Let's Talk About Autism! Education and Living

So there's some awesome resources out there for students with Autism, bellow are some links to a few just to help you all out! Autism-Help http://www.autism-help.org/ The Autism Helper: https://theautismhelper.com/ Autism Speaks: / https://www.autismspeaks.org/ Some Places in California: Family Resource Network Central Valley Autism Project Valley Mountain Regional Center Also let me know if you've found anything too! I'll add it as well!  Let's continue to talk about Autism!

It's not over yet; let's work together! It's true that everything needs to be individualized for students with Autism. SOme things work for some that do not work for others. My best tip to give you all is this, scaffold as much as you can in the classroom! Remember to be student oriented; the goal is that students are learning the materials. As a student who's been now the student and the teacher in a classroom, it's a far easier said than done task of scaffolding. I will do my best to continue to find tips and tricks for subjects for students with Autism. Here's where you come in, if you have ANY tips and tricks and/or teaching strategies that aid our Autistic students to grow, learn and cope with the mainstream classroom, let me know! I will gladly post them and give you the credit! Thank you all so much and let's continue to talk about Autism!

Testing is the toughest thing we have for students across the board. There are many elements that come into play when it comes to it. The test format, student’s stress levels, the high anxiety of taking a test, confusion over the questions. There are some tips and tricks that aid students with Autism with testing. 4 Main Testing Tips and Tricks: Allow the exam to be taken in alternative formats (EX: orally, short answer, fill in the blanks) The goal is to test student knowledge, not the ability to take a test! Give them extra time (for example, if students are able to answer all the questions in an hour instead of 30 minutes, allocate a time and place so they can do so.) Provide a quite place to test. (provide an aid or teacher to give assistance as well as clarification.) Sometimes you can either shorten a test, and it can make/break a student’s grades. DISCLAIMER: All the lists of intervention and integration tips and tricks have come from a collaborati

I found this awesome website that breaks down IEP Meetings (Individual Educational Plans) into different levels and as an advocate I think it's important for all parties involved to be aware of what level they're at. https://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/12/nl.0228.htm

I really wanted to include a video with some advice and inspiration for all of you reading this blog!

The day to day transitions in single subject schools is something I, myself have personally struggled with. It’s quite overwhelming and a lot to remember, here’s some tips and tricks I have used/found helpful for students with Autism! Tips and Tricks for Aiding with Class Transitions  (for middle and high school students.) Walk their schedule during orientation/before the first day of school, explain every step out and allow them to get a feel for the school. Show them the areas that will support them (Ex: where is the office of the school? School nurse? And all help offered on campus.) Provide a written detailed schedule (make sure to have everything on it! Time of class, location, teacher name.) If possible, have them meet their teachers Utilize a daily log to communicate in behavioral, academic and social progress. (between the teachers and parents and students.) It’s best if you stay OPEN with all parties involved. DISCLAIMER: All the lists of intervention and i

Something a lot of teachers forget is that students with Autism thrive in a well organized classroom, but struggle with creating their own. These are some tips and tricks from Special Educational Teachers in the field! Organization Tips and Tricks: Provide a daily planner for what students need to accomplish each day (Do not be afraid to put all events into this planner such as time to wake up, eat, transportation major school activities and times etc.) Provide assertion, spatial, order and procedural support and tasks to keep students on task Repeat instructions/have numerous places for the students to look. (Ex: a visual schedule on the board as well as one on their desk.) Intersperse less desired activities with more desired ones (Ex: use a student interest as an award for doing the work asked of them) Give examples, be clear and specific with your expectations on work (also suppling an explicit example.)   Keep a predictable schedule/daily routine Introduce changes

A huge disclaimer that I have been using the terms intervention, integration and transition as synonym and I apologize. That's not my goal. Bellow I have provided brief definitions of these terms. This video will hopefully clarify the confusion.  INTERVENTION: a teaching strategy that is implemented into a mainstream classroom usually discussed at an IEP. (Individual Education Plan) INTEGRATION: the goal of having students with Disabilities within the mainstream classrooms. TRANSITION: the process of moving into the mainstream (for the purposes if this blog) from a resource/daily class for students with a Disability.

Math is a tough subject for some students, here below are somethings that Math teachers found helpful for students with Autism in their classrooms! 5 Math Interventions: Use materials students can manipulate for abstract concepts. Examples such as additions, subtraction multiplication, division by using rods, tokens, beans (physical objects they can move around.) Allow the students to draw out pictures/diagrams to visually see components in word problems Highlight and color code critical aspects of word problems/equations so that student will recognize the information as being important (aka, color code it.)   Allow students to create their own word/math problems Provide explicit practice generalizing math skills into the real world. (make it applicable!) Fractions can be practiced by learning recipes Subtraction can be illustrated by calculating costs, and money spend on things NOTE: Money is very helpful for showing students real life math applicableness

I reached out to a few Resource teachers who’ve been in the field for each around 10-15 years about things that they’ve had to ask a mainstream teacher with for aiding students with a smoother transition into their classrooms. Here’s some of what they have given me! Here are the Top 9 Integration Strategies for Students with Autism (Across Subjects): Consistency of rules and routine Have students have the same place they turn in/are given back assignments Use clear, simple, unambiguous language Write the directions down on the white board/have numerous places for students to see directions Sit them closer to the teacher, away from doors, windows and distractions Give the student a personal work station for when noises and other distractions disrupt work   Direct questions (and frequent monitoring) of students work, understanding, and pace.  G ive students enough time to understand the materials/complete   Model the desired behavior. DISCLAIMER: