Frequently Needed Answers

What is meant by autism learning skills?

There are several methods through which we learn:

Through seeing (visually)

Hearing (auditory),

Touching or manipulating an object (kinesthetically or ‘hands-on’ learning).

An example of these would be, looking at a picture book or reading a textbook, this would be visual learning. Listening to a c.d., or going to a lecture this would be learning through hearing…and pressing buttons to determine how to operate a DVD involves learning kinesthetically, through touch and feel.

Mostly we learn through two or more of these learning skills. How we learn will determine how well we do at school.

Most mainstream schools adopt all of these learning methods, we visually learn through reading books and texts, we learn through listening to our teachers and we learn through practical tasks.

Typically children with autism will generally always be visual learners. Some children with autism will also be kinesthetic learners and may well benefit from their teacher or helper actually guiding their hand while they undertake tasks.

Therefore, it is important that a teacher assess each child on the spectrum within the class to determine which kind of learning skill they prefer. The teacher can then adapt the teaching style to suit the child on the spectrum’s need and build on their strengths.

However one very important thing to remember when assessing a child on the spectrum is their need for repetition and sameness. Keeping this in mind when setting lessons will be of benefit.

Teachers should try and use visual intervention strategies wherever possible. For example a visual timetable should always be in place for the student with autism to refer too.

As with a normally developing child autism learning skills, can be enhanced by following these simple rules. Another good idea is visual intervention strategies such as autism social skills stories. Social stories were first introduced around twenty years ago and have since become one of the most popular visual strategies used to help children with autism learn and overcome difficulties with communication, imagination, social skills and behaviors.

Social stories can help keep the child on the spectrum on task, the social story can also work as an excellent autism resource helping parents, helpers and teachers explain the ever important “wh” questions - who, what, where, when and why as well as “how” giving the child on the spectrum an insight into the thoughts and feelings of others which is a marked difficulty in those with autism.

Using autism social skills stories will benefit the student with autism as they will encompass all autism learning skills, they can be read, auditory, they have appropriate pictures and images plus some text, visual. Plus the social story can be used like a role model or visual plan to practice skills for example recess, assembly and remaining calm.

Plus autism social skills stories can be used with other visual strategies such as the visual timetable, flash cards, PECS and so on, helping to explain and make things more repetitive.

However you decide to use them they will nevertheless prove to be a valuable asset to autism learning skills.

To obtain school related autism social skills stories that can be downloaded quickly and effortlessly and are all in printable format please visit:

www.autismsocialstories.com/school

For all other autism social stories visit:

www.autismsocialstories.com

www.autismsocailstories.com/hygiene

www.autismsocialstories.com/behavior

www.autismsocialstories.com/social_skills

Looking into ways of working with children on the autism spectrum…

ASD - Autism spectrum disorder is a pervasive developmental disorder that affects more boys than girls. ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder is the one of the most common childhood disorders.

A vast majority of children on the autism spectrum display sensory processing issues and are hypersensitive to stimuli like noise, light, touch, feel and smells.

Sensory processing issues are common to autism. Individuals with  an ASD will also have the triad of autistic impairments:

The triad of autistic impairments are deficits in:

Social interaction skills

Communication skills

And Imagination skills

These deficits can make teaching a child with autism difficult.

Generally children on the autism spectrum prefer routines and structures and can become anxious and stressed when their routine is changed even in a small way.

Therefore when working with children on the autism spectrum it is normally a good idea to:

Organize the autistic child’s day into a set routines, this can be done using a visual schedule or timetable; that the child can refer to at regular intervals.

Using a visual schedule will reassure the autistic child of structure and routine, taking away any uncertainty, thus reducing stresses.

Try to avoid routine changes wherever possible. However if routines change it is advisable to show these changes on the visual schedule whenever possible.

It is also advisable to use supports like autism social skills stories to help explain any changes, which will reduce stress and help make the less predictable more routine.

A social skills story will show the change to routine and answer the important “wh” questions who, where, why, when and what, as well as “HOW” reducing stress and showing possible outcomes allowing the child on the spectrum to rehearse the change making them more comfortable with the change.

For the majority of teachers working with children on the autism spectrum using visual timetables, flash cards and autism social skills stories is very effective.

Autism social skills stories are easy to implement and need no formal training to use.

Sometimes when routines change a child on the spectrum can become aggressive, anxious, stressed and confused. Therefore it is recommended an autism social skills story should be implemented prior to the change.

For example a temporary teacher; prior to the change an autism social skills story can be put in place to make the autistic child aware of the change and prepare them for the situation, this can help alleviate some of the anxiety and stress.

The autism social skills story is also an excellent autism resource method for sudden changes like a teachers illness, unexpected visitors at home, a doctors appointment etc..

The social skills story will give clear focus on the key points giving the child with autism clear and precise instruction and information alleviating the anxiety they will be feeling.

This autism resource method can be downloaded and personalized from sites such as: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

The autism social skills story is also used to teach vital social skills and re-enforce already learned behaviors such as personal hygiene, shopping trips, hospital appointments, hair cuts and other issues such as bedtime, shared reading, death the list is endless.

Download autism social skills stories for your autistic child from:

www.autismsocialstories.com

Research
does suggest that the increase in recognizing the autistic spectrum disorder signs and symptoms in children, and
diagnosis of Autism spectrum syndrome
has increased.

As
with typically developing children, each
child on the spectrum is different. And the degree and complexity of autistic symptoms will vary from child to
child.

However
all children with autistic spectrum
disorder will generally display the following autistic signs and symptoms:

Communication problems

Social interaction problems

Imagination difficulties

Behavior issues

It
is also apparent that many children with autism spectrum can also be very sensitive to their environment; you
may hear this referred to as sensory processing issues in autism.

