Strategies for Teachers | resource4allreaders

Instructional Strategies for Teachers of Children with Autism

First and foremost, embrace their individuality and their strengths! This video shares fellow educators’ feelings about inclusive settings for students with autism. As one teacher states, everyone has the right to “show who they are, what their strengths are, and should have the opportunity to build on those strengths.”

You’re Going to Love this Kid! Teaching Students with Autism

10 Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew

Instructional Strategies for Teachers of Early Childhood Children

Use personal and meaningful vocabulary. Incorporate elements from the student’s personal life and their interests into vocabulary teaching. Often students with autism can seem “fixated” on something. Take that interest as an opportunity to build sentences and create literacy foundations.

Why It Works/Rationale: The life experience of children with ASD and other developmental disabilities is often more limited, and in order to enable comprehension, the children's reading material needs to be relevant to their own experience. One key to the success of this methodology is that the vocabulary used to introduce the concept of reading must be meaningful to the child. The child buys into reading—is "hooked" into the process. The names of loved ones—such as Mommy or Daddy—or the names of siblings, pets, favorite foods, toys, places, TV shows and characters, and, especially, intense interests (e.g., Thomas the Tank Engine) all serve as excellent vocabulary builders. During this "hooking" process, we "slip in" sentence builders, such as I, see, like, the, here, is, my, etc., so that sentence construction can begin almost immediately. As the student becomes comfortable and confident in the reading process, the match, select, and name methodology can be carried across all disciplines, enabling a student to acquire subject-specific vocabulary and participate in classroom units in a meaningful manner. (“Teaching Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders to Read: A Visual Approach” Leslie Todd Broun)

Other ideas to build on special interests:
- For new readers, gather up several objects related to the area of interest. For each object, write the first letter of its name on a card and tape the card to the toy. Each time the child wants the object, ask him or her what letter it starts with. From there, move on to labeling the object with the entire word.
- Write a short, informational story about the child's special interest. Include a few facts the child may not already know, as well as many reassuringly familiar details. Work with the child to read this story.
- Choose books that focus on the child's interest. For instance, if the child loves weather, use books on storms or cloud types to work on reading.
- Reward progress with objects or information related to the special interest. For instance, once the child has learned ten sight words, he or she may pick a new trading card.(Teaching Autistic Children Reading by Kate Miller Wilson, http://autism.lovetoknow.com/teaching-autistic-children-reading)
  
  Why It Works/Rationale: “Many autistic children get fixated on one subject such as trains or maps. The best way to deal with fixations is to use them to motivate school work. If the child likes trains, then use trains to teach reading and math. Read a book about a train and do math problems with trains. For example, calculate how long it takes for a train to go between New York and Washington.” (Temple Grandin, http://www.readinghorizons.com/research/teaching-autistic-children-with-dip-phonics-program)
Use direct instruction methods such as modeling correct responses, signals to cue students, choral student responses, and correct procedures for incorrect and non-responses. Begin with concrete examples, then use representations like pictures, then move to the abstract stage of using words only.
- For reading comprehension strategies: model the skill, guide the students to practice the skill, then ask the student to practice the skill independently.

Why It Works/Rationale: Among promising instructional approaches for teaching children with autism, direct instruction has been effective in teaching oral language skills (Ganz and Flores 2009). The researchers concluded that students increased their expressive language skills, based on an increasing number of correct responses to probes posed throughout instruction. This study is significant in that it demonstrates that children with ASDs can be guided to more abstract uses of language through direct instruction.

Direct instruction is an approach that can address both reading comprehension and oral language skills (Flores and Ganz 2007). The researchers used a direct instruction reading comprehension program to teach three “thinking operations” (p. 250) or components of reading comprehension: statement inference, using facts, and analogies. The studies of direct instruction (DI) interventions (Flores and Ganz 2007; Ganz and Flores 2009) demonstrated how the DI approach can be used effectively to teach and scaffold the underlying cognitive processes associated with reading comprehension. (“Teaching Children with Autism to Read for Meaning: Challenges and Possibilities” Judi Randi, Tina Newman, and Elena L. Grigorenko)

Using Visuals to Teach Autistic Students

Token boards, distraction-free photo flash cards, photo schedules and augmentative communication devices help autistic students to learn academic, communication and daily living skills. Silverliningmm.com has many materials to help individuals with special needs and autism.

