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

Classroom Strategies

• Meet with parents, the student and professionals to determine needs of the student.
• Develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
• Work as a team. Keep in touch on new medication and possible side effects, and on mood, personality and environmental changes.
• The student with autism, like any other student, may be more alert in the morning or the afternoon. Whenever possible, structure the learning period according to the student's pattern of response.
• Allow the student time to become familiar with routines and environments. Try to maintain these with as few variations as possible.
• Understand that the student has a unique learning style and gear activities to the individual child, e.g., modify time limits.
• Choose activity-based learning; use concrete, tangible and visual aids. Processing abstract concepts is frequently very difficult.
• Help the student focus on learning: pre-teach, teach and post-teach.
• Strengthen communication skills. Focus on language processing in an ongoing language training approach.
• Help the student organize: use calendars, timetables, photos or pictures of activities in sequence. Remind the student what comes next.
• Cue changes to new activities: help the student anticipate changes before they take place.
• Be as familiar as possible with any specific aids.
• Incorporate and understand behavioural methods as learning strategies.
• Allow time to process information.
• Teach from a functional point of view, avoiding abstracts.
• Watch for over-stimulation: help the student settle down. This may require the substitution of an equally stimulating activity or a change of environment. If necessary, arrange for "time out."
• Integrate social skills, self-control and social problem-solving. Repeating a routine of chosen behaviour is your best resource.
• Incorporate a system of tangible rewards, e.g., a social outing.
• Encourage social interaction with peers, while still allowing access to "time alone" if necessary.
• Establish expectations and consequences. Expect acceptable and appropriate behaviour.
• Be realistic in your expectations. The student will function better in a structure common to home and school.
• Plan for success, constantly reinforce small steps, but be prepared for long periods with no apparent progress.
• Talk to the class about autism and have the student or parent explain any needs. Encourage other students to find out how they can assist and how they should assist.
• Develop a real understanding of the nature of autism - be informed. Read, research and visit other classrooms.