Autism in Inclusive Classrooms

Jessica Leu

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs

Portfolio Entry for Wisconsin Teacher Standards Three and Five

EDUW 694 Classroom Environment

Instructor: Catherine Anderson

December 3, 2017

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 Selected Wisconsin Teacher Standard Descriptors

Wisconsin Teaching Standard #3: Teachers understand that children learn

differently. The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to

learning and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the

diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities

Knowledge: The teacher understands how students’ learning is influenced by

individual experiences, talents, and prior learning, as well as language, culture,

family and community values.

Dispositions: The teacher appreciates and values human diversity, shows respect for

students’ varied talents and perspectives, and is committed to the pursuit of

individually configured excellence.

Performances: The teacher can identify when and how to access appropriate

services or resources to meet exceptional learning needs.

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 Selected Wisconsin Teacher Standard Descriptors

Wisconsin Teaching Standard #5: Teachers know how to manage a classroom.

The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior

to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active

engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Knowledge: The teacher knows how to help people work productively and

cooperatively with each other in complex social settings.

Dispositions: The teacher is committed to the continuous development of individual

students' abilities and considers how different motivational strategies are likely to

encourage this development for each student.

Performances: The teacher analyzes the classroom environment and makes

decisions and adjustments to enhance social relationships, student motivation and

engagement, and productive work.

Danielson Framework for Teaching

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Domain 2: The Classroom Environment

The Classroom Environment: Effective teachers organize their classrooms so

that students can learn. They maximize instructional time and foster interactions with

and among students, ensuring that students find the classroom a safe place to take

intellectual risks. Students themselves make a substantive contribution to the

effective functioning of the class by assisting with classroom procedures, ensuring

effective use of physical space, and supporting the learning of classmates. Students

and teachers work in ways that demonstrate their belief that hard work will result in

higher levels of learning. Student behavior is consistently, appropriate, and the

teacher’s handling of infractions is subtle, preventive, and respectful of students’

dignity.

Component: 2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

An essential skill of teaching is that of managing relationships with students and ensuring that

relationships among students are positive and supportive. Teachers create an environment of

respect and rapport in their classrooms by the ways they interact with students and by the

interactions they encourage and cultivate among students. An important aspect of respect and

rapport relates to how the teacher responds to students and how students are permitted to treat one

another. Patterns of interactions are critical to the overall tone of the class. In a respectful

environment, all students feel valued, safe, and comfortable taking intellectual risks. They do not

fear put-downs or ridicule from either the teacher or other students.

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Element: Teacher interactions with students, including both words and actions. A

teacher’s interactions with students set the tone for the classroom. Through their

interactions, teachers convey that they are interested in and care about their students.

Pre-Assessment

Self-Reflection Assessment of Classroom Environment Related to WTS 3&5

The Tomah Area School District is a public school district with seven elementary

schools, one middle school and one high school. The district spans a very large area

and encompasses several small towns around the Tomah area. The Tomah Area

School District is a predominately white district. We do have a Ho-Chunk

community in the area that contributes to the diversity of the district. 42% of the

districts families are economically disadvantaged. One school in the district is

piloting a year round school calendar with 45 days on and 15 days off. This is the

first year they are trying it and are excited to see what impact the 45-15 calendar has

on student achievement.

I work at Miller Elementary School, located in Tomah. Our school has 261

students in grades 5K to 5th grade. There are 132 males and 129 females at our

school. I am a special education teacher in the area of Emotional Behavioral

Disabilities (EBD). My emphasis is in EBD, but I have students on my caseload

who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Impairments (OHI), and

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Significant Developmental Delay (SDD) as well. I have 16 students on my caseload

that I provide services to on a daily basis. Of the 16 students I have 14 are male and

two are female. My students range in ages from six-11. I currently do not have any

students in Kindergarten, but do have students in grades one-five. I provide services

to my students in academic areas, as needed, behavior management, and social skills.

