Autism Part 3 Instructional Strategies

Transcription

1 After School Inclusion Project Inclusion Training: Autism Part 3 of 3 Autism Part 3 Instructional Strategies This training is designed for leads and coordinators at after school program sites to deliver to staff members. It includes goals for the training, needed materials and preparation, a training plan, and a follow-up activity. Each training segment is designed to be minutes in length and can be included in a staff meeting. The training may be longer depending on the number of participating staff, team needs, depth of discussion and the trainer s personal style. Goals Participants will: Review the Characteristics of Autism from Autism Part 1 and the Environmental Strategies from Autism Part 2. Discuss the environmental strategies staff tried since your last session. Review and discuss instructional strategies for working effectively with students exhibiting characteristics of autism based on the specified Characteristics of Autism. Discuss which instructional strategies for a student with autism may also be used successfully with student(s) who are typically-developing students in the after school program. Materials and Preparation Remind participants to bring their list of the Characteristics of Autism from Autism Part 1, the Environmental Strategies from Autism Part 2, and to complete their follow-up activity. As you plan this session, remember that time must be allowed for discussing the environmental strategies from Autism Part 2. Then, based on the number of students with special needs and/or disabilities in your program and the number of staff you are training, you may need to plan more than one session for this material, especially if more time for discussion is needed. Handouts 1 to 4 have divided the discussion topics into four pages so that you may conveniently segment your training session(s). Identify which of the handouts you will cover during each session. If you wish to have a separate handout for each characteristic, then make a copy of the following handouts for each participant: Handout 1 Difficulties with Communication/Language Handout 2 Difficulties with Social Skills Handout 3 Difficulties with Sensory Stimulation Handout 4 Difficulties with Motor (Movement) Skills 02/07/11 1

2 After School Inclusion Project Inclusion Training: Autism Part 3 of 3 If you wish to have all four characteristics on one page, then make a copy of this handout for each participant: Handout A Due to space limitations on Handout A, the following discussion question does not appear on the page, but should be discussed: Discussion Question: With which student(s) can you try one (or more) of these strategies? Have pencils or pens for participants who may not have one available. Training Plan Lead: Review the Environmental Strategies from Autism Part 2 and discuss what environmental strategies were tried since the previous training session, who staff talked with about the strategy before it was implemented, and what results were observed. Ask and discuss as appropriate, Do you feel the strategy(ies) helped the student about who you were concerned? Ask and discuss as appropriate, Do you feel the strategy(ies) helped other students in the program? Review the Characteristics of Autism from Autism Part 1. Explain that this training session focuses on instructional strategies for each of the Characteristics of Autism. Provide applicable handouts and state that these lists of strategies are useful for use in the after school program with students who have autism or other students who have similar behavior. Review the handout(s) you have chosen for today s training session. Divide the participants into groups to review and discuss the Effective Instructional Strategies. Ask each group to select someone to be the spokesperson for the group. (You may wish to divide them based on the age of the students with who they work, based on the types of observations they made after observing students in Autism Part 1, or divide the group into equal groups and assign discussion topics.) Allow time for discussion. Have a member of each group briefly summarize their group s discussion points. Ask and discuss as appropriate, Which instructional strategies for a student with autism may also be used successfully with other students in the after school program? Follow-up Activity Return to the program and try a strategy that may be appropriate for one or more students. Remember not all students who exhibit one or more of these behaviors have Autism. Students who exhibit a number of these characteristics, however, should be observed more fully by professionals. Schedule a future time to discuss the outcome for the strategies they try. 02/07/11 2

3 Handout 1 who exhibits difficulties with Communication/Language associated with autism. These are not all inclusive and there is space for you to add additional ideas. Difficulties with Communication/Language Pause between instructions and check for understanding. Give one step directions. Divide assignments into small parts. Explain words with more than one meaning. Also refrain from using idioms. Idioms are words, phrases or expressions with a meaning different than the literal meaning of the words. An idiom such as cat got your tongue? can create confusion and anxiety for a student who has weak social language skills. A good rule of thumb is say what you mean, mean what you say. Speak concretely using specific words. Teach conversational skills in a small group. Activities such as skits, plays, turn taking in board games and debates are good ways to build conversational skills. Also, reminding students to listen with their eyes and their bodies facing the speaker helps students understand what is socially expected in a conversation. Teach rules and cues to taking turns. Provide practice opportunities. Teach students to seek assistance when confused. Observe for evidence of understanding, do not assume a student has understanding just because the student can repeat back what was said or asked. Discussion Question: With which student(s) can you try one (or more) of these strategies? 02/07/11 3

