Transcript AUTISM TRAINING BEST INCLUSION PRACTICE

How to Effectively Include Students with
High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s
Syndrome
Kimberly Bennett
Educational Consultant
[email protected]
Purpose

This Power Point presentation is to help
teachers understand the deficit of
autism and Asperger’s Syndrome and to
provide suggestions on how to
successfully include them in the regular
education classroom.

Working with children on the spectrum
can be challenging but I can assure you
that you will learn a great deal about
yourself and teaching by having them in
your life.
Understanding autism spectrum
disorder is the first step in accepting the
differences that make these individuals
unique and fascinating.
 This presentation just scratches the
surface of the needs of each of the
children on the spectrum in your
classroom.


I attempted to cover areas that appear
to affect most teachers and students in
the regular education classroom.

I have taught children with autism for
the past 7 years and have grown
professionally in ways that I never
would have experienced had they not
entered my life.
Let’s begin with: COGNITIVE PROFILE OF
CHILDREN WITH AUTISM/ASPERGER’S
SYNDROME
Weaknesses:
 Inflexibility in applying rules to changing
contexts
 Difficulty with Executive Functioning
 Difficulty with Complex Motor planning
 Difficulty with Perspective Taking

We will cover these throughout the presentation
Rule Learning

Rules are a learned concept not a
generalized concept for children with autism.
Their brains do not generate the rules by
themselves they have to be taught to them.

They need to be clearly stated.

Children with autism can learn things by
categories but they cannot generate or
organize the categories by themselves. They
can learn it if you do it for them.
Do rules always stay the same?
When do they change?
 How do we know when they change?
 We categorize rules and that helps us
know when to use them.

The rule of swearing…
Where can typical kids swear and get away with
it?
What if kids on the autism spectrum hear kids swearing on
the back of the bus and at home? While playing on the
playground they swear at a teacher or another student.
What discipline procedure should be implemented if these
kids are caught swearing on the playground?
Swearing

The child with the autistic brain needs to be
taught the rules of swearing because they
may not be able to categorize it or apply the
rule to different situations ---
Rules of liking the opposite sex

What are some behaviors children
perform in elementary school when they
like someone of the opposite sex?
What do they do in middle school?
 What do they do in high school?
 What do they do in college?

How do the rules change?

What if you were functioning at a socialemotional age of 12-18 months to 3-5
years? Failure to consider this in
treatment of these students worsens the
behavior and function.
Rules, Rules, Rules
Transition rules
 Lunchroom rules
 Playground rules
 Hallway rules
 Rules at home
 Bus rules
 Different teachers-different RULES

Rules can sometimes override
concepts: example

Bill is a young adult with autism who decided to take figure
skating lessons. His mother drove him to the rink several times
a week. After a while, she decided to skate while he had his
lesson. Bill performed his routine, but people learned to stay out
of his way. He went where his program required him to go
regardless of others. One day his mother forgot to note where
Bill was and he ran her over, knocking her unconscious. The
emergency team was called and she was given first aide and
taken to the hospital. The next day she asked Bill why he did not
come to her assistance, since he was an Eagle Scout with a first
aide badge. He relied, “It expired.”
What did Bill understand and
what didn’t he understand?
Children on the spectrum like the
following:
Knowing what the rules are, what is
going to happen next.
 If your brain is not doing this for you,
you will need some help.
 How stressful would it be to never know
what to expect next and then you got in
trouble when you guessed wrong?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

The capacity to control our own attentional
focus
 Enables a person to do or attend to more
than one thing at a time.
 It enables us to recognize what is relevant
shift attention, and then recall what is
relevant.

Ability to Monitor Self Inhibition
Attention, organization, and
generalization contribute to executive
functioning.
 With strong executive functioning we
are not distracted by the irrelevant and
can shift our focus to the relevant.


The teacher told the class to take out their
black pencils. Yours fell on the floor and
when you looked in the case you did not see
it. The teacher continues to give directions-what do you know to do?
 What is the most relevant thing you would
need to do in this scenario?

If you have trouble with executive functioning
what would happen? What would the child
focus on?
Can you talk on the cell phone to your
spouse when you are lost in an area
with a lot of traffic?
 Can you talk to your spouse and watch
an interesting TV show at the same
time?
 Why?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Think of how many times a day you
require a student to shift attention.
In the first hour of school what do you
require students to do?
Transitioning from Reading to a
spelling test…

What are your instructions?
 Count up the number of instructions you give
your class.

If your brain did not have the ability to take in
all of that information at once what would you
want someone to do for you?
I would want someone to…
Poor Executive functioning

They may not be distractible in the way
that others with attentional problems
may be.