I provide support to students in their general education classroom, as well as in my

special education classroom.

The students I work with have a wide range of abilities both academically and

behaviorally. We do not have a lot of diversity at Miller, but we do have some

students of color and of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. My students are

diverse in their personalities, abilities, and behaviors. Many are very interested in

video games, watching YouTube videos and Pokémon. My students love to tell

stories about things they have experienced both positive and negative. They know

that I will listen to what they have to say and support them in any way that I can. We

like to have fun together, and anytime I can, I go outside and play games with them

at recess, laugh with them and enjoy spending time together.

Their behaviors come about due mainly to frustration or the lack of desire to

complete academic tasks. Competitive activities can also be challenging for my

students as losing in games can be difficult to handle. Many of my students are very

gifted academically and enjoy sharing the successes they have in the classroom. It is

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fun and challenging to determine what strategies and techniques best meet the needs

of each student. All students are different and should be treated as so.

My students have a variety of social/emotional and behavioral needs. Whether

they are diagnosed with EBD, OHI, ASD, or SDD, they need support in their

classroom and instruction out of the classroom at times. Many of my students have a

medical diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This poses

some challenges for these students to control their impulsivity in the classroom.

They have a variety of needs to move and be active within the classroom to maintain

focus on the content being taught. I have students with Autism that have a range of

abilities as well. Students with Autism have a unique set of skills and abilities. Each

student is different, and I work hard to get to know each student and determine what

will help him or her learn best for to ensure success.

My classroom is a space that I share with the Positive Behavior Intervention

Support (PBIS) teacher. We are available to students to work on class work, take

engine breaks, or to reflect on behavior choices they are making in the classroom.

Engine breaks consist of a five-minute break in a sensory room, with several

different tools to help get students re-regulate and calm in order to be successful in

their classroom. The engine room has a swing in it, a tunnel, a tent, a squeeze

machine, balance boards, various fidgets, and other sensory items to help meet

student sensory needs.

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 I also run small group lessons focusing on social skills and some academic skills

as needed. Our classroom is called the Learning Center (LC). In the LC, we have a

variety of seating options to provide flexible seating for our students. These seating

options provide students with the ability to move around while they are working to

increase their ability to focus. If you were to come into my classroom you would

find students working closely with adults to problem solve situations that come up in

different areas of the school. I work with students on behavior management and

intervention to help them become more successful in their inclusive classrooms.

The expectations of the LC are clear and consistent and posted on the wall for

students to review. Students come to the LC for a variety of reasons. I provide the

support, as needed, as well as scheduled intervention and small group social skills

instruction times. When I am not scheduled to be running a group or in the Learning

Center, I provide support to my students directly in their classrooms. I provide

support to my students with Autism during difficult times including in math and

writing, and English Language Arts (ELA) class times. The core curriculum classes

are the most important times that I provide support. In general education classrooms,

it is important to address behavior issues as they come up so minimal instructional

time is lost.

The Tomah Area School District mission is high quality education, every child,

every day. With this mission, our initiatives are designed to provide that quality

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education. We focus a lot on integration that culminates in providing high quality

education everyday for every child. We continue to grow our use of technology to

advance student growth. The High School and Middle School have 1:1 computers.

The elementary schools have classroom sets of computers and iPad's for general use

in classrooms. The growth mindset philosophy is a growing district initiative where

we focus on teaching students they can learn anything by growing their brain.

Through this, we also focus on creating a positive learning environment for all

students to enhance learning.

My philosophy of classroom environment is that there needs to be mutual respect

and a sense of belonging for students to be successful. Teachers need to have clear,

high expectations that the students know and understand. Interactions between

teachers and students should be positive and constructive. Students need to know

that teachers are going to help them be successful, but also hold them accountable to

the expectations. When the expectations are not followed, there needs to be a

consistent, timely, and relevant consequence. Students need to be aware that the

choices they make have consequences, both positive and negative. Once the

classroom culture and expectations are established, the content of the class can be

taught more efficiently.

