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In addition to the
deficits noted in the overview
article on
Asperger's Disorder, many students with Asperger's
will also exhibit tics,
obsessive-compulsiveness,
executive
dysfunction,
and ADHD,
even though they may not be formally diagnosed with
those disorders, and educators should familiarize
themselves with the strategies or tips for dealing
with those conditions. The section on executive
dysfunction is particularly important because of
the organizational deficits and difficulties making
transitions.
Some tips or
strategies to consider after determining the
student's needs:
- Use visual
organizers for daily routine, and highlight any
changes in routine. Consistent routine and
structure reduces stress for the student and the
organization and consistency of your classroom
environment is one of the key factors in
managing the student's deficits.
- As much as
possible, try to stick to a structured routine.
Wherever possible prepare the student for
potential changes or transitions.
- Prepare the
student for any changes in routine. Because
students with Asperger's Disorder generally do
not handle transitions well, extra verbal and
visual cues may need to be employed in the
classroom, as well as providing direct
instruction in how to make a
transition.
- Verbal skills
tend to be a strength or relative strength, so
whenever possible, use verbal cues that are
short, direct, and concrete.
- Remember that
students with Asperger's Disorder tend to
interpret language very literally, so avoid
slang or idiomatic speech. Students with
Asperger's Disorder may also have difficulty
interpreting tone and facial expressions, so a
sarcastic "Oh, that was great!" may
inadvertently positively reinforce an
inappropriate behavior. And don't count on them
understanding that you're trying to give them
one of those "meaningful looks" that work so
well with their non-Asperger's peers. If the
student is doing something inappropriate, do not
bother asking them why they are doing it. Tell
them in clear, short statements what they should
do.
- When presenting
multi-step directions, pause between
instructions on multi-step tasks and check for
comprehension.
- Because abstract
thinking is challenging, incorporate visual cues
and graphics organizers for written expression
tasks. Visual editing strips, like those
described in the executive
dysfunction
section of this site, can help the student
remember what to do and in what order.
- If the student
appears to be getting agitated or headed for a
"melt-down," it may be due to stress from the
particular situation or frustration. Avoid
situations that might produce "sensory overload"
for the student.
- If the student is
getting overwhelmed, help the student make a
"graceful exit" to go to some safe place that
you've agreed upon where they can relax and calm
themselves for a while.
- Eye contact is
difficult for many students with Asperger's
Disorder, and on some level, it may be
meaningless to them if they don't derive as much
information from looking at you as their
non-Asperger's peers do. If you do want them to
look at you, rather than cueing or demanding eye
contact, try holding a prop in your hand when
you're speaking to the class. If you change
props or what you're holding, the student will
be more likely to look at you.
- Do not expect
skills learned in one setting to generalize to
another setting. Teach the skill and rehearse it
in a variety of settings.
- Provide clear
expectations and rules for behavior.
- Foster social
skills by direct instruction and teach the
student how to interact through social stories,
modeling and role-playing.
- Because many
students with Asperger's have handwriting
deficits, allow extra time for handwritten work
and explore the use of word
processors.
- If the student
engages in perseverative questioning that
interferes with classroom instruction, you can
try instructing the student to write the
question down and that you will meet with him
after class to answer his question. If that
doesn't work, talk with the student, state that
his questions are creating a problem for his
peers and for you, and ask him what he thinks
would work to help him not ask so many questions
during class. You may wish to incorporate a
private visual signal.
- Behavior
modification plans may work well for some
behaviors and some students, but it may engender
some "robotic-like" or rigid behaviors.
- Be particularly
sensitive to peer rejection and bullying. You
may need to insure that there is added adult
supervision in settings like the playground, in
the cafeteria, on the school bus, and in the
halls (if the students go from room to room on
their own). Pre-plan with the student what she
will say or do in particular situations if you
expect that they will be difficult for her, then
quickly review with her afterwards how her plan
worked.
- Arrange for the
student to get speech and language services in
school to help address the pragmatics of
communication and conversational social skills.
Provide small-group training in social skills.
- The lament of the
adult with Asperger's that his wife shouldn't
have to hold up a sign to tell him how to
respond points out what is actually a useful
strategy, however, in working with young
students with autism spectrum disorders: some
research suggests that a combination of peer
education/training and written text cues for
social skills may improve the child's quality
and quantity of successful peer interactions.
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