4 Handout 2 who exhibits difficulties with motor (movement) skills associated with autism. These are not all inclusive and there is space for you to add additional ideas. Difficulties with Social Skills Model and teach appropriate comments. Refrain from sarcasm and joking. Acknowledge positive comments such as good job with your comment whenever you can. Teach students to work or play together. Teach students how to cope with difficult situations. Provide positive praise and tell student what he is doing well. Teach students how to act appropriately in social situations at school. Help the student understand his reactions and the responses of others. Use picture books, comic books, books on facial expressions to teach what they mean. Purchase or make a poster with different facial expressions and write what the expression means underneath. Help students to learn words that express how they feel and help them find words to explain what other students may be feeling. Use this visual aid whenever appropriate. Use peer supports such as a buddy system. Use a countdown timer which clearly shows the passage of time so students know how much time is left for the current activity. Discussion Question: With which student(s) can you try one (or more) of these strategies? 02/07/11 4

5 Handout 3 who exhibits difficulties with social skills associated with autism. These are not all inclusive and there is space for you to add additional ideas. Difficulties with Sensory Stimulation Have the student sit in the same location each day. Reduce and maintain a lower level of stimulation in the environment. Provide ear plugs or noise canceling headphones. Use calming music as students come to the program. Provide a study carrel for the student with limited visual stimuli. Identify if student wishes not to be touched. Provide opportunities for space and quiet time. Fluorescent lights can create great stress for some students. Have an incandescent light available in a quiet area for students to work or have quiet time. Provide weighted lap bags to hold or bean-bag chairs and heavy quilts for students to crawl under for limited time. Provide chair cushions for hard chairs. Limit or eliminate smells from cooking classes or science experiments. Have room cleared of extraneous stimuli on the walls, cabinets, desks. Discussion Question: With which student(s) can you try one (or more) of these strategies? 02/07/11 5

6 Handout 4 who exhibits difficulties with sensory stimulation associated with autism. These are not all inclusive and there is space for you to add additional ideas. Difficulties with Motor (Movement) Skills Provide opportunities for students to practice each skill needed for a future activity; for example, practice overhand throwing before playing softball. Provide activities for students to practice motor skills. Activities such as knitting, sewing, working with clay, kneading dough, grinding nuts, using scissors, sanding wood, pushing wheelbarrows, or sweeping, are good movement exercises. Provide assistive technology for handwriting (pencil grip, raised lined paper, larger writing implement). Permit the student to have more time to complete an assignment. Use hand-over-hand assistance as necessary. Discussion Question: With which student(s) can you try one (or more) of these strategies? 02/07/11 6

7 Handout A works for an individual student. Ask colleagues, teachers, parents and other professionals to suggest practices they have found effective with the student about who you are concerned. Below are examples of strategies that might work with a student who exhibits the described difficulties associated with autism. These are not all inclusive and you may add additional ideas on the back of this page. Difficulties with Communication/Language Pause between instructions and check for understanding. Give one step directions. Divide assignments into small parts. Explain words with more than one meaning. Also refrain from using idioms. Idioms are words, phrases or expressions with a meaning different than the literal meaning of the words. An idiom such as cat got your tongue? can create confusion and anxiety for a student who has weak social language skills. A good rule of thumb is say what you mean, mean what you say. Speak concretely using specific words. Teach conversational skills in a small group. Activities such as skits, plays, turn taking in board games and debates are good ways to build conversational skills. Also, reminding students to listen with their eyes and their bodies facing the speaker helps students understand what is socially expected in a conversation. Teach rules and cues to taking turns. Provide practice opportunities. Teach students to seek assistance when confused. Observe for evidence of understanding, do not assume a student has understanding just because the student can repeat back what was said or asked. Difficulties with Sensory Stimulation Have student sit in the same location each day. Provide ear plugs or noise canceling headphones. Use calming classical music as students come to the program. Provide a study carrel for the student with limited visual stimuli. Identify if student wishes not to be touched. Reduce and maintain a lower level of stimulation in the environment. Provide opportunities for space and quiet time. Have room cleared of extraneous stimuli on the walls, cabinets, desks. Difficulties with Social Skills Model and teach appropriate comments. Refrain from sarcasm and joking. Acknowledge positive comments such as good job with your comment whenever you can. Teach students to work or play together. Teach students how to cope with difficult situations. Provide positive praise and tell student what he is doing well. Teach students how to act appropriately in social situations at school. Help the student understand his reactions and the responses of others. Use picture books, comic books, books on facial expressions to teach what they mean. Purchase or make a poster with different facial expressions and write what the expression means underneath. Help students to learn words that express how they feel and help them find words to explain what other students may be feeling. Use this visual aid whenever appropriate. Use peer supports such as a buddy system. Use a countdown timer which clearly shows the passage of time so students know how much time is left for the current activity. Difficulties with Motor (Movement) Skills Provide opportunities for students to practice each skill needed for a future activity; for example, practice overhand throwing before playing softball. Provide activities for students to practice motor skills. Activities such as knitting, sewing, working with clay, kneading dough, grinding nuts, using scissors, sanding wood, pushing wheelbarrows, or sweeping, are good movement exercises. Provide assistive technology for handwriting (pencil grip, raised lined paper, larger writing implement). Permit the student to have more time to complete an assignment. Use hand-over-hand assistance as necessary. 02/07/11 7