In fact it may be very hard to get them
to shift attention.
If a student has difficulty writing
down thoughts what can you ask
him to do instead?
Answer: let them tell you instead of writing
For some student the act of writing and thinking at the same time is
to difficult. Many students with autism/Asperger’s have fine
motor delays and it is very difficult for them to write. If you want
to know what a person with autism knows…ask them.
ATTENTION DEFINITION

The ability to see what is relevant, and
shift attention to the relevant,
contributes to what is called attention.
What can we do?
Answer: Use a strength-Visual
Performance
Children with autism frequently have
better visual performance abilities than
auditory alone.
Live it out loud:
Explain what you are doing and why
i.e. verbally walk through the process of
losing a pencil.
THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

Let the child know the sequence of
events a visual schedule posted on the
wall or at their desk is extremely helpful.
Let them know what is going to happen
throughout the day.
Older Children

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Prepare a schedule for daily routines
What do I do first, next, last?
Books needed for each class
Completing a project
Provide information about time periods
Graphic organizers
Highlight important information
Make a task schedule for a
spelling test

What does the child have to do first,
next, last? (List the steps in order, place
it on their desk to remind them.)
Executive Functioning

Tell them what is relevant.

When presenting them with a structured
lessons the child needs help figuring out
the relevant information so that they can
answer the relevant questions.
The Autistic Brain

Some adults in the spectrum state that
thoughts come into their heads and they can’t
get them to stop unless they say the words
over and over again.
 I heard one man say, “When I feel my autism
take over it is like a train speeding down a
track and I know it will soon crash. The looks
and comments that will come from others will
not be nice, or understanding, but hurtful and
rude.”
Non Fiction
Information presented in a direct way
 Usually not a problem

Fiction
In most literature a great deal is implied.
The reader is invited to understand and
wonder about things.
This is frustrating as the communication
of most people, (the communication that
is to be “understood),” is said without
explicitly being stated.

This causes stress and anxiety
And then meltdown…
BRAIN IMAGING: Brain activation
in people with autism during sentence
comprehension.

Autism group has less activation in
Broca’s area ( a sentence integration
area) than the control group and more
in Wernicke’s area ( a word processing
area)

These results have been consistent with
performance. These student have
poorer comprehension of complex
sentences but are good at reading
words (spelling bee champs).

Reading a text is not a problem but
being able to pull out relevant
information from the text can be a
problem. Some researchers feel that
some people on the autism spectrum
see a sentence as one big word and not
individual words with different
meanings.

Brain circuitry underlying basic abilities
are intact, and these circuits plus visual
processing are relied upon to perform
tasks that typical individuals perform
using and integrative circuitry and
higher order abilities.

Functional under-connectivity of neural
systems is a general feature of the brain
in autism.

Information processing capacity is
reduced so dual tasks, speed of
processing, and any task relying on
strategy is very problematic.
In other words…
If a student is feeling rushed to do more
than one task at a time, they are
incapable of handling all of that
information at once, and performance
will be effected.
 Neuro pathways are not connecting
information together at a high speed or
at all.

Executive Functioning

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Monitoring Self Inhibitions
Neuro-typical people can “self talk”
Children with brain damage in executive functioning
areas of the brain will tend to “blurt out” what they are
thinking.
Engage in self talk that is repetitive in nature at times
not directly related to what is happening.
Executive functioning and
writing

Many children do not show “what they
know” when they have to write.

It is important to find out how the child
learns best and how he demonstrates
what he knows.
THEORY OF MIND
(Cognitive)

Modular view of cognition that suggests
the capacity to understand the
intentions of others AND it follows its
own propriety development.
THEORY OF MIND
A special type of cognition that allows
one to depict the psychological states of
others (thoughts and beliefs).
Theory of Mind

Critical decoupling mechanism that allows the child to
keep cognitive representations organized so his/her
thoughts can easily be distinguished from the
thoughts of others.
**A break down in this process leads to the social and pragmatic
deficits in children with Asperger’s Syndrome**
IMPLICATIONS

Children with autism will have significant
problems understanding the social
world around them.

They will be unable to predict the
actions of others.
Mind Reading
Neuro typical people do a lot of mind reading
We have the ability to predict what someone is going to say next
based on the content of the conversation.
We can read body language--this helps us “read people.”
Inflection of tone helps us understand the context in which
something is being said. Think of how many ways you can say
the word “Great.” Each inflection of your voice changes it’s
meaning.
Non Verbal Language is 90% of
our communication

Children with Asperger
Syndrome/autism have a very difficult
time reading body language and our
verbal inflections.
Emotional Reaction

When “we” have an emotional reaction
to the behavior or words of those with
Asperger’s Syndrome, our reaction may
not accurately reflect the intention or
meaning of their behavior.
Intention of others
Many children on the autism spectrum
report being bullied. Bullies take
advantage of their inability to read social
cue or their overreaction to social
situations.
This is a very serious problem for kids on
the spectrum. (More on that later)

More on Theory of Mind

Many children with Asperger’s
Syndrome can understand another
person’s mind to the extent that they
may know what knowledge another
person has.
THEORY OF MIND
 They can figure this out only when it is
based on whether the other person has
seen or heard something.

