Working with Autistic Students
While in college I did an independent study with a school that had two classrooms dedicated to the autistic population. It was a public school that had somewhere between 10-15 students who had been diagnosed with autism and they had two seperate classrooms dedicated to their education. Both classrooms included students who were mainstreamed into regular education classroom for part of the day. Each classroom had a teacher and one teachers aid per student.
There was also a sensory integration room in the school where students went to receive some of the therapy that helped them with their autistic symptoms. So along with their schooling, they received swinging, jumping, brushing, rolling and more. The experience was fascinating as I learned how varied the symptoms of autism really are. Some students were being taught how to take turns and click a computer mouse properly and some were being taught how to participate in a routine or try something new at snack time. One student was secluded from the classroom with a single teacher due to the recent outbursts that indicated the opportunity for harming another student or staff member.
While each child is very different, there are some basic similarities for regular classroom teachers that may help with classroom management, lesson planning and teaching. Here is a collection of some of those tips: Teacher resources.
Related posts:
- Autism
- Routines for Children with Autism
- Autism: Remove Excess Stimuli
- The Friendship Puzzle: a Book Review
- Motivating Positive Student Behavior
