Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning ChallengesAutism Spectrum Disorder...
Transcript of Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning ChallengesAutism Spectrum Disorder...
Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning Challenges LISA SULLIVAN, PHDSCHOOL OF EDUCATION UC DAVIS
THANK YOU TO NICOLE SPARAPANI
Outline ASD Overview
Presentation of symptoms Early Childhood School-age
Best Practices Tips for Educating
Children with Unique Learning Challenges
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Neurodevelopmental disorder (1 in 68) 4:1 male to female Social communication Fixated interests and repetitive
behaviors
68% (IQ >70), 70% co-morbidity
Life-long (optimal outcomes)
Unfolds over lifespan
Uneven skill profiles (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Baio, 2012; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014; Charman et al., 2005; Estes et al., 2011)
DSM-5 Criteria: Autism Spectrum DisorderDeficits in Social Communication (3) 1a) Deficits in nonverbal and verbal communication for social
interaction 1b) Lack of social reciprocity 1c) Failure to develop and maintain peer relationships
Repetitive Behaviors and Fixated Interests (2/3) 2a) Stereotyped motor or verbal behaviors or unusual sensory
behaviors 2b) Ritualized patterns of behavior 2c) Restricted, fixated interests
*Symptoms must be present in early childhood
Autism Phenotype The observable
behaviors/characteristics of ASD
Expression of core features change over the lifespan
Interaction between developmental changes, environmental, and biological processes
Spectrum of impairment Mild to severe impairment
Lack of showing Lack of coordination of nonverbal
communication (gestures, eye gaze, expression, etc.)
Lack of sharing interest or enjoyment Repetitive behaviors with objects Lack of appropriate eye gaze Lack of response to name Lack of warm joyful expression Unusual prosody Repetitive movement or body posturing
(arching back, flapping hands)
9 Early Red Flags of ASD
Joint Attention
Ability to share attention between people and objects
Advances over the last 30 years
Distinguishing ASD feature
Peter Mundy, Associate Dean, SOE
School-Age
Social communication Friendship
Initiating comm.
Responding
Attention Language
Follow directions
Answer questions
Emotional regulation Adapt and cope
Flexibility Willingness to go with flow
Classroom Demands
Classroom Challenges Social communication
Initiating and responding (over/under) Attending to relevant instruction Classroom expectations Interactions Intention reading Reading development Friendships
Restricted range of interests or insistence on sameness Participation in activities Problematic behaviors Sensitivity to sensory input
Emotional Regulation Emotional regulation
Manage and maintain physiological arousal and emotions to match the demands of the environment
Emotions and arousal are intertwined
Well-regulated
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is related to positive educational outcomes Have higher educational
success
Show greater organization abilities
Show higher communicative competence
Are better able to establish peer relationships
Optimal arousal = Optimal window for learning
Dysregulation may interfere with the child’s ability to Participate in activities Attend or engage Listen or respond Use and understand language Make friends Follow-through or finish tasks
Emotional Regulation and Learning
Strategies for Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning Challenges BEST PRACTICE (GENERAL)5 TIPS FOR SUPPORTING LEARNING
Best Practices Use person first language
A student with autism vs. autistic student
Use asset based language vs. deficit based language That student is able to work well independently vs. that student
does not work well in groups.
Communicate with families and other colleagues Seek out advice and support
Families are a great resource
Provide information in multiple formats Verbal language can be hard to process
Use visuals whenever possible
Plan transitions carefully and allow time to anticipate change
Universal Design for Learning
Changes that we make to support students with autism often help all students.
All students benefit from teaching that provides clear expectations, gives students some agency and is supportive.
1. Considering Emotional Regulation
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”
(Wayne Dyer)
Emotional Regulation Sensitivity to sensory
information Auditory, visual
Excitement
Stress/Worry Lack of predictability
Inflexibility
Lack of coping strategies
Irritable or quick tempered Leaving activity or avoidance Humming/sub-vocalizing Fidgeting or bouncing Repetitive questioning Adherence to sameness Avoiding eye contact/shut down Tantrums Mouthing objects Toe walking, rocking, hand flapping
Signs of Dysregulation
2. Increase Predictability Individuals with ASD have difficulty predicting
Intentions of others
Difficulty initiating and following conversational focus and attending relevant instruction
Time
Difficulty predicting daily sequence of events
Sequence of events
Difficulty predicting when activities will begin and end (endless!)
May stress about when and if things may happen during the day (e.g., fire alarm, lunch, recess)
The 4 questions
Where am I supposed to be?
What am I supposed to do?
When am I finished?
What will happen next?
Use a visual timer
https://www.visnos.com/demos
https://www.visnos.com/demos/classroom-timer
3. Use Visual Supports Language (especially receptive) is not a
strength
Stress = decreased use and understanding
Visuals provide constant reminders
Visuals = clarity
Example Visual Supports Class schedules OR
individual desk schedule
Visual rules to outline expectations
Visual choice boards
Visuals to map out steps of an activity
Increase visuals = increased understanding
Individual Visual Schedules
Break tasks in to visual steps
4. Clear Roles/Jobs Waiting can be really difficult – can cause stress and
increased problematic behaviors
Transitions are the hardest part of the day Flexibility
Independence
Predicting what will happen next
Classroom feels chaotic (loud, unsystematic, etc.)
Rather than tell students what they should not do, give them a job – showing them what they should be doing
Create Jobs Examples
Passing out papers Collecting materials Carrying materials Using own materials during group Sharpening pencils Cleaning Sorting Cutting/stapling/folding Timer
Jobs can also serve as a break!
5. Provide Choices Providing choices help students feel in control
Increase willingness to participation
Choices allow the teacher to feel in control
Choices provide clarity
Examples Do you want to play this game or this one? Do you want to write with a yellow or blue pencil?
Focus is off of writing and on choosing the color!
Remember
All kids want to do well
All behaviors serve a function
It’s okay to let things go!
He is 8 years old
Has a diagnosis of ASD
In second grade
Spends his day in the general education classroom
Meet Braden
Braden’s teacher is worried that his disruptive behaviors are Negatively impacting his learning Disrupting the instruction Negatively impacting the other students’ learning
She reported that he frequently “blurts out” off-topic questions during group times when he is supposed to be listening. “If I don’t respond to him, he increases the volume of his voice and proximity of his body to others until someone pays attention to him. Sometimes he will take his shoes off and roll or bounce around.”
The Problem
All behaviors serve a function! Behavioral regulation (self or others) Social interaction
Braden’s blurting out, excessive questioning, increased volume, proximity to others, and fidgetiness are attempts to Self-regulate or regulate the behaviors of others Share an experience or communicate
He needs something! It’s our job to figure out what his behavior means…
1. Consider Emotional Regulation
Sensitivity to sensory input Overwhelmed by the stimulation of the group
Language overload
His behavior may be an attempt to self-regulate
Social rules and group expectations Lack of understanding of when to listen and when to talk
(watching others may not help)
Worry/Stress due to a lack of predictability Excessive questioning may be his way of asking about what will
happen during the day and when will it happen
Why is Braden dysregulated?
Be responsive to Braden’s needs Help Braden begin to identify how he is feeling How to ask for a break when feeling overwhelmed Add breaks into Braden’s daily schedule
1. Support Emotional Regulation
2. Increase Predictability 1. Where am I supposed to be?
Define his physical space (carpet square, chair, on the tape)
2. What am I supposed to do? Define what he should be doing
3. When am I finished? How many activities will occur before the endpoint
4. What comes next? Show Braden what through a visual or written schedule what
he is supposed to do next
3. Use Visual Supports Visuals to define the end of the activity
Visuals to help him understand when it will be his turn to talk
Visual rules for “group times”
4. Give Braden a Job!
Give Braden a role or purpose within the activity What should he be doing??
Examples Hold his own materials Turn pages Follow along with a white board Other
5. Provide Choices
Would you like to sit on the carpet or in a chair?
Do you want a ________ or a ________?
Would you like to _________ or __________?
Rather than directing, give Braden choices when possible!
What are 5 tips for supporting students with Autism?
Support Emotion Regulation
Increase Predictability
Use Visual Supports
Give students jobs
Provide choices
Temple Grandin Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPFAT4p8Lc
Additional Resources
https://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/national-professional-development-center-autism-spectrum-disorder
NPDC on Autism Spectrum Disorders