THEORY OF MIND

They recognize knowledge based on
exposure or lack of exposure to
information the same way they would
know what was on an audio/video tape,
based on whether the recorder was
present or turned on.
FACTUAL INFORMATION

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
have a theory of mind as it relates
factual information that someone else
has.
Can Learn to Identify Emotions
 They may learn (perhaps the way that
they learn facts) what someone may
feel in certain situations, but do not
sense the other person’s feelings or
personal experience as it relates to the
information.


AS children often have strong feelings
and reactions themselves.

However, they often do not recognize or
understand someone else’s emotional
experience.
DIFFERENT FROM TEACHER’S AND
STUDENTS

The classroom may be a difficult place
for an AS child, and that child may be
confusing or upsetting to others who do
not understand him.

The Asperger’s child may participate
without anticipating or comprehending
the response of others.
How can we recognize theory of mind
(TOM) issues in Asperger’s Syndrome?

If the answer to these questions is yes
your student may have TOM issues:
Do you have student that is always correct and can
never be wrong?
Do you have a student who cannot work in a group
because they did not use the suggestion that they
offered?
Very Argumentative?
What About Empathy?

Empathy requires understanding the mind
and the experience of another person.

This is not really possible for those who
understand as though they are receiving
information, what others or most understand
by “feel” and by identification.

EMPATHY
 Also includes: awareness of your effect on
others.

It includes an awareness of what another
person may be feeling as that person
communicates with you or reacts to what you
are saying.
CAN LEARN “ABOUT” OTHERS
 Asperger children can learn “about” others.
 Sometimes they study our minds and
reactions, and find that cognitive
understanding can help them cope with us.
 This is not the same as feeling or identifying
with our experiences.


Assignments that deal with understanding
feelings.

How can their difficulty understanding
emotions and feelings of others interfere with
assignments that requires them to respond to
emotional information?

Example

Terry and Rich are on the same softball team in the
town league. Rich knew that Terry had never gotten
over the fact that he had once dated Terry’s girlfriend.
During the second inning, Rich made an error at third
base and the other team scored a run. Back in the
dugout Terry said to Rich, “Nice play at third, Rich.”

Fact Question: Did Rich miss a play at third
base?
 Belief question: Was Terry giving Rich a
compliment?
 Belief Question: Did Rich believe what Terry
said about the play at third?

Perspective Taking
 The ability to take perspective is essential for
participation in any type of group (social or
academic) as well as interpreting information
that requires understanding of other people’s
minds such as reading comprehension,
history, social studies, etc.

Perspective Taking

Weakness in perspective taking is a
significant part of the diagnosis of social
cognitive deficits.
CENTRAL COHERENCE

The process of constructing a higher
meaning from diverse information.
CENTRAL COHERENCE

Asperger Syndrome children remember a lot of
information.

Little Professors when they share information in an
area of interest.

They generally do not judge certain facts to be more
important than others.
CENTRAL COHERENCE


Knowing what is relatively more or less
important to learn can be difficult or even
impossible.
They may already know more than the
teacher expects them to learn, perhaps even
more than the teacher knows, about a
specific area.
 This is very annoying to teachers who do not
understand the disability.
Let’s talk about…HOMEWORK
Identify the purpose of homework
 Identify the amount of time the student
must spend on homework.
 Determine whether homework can be
done after school or in school.
 Ensure that homework planner has
enough room for writing assignments.

HOMEWORK
Decide :
 Whether teacher will write in planner
 If teacher will prompt student to write in
planner
 Who will review planner to ensure that
all details are included in planner.

Homework
Homework should be presented in the
same manner, same place each day.
 Provide models of homework
 Long division old way versus new way
 Parents report that homework can be
frustrating for them their child screams,
 “You don’t know how to do it!”

Homework
Recognize that homework is a family
activity
 Some families CANNOT do homework

HOMEWORK

Provide enough specificity so that
parents understand the assignment
solely from the written information.

Have teacher sign homework planner
Homework
Have a method in place for clarifying or
obtaining homework.
 School hotline
 Peer system
 School web-based system
 Faxed or emailed assignments
 Require parent to sign the planner

Homework
Ensure that homework is turned in
 Homework is the passport to enter the
classroom
 Develop a means of letting parents
know that a homework assignment is
not turned in ( same as in-class
assignments).

