WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR … “It’s raining cats and dogs” “He was the apple of her eye” “Keep your eye on the ball” “Two heads are better than one” “Hold your horses” “I am out on a limb”

A SPERGER S YNDROME Chloe' Blasingame Allison Buns Laura Chelcun Meredith Wroblewski

“I T ’ S R AINING C ATS AND D OGS ”

“HE WAS THE APPLE OF HER EYE”

“K EEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL ”

“T WO H EADS A RE B ETTER T HAN O NE ”

“HOLD YOUR HORSES”

“I AM OUT ON A LIMB”

LESSON OBJECTIVES All students will be able to describe three specific strategies to effectively teach students with Aspberger Syndrome. Most students will be able to support their discussion of these strategies with background information of Aspberger Syndrome as it relates to why these strategies may be helpful. A few students will be able to include in their discussion how a paraprofessional may be used to help implement these strategies.

A SPERGER S YNDROME Definition Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder that is characterized by limited interests or an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of other activities. People with AS are said to have an Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD), one of a distinct group of neurological conditions characterized by a greater or lesser degree of impairment in language and communication skills. Children With AS have: Repetitive routines and rituals Socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and the inability to interact successfully with peers Problems with non-verbal communication, including the restricted use of gestures, limited or inappropriate facial expressions, or a peculiar, stiff gaze Clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements Peculiarities in speech and language, such as speaking in and overly formal manner or in a monotone manner, or taking figures of speech literally

L ANGUAGE & C OMMUNICATION Peculiarities Lack of Modulation Random Conversation

C LASSROOM S TRATEGIES FOR L ANGUAGE & C OMMUNICATION Self-Monitoring Develop Multi-Directive Skills Complex Language

O FF T ASK B EHAVIOR & D ISORGANIZATION Appear off-task Easily distracted by internal and external stimuli Lack organizational skills

C LASSROOM S TRATEGIES FOR O FF TASK B EHAVIOR & D ISORGANIZATION Establish clear expectations Teach student to use planner, to-do lists and how to prioritize. Show examples of what they should do Provide feedback

S OCIAL S KILLS Difficulty taking perspectives of others Lack of awareness of emotions Difficulty interpreting other’s social behavior

C LASSROOM S TRATEGIES FOR D EVELOPING S OCIAL S KILLS Modeling Teach awareness of other’s emotions Social stories

A CADEMIC S UPPORT Difficulty focusing for long period of time Problems with change in routine Fixation on one topic

C LASSROOM S TRATEGIES FOR A CADEMIC S UPPORT Provide clear, written instructions Individualize teaching strategies; use repetition Seat student in room away from extraneous stimuli Use “chunking”

MANAGING BEHAVIORS Anxiety!!!!!

C LASSROOM S TRATEGIES FOR M ANAGING B EHAVIORS Consistency Cope with Stress Identify Challenging Situations

A DDITIONAL R ESOURCES MAAP Services for Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and PDD Autism Network Internatinal (ANI) Autism Society of America wws.autism-society.org Autism Research Institute (ARI) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) wws.nimh.nih.gov National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Information Clearinghouse wws.nidcd.nih.gov

An Asperger Dictionary of Everyday Expressions By: Ian Stuart-Hamilton

Review Take one minute to: write down three strategies you have learned to effectively teach students with Aspberger Syndrome. Include a note for each that explains why these strategies are useful as they relate to Aspberger Syndrome. Think about how a paraprofessional might be useful to implement one or more of these strategies in the classroom. Use these notes to review for the final exam!

Final Exam Question Describe three specific strategies to effectively teach students with Aspberger Syndrome. Support your description with background information on Aspberger Syndrome (e.g. common symptoms and/or problem areas). It is a good idea to include how a paraprofessional might be helpful in implementing these strategies in the classroom.