Teaching Students with Autism - Useful Tips

Here, you will learn some tips regarding teaching students with autism.

Autism, or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), generally appearing before age three, is a disability syndrome which targets a child in areas of communication development as well as social functioning with his family and others.

Though this is its main characteristic, autism affects nearly every area of a child's life, including his or her psychological development and learning abilities. Though girls are also affected, its appearance in boys is three times as often.

Autistic children many times begin life in a normal manner but, within the first year, early signs are noticed by parents that include their sudden lack of a readiness to smile, and their lack of letting their needs be known through jabbering and babbles. Though they once pointed and made eye contact, they become withdrawn and do not respond to any outside stimuli.

Upon the investigation of the way autistic infants process their information, it was discovered that there was incomplete development in areas of awareness and general knowledge as well as social development.

So how is the area of teaching students with autism affected?

Because of this discovery, it was also learned that while many students with autism do have genuine learning and instructional challenges, they are extremely teachable when provided with specific and systematic teaching practices that target each child individually. This is particularly true when certain basic guidelines are followed.

When it comes to teaching students with autism, it is important to make sure that the child is in a safe and stimulating environment with little change to routine. Autistic children need structure in the environment (some parents reveal a ridged standard must be maintained, especially in the beginning), with clear guidelines followed without exception as to acceptable response and behavior.

There are more points to note regarding teaching students with autism.

Since students with autism have trouble with understanding as well as using the normal modes of communication, such as language, the classroom environment should provide learning information in a manner they can grasp - almost always visual. Even words are recognized more easily when they are written rather than spoken. These words, along with pictures, can provide the student with their school schedule, their lessons, as well as each step that should be followed throughout their entire day.

For teaching students with autism, the curriculum of each student should be based on the student, and not just on the fact that they are autistic, in a classroom for the autistic, or using books for anyone who is autistic.

Each child, including those that are autistic, has individual learning disabilities and needs. Focus should be placed on known abilities or areas where they do show interest - on how this child can progress and live with a sense of quality whether at home, in school, or in the community.

When teaching students with autism, allow for breaks, not just whenever the student wants, but often through his / her day in a set schedule that can be relied on. Autistic children often have difficulty focusing for any length of time. While this may make the lesson last a bit longer, it may very well make the lesson go smoother. It is always encouraged for parents and other family members to participate in all aspects of the autistic student's learning process, as this ensures their place in the child's world.

Having read about teaching students with autism, you may wish to learn more about this health condition by reading the other related autism articles and pages on this website.

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