Teaching Students With Autism: Strategies for Success
Just
20 years ago, we didn't see students with autism in our classrooms. But
today, we teach children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's
Syndrome right alongside their neurotypical peers. Reaching and teaching
these students requires a delicate balancing act: understanding how their
brains are wired, helping them turn challenges into opportunities, and
learning to enjoy the rich perspective they bring to the classroom.
If you've ever had a student who blurted out in class, screamed when someone
patted his or her shoulder, or rocked back and forth in the chair, you'll
appreciate the lessons ahead. We'll discover the neurobiology behind these
disorders and the way it affects students' behavior, learning, and thinking.
Most important, you'll learn creative, easy, low-budget strategies to help
these kids succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Develop the skills to counter these students' social awkwardness, sensory
sensitivities, meltdowns, problems with homework completion, language
reciprocity issues, and violent fixations. Even if you don't have a student
with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome in your class this year,
these strategies will equip you to deal with any student who exhibits these
characteristics on a regular basis.
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Requirements:
Internet access; e-mail; and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.
Syllabus:
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end.
Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to
space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
| You may have already taught students with
high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome, but have you taken
the time to get to know them? Today we'll discover how their brains
are wired differently, the ways they behave, and smart strategies to
make the most of the opportunity to teach these kids. |
| Friday - Lesson 02 |
| Now that we've met our students, in this lesson
we'll develop an understanding of the characteristics they often
display in our classrooms. From trouble handling change to
difficulty with social interaction, language processing, and
distractions, we'll discover how these characteristics shape
students' worldview and ability to perform in academic settings. |
| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
| Did you know that most students with
high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome are visual thinkers?
Today we'll spend some time determining how these students process
information so we can tailor our lesson plans to their preferred
learning and thinking styles. |
| Friday - Lesson 04 |
| In this lesson, you'll discover how students with
high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome struggle socially.
We'll talk about the extent of the problem, some of the causes, and
its very real impact. Then we'll discuss some nonverbal and verbal
exercises we can do in class to lessen these students' social
anxiety. |
| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
| Today we'll explore how students with
high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome converse and why
it's so incredibly hard for them to keep conversations going. Then
we'll talk about a graphic organizer that is very helpful when
students need to translate between their thoughts and ours. Finally,
we'll cover how to write social stories that help kids understand
what's expected of them. |
| Friday - Lesson 06 |
| In this lesson, we're going to examine why
students with high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome have
such delicate sensory sensitivities. Then we'll discuss two
strategies for helping them reclaim control over daily experiences
that once seemed quite intimidating. Both the strategies we'll
discuss are visual ones, and they're wonderfully easy and effective. |
| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
| Students with high-functioning autism or
Asperger's Syndrome are often "little professors" who have highly
specialized interests and fixations. How do we direct these gifts
for math or language or science into appropriate academic channels?
With visual strategies that help students link their interests to
the broader world. You'll learn the strategies today! |
| Friday - Lesson 08 |
| This may just be your favorite lesson in the
course! Every teacher I know is looking for new and exciting
strategies to get students to do their homework. Today you'll learn
how to engage students with high-functioning autism or Asperger's
Syndrome in their studies and link their interests with meaningful
learning. |
| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
| What if you had an emotional meltdown every
single day? Would you be excited to get out of bed and do it all
over again? Probably not. Many students with high-functioning autism
or Asperger's Syndrome are prone to meltdowns and tantrums that
derail their focus and take up precious classroom time. In this
lesson, you'll learn how to turn these charged encounters into more
positive learning experiences. |
| Friday - Lesson 10 |
| No one likes to be teased! Sadly, many students
with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome are bullied or
made fun of on a daily basis. Because this makes them so fearful and
frustrated, they often fixate on objects of power or
violence—fixations that can have very serious consequences in
today's world. Today we'll delve into how to channel these
frustrations into more appropriate feelings. |
| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
| Imagine what it would be like if your mind raced
all the time, darting from thought to thought at warp speed. It
would be pretty hard to pay attention to anything, wouldn't it? In
this lesson, we'll look at ways to help students focus on our
lessons and learn a little something in the process. Here's a hint:
Visuals help! |
| Friday - Lesson 12 |
| In our final lesson, we'll talk about smart ways
to prepare students for life beyond our four walls. It's never too
early to start thinking about ways to encourage students to reach
their highest potential in future classes, jobs, and social roles.
After all, isn't that why we chose to be teachers in the first
place? |
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Recommended Courses:
Students who enrolled in Teaching Students With Autism: Strategies for Success were also interested in the following courses:
Working Successfully With Learning Disabled StudentsDifferentiated Instruction in the Classroom
Guided Reading: Strategies for the Differentiated Classroom
Guided Reading and Writing: Strategies for Maximum Student Achievement
Creating the Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for Success
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