For
example sensory processing issues in autism may affect one or all of the senses;
bright light, noises even background noises, smell, the feel of some materials
and so are all too much to bare for some children with autism spectrum.

Sometimes
within the mainstream classroom an
autistic child can be viewed by their normally developing peers as “odd or
weird”, which can lead to social isolation
and sometimes even bullying.

For
teachers of children with special needs, some possible considerations for the autism classroom should include visual
intervention strategies.

First
within the autism classroom…it is
important to remember that an autistic child
is more likely to be a visual learner. Consequently, visual intervention
strategies are important, for example a visual timetable, visual support cards,
social stories and so on…

A visual timetable…will provide a child on
the spectrum with a clear precise instructions and structure as to what is
expected lessons/activities throughout the day.

Try and keep changes to routines or
lessons to a minimal,
children with autistic spectrum disorder do not like changes.

If
possible tell your autistic student
in advance of any possible changes, to give them plenty of warning. Springing a
change on an autistic student should wherever possible be avoided.

It
would be a good idea to consider within the autism classroom a “Time out” or “Quiet spot” for use by
the autistic student when necessary. Try to avoid other children in the class
using this space if your autistic student is in there!

It is also important to remember that
children with autism spectrum do not read facial expressions or body language. So avoid the obvious,
frown or the “shhh”. Children with autism spectrum will not be able to read
these signs.

It
is also important to remember a child on the spectrum will not understand jokes
or subtle hints and clues. You will need to think literal.

Your
autistic student may also not
interpret themselves as included when you address the class, so it is well to
remember to address them by name. The “everybody”
or “everyone” phrases may well get lost, and the student with autism will not
naturally think that includes them.

Try
using visual intervention strategies and
clues during lessons, children with autism respond better to visual lesson
prompts.

Try
using autism social skills stories during the school day for all
occasions the autistic student is struggling with, for example PE, assembly,
asking questions, recess and so on…

Visual prompts such as autism social
skills stories provide clear structure
to situations, skills, behaviors and transitions. The social story can act
like a role model or visual plan to help support
the student with autism.

As
well as being visual autism social skills stories also have text that can be shared
with the child on the spectrum allowing
them to understand what is expected
of them as well as what they can expect from others. The social story answers
the “wh” questions – who, where, why, when and what as well as “HOW” and gives
an insight into the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others which is an area
of marked weakness in most children with autistic spectrum disorder.

Typically a child on the spectrum
will struggle to follow rules and engage in social activities; again a social story
can help overcome these difficulties.

Parents and teachers may
find it useful to explain what autism is to others before their child is labeled
“odd or weird”. Although a diagnosis of
Autism spectrum syndrome is far more common today information about autism is
not common and many teachers find themselves inadequately prepared for
teaching a student with autism.

It can also be helpful
when explaining what autism is to
remember autism is a neurological disorder not a mental illness and affects how
the individual on the spectrum processes information, thinks and acts.

Treatments
for autism can help alleviate some of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder Signs and Symptoms

For more advice on what
autism is… and to download autism social
skills stories, and other visual intervention strategies such as visual support
cards visit:

www.autismsocialstories.com

www.autismsocialstories.com/preschool

www.autismsocialstories.com/school

Generally children with autism are visual thinkers; which means they think in pictures. Therefore, the most successful ways to help children with autism learn and understand the information they are given is through visual supports and aids.

Many teachers and parents of children with ASD report negative behaviours and frustrations felt and displayed by children with autism when information is difficult to understand, such as written or oral instruction etc, rather than visual.

For many children with autism spoken words are not easy to comprehend, much like listening to a foreign language, which can be frustrating and stressful this can lead to meltdowns and the child generally just “switching off”

Consequently, it has been found that when attempting to teach or convey information to a child with ASD, using visual supports for children with autism is beneficial. Avoiding long spoken sentences or pieces of text with no illustration is advisable for most children with ASD.

Visual supports for children with autism are generally used to help support oral commands and information, for example visual support cards can be used to help show a child with autism the toilet, coat peg, library and so on..

The most significant visual supports for children with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions are visual support cards or (PECS) as well as other support aids such as social stories.

By using visual support cards it allows the child with ASD to focus on the message being taught or the information being presented.

In the classroom teachers of students with autism use visual supports cards to help the student with ASD organize their day for example on a visual timetable. The student with ASD will like repetition and sameness, a visual timetable can help achieve this, the student can easily identify what lesson is coming up next, what they need to do, where they need to be etc.

Also in the classroom teachers of students with autism use visual supports cards to show direction and information. For example many teachers of students with autism place visual support aids on the pencil draw, the bathroom, sink and so on to help the student with ASD identify easily where things are, this can save a lot of confusion and stress not only for the teacher but also the student themselves.

In the home parents of children with ASD and related conditions use visual supports aids around the home again on a visual timetable, helping the child identify mealtimes, bath time, time for school and so on.

In the home parents of children with ASD and related conditions use visual aids to help the child identify certain areas, things, objects etc, for example the toilet, sink, where the cups are stored and so on.

Visual supports for children with autism spectrum disorder are also used to help the child with ASD learn social and communication skills, for example brushing your teeth, hair and so on. Used as a strategy visual supports can be used with social stories affectively to teach skills, communication and behaviours. Many parents of ASD children find used as a strategy visual supports and social stories are beneficial and both are recommended to help all children with ASD learn appropriate social and communication skills and behaviours.

To learn more and see examples of visual supports for children with ASD and related conditions visit:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/visual_aids

Social stories that help can be instantly downloaded from:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school_resources

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