Autism: A Primary School Teacher’s Perspective Helen Lewis

Learning objectives To identify some of the barriers to learning encountered by children with ASD. To identify some strategies which can be used to support children with ASD to overcome barriers to learning. To demonstrate how some teaching techniques are transferrable to the field of dentistry.

Some statistics October 2010 – NI School Census: – The school population in NI is approx 330,000 – There are approx 64,000 pupils (19.7%) on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) register – 60,000 (92%) of the pupils on the SEN register are in mainstream schools 4,000 (1%) of pupils in NI have a diagnosis of AS/ASD

Brownlee Primary School Enrolment 172 Number on SEN register – 38 (22%) Number of children with AS/ASD – 6 (3%)

Autism Individuals with ASD are affected in their ability to: interpret social behaviour which in turn affects their ability to interact with others; understand and use verbal and non verbal communication; think and behave flexibly.

Education Education aims to ‘minimise’ (not cure) the effects of ASD on learning. Teaching approaches should be child centered, not method centered.

Social behaviour Children with ASD may: find social cues difficult to read; appear socially insensitive / uninterested; have difficulty maintaining social interactions and turn taking; have difficulty understanding other points of view; focus on their own obsessions.

Social understanding

Turn taking

Obsessions

Verbal & non-verbal communication Children with ASD may: not understand tones of voice; not understand non-verbal behaviours; not be able to use non-verbal behaviours; cause offence without being aware; monopolise interactions; take things literally; not understand implied meaning.

Non-verbal communication

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

Other visuals

Taking things literally Pull your socks up!I can play the piano by ear!

lower right E lower right D lower right C lower right B lower right A A B C D E

Flexible thinking and behaviour Children with ASD may: follow rules rigidly; not have the skills to be able to ask for help or clarification; have difficulty prioritising and choosing; have difficulty with organisation of self and materials; have difficulty in seeing connections and generalising skills; be sensitive to change.

Timetables

Organisation of self & materials

Seeing connections & generalising skills

Sequencing

I was sensitive to change. I was terrified of it because change leapt into the unknown and I could not get my head around what the unknown was. Nita Jackson