Autism is said to affect 1 in 43 now!
Every child with autism is unique. However, there are certain essential things about autism that every teaching professional should know! Being a special education teacher comes with a lot of responsibility with more stress. Certainly, it is a rewarding job but requires patience and understanding.
Some autistic children are nonverbal and may never be able to speak. On the other hand, kids with autism are extremely intelligent and learn to read and write at an early age.Therefore, there are a few things about autism that we should know.
Important Things Teachers Need to Understand about Autism
So, how to find a better teaching approach to special students and how to teach them?
For that, you need to be aware of the following factors —
1. Learn about the Autism Spectrum Disorder
Learn well about the autism. There is no one type of “autism learner”. Autism comes in several various forms all across the spectrum. It is really important to keep in mind that there are ways more children with autism than you think. The fact is, autism is anextensive spectrum and many can be affected without even realizing it or being identified.The autism courses for teachers help you to learn everything about autism.
2. Talk With the Parents
Needless to say, proper communication with the student’s parents is the key to understanding the autistic child. This helps in finding the best learning strategies as there is no one who knows the child better than his/her parents. Parents know what works and what can cause an emotional breakdown for their children. Learning from parents will be the better path to understanding your upcoming teaching strategy.
3. Needs Extra Time
A child with autism requires additional time to process language.Always use simple language and short sentences while teaching a child with autism. Give no more than two-step directions. Provide some extra seconds after you make a statement or ask a question to answer. If you repeat, do not rearticulate. This will make them start processing over again. Trying to hurry will only slow your student down further.
4. Recognize the Patterns
Generally, children with autism tend to succeed on repetition and routine. Special education teachers can help make a schoolchild’s educational life as stress-free as possible by understanding. Doing this will prevent an outburst, breakdown, and needless stress very well. Consider scheduling each classroom day the same way to form your individual classroom routine. Different studies have revealed that constant routine aids all children, not just those on the autism spectrum.
5. Be Well-Aware of Sensory Issues
Probably we also don’t realize our own sensory problems when we have them. If the music is too loud, we turn it down; if we’re too warm, we remove our sweater, isn’t it? But autistic children generally cannot deal with various sensory issues like neurotypical people as their senses tend to deliver them with the variable info. Hence, teachers should become well-aware of accurately what sensory issues are, and what types of sensory issues they are likely to meet in the classroom before welcoming an autistic child into the classroom.
6. Multiple Instructional Ways
Be prepared to deliver instructions in several ways. You may need to come up with multiple ways to give directions. Considering providing different visual aids and/or writing instructions in a few easy-to-follow stages could prove to be very accommodating for an autistic child who has difficulties in processing verbal directions.
7. Transition Warnings
Transitions are supportive for students to cope with change as well as breaks.Before just concluding an activity and starting a new one, give a two-minute caution so your learners know that a transition will arise. While some autistic kids will benefit from visual aids, others may respond better to warnings given vocally. Giving verbal praise, stickers or other simple things your student enjoys is a great way to strengthen their behaviour.
8. Pay Attention to the Details
You need to observe, notice and make notes while teaching children with autism. Generally, many have monotonous behaviour which will be the first difference from other schoolchildren. Study what it is, what grounds it and how you can help students to decrease it. You have to try and raise social acceptance and understanding in your class.
The Bottom Line
Like all kids, autistic children also need your love and help. Several children with autism feel secluded due to having been intimidated. SEN Online Courses prepares you for teaching the special children in a more effective way. We hope that this list can aid you to make your classroom controllable this upcoming school year.