HOMEWORK

A web based posting of homework
turned in/not turned in makes the
responsibility the parents.
JOINT ATTENTION -Another
part of autism to be aware of…
Definition: The ability to coordinate
attention between people and objects.
Loveland &Landry ( 1986)
 An attentional state during which a child
and a partner share an interest.

COMPONENTS OF JOINT
ATTENTION
Sharing experiences
 Attention: To some 3rd object or event
apart from the two participants in the
interaction.

YOUNG CHILDREN WITH
AUTISM HAVE:

Deficits in declarative pointing and
showing
Baron-Cohen (1989)
Deficits in looking where others point
Leekman et al. (1997)
» Deficits in following eye gaze of others.
They are not aware of where others are
looking. This interferes with understanding
what others are thinking about. What is the
woman thinking about? How can you tell?
THINK OF WAYS THIS CAN INTERFERE WITH
A CHILD IN YOUR CLASSROOM
If a student has a difficult time following
eye gaze or is not following social cues
as to where they should be looking…
How would this interfere with learning in
your classroom?
What are social cues teachers give?
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
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They don’t understand the rules of
Social proximity
Eye Contact
Gestures
Posture
Facial expressions
Take things literally
What do these eyes tell you?
How do you know that?
Nothing has been said?

Children on the autism spectrum can
have a difficult time reading our eyesyet our eyes speak of our feelings and
reactions.
BULLYING

90% of participants reported extensive bullying with
physical assault, of those:

50% reported sexual harassment
 50% of those cases occurring during class
 47% during lunch

33% of participants perceived that they were not liked
as well as their peers
BULLYING

When students reported bullying
incidents, 33% perceived bullying was
likely to increase.
Let’s Understand Each Other

It is helpful for those with autism to learn
about us.

It is helpful for us to “Know about them.”

Being open to knowing that person’s
experience from his or her perspective can
help with behavior management.
How can wanting to understand help with the
moment?

Knowing about the Asperger/autism
mind does not necessarily mean
understanding a particular child’s
meaning, behavior, and learning issues
at any given time.

Teachers are confronted by the need to
handle situations in the moment.
HOWEVER…

Knowing that there is something to
understand allows the adult to consider
whether there is a real need to respond
immediately, such as when safety is a
concern.
REMEMBER TO BE KIND

Remembering that there is something to
understand, whether or not it is
understood at the time, helps the adult
to be kind, even when firm about
important issues.
CHECK THE INTENTIONS

Consequences do not always have to
be punishment.

We can be sympathetic when a child is
dealing with the consequence of
something she did not intend.
ALIEN EXERCISE
 If we were to spend time in a very
different culture, as we tried to learn
what is appropriate, we might make
faux pas or seem offensive, and we
would misunderstand others.

ALIEN EXERCISE
 We would need to learn new skills,
rules, and the meaning of our behavior
to others.
 We would need to find a way to be with
others, without trying to become one of
them, which we really could not do.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS

Who would we want to help us?

What would we need to help us
describe the culture in a way that we
could understand?
List 3 things you would want
your guides to understand about
you.

1.
 2.
 3.

Would you want them to see things from
your perspective?

How would this be helpful to you?

Please be the child’s guide make every
situation a teachable one!
Things we can do:
WE CAN…
Accept what we do not understand without
feeling overwhelmed or angry.

Understand more…
Avoid alienating the child- Don’t be the child’s
first bully. Children in the classroom follow the
teacher’s lead.

Be the Guide -Set the Tone
 Give facts in an unemotional tone of voice.

Be logical and sequential-they need logic for
everything.

Model positive acceptance.
Before You React
Ask yourself…
What could this behavior mean?
How does it serve the child?
Could it be an attempt to cope?

What appears to be an unwillingness to
do an assignment or participate in a
learning activity may have an important
reason.
IF WE ASK HIM…
He may tell us

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“It’s too hard.”

“I know this already.”

“It’s too loud.”
When the child answers our questions
like this…
 It is not useful to see the ways that the
child’s answer seems wrong to us.


It is useful to consider how his answers
may be the right answer for him.

Is this purposeful disrespect?

What they say and how they say it leads
others to assume that they are
communicating feeling or intend to
affect the feelings of others.

They often do not recognize or
understand this.

They often do not understand what
others experience.
Sensory Deficits
Child can be hypo- sensitive or hypersensitive to sound, light, smell, touch, or
taste.
REMEMBER:
Do not put a child with autism next to a
noisy or busy area in your classroom.
I leave you with this question?

How would you like to live in this world
with these challenges?

If you need further assistance, please
feel free to get in touch with me. I will be
more than happy to assist you.
Kim Bennett 814-542-2501 ext 126
 [email protected]
