Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Classroom Strategies

• Meet with parents, the student and professionals in the community to determine individual needs of the student.
• Develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) specific to the student's needs.
• Prepare the student for all changes in routine and/or environment. Carefully organize daily situations. Teach the student the habit of moving from one step to the next.
• The student will have a lot of trouble with organizational skills, regardless of their apparent intelligence and/or age. Use verbal cues, clear visual demonstrations and physical cues.
• The student will have problems with abstract thinking and concepts. Avoid abstract ideas where possible. When abstract ideas are necessary, use visual cues as an aid.
• An increase in unusual or difficult behaviours probably indicates an increase in stress, sometimes a feeling of loss of control in a specific situation. Try saying, "Do you have something to tell me?" The individual may need to go to a "safe place" and/or "safe person."
• Don't take misbehaviour personally.
• Most children with Asperger's Disorder use and interpret speech quite literally. Until you know the word processing capabilities of the student from personal experience, avoid: "cute" names such as Pal, Buddy, Wise Guy, etc.; idioms ("save your breath," "jump the gun," "second thoughts," etc.); double meanings; sarcasm; and teasing.
• Be as concrete as possible. Avoid using vague questions like, "Why did you do that?" Avoid essay-type questions. They rarely know when they have said enough or if they are properly addressing the core of the question.
• If the student doesn't seem to be learning the task or concept, break it down into smaller steps or present it in more than one way - visually, verbally and physically.
• Avoid verbal overload. Be clear. Remember that although they don't have a hearing problem, and they may be paying total attention to what you are saying, they may have difficulty understanding what you feel is important in what you are telling them.
• Behaviour management works, but if incorrectly used, or used without keeping the student's level of ability in mind, it can feed robot-like behaviour or be ineffective. Use with creativity.
• Consistent treatment and expectations from everyone is vital.
• Be aware that auditory and visual input can be extremes of too much or too little, depending on the individual.
• Do not rely on the student to relay messages to home about school events, assignments, school rules, etc., unless you are certain that the student is capable of relaying the message. A phone call home works best until this skill can be developed.
• Involve the parents in the work and techniques used at school. The child will function better in a structure common to home and school.
• If the student uses repetitive verbal arguments, and /or repetitive verbal questions, try requesting that s/he write down the question or argumentative statement. Then write down your reply. Or try writing their repetitive argument and/or statement yourself, and then ask the student to write down a logical reply. If your student does not read or write, try role playing the question and/or argument with you taking the child's part and the student answering you in a way they think would be logical.