Pupils with ASC mainly struggles with social understanding, communication, and repetitive routines or behaviours (Hartman, 2013).They all share similar symptoms, but the term spectrum indicate there’s a range of severity levels (Prior et al. 1998) and adequately does the level of support needed (Volkmer, 2008). Pupils with ASC are faced with numerous academic challenges, they may display difficulty with the changes, distractions, and constant interaction on a daily basis, they often experience difficulty in executing and staying on a task (Goodman & William, 2007). It is essential to understand the learning characteristics of autism so that these children have the best chance of support success in the classroom. Temple Grandin, Ph.D., a college …show more content…
Some individuals pay attention to minor details, but fail to see how these details fit into a bigger picture. Others have impediment with complex thinking that need holding more than one train of thought simultaneously. Others have trouble maintaining their attention, or organizing their thoughts and actions (Mundy & Mastergeorge, 2012). EF difficulties can also be accompanying with poor impulse control. According to Temple Grandin, "I cannot hold one piece of information in my mind while I manipulate the next step in the sequence." Individuals with ASC often lack the ability to use skills related to EF like planning, sequencing and …show more content…
Without cognitive flexibility we cannot change our minds, shift attention or perspective, flexibly adjust to changes, see another point of view, resolve problems or be creative. The ability to inhibit or subdue our impulses involves the skill to stop and think and not act on our first instinct, but, instead, do what is needed or most appropriate. It allows us to direct our attention and be disciplined enough to stay on task even in the face of temptation and distraction, instead of being controlled by habit, feelings and external cues (Zelazo, 2010).
EF skills begin to develop in infancy and continue to improve and change through to adulthood. Research with students with autism has showed that older students perform better than younger students on measures of EF (Happe et al., 2006).It is important to note, however, EF difficulties might not be obvious in early childhood or during the early years of school, but may become more problematic in upper primary and high school when teachers are less likely to provide scaffolds and structure for students throughout the
Autism is a mental disorder, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts. (Classroom-Assessment-Theory-into-Practice, 2012) One in 88 children are diagnosed with autism and the symptoms are usually noticed between the ages of 18 months and 5 years. Typically, autism affects individuals in 5 key areas: Communication (verbal and non-verbal), Social skills, Behaviors, Learning, and Medical issues. Because this disorder has a dramatic impact on a child 's ability to learn, it is imperative that teachers understand the conditions surrounding autism and know how to accommodate these students. (Classroom-Assessment-Theory-into-Practice, 2012) Teachers can understand more about a student with ASD and how to accommodate the student by doing different assessments. Assessments are an extremely important part of special education. Teachers need to make sure that the assessments given to their students is correct in everyway possible. It should be correct in what they are testing, meaning what the teacher or specialist want to know from the assessment, is the information that the assessment is giving the students correct, on how the assessment works, and all assessments must have validity and reliability. Assessments often include various tests, both standardized or criterion-referenced, but testing is not the only
It also includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational and other areas of functioning.” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014) Also, individuals with ASD may be susceptible for sensory overload. Since communication and interactions with others is a necessity in schools, students with Autism need assistance in coping with this disorder. Methods of intervention will be discussed in the paper. One of those methods is the use of
The quality of life for a child with autism in mainstream schools is definitely at odds with how the school itself is structured. Due to changes in educational policies over the last decade, there are increasing numbers of children with ASD that are being educated in a regular classroom setting. Many may deem this inclusion as being positive for those students, but there are faults that accompany these types of circumstances, the reason being that many schools do not have the capacity to keep pace with such changes in order to include children with ASD. Many teachers find it tough to merge the academic talents of students with autism with their often severe difficulties in interacting with others socially. Those who have been diagnosed with ASD have a preference for routine, consistency and low sensory stimulation, making tough seeing that they would be expected to deal with the noisy, busy and chaotic environment of mainstream schools (Humphrey, Symes 80).
Research indicates that there are many strategies that could increase children’s academic and social performance in schools (Eikeseth et al., 2007; Eikeseth, Smith, Jahr, & Eldevik, 2002; Sallows & Graupner, 2005; Vismara & Rogers, 2008; Vivanti et al., 2014). When searching for the best strategy for each individual child, it is important to identify the Autism severity and the program (Reed & Osborne, 2012). Time input of the intervention also impacts the success of the strategy. The level of time input from the approaches is critical to the student success, and the children’s gains are proportional to the time input of the program (Reed & Osborne, 2012). With the increasing prevalence of ASD, it is important to identify interventions that can be used in and outside of the classroom to increase student academic and social success.