Instructional Strategies for Teachers of Middle School Children

Establish a calm, clearly distinguished learning environment in which schedules and routines are consistent. Some ideas would be to have separate and defined stations or areas, use physical indications of defined areas (such as tape on the floor designating an area or a special rug or mat), and use picture schedules to let students know what to anticipate. Also make sure to address sensory issues that may cause stress for students with autism.

Why It Works/Rationale: Autistic children often have trouble coping with different environments or chaotic spaces. By delineating the teaching space and its components, it relieves stress for the student with autism. Somewhat similarly, many autistic children thrive on a predictable schedule, so giving them the security to know what to expect each day is beneficial. (How to Teach Children with Autism, http://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Children-with-Autism)

According to Psychology Today, most people with autism also suffer from sensory processing disorder. This disorder affects an individual's ability to filter out extraneous sensory information, such as loud noises or other distractions. This over- and under-sensitivity can make it very difficult for a child with autism to focus on any task, including learning to read.

Help students build background knowledge. While this is a useful strategy for all students, it is especially helpful for students with autism. Presenting background information related to the focus topic can help students better understand the text. For example, teachers might show students a movie related to the text, tell the learner a story related to the text, or help the student create connections between his or her experiences and the topic of the text. The teacher might also:
- brainstorm with the learner and write ideas on chart paper
- share personal stories on the topic
- ask questions about the topic
- make connections between the topic and a student's special interests
- share other books related to the text

Why It Works/Rationale: Many students with disabilities, in particular, need this type of support as these learners are often excluded from the very activities that help students build background knowledge (e.g., socializing with peers, field trips). By helping them acquire background knowledge, they are better prepared and more successful at understanding concepts and topics. “Priming” students, or explaining what they are going to learn, is also helpful.

Perhaps the most significant support that can be offered is to include the student in the typical routines and activities of school life. Students will build "background knowledge" daily when they are included in the social life (e.g., recess, art class, locker routines) and the academic life of the school (e.g., math class, orchestra, academic clubs) and when their instruction is provided alongside their same-age peers. (“Tell Me A Story: Comprehension Strategies for Students with Autism” Paula Kluth, http://www.readingrockets.org/article/36973)

Essentials for Educators: High Functioning Autism & Asperger Syndrome

Essentials for Educators: Presented by Utah parents, teachers, professionals in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this video explains underlying differences in individuals with ASD and suggest strategies for increasing their success in the school setting.

Instructional Strategies for Teachers of Adolescent or Young Adult Children

Use drama! Comprehension can be bolstered when you teach a story or piece of text using drama. Students might act out parts of a textbook or a passage in a short story. This can be used in all grade levels, but can be especially helpful for students with autism as they get older. As characters’ motivations become more internal and complex, students can benefit from seeing their peers interpret those feelings through facial expressions and tone of voice. It brings the text to life for students with autism.

Why It Works/Rationale: When students with autism study literature in the upper grade levels, they may have some difficulty understanding the motivations of characters in a story. This problem occurs because some of these learners have difficulty identifying and articulating emotions in certain contexts. Watching peers act out scenes from literature can help students with autism and others pair dialogue with appropriate facial expressions and voice tone. These scenes, therefore, can help learners better understand the meaning of the story.

Teachers may choose to use different types of drama for different lessons. Pantomime (Keefe, 1996), dramatic reading, and full-story performance are all types of drama that can be used in the classroom to enhance student comprehension and enjoyment. (“Tell Me A Story: Comprehension Strategies for Students with Autism” Paula Kluth, http://www.readingrockets.org/article/36973)

Reciprocal teaching gives the students the opportunity to help one another understand the text. This dialogue between teachers and students is structured by the use of four strategies: summarizing, question generating, clarifying, and predicting. The teacher and students take turns assuming the role of teacher in leading this dialogue.

Once students are comfortable with the strategies, they are invited to become "the teacher" and conduct reciprocal teaching dialogues with new material. At this point the teacher's role shifts from providing direct instruction to facilitating student interaction, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. As students become more skilled with the strategy, they can work in pairs or small groups to coach one another, ask questions, summarize, predict, clarify, and think aloud about what they are reading.

Why It Works/Rationale: This intervention mimics, as closely as possible, naturally occurring guided learning interactions in which the teacher can both model appropriate comprehension-fostering activities and at the same time, guide the child to participate at an ever-increasing level of competence. (Palinscar & Brown, 1984).