A strength I have in the area of Charlotte Danielson’s Domain 2: The Classroom

Environment is that I create a welcoming environment with respect and rapport.

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Being a special education room, I make it clear to my students that respect is the core

expectation. All students are different and some students don’t understand why other

students do some of the things they do. I use these inquiries as teachable moments.

It is important to teach students that each person in unique, and we accept all people

as they are and embrace their uniqueness.

This is especially true for students on my caseload with Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) who engage in self-stimulating behaviors that may look different.

My students understand that we need to respect one another’s differences and treat

others the way we want to be treated. I also pride myself on my ability to develop

positive relationships with my students. They know they can trust me and that I am

there to do all I can to help them be successful at school.

One area related to Domain 2 that we are still working on and has been a

challenge is classroom procedures and behavior management. Behavior is a difficult

entity as it is not clear black and white, with each situation being different. With two

teachers and four aides in and out of the Learning Center each day, it is difficult to

be consistent with managing behaviors and procedures in each situation.

Consistency is very important for students on the Autism Spectrum. Gaining this

consistency is at the forefront of the progressions in my classroom as the school year

progresses.

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 The exceptional learning condition I would like to learn more about is Autism

Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I believe that researching more about ASD will help me

be a better teacher for all my students. There are several strategies I have tried for

students with ASD that will also work with other students on my caseload. ASD is a

condition that has increased in prevalence in recent years and is a very unique

diagnosis. There is a very large spectrum that students with ASD can be categorized.

Therefore every child with ASD is different and has different needs that need to be

met. I think researching and being able to implement even more strategies and

techniques to better educate ASD, and essentially all students on my caseload will be

most beneficial for me.

Essential Question to Guide Learning Process and Growth

Students have a wide variety of needs in my classroom as well as the

classrooms of my colleagues. With the increase of students with Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) in classrooms, I want to be able to provide strategies and supports to

best educate those students while they remain in the general education classrooms.

Inclusive classrooms are most common now in education and teachers need to be

properly equipped to educate all students in their classrooms.

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 After reflecting on my classroom, the Wisconsin Teaching Standards, and

Danielson’s Domain 2 Classroom Environment, the essential question that will guide

my personal and professional research and learning is:

What strategies and supports are most effective for educating students with ASD in

inclusive classrooms?

Synthesis of Research

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder

that impairs a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others (What is

autism?, 2016). The predominant difficulties lie in the areas of verbal and nonverbal

communication, social interactions, and patterns of behavior. According to The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 1 in 68 children, 1 in 54 boys are

diagnosed with ASD (What is Autism?, 2016.

ASD is typically diagnosed at a young age. The earlier the intervention takes

place the greater the success is moving forward. According to Autism Society, 2016

the signs of Autism to look for in children are, “Lack of or delay in spoken language,

repetitive us of language and/or motor mannerisms, little or no eye contact, lack of

interest in peer relationships, lack of spontaneous or make-believe play, persistent

fixation on parts of objects (What is autism?, 2016). Students and children may

experience all of these signs, where others may only display some of the signs. The

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Autism spectrum has a lot of variance among diagnoses. ASD is diagnosed based on

behavior analysis to determine what the behaviors are and how severe they are in

that child.

Each person with ASD has a unique set of abilities. The individuality of each

student should be embraced and nurtured in inclusive classrooms in K-12 education.

Teachers need tools and strategies to provide the best education possible for these

students on the Autism Spectrum.

Getting to know students with Autism in inclusive classroom is critical to the

success for both the teacher and the student. Dr. Paula Kluth, (2012) in a video she

published for Autism speaks, suggested three habits of mind teachers need to have

when working with students with ASD. These three habits of mind are, be open, see

yourself as a learner, and to see each student’s uniqueness as an opportunity to

inspire your teaching. She explained the three habits farther as follows:

“Be open, take things as they come, don’t worry about having a lot of

knowledge about autism, need to get to know them as an individual.