In order to create a successful inclusive classroom for children with autism, it is important to know more about the disorder and its characteristics. Every person with autism has different characteristics. “Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder display a range of specific characteristics such as: (a) impairments in communication and interactions with others; (b) restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors, interests and activities; (c) delays in either ‘social interaction, language as used in social communication or symbolic or imaginative play’ with onset before the age of three” (Deris & Carlo, 2013). “A child’s profile along the continuum of Autism Spectrum Disorders dictates the severity of impairment in language engagement, social connectedness, sensory integration, and cognitive skills” (Friedlander, 2009). Each person is very unique. “They include autistic disorder (sometimes referred as “classic autism”), Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome” (Autism Speaks). The table below shows three different levels of severity of autism. The data focuses on the level of severity, the social communication, and the restrictive, repetitive behaviors
Boyd, B. A., & Shaw, E. (2010). Autism in the Classroom: A Group of Students Changing in Population and Presentation. Preventing School Failure, 54(4), 211-219.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is becoming more prevalent throughout the United States since 1992, increasing by approximately 500 percent. (Kirk, Gallagher, and Coleman, 2015) Today’s educators must be prepared and informed on how to identify these students within their classrooms. The increasing prevalence has caused many of these students to be included in general classrooms with other students without these disabilities. Developing the appropriate educational responses is paramount to an ASD student’s future and must be undertaken by all educators throughout every grade level. The unique challenges that these students must face
Autism is a complicated disorder, and to understand Autism we must first understand what it is, and the strategies needed to help children be successful. School age children with Autism require special intervention in order to succeed in school. “If they can't learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn” ― O. Ivar Lovaas
ASD usually affects the way an individual communicates and places limitations on their ability to relate to others in a meaningful way; autism a disorder that begins in early childhood, and is also lifelong. As a child begins to grow up and mature the autistic features will change. The three identifiable impairments of Autism is exhibited through a childs language, sociability, and the flexibility of their behaviors, which is also referred to as the Traid of Impairments (Cashin & Barker 2009). ASD characteristics can also be correlated to learning disabilities, as well as features like self-injurious behavior, increases aggression, repetitive behaviors, and other abnormalities in sleeping and eating. It’s also not unusual to see an individual
“Implementing the SCERTS Model for Young Children with Autism Spectrum”, is a PowerPoint presentation presented by Amy M. Wetherby, PhD., a professor at Florida State University, and one of the leading contributors of the SCERTS model. During this presentation, Dr. Wetherby discusses the characteristics and learning priorites for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. The presentation also includes the background and methodology of the SCERTS model. Dr. Wetherby links the NRC educational recommendations for individuals with ASD to the seven principals and components essential to the SCERTS approach. Additionally, the presentation goes in-depth on how to implement the SCERTS model and assessment strategies. This presentation gave
Nowadays, teachers are expected to work with a mixture of students, general education students and exceptional students. “The physical attributes and/or learning characteristics of exceptional children differ from the norm (either below or above) to such an extent that they require an individualized program of special education and related services to benefit from education” (Heward, 2005, p. 10). This paper will discuss autism, characteristics of autism, and educational approaches when working with an autistic individual.
The third theory regarding cognitive differences is the theory of executive dysfunction. This theory deals with mental flexibility, working memory, and other executive functions. This describes the difficulties that individuals may have when planning and performing tasks, remembering information, and monitoring behavior. Because these skills are difficult, individuals must be provided with supports to help them stay on track and cope with difficult or restricted behaviors that affect
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), ASD is diagnosed on the premise of two side effect bunches: (a) shortfalls in social correspondence also, (b) the nearness of redundant practices and limited hobbies (5). Children with ASD they must have these three characteristics a) social-emotional correspondence (b) nonverbal communicative behaviors (c) creating, keeping up, what's more, comprehension connections(5).
‘Autism was first described by the American Leo Kanner in 1943’ (Hodder Arnold., 2002.,) Students with Autism are known to suffer from social problems and find it hard to understand different social situations so would need consistency and routine in their lives along
The continuity and effectiveness of treatments and services are difficult to maintain at a high level as the child with ASD transitions through school. According to Kelly Farley, a teacher in the public school system, “The school district’s experience has revealed that, by sixth grade, the gaps are too large in both math and language arts resulting in students with autism being placed in the special education classrooms for those classes.” Parents and therapists, desperate for a dramatic breakthrough in education or treatment for this disorder, will try new approaches and speculative theories which are not backed by experience or proven to work. The treatments that are available have pros and cons to consider as well as the adult outcomes. Because no single treatment is useful for all children with ASD, compounded with the variable symptoms of each child, program strategies need to be designed for each individual child. The symptoms can change without notice. “Unfortunately,