1. Strategies for Teaching Students with Autism in the Classroom or at Home
Riverside Unified School District
Special Education Services
Presented by
Andy Stetkevich, Staff Development Specialist
Adapted from Sarah Lanzo
Tara Herlihy and Jenette Leonard

2. Types of Accommodations and Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for Students with ASD within the Classroom

3. Evidence-Based Practices for Students with Autism (ASD)
Antecedent-Based Interventions (ABI)
Computer-Aided Instruction
Differential Reinforcement
Discrete Trial Training
Extinction
Functional Behavior Assessment
Functional Communication Training
Naturalistic Intervention
Parent-Implemented Intervention
Peer-Mediated Instruction and Intervention
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
Pivotal Response Training
Prompting
Reinforcement
Response Interruption/Redirection
Self-Management
Social Narratives
Social Skills Groups
Speech Generating Devices/VOCA
Structured Work Systems
Task Analysis
Time Delay
Video Modeling
Visual Supports

4. How can I learn how to implement an Evidence Based Practice for a student with Autism?: Check out link below.
National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Free Registration and Access

5. Best Practices for Students with Autism (ASD) in the Classroom
Accommodations and Strategies with Examples

6. Academic Accommodations:
A structured environment
Visual Schedule (classroom or individual)
Give transition warnings (5 minutes until…)
*timer can be used on the Smartboard for class to see
Visual Aides/manipulatives to support instruction
*you are already doing this with Smartboard lessons
Increased time for processing and responding
Break down directions/tasks into smaller steps or chunks

7. Visual supports are a way to solve problems…
What do you hear yourself saying over and over?
What do you hear students asking over and over?
Where are student performances breaking down?
“If you’ve told a child a thousand times and he still does not understand, then it is not the child who is the slow learner.”
Attributed to Walter Barbee

14. Academic Accommodations:
Extra time to complete assignments
Organizational strategies such as graphic organizers, charts, check lists, etc.
A scribe when the assignment is subject based not writing OR a printed copy of notes.

15. Academic Accommodations:
Most of our students on the Autism Spectrum have far better decoding skills than comprehension skills. Just because students can decode the text does not mean they are comprehending what they read.
Comprehension Checks should:
-limit open ended questions
-give choices for answers to questions asked (ex.
Did the character feel excited or annoyed?)
-realize that they are getting the black and white, but they need to be taught the grey.
-assist students in understanding what is implied by the author

16. Strategies for inhibiting responses
Executive Functioning Supports –Planning , Problem-Solving, Organization, Self- monitoring your own behaviors.
Strategies for inhibiting responses
Use “Reminder” cards
Turn in assignments
when finished
Don’t say thoughts
out loud
Raise hand to
ask questions 16 16

17. Executive Functioning Supports
Strategies for self-monitoring
Posted rules
Visual timer
MotivAider
Invisible Clock
Watchminder
7/2009 17

20. Academic Accommodations
First, Then board

21. Make Your Own Visual Support
How can I make my own visual templates with minimal time?
Free Website with Photographs and Clip Art.
Click on link below.

22. Visual Strategies Support Academics

23. Knowing When to Stop . . .
START
Page_________
STOP

24. Visual Strategies Support Academics 24

26. Social/Emotional Accommodations:
Errands to be done with a partner to provide a social opportunity
Insert breaks during natural transition times OR at designated times throughout the day. (This will be what works best for the child and the classroom he or she is a part of.)
Pacing in the back of class may allow a child an easy sensory break.

27. Social/Emotional Accommodations:
At Recess:
Have a class Recess Bucket OR students can bring in a recess bag. In order to use a toy from the recess bag, you must play with the student the bag belongs to.
The recess rule: “First you must play____ with a friend, then you may use the swing.”
Provide printed sheets of easy to follow directions for recess games.

28. The Incredible 5-Point Scale
Voice Scale
5 Screaming/Emergency Only
4 Recess/outside voice
3 Classroom voice/talking
2 Soft voice/whisper
1 No talking at all
Assists students with an ASD in understanding social interactions and controlling responses
Kari Dunn Buron

29. Today at recess…
I will play with ________________.
We will play _________________.
First I need to play with my friend for 5 minutes, then I can use the swing.

30. Social/Emotional Accommodations:
Use of social stories or scripts during social situations, transitions, changes in routine, field trips, assemblies, fire drills, asking for help, etc.
Positive peer models: use buddies for recess
Frequent and Specific Positive reinforcement

31. Social Story Examples Check out Carol Gray’s Website on Social Stories:
Asking for Help
Sometimes I do not know what I need to do.
This is ok. No one knows what to do all the time.
When this happens I should ask my teacher or another adult for help.
That is the right thing to do. My teacher will be so happy to help me.
It will help me understand what I need to do.
I am so happy that I know how to ask for help. This will make me a very successful student.

32. Social Story Examples Our Field Trip
On Friday my third grade class is going on a field trip. It will be fun.
When I get to school in the morning I will not do morning work.
I will get on a bus with my friends and teachers and ride to Plymouth Plantation.
I will do a scavenger hunt at Plymouth Plantation. Ms. Ash will help me.
I will eat my lunch at Plymouth Plantation. Ms. Ash will bring me a meatball sub for lunch
I will have a quiet voice and a quiet body.
When the field trip is over, I will get back on the bus with my friends and teachers and ride back to school.
My teachers will be proud of me if I have a quiet voice and quiet body on the field trip.

33. Social Story Examples Fire Drills
Sometimes we have fire drills at school. They help us practice.
It is just practice, there is NO fire.
I am okay.
I am safe.
I will stay in class with my friends until I hear the fire alarm ring.
When I hear the fire alarm I will go outside with my class.
I will walk slowly.
I will not talk.
I will be okay. It is just practice.

34. Social Story Examples Time to Go Home
The end of the day is fun. I am happy that it is time to go home!
There are 9 children that take the bus.
We all really love to be the line leader, but it is not possible for all of us to be the line leader each day.
We are going to have a new RULE in the DLC.
The teacher will decide each day who will be line leader.

35. Punch Cards

36. Social/Emotional Accommodations
Behavioral Intervention Plan (i.e. Token Systems)
Start off with quick reinforcement. As they become successful and understand the plan, begin to spread it out.
If possible, have the student own it.
Be sure to be explicit about why they earned the token. For example, “nice job having a quiet voice. Give yourself one token.”

37. Social/Emotion Accommodations

38. Social/Emotional Accommodations

39. Strategies for Behavior Prevention and Management
Structure is Essential
Predictability, consistency, and reliability are important
Identify HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS, over-stimulating, situations in advance (these may include class parties, assemblies, field trips or any change in routine) and plan ahead for them
TRANSITIONS can be tough for students with autism spectrum disorders. Possible strategies for transitioning include:
Give advanced warning
Use a timer
Rehearse the transition

40. Strategies for Behavior Prevention and Management:
Use CLEAR, CONCISE language
Be aware of TONE OF VOICE:
Kids react negatively to preachy, angry, whiny, pleading, infantilizing, moralistic, over-dramatic, loud, pushy, sarcastic tone of voice.
Kids react positively to bright, friendly, gentle, firm, humorous, simple, neutral, sing-song tone of voice.
Represent things VISUALLY whenever possible.
Provide visual cues for behavioral expectations

41. References:
Kluth, Paula Ph.D. “Your going to Love This Kid,” Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom. Baltimore, 2003.
National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
National Autism Center
Diagnostic Center, Northern California

42. Open Sources of Visual Support-Pictures & Icons