or  disapprove  of  actions  and  accept  or  reject  objects,  services  or  assistance  appropriately    1.5  makes  choices  and  expresses  preferences,  emotions  and  feelings    1.6  gives  information,  comments,  asks  questions  spontaneously  or  on  request    1.7  engages  in  (responds  to  and  initiates)  social  routines  and  actions    1.8  utilises  appropriate  technology,  and  a  range  of  age-­‐appropriate  aids,  to  facilitate  communication  with  others    

1.9  initiates  and  sustains  communication  with  others8  

 

   

 

           

 

Communication Challenges in the

Classroom

There are several communication challenges ASD individuals exhibit on a daily basis. The following are common communication challenges, which could affect an ASD student’s learning abilities:

Depending on the degree of impairment, ASD individuals experience delayed language and communication

development7. Many individuals with ASD communicate

non-verbally7. However, there are many ways in which they are able to communicate. Considering this, it is important to recognise that at times ASD students will find it hard to communicate what is on their minding or respond to a question they are knowledgeable about. On another note, some individuals with ASD are able to communicate quite competently, especially about things that extremely interest them.

The use of short or incomplete sentences is most common amongst individuals with ASD.As mentioned previously, individuals with ASD experience delayed language

development7. Language development is a step-by-step progress and the level of progression varies between all ASD

individuals6.

Short or

Incomplete

Sentences

Verbal and Non-Verbal

Communication

Figure 7

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

 

  11  

         

       

         

C O M M U N I C A T I O N

Individuals with ASD may also be unable to interpret facial, vocal and body expression2. Thus, a challenge some ASD individuals in school settings face is not being able to understand non-verbal cues such as changes in tone of voice, physical gestures and sometime interpreting witty comments. This can lead to misinterpretations and confusion for them, as well as others trying to converse with them.

Some ASD students struggle to understand and following instructions, specifically ones that aren’t broken down2. Classroom rules, task instructions and transitions between activities can cause great confusion for ASD students if the expectations are not explicitly and clearly stated.

Children  with  ASD  tend  to  take  particular  interest  in  things  such  as  objects,  topics,  sports  and  TV  shows,  which  they  are  extremely  knowledgeable  about  and  love  sharing  with  others.  However,  ASD  individuals  lack  understanding  of  reciprocal  social  interaction  and  can  talk  excessively  about  things  that  interest  them7.  This  can  cause  disturbances  in  classroom  instruction  and  flow  and  inhibit  the  development  of  friendships.    

Inability to interpret facial, vocal

and body expression

Difficulty understanding and following

instruction

Excessive Talking

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

11  

 

  Visual Cues  

Visual cue cards can be used in the classroom to overcome non-verbal communication barriers7. Visual cue cards can help educators understand ASD student’s current mood, inform instruction, teach new ideas and transition between activities.

 

Scaffolding and Guided Practice

Scaffolding and guided practice enables ASD students to learn new expectations or extend their

existing understanding12. Guided practice should be accompanied by explicit instruction, and the guidance of the instructor or class peers. Once the individual comprehends what is expected of them, educators can withdraw from guided practice and allow them to work on the task independently.

First and foremost, it is important to give direct and explicit instruction to prevent confusion11. Expectations must be stated simply and clearly in a step-by step-format. For example, “Open you English work book – Write ‘Diversity’ in the center of your page – Write down what you think diversity means around it”. Furthermore, verbal instruction could be further supported by a visual cue (e.g. written on the board, on a worksheet, visual cue cards, etc). The more direct the instruction is, the more likely the student will comprehend and follow it correctly.

Effective Strategies to Manage Communication

Challenges

Research shows that visual cues can improve children’s social and communication skills when participating in

recreational activities10

Direct/Explicit instruction

 

Figure  8  

 

  13  

   

 

   

   

Behavioural Challenges in the Classroom

Repetitive

Movements

and Sounds

A  common  characteristic  of  individuals  with  ASD  is  the  display  of  repetitive  movements  (e.g.  clapping  

hands)  and  sounds  (e.g.  humming  sounds)  13.  This  can  potentially  disrupt  classroom  management  and  cause  distractions  for  other  peers.  

Another challenge ASD students and teachers experience in the classroom is disruptive behavior. Individuals with ASD display regular behavioural tendencies, which can disrupt classroom instruction and lead to undesirable behavioral outbursts. As stated previously, the prevalence of behavioural challenges differs depending on the ASD student’s degree of impairment4. The following are some common classroom behaviour challenges:

 

Some  ASD  individuals  carry  out  daily  routines  and  compulsive  

behavioral  pattern  as  an  act  of  keeping  their  environment  

predictable2.  ASD  individuals  can  become  agitated,  confused  

and  angry  if  their  routines  or  patterns  are  interrupted  2.  For  

example,  ASD  students  may  find  it  difficult  to  transition  

between  activities  or  may  continue  to  work  on  activities  when  

the  school  bell  rings  for  class  change  or  break  times.      

 

Structured Daily Routines and Compulsive Behavioural Patterns

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

 

 

   

  Additionally,  individuals  with  ASD  can  be  possessive  of  particular  items  and  objects  13.  For  example,  they  may  bring  their  favourite  toy  from  home  or  will  not  share  their  belongings  with  other  peers.  Similarly,  these  possessive  tendencies  can  lead  to  possible  behavioral  outburst.  