Many times teachers want to know a lot about autism prior to having a

student come into their classroom, however getting to know each

student as an individual will be the most beneficial. See yourself as a

learner, be curious, you don’t have to know it all, students and

families will bring us answers. Parents know their child better than

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 anyone else and will be able to provide great insight into their child.

Asking the student can also be very informational. See as opportunity

to inspire teaching, adapt style and procedures for all kids, and find

new ways of teaching all students by creating new opportunities for

individual students. Often times teachers will adapt lessons for

specific students, but find out that it works for all students and begin

to shift their philosophy about how children learn and grow. Use

these opportunities to grow as a professional and educator as well. See

yourself as ally and advocate for students in your classrooms.” (Kluth,

2012).

Family structure, dynamic, and involvement can play a crucial role in the

education of students with ASD. Understanding and familiarizing teachers with

families and building trust and positive relationships will benefit the child’s

education. Dr. Paula Kluth (2010) stated, “Building partnerships with families is as

or more important than anything else teachers can do in the classroom (Kluth p.58).

This idea can be difficult for teachers to grasp, but is a great strategy to use when

welcoming and student and their family into an inclusive classroom. This strategy

does not require any resources, just takes a willingness to learn from students and

their families in ways that go beyond the classroom walls. Artifact A shows

examples from Paula Kluth’s book “You’re Going to Love this Kid!” of surveys and

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observation forms to give to parents and students to find out more about students and

families.

Another strategy that is often suggested for students with ASD is the use of

visual supports in the classroom to increase independence and compliance to

everyday tasks. “Visual supports enable a learner to keep track of daily activities

and to develop an understanding of time and sequences” (Kyama & Wang, 2011;

Twachtman-Cullen, 1995 quoted in Modules, 2017). Visual supports range from

pictures to words to represent a routine or task a child is to complete. With the use

of visual supports for students with ASD, they will become more independent, learn

things more quickly, become frustrated less frequently, and will be able to adjust to

changes more readily (Kayama & Wang, 2011; Savner & Myles, 2000 taken from

Modules, 2017).

Visual supports can be used for scheduling purposes, to assign a picture to a

specific item, for transitions, or to visually represent instructions given to a student.

Visual schedules can be used for students who have anxiety about time and

transitions and could benefit from a schedule they can manipulate themselves as

tasks and activities are completed (Kluth, 2010, p. 261).

Artifact B shows examples of visual schedules for elementary aged students.

Transitions within the day are often challenging as well. Creating visual supports

and predictability to transitions can help reduce the stress student’s feel during those

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transition times. These visual cues could include the use of a timer to show the

length of time left in an activity, using a transition activity/song, prompting students

when a transition is approaching, have predictable routines following transitions,

provide transition aid and or partner to increase predictability, and decrease anxiety

(Kluth, 2010, p. 261-262).

Transition visuals can help students to remain regulated and engaged for the

next activity. Artifact C shows visuals used for transitions. Writing out visually

what is expected of students can help students to organize and follow through on

tasks they are being asked to do. When directions are given orally with multiple

directions given at once, students can have a difficult time processing all of the

information. If the directions are given both orally and visually, students can better

attend to the tasks without the anxiety of trying to process multi step directions.

Along with the visual supports in inclusive classrooms, Dr. Paula Kluth (2010)

described indirect communication as an important tool for teachers, and parents to

experiment with. “Many individuals with autism feel uncomfortable engaging in

direct conversations or direct interactions” (Kluth, 2010, p.139). Parents and

children who were quoted in Paula Kluth’s book used different forms of indirect

communication to enhance conversations.

One example from a parent was to use a puppet to talk with a child with ASD.

That way the child is talking to the puppet and not the actual person. That feels less

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threatening than talking to a person. Any strategy to take the anxiety out of the

communication will be helpful for a student with ASD. Communication is a skill

students are lacking, so making it less abrasive to students will help increase skills

and stamina in communication. Dr. Kluth provided a list of ideas to make

communication less direct. They are as follows:

a) Use props related to conversation such as toy microphones or megaphones

b) use costumes or pieces of costumes

c) have the student “be” their favorite character or person and answer as him

or her

d) incorporate gestures and signs

e) speak in/teach another language

f) bring in toys or puppets and have the toy give the information or ask the

questions

g) have an exchange on paper, use text messaging, or email back and forth

h) speak on the phone

i) speak to the student while they are doing something else such as

bouncing a ball or organizing materials (Kluth, 2010, p. 141).

These strategies can increase the amount of communication students with ASD

display by changing the delivery of the speech to make it more comfortable for them.

This strategy can be implemented with little cost and will have great benefits for

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students with ASD in inclusive classrooms. With the use of indirect communication,

students with ASD will become more confident and comfortable with

communication, while enhancing their learning and the learning of others in their

classroom.

Professional Implications of Research

The research I conducted on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) really

resonated with me and my philosophy about education. I understand the importance

of building a relationship with students and their families in order to provide what is

best for each student individually. In my own classroom, I have found that talking

with students about things not related to school can provide the most beneficial

insight into their lives and hearts. Students with ASD may have different abilities,

but are no different that any other child in that they want to love and be loved. If a

child and their families know that you have the child’s best interest in your heart,

they will have less anxiety about the interactions they have with you. I know that I

need to help general education teachers build that relationship early on and build that

trust so that the student can be successful in an inclusive classroom.

Creating visual supports throughout the school to support students is another

strategy I think would benefit some of the students I work with and their classroom

teachers. I find that many of the students on the Autism Spectrum that I work with

have a difficult time following multi-step directions. Instead of assuming that the

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student is being noncompliant, we need to instead provide them with a visual support

to be able to process through the steps to achieve success in the tasks we are asking

them to do. I also think that with younger students, multi-step directions can be

overwhelming. Providing students with one direction at a time with a visual support

would be beneficial.

Indirect communication was something that I had not thought about or heard

as a strategy prior to beginning my research. I like the idea of using props or

gestures, for example, to differentiate the communication aspect of my classroom.

Often times we don’t think about communication as a difficult task for

students to do, but the shift we need to make is that ASD is a disability that relates to

communication. Just as we would adapt a lesson for students who are not reading at

grade level, we need to adapt the way we communicate to meet the needs of our

students with ASD. Teachers are very verbal with their communication in

classrooms. It is important to supplement with visuals and indirect communication

as well. It may seem more uncomfortable for us, but it is essential to the success of

all students.

Students with ASD are very unique and individual. The brain development

differs from a typically developing student, but that does not mean they are less

capable of achieving success in schools. It needs to be a shift in what educators are

doing to support students with differing abilities rather than trying to “fix” or “cure”

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students with disabilities. While the strategies I chose to write about are only few of

the many strategies available, I think starting to implement these strategies will be

beneficial for my students. I am excited to provide teachers with resources to help

improve their classroom environments to support students with ASD. Artifact D

shows a resource I will give to teachers of inclusive classrooms with strategies to

support all students in their classrooms.

Research-based Action Plan

Action Plan Summary

I will design and implement several strategies to improve the environment and

education for students with ASD in inclusive classrooms by:

1) Survey students and their families to find out more about each child as an

individual and using that information to adapt learning environments and

instruction. Artifact A.

2) Provide visual supports for students in and out of the classroom. Artifact B

and C.

3) Provide a brochure to teachers outlining various supports and strategies to use

in inclusive classrooms with students with ASD. Artifact D.

Anticipated Implementation

Based on my research I have several ideas on how to incorporate and

implement these new strategies in my classroom and the classrooms of my

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colleagues. To increase parent and student involvement, I will have students

and families fill out surveys and questionnaires to get to know each student

individually. It is important to obtain and use information from students and

their families to help best educate them.

Visual supports are very important to use with students with ASD. I will

create and use visual schedules to support students with their daily schedule

and help them build independence and with daily routines. I will have different

schedules for different students based on their abilities and grade levels.

Transitions can also be difficult for students with ASD. I will create a

transition visual with colors depicting the different time frames of an activity to

prepare for transitions, making them more predictable. I will also use visual

timers to display the time remaining before a transition. Another transition tool

I will use is an auditory signal through songs as a transition. The transition time

occurs until the song is done. This will monitor the time needed when getting

to the next location or activity in the classroom. Visual timers will also be used

to signal times between transitions as well.

ASD is a very diverse disability. I will create and share a brochure

outlining the basic definitions, typical behaviors, and strategies and supports to

use with students with ASD in inclusive classrooms. By sharing this

information as well as citing resources as additional sources will provide

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teachers with the tools to begin adapting their classroom to meet the needs of

all students.

Anticipated Outcomes

By giving both students and teachers supports and strategies, I anticipate

that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder will be able to achieve success in

an inclusive classroom and be able to learn with their peers. I believe that

students will do well if they can and need the proper supports in place to do so.

ASD is a unique disability in which all students are different. By providing

several strategies to try and resources to learn more teachers will be better

equipped to accommodate students with ASD in their classrooms.

Relationships and trust are a huge aspect of how students interact and

feel in different situations. By providing students with the opportunity to be

involved in the process of their education, they will know that their needs and

wants are being heard. I anticipate that with a greater emphasis on providing

supports in the inclusive classroom there will be an increase in the time

students spend learning from and with their peers. I, as a special education

teacher. anticipate that I will help in the classrooms with implementing the new

strategies. I need to model and support students and staff with strategies and

tools. By doing so, all staff that work with each student will be on the same

page and will be able to implement and proactively support students with ASD.

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 Post-assessment: Reflection

What Worked (or anticipate what will work) and Why

1. I anticipate that the increased visual supports will work for my students

with ASD. Visual supports increase the predictability and decrease the anxiety of

not knowing what comes next. Visuals will provide students with ASD a way to

process the complex expectations of the classroom in different ways.

2. I anticipate that students will be able to stay and thrive in inclusive

classrooms. With teachers willing to adapt and accommodate student needs within

their classrooms students will progress with their classmates with my support. I

anticipate that teachers will appreciate the support and will enjoy the success the

students in their class experience.

What Did Not Work (or anticipate what will not work) and Why

1. I anticipate that it might be difficult for teachers to incorporate props into

their teaching to utilize indirect communication. Indirect communication can be

difficult to do when it is not as natural as speaking directly to a group of students. I

believe this might take a little more modeling and support to incorporate more

regularly in the classroom setting.

2. Incorporating many things at once may become challenging as well for

teachers and students. All involved will progress incrementally if new strategies and

supports are gradually introduced. My goal is to implement all of these strategies,

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but I believe it will not work if teachers and students are trying to adjust to it all at

once. It will be my job to determine what is most critical to incorporate for each

individual student.

My Next Steps

1. I need to collaborate with the teachers of my students with ASD. The plan

to better support students with ASD in an inclusive classroom requires that the

teachers be on the same page and willing to adapt. Each student is different so I

need to take into consideration what will be most beneficial for the teacher and

student to accomplish together.

2. Each student is the center of the program being designed in each classroom.

I need to be sure to engage the student in the decision making process regarding the

supports they need. After implementing different supports I need to make sure to

check in with students and their families to be sure that the students are progressing.

From there I can revise their plan and add additional supports as needed.

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References

Kluth, P. (2010). You’re going to love this kid! Teaching students with autism in

the inclusive classroom (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes

Publishing Co.

Kluth, P. (2012, August 15). School community tool kit. Retrieved on November 12,

2017 from http://www.autismspeaks.org//family-services/tool-kits/school-

community-tool-kit.

