Supporting students with autism: 10 ideas for inclusive classrooms (2023)

According to: P. Kluth (2010). "You're going to love this kid!": Teaching students with autism in the inclusive classroom.

While most educators agree that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for teaching a single student or group of students, there are certainly some guidelines that may be helpful in assisting students with specific designations. Students with autism may have unique learning, social skills, and communication needs, so teachers need strategies to address each of these areas. These ten simple ideas will help teachers address some of the needs above and offer guidance to bring out the best in students marked with autism.

1: Get to know the student from the student

Educators who need information about a student often look at the person's educational records. While these documents are certainly a source of information, they are rarely the most useful source of information. Teachers who want to know more about a student with autism should ask that student for information. Some students are willing and able to share information, while others may need persuasion or support from family members. Teachers can request this information in many ways. For example, they might ask the student to take a short survey or sit down for an informal chat. A teacher asked her student with autism to create a list of teaching tips that could help children with learning disabilities. The teacher then published the guide and distributed it to all educators in the school.

If the student with autism cannot communicate reliably, teachers may reach out to families for help. Parents can share the teaching tips they have found most helpful at home or provide a video of the student participating in various family and community activities. These types of materials tend to provide educators with more useful and tangible insights than traditional educational reports and assessments.

2: Teach fascinations

Whenever possible, educators should use interests, strengths, abilities, specialties, and aptitudes as teaching tools. Can a passion for GPS be used to inspire more reading (operating manuals), new math skills (being a “human GPS”: calculating the shortest route between two places), or fun social science questions (“What would it be like, would dignity be the Would the world be different today if Christopher Columbus had GPS?” [For more information on using Fascinations to support students with autism, seeJust give him the whale, a book I wrote with my colleague Patrick Schwarz on the subject.]

3: Get them talking

In some classrooms, a handful of students dominate small-group conversations and whole-class discussions. While it is important for these verbal and outgoing students to have a voice in the classroom, it is equally important that other students, including shy and quiet students, students using English as a second language, and students with disabilities, have an opportunity to share . and challenge ideas, ask and answer questions, and share thoughts. To ensure all students have opportunities to communicate, teachers need to create structures and activities that allow for interaction.

In one classroom, students were asked to "turn around and talk to each other" at different times throughout the day. A high school history teacher used this strategy throughout the year to split up his classes and give students time to teach each other material. After giving fifteen-minute mini-lectures, he asked students to turn to a partner and answer a specific question or repeat a concept he had taught. For example, after giving a short talk on the presidency, he asked the students to discuss, “What qualities do Americans seem to want in a president? and "How has this list of desired qualities changed over time?" A student with Asperger's Syndrome who needed practice to stay on topic and take turns could practice them daily.

Teachers can also provide opportunities for communication by giving all students "airtime" throughout the class discussion. One way to do this is to ask the whole class for physical responses to specific prompts. For example, instead of asking, "Who can give me a fraction that's equal to half?" the teacher might say, "Stand up if you think you can tell a fraction that's equal to half." This strategy works not only allows all students to provide an answer, but also allows for some teacher-approved moves, which students with autism often appreciate. Whole class physical responses are also appropriate for non-speaking students, making it a perfect choice for the diverse and inclusive classroom.

4: Specify options

Choices can give students not only a sense of control over their lives, but also an opportunity to learn about themselves as workers and learners. The choice can be particularly helpful for students with autism who have special needs in relation to the learning environment, teaching materials, and communication. The choice can be incorporated into almost any part of the school day. Students can choose which exams they take, their role in a collaborative group, and how they receive personal help and support. Examples of options that may be offered in classrooms include:

• Solve five of the ten assigned tasks
• Work alone or in a small group.
• Read quietly or with a friend
• Use a pencil, pen or computer
• Do some research in the library or resource room.
• Take notes with words or pictures.

5: Consider handwriting alternatives

Writing can be a great source of stress and difficulty for students with autism. Some students cannot write at all, and others who can write may have difficulty. To support a student who is struggling with writing, a teacher can try to encourage the child as they try to write something: a word, a sentence, or a few lines. Teachers may also allow the student to use a computer, word processor, or even an old typewriter for some or all of the lessons. For some students, being able to use a word processor while writing helps them focus on the task at hand (content) rather than their motor skills (process).

6: Help with the organization

While some students with autism are extremely organized, others need support to find materials, keep their lockers and desks tidy, and remember to take their assignments home at the end of the day. Consider implementing support strategies that all students might find helpful. For example, teachers can copy homework for all students, pack backpacks, put away materials and clean up workspaces together. The structuring of this daily time gives all students the opportunity to organize and reflect on the transition from school to home. Specific skills can also be taught during this time (e.g. creating to-do lists, prioritizing tasks).

7: Support transitions

Some students with autism struggle with transitions. Some feel uncomfortable switching from one setting to another, while others have difficulty switching from one activity to another. People with autism report that the changes can be extremely difficult, causing stress and disorientation. Teachers can minimize the discomfort students feel during the transition by:

Use a visual timer to allow students to self-manage time during an activity.

• Remind the whole class before each transition.
• Offer the student or the whole class a transition activity, e.g. For example, writing in an exercise book or, for younger students, singing a short song about tidying up.
• Ask colleagues to support the transition period. In elementary school classes, teachers may ask all students to move from one place to another with a partner. In middle and high school classrooms, students can choose a hiking partner in their free time.
• Provide a transitional aid (a toy, object, or picture).

8: Create a comfortable classroom

Sometimes students are not successful because they feel uncomfortable or insecure or even anxious in their educational environment. Providing an appropriate learning environment can be as central to a student's success as any teaching strategy or resource. Students with autism will be better prepared to study in places where they can relax and feel safe. Ideas for making the classroom more comfortable include providing seating (eg, bean bags, rocking chairs); Reduce direct light where possible (e.g. use upward projected light, provide a sunshade for a particularly sensitive student); and minimize disruptive noise (e.g. provide earplugs or headphones for certain activities).

9: Take a break

Some students work best when they can pause between assignments and take some type of break (walk, stretch, or just stop working). Some students need walking breaks; These breaks can last from a few seconds to fifteen or twenty minutes. Some students will need to walk up and down a hallway once or twice, others will be fine if they are allowed to walk around the classroom.

One teacher, realizing the importance of these educational breaks, decided to offer them to all students. He would periodically give students a message for discussion (e.g., What do you know about probabilities?) and then instruct them to "talk and walk" with a partner.

10: included

For students to learn appropriate behaviors, they need to be in an inclusive environment to see and hear their peers speak and act. If students are to learn social skills, they need to be in a place where they can listen and learn from others who are socializing. When students need specific support to succeed academically, teachers need to see how students function in the inclusive classroom to know what type of support is needed.

If it is true that we learn by doing, then the best way to support students with autism in inclusive schools is to involve them.

This article is from the website of Dr. Paula Kluth. These, along with many others on inclusive education, differentiated teaching and literacy, can be found atwww.PaulaKluth.com. Visit now to read her tip of the day, read dozens of free articles, and learn more about supporting diverse learners in K-12 classrooms.