Possessive of

Items and

Objects

 As  mentioned,  Individuals  with  ASD  do  not  possess  effective  communication  and  coping  strategies.  They  find  it  challenging  to  express  when  they  are  angry,  upset,  frustrated  and  stressed.  ASD  individuals  may  be  sensory  sensitive,  thus  being  touched,  specific  noises  and  smells  can  cause  frustration  and  lead  to  

undesirable  behaviours  13.  Considering  this,  if  an  individual  with  ASD  feels  in  such  a  way,  they  will  seek  alternative  ways  to  express  themselves  such  as  unexpected  verbal  outburst  and  disruptive  

behaviours13.  

Unexpected Verbal and Behavioural Outbursts

Easily

Distracted

Individuals  with  ASD  have  a  limited  attention  span  and  can  be  easily  distracted  

by  objects  and  other  forms  of  stimuli2.  This  can  inhibit  their  concentration  and  learning,  as  well  as  distract  other  peers    

B E H A V I O U R A L

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

 

  15  

 Video Modeling Video modeling is an effective strategy used to teach children with ASD specific skills, such as behavioural skills, activity transitioning skills and communication

skills7.

 

Establishing Structured routines

Establishing structured routines effectively assisted

students with ASD, whereby educators created

predictable every day practices to minimize distress2.

In addition, displaying a daily agenda empowered ASD

students to make smooth transition between activities.

Self-Management Plan A self-management plan involves teaching ASD students how to manage their own behavior by

setting goals 15. Self-management plans have many benefits in an inclusive education setting, some

of which include the student with ASD becoming increasingly independent and releaving the

pressure off supportive staff members 15. Self-management plans can be constructed with the ASD

student and their parents privately, to prevent the student from feeling singled-out.

Effective Strategies to Manage Behavioural

Challenges

 

“The effectiveness of video modeling for this population has been attributed to the relative strength in visual processing skills individuals with autism often posses and the way using video as a medium improves stimulus control and attention to relevant aspects of the behaviour being modeled.” 14  

Figure  9  

Figure  10  

 

Social Challenges in the Classroom  

Alongside communication and behavioural challenges, individuals with ASD also experience social

impairments. It can be said that a majority of the communication and behavioural challenges ASD

individual face directly affect their social skills.

Sensory Sensitive

 ASD  individuals  tend  to  absorb  either  too  much  or  too  little  of  the  sensory  stimuli  surrounding,  such  as  lighting,  smells,  noises  

and  touches16.  Individuals  with  ASD  can  be  hypersensitive  or  

hyposensitive  to  particular  sensory  experiences16.  This  can  lead  to  many  classroom  challenges  such  as  disruptive  behaviours  and  demand  for  specific  physical  classroom  arrangements.    

 

Creating Friendships and Social Networks

Most  ASD  individuals  prefer  to  be  alone  when  playing,  learning  

or  carrying  out  specific  activities7.  The  communication  challenges  they  face  such  as  non-­‐verbal  communication,  unable  to  uphold  a  conversation,  lack  of  reciprocal  understanding,  and  inability  to  read  gestures  can  significantly  impact  the  establishment  of  friendships.  Some  ASD  children  also  lack  understanding  of  personal  space,  which  can  make  their  peers  

feel  uncomfortable13.        

 

Peer

Exclusion

and Bullying

A  significant  challenge  ASD  students  face  in  inclusive  education  is  feeling  different  to  their  peers  and  becoming  

isolated2.  It  is  inevitable  that  classmates  may  lack  understanding  of  ASD  and  the  challenges  ASD  individuals’  experience.  This  can  lead  to  bullying,  as  their  peers  may  find  

them  ‘strange’  and  ‘different’2.    

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

Figure  7  

 

  17  

 

   

   

         

 

 

       

Effective Strategies to Manage Social Challenges

Cooperative  group  work  provides  students  with  ASD  an  opportunity  to  work  interactively  

with  their  classmates7.  Students  can  also  take  turns  in  peer  tutoring,  whereby  they  are  given  the  opportunity  to  be  taught  or  teach  each  

other  specific  topics7.  Group  work  can  also  lead  to  the  formation  of  new  friendships.    

Flexible Group Strategies

 

“Flexible group strategies have assisted students with ASD in developing a number of skills, including increased social communication”7

Creating a Supportive and Positive Classroom Environment

To  prevent  bullying,  it  is  beneficial  to  promote  the  importance  of  student  

diversity2:     “In my classroom everybody’s treated fairly. We talk about the fact that we’re all different in our own way and we have to

accept that”2

Teachers  can  promote  disability  awareness  by  constructing  lessons  on  ASD  to  provide  peers  with  an  opportunity  to  support  those  individuals  with  ASD  and  appreciate  difference.  

Figure  11  

Figure  12  

 

 

Resources for Teachers

þ Autism  Spectrum  Australia:      

http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/about-­‐autism-­‐spectrum-­‐disorders    þ Autism  Spectrum  Disorder:  A  Guide  To  Classroom  Practice    http://www.deni.gov.uk/asd_classroom_practice.pdf      þ Making  Sense  of  the  Hidden  Curriculum    

 http://www.education.com/reference/article/hidden-­‐curriculum-­‐school-­‐asperger/      þ ACARA:  Student  Diversity    

 http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/student_diversity/student_diversity.html      þ Effective  Educational  Practices  for  Students  with  Autism  Spectrum  

Disorder    

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/asdsecond.pdf    

Figure  13  

 

  19  

 References

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2 Lindsay, S., Proulx, M., Scott, H., & Thomson, N. (2014). Exploring teachers' strategies

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http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6815

 

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