Modules, A. I. (2017). Autism internet modules. Retrieved on November 15, 2017

from http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/.

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What is autism? (2016). Retrieved December 11, 2017, from http://www.autism-

society.org/what-is/

Examples of Artifacts

Artifact A: Student and family survey

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Artifact B: Visual Schedules

TIME CLASS DONE HW/Finish POINTS

Check in/Lunch
8:00-8:15
count

Reading
8:15-8:25
Workshop
8:25-9:05 Daily 5

9:05-9:35 ICE
Snack/Read
9:35-9:50
aloud
9:50-10:00 Morning Meeting

10:00-10:40 Daily 5 Rotations

10:40-11:10 A-Music

11:15-12:15 Recess/Lunch

12:15-12:20 Calm Classroom

12:20-1:15 Math

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 1:15-2:00 Writing

2:00-2:15 Recess

2:15-2:30 Handwriting

2:30-2:55 A-ESS

2:55-3:10 Finish/Checkout

8:00-8:30 Resource Room-go over schedule and get ready for the day

8:30-9:00 Classroom-Snack and read aloud with class

9:00-9:35 Resource Room-reading activity or SS group

9:35-10:00 Recess/bathroom

10:00-10:10 Resource Room-Prepare for transition to MAPE

10:10-10:40 MAPE

10:40-11:15 Classroom-Word work

11:15-12:15 Lunch/Recess

12:15-1:00 Resource Room-Reading

1:00-2:00 Classroom- Math

2:00-2:15 Recess

2:15-3:00 Resource Room-Technology/Handwriting/Reading

Morning Work Art Reading Handwriting

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 Snack Music Math

Computer

Word Work Recess

ICE/SS Group

Recess Lunch

IPad

Gym Recess

Library

Guidance

Assembly

OT Group

Change in schedule

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Artifact C: Transition visuals and other visual supports

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 “Children do well
if they can not if
Artifact D: Brochure on Autism Spectrum
they want to.”
-Ross Greene
Typical Behaviors

 Movement differences-excessive,

repetitive, atypical, or loss of typical

movement

 Sensory differences- hypo or hyper

responses to sensory processes

 Sensitivity to touch, sound smell Disorder (ASD)

taste, and sight.

Resources
 Communication differences- few or no
 “You’re Going to Love This Kid!” by Paula Kluth
spoken words, atypical speech patterns,

difficulties with expressive and

receptive language
 “Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing

Autism” by Barry M. Prizant, PHD

Autism
 Social differences- social situations are

difficult, value relationships, difficulty

 Autism Internet Modules.org
Spectrum
 Autism Speaks.org


reading social cues from others.

Learning differences- some manifest

 “Just Give Him the Whale” by Paula Kluth Disorder
similar to learning disabilities, some

have high interest /fascinations, excel

 PaulaKluth.com
(ASD)
with technology and concrete skills

page 39 of 40

Strategies for working with students that work for
What is
Autism Spectrum disorder is a neurological
disorder that effects 1 in 68 children. ASD is
ASD
defined as a disability relating to impairment
in a child’s ability to communicate and
interact with others. Students with ASD have
difficulty with verbal and nonverbal
communication, social interactions; play
skills, repetitive movements and difficulty
with transitions.
 Incorporate indirect communication to
Strategies
improve communication skills for
with ASD

students with ASD
Get to know each student and their
students
families and build relationships  Capitalize on interests and
fascinations, use them in supports in
 Use visuals in addition to and or in
the place of verbal cues
classroom
 Use Augmentative Communication
 Provide students sensory breaks to
Devices for all students if one student
get input to meet their sensory
(or more) requires it
needs
 Focus on student strengths, highlight
 Incorporate natural supports as
those in class activities
much as possible. Ex: peer
supports, time, strengths  Educate class on ASD and acceptance
 Include students in all classroom
activities
page 40 of 40