All students, but particularly those with autism, may need to see this strategy modeled more than once. Since students with autism are typically quite visual, the teacher may consider videotaping a reciprocal teaching lesson and allowing individual students to take the tape home for viewing. (“Tell Me A Story: Comprehension Strategies for Students with Autism” Paula Kluth, http://www.readingrockets.org/article/36973)

Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers

This four part series is designed to provide general education teachers with strategies for supporting their middle and high school students with autism. At the end of this segment, viewers will be able to: (1) Describe how autism impacts learners; (2) Indicate how the characteristics of autism impacts individuals in a school setting; and (3) Understand that autism manifests itself differently in individual learners.

The DVD was produced by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) in collaboration with Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools, and made possible by grants from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

Recommendations for Assistive Technology

Things to Consider before Choosing Assistive Technology, from the Autism Consortium site
http://www.autismconsortium.org/blog/detail/technology-and-autism-whats-available-and-what-works

Apps for Autism
60 Minutes segment: Autistic people whose condition prevents them from speaking are making breakthroughs with the help of tablet computers and special applications that allow them to communicate, some for the first time. A must watch! See how assistive technology has given these children a voice.

Proloquo2Go
http://www.assistiveware.com/product/proloquo2go

Cost: $219.99

Purpose: Symbol supported communication app that gives a voice to people who find it difficult to communicate orally. This AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) solution is beneficial for children, teenagers, and adults who need symbol support.

Targeted Skills:

Basic Communication vocabulary for beginning communicators
Research-based Core Word vocabulary for language development
Expandable vocabulary
Facilitates communication through words, names, and sentences
Users learn word recognition and practice vocabulary
Allows users to communicate feelings and practice speaking skills

AssistiveWare offers other products:

News-2-You: a weekly symbol-supported newspaper for beginning and special needs readers
Pictello: Create visual stories and talking photo books for all IOS devices

TouchChat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfDYHq65NrU (demo)

Cost:

TouchChat HD for iPad & iPad mini $149.99 USD + tax
TouchChat HD with WordPower $299.99 USD + tax

Purpose: TouchChat is a full-featured communication solution for individuals who have difficulty using their natural voice. This AAC features words, phrases and messages that are spoken with a built-in voice synthesizer or by playing a recorded message. Four page sets are included with the TouchChat. Each page set targets individuals with different communication needs. The version with WordPower is a word-based page set developed by Nancy L. Inman, M.A.T., CCC-SLP that is used to create sentences "on the fly." WordPower has multiple versions to suit the needs of a variety of learners. You can choose how many buttons and thus, how many options the learner has to interact with text. Unlike some programs that are only available in English, TouchChat is available in Spanish and Hebrew.

Targeted Skills:
(by page)

VocabPC: Vocabulary in VocabPC is arranged as carrier phrases, interactive sentences, activity vocabulary and naming words.
MultiChat 15: There are multiple forms of communication available in this program: sentences, phrases, individual words, recordings for story-telling and visual scenes. Also included are interactive play and reading pages, and social pages.
Primary: Select from over 30 button actions when creating new buttons (examples: speak a message, navigate to a different page, clear the display, play an audio file, etc.). Over 10,000 symbols are included for customizing buttons. You can also use your own images or take photos with the built-in camera.
Spelling: Spelling is a QWERTY keyboard page set with four word prediction buttons and a few pre-stored phrases.

GoTalkNow

http://www.attainmentcompany.com/gotalk-now

Cost: $80

Purpose: GoTalk NOW is a full-featured, customizable AAC app for the iPad, ideal for both the beginner and experienced communicator, that turns your iPad into a dynamic GoTalk in seconds with an easy-to-use, touch-based editor. There are adjustable page layouts, customizable navigation, recorded and text-to-speech capabilities, and an included symbol set.

The new NOW offers three styles of communication pages: Standard, Express, and Scene. In Standard Pages, the action occurs when the location is pressed. Recorded or text-to-speech messages build in a speech bar in Express Pages, and play in sequence when the bar is pressed. Scene Pages are built around a single photo or image. You arrange visible or invisible Hot Spots over people or objects in the image, and these Hot Spots can play speech, music or videos.

Targeted Skills: