Katherine Browning

Introduction

The autism spectrum has always interested me. This is a topic that I wanted to research since I want to work with young children who have autism. I desire to be an early childhood special education teacher and to help these children make accomplishments in life. I continue to search for updated information about autism. I feel personally committed to this field since I have experienced the journey that they experience.

As a child, I was diagnosed with autism. I went through speech therapy and special education. I have my stims like many people with autism. For example, I stim on thunderstorms and I love recording them. I can be in my own world sometimes and "zone out". In my free time

I will think for hours about movies that I like and create stories in my head like other people with autism might do. My mother became a speech therapist and there are so many things that she taught me about working with the autistic population. Since I experienced this first hand, I know much about autism already.

I know why they think the way that they do because I was there. I really understand these children. I know the ways in which I should interact with them and coax them to pay attention to me. I understand their stims and why they enjoy going into their own world. I know how to help them as well as how to be a mentor to them. However, there is still so much that I could learn about the different degrees of autism.

I am aware that I don't know as much about working with children who are considered to be a low functioning autistic. I am currently working with an individual who is 17 and is considered to be such. Therefore, I am also learning from some hands on experience on how to work with someone who is a low functioning autistic. I still need to grow and to learn about the various teaching styles that have been found useful for autism. I need to learn about the different degrees of autism as well as ever growing treatment plans and teaching strategies.

Through this research, I hope to gain more awareness about the different types of teaching methods appropriate for autism. I want to know about the different methods to teach students with autism. I want to learn how and why these methods work. I plan on searching for information regarding this topic through online sources from both people with autism and professionals. Overall, I hope to gain important information from this research paper.

I want to have more experience in this area since this is my chosen area of expertise. I want to be able to help autistic children, to the best of my ability, live as full and complete lives as possible according to their capabilities. I also hope to gain more knowledge and insight on autism as new methods are discovered. Different kinds of children learn in different ways. Some are from a different culture, some have learning disabilities, and etc. Autism is a disability, however these children still can be taught.

They just need to be taught in different ways. Autism is "a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns."1 There are many different teaching methods that can be used with children who have autism. These teaching methods can have advantages and disadvantages.

Temple Grandin, having grown up with autism, has come up with teaching tips and the following statements list some of them. According to Temple Grandin, autistic children are visual learners.2 They need to be shown how to perform tasks so that they can visualize it.

Sometimes they need to be shown hand-over-hand how to do something.3 For example, a teacher may put their hand over the child's hand and have the child's hand holding a block and show them through tactile cues that it belongs in the bucket. In Just Kids in Middle Island, the autistic children are often given pictures of different items that they may wish to request. For example, a picture is provided of the food that they brought in from home. Then, in order to request the food item, they are required to hand the food picture to the teacher and then the food is given to them. "They can not necessarily process visual and auditory input at the same time."4 For example, when learning how to throw a ball, they can become very confused if the teacher is telling them while showing them at the same time as to how to throw the ball. Temple Grandin also emphasized that autistic children need to have structure.5 This is very important. They need to become used to a routine. Autistic children can also be very noise sensitive in addition therefore it is best to use a soft tone of voice when working with these children. 6 Ear plugs can be of help with autistic children to aid in their noise sensitivity. Temple Grandin stated that autistic children perform better if the noise is muffled.7 Another teaching method is one that involves having structure.

Structure can not be emphasized enough when teaching autistic children. The physical organization is very important. The classroom needs to be arranged in a way that it is not so distracting to the autistic children as well as a need to be aware of where they are. 8 When there is a specific area that is for learning certain tasks, that provides clear boundaries. In addition, easy access to materials needed for learning tasks helps the students independently know where they are and where they need to be as well as being able to get their materials.9 Everything needs to be arranged according to what is appropriate for the individual.10 Even every autistic child is different and unique from other autistic children and their differences need to be taken into consideration. Schedules are very important for the autistic children because this helps them know exactly what will happen when.11 Predictability will help them become less anxious.12 This is important for autistic children because they need to know what is happening before it happens since they may have little or no understanding of changes in routines and why. The schedule should preferably be in pictures so that the autistic children can understand it.13 They worry about what will happen fairly consistently. However, some autistic children will still have difficulty transitioning from one activity/event to another. Difficulty can be especially noticed when they immensely enjoy an activity so that they will not want to stop, thereby causing them to drop on the floor kicking and screaming. If a child does not like a particular activity, then it helps to have an activity that they enjoy next in the schedule.14 Another important factor is to use as little language as needed to direct these children.15 For example, say to the child "finish snack then play" without using too many words. Some teachers also reinforce items to enhance performance.16 For example, if a child does not like the task of putting the pigs in the holes, knowing that the child likes M & Ms, then she will reward the child with M & M's provided the task is performed. However, this causes the child to perform this task due to the reward therefore it leaves the teacher to wonder if the child will learn to engage in this activity without the reinforcer. This also implies that very careful and gradual fading of reinforcers over time must be utilized.

Another teaching method is the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Verbal Behavior.

"ABA generally assumes that appropriate behavior-including speech, academics, and life skills can be taught using scientific priniciples."17 This method takes into account that the child is most likely to perform tasks that are reinforced as opposed to not being reinforced and the teacher will reduce the amount of times that they reinforce the child until the child no longer needs it.18 For example, a teacher gives a child time to play in the sand box because this child loves it, but the child is required to name pictures on cards first. The most known form of ABA is called the discrete trial and this is when a big task is broken down into smaller tasks.19 This is implemented as such so that the child won't feel overwhelmed by completing a huge task and become frustrated over not being able to complete such a big task. Autistic children can become so frustrated when they are deemed unable to complete a task. In addition, the tasks are broken down because most autistic children have a short attention span so this way it will only take them a few minutes to complete the task as opposed to a longer amount of time.20 Autistic children do not often have as much motivation as the other children do so the discrete trail is meant to build their motivation by giving them rewards for completing the task and giving them praise.21

"Discriminating between stimuli which we would like to think of as important -- teacher/parent requests, invitations from peers, important environmental cues (school bells, alarms, weather, etc.) -- and all the other "background" stimuli is often difficult for children with autism." 22 The discrete trail involves presenting these stimuli in a clear way and the child is given rewards for a response to those stimuli.23 For example, a child would be given a reward for responding to the teacher when the teacher speaks to them. Children with autism have a hard time picking up things from their environment so the discrete trail teaches them without involving this weakness.24 Children who have autism also may have a hard time with expressing language and understanding it.25 For example, a child may not know how to say "I want a drink." If they do use language then they may start saying "I want drink" instead of "I want a drink." They won't speak in complete sentences necessarily because it may be too hard. The discrete trail will give them clear and simple directions.26 "The applied Verbal Behavior is the latest style of ABA."27 This program demonstrates that language will get the child to obtain want he/she wants.28 There is a huge disadvantage to this teaching method and that is that it can cost so much money for the parents as well as the parents insuring that the consultant has at least an ABA master's degree or a psychology master's degree.29 An advantage to Verbal Behavior is that it emphasizes minds

(requests) where the autistic children are motivated to learn to speak because language is used to emphasize items/objects that they wish to obtain. This increases the likelihood of them speaking because the very act of speaking gives them motivating items/activities.

Another teaching method is TEACCH. TEACCH stands for Treatment and Education of

Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped CHildren. This method involves visual learning which is a strength for children with autism.30 These children will have to do certain activities that involve matching pictures and they use pictures to communicate what they want.31

For example, a child will give the teacher a picture of a sand table to show that he/she wants to play at the sand table. Children with autism who are starting to speak can use the pictures to help them remember the words that they want to say.32 There is a disadvantage to this teaching method as well and it is the fact that this method does not help regarding the social interactions and the verbal communicative ability that the child needs to learn since this method is more about working with the child's disability.33 Another teaching method is called floor time.

Another important method involves Floor Time. Floor Time involves teaching the children through interactive play and relationship.34 It is significant to teach children through play because this is how children learn best. However, some autistic children do not play with the other children. They only play next to them (parallel play). Therefore the parent has to step in and facilitate an interaction to occur.35 For example, they may pick up a doll and put it near the child's doll and start an interaction that way. The main disadvantage to this method is that it does not have the research data that the ABA and the TEACCH has.36 The next teaching method is called sensory integration.

Another method for educating autistic children involves sensory integration. The sensory integration method is designed to help the child process the information that he/she gets from his/her senses in a more typical way.37 A child will go to OT,38 where the child receives help for either overreacting or under reacting to a stimulus.39 This method is designed so that the child's sensory arousal level will approach more appropriate levels in reacting to environmental stimuli as opposed to over reacting or under reacting to environmental factors.

Another teaching method is called RDI. RDI stands for Relationship Development

Intervention. This teaching method focuses on solving social problems that autistic children have such as friendship skills, empathy, and the desire to share and express personal feelings with others.40 This method helps a child to be able to enjoy having social relationships. 41 For example, it can teach an autistic child how to make friends. This method still requires more research.42 Overall all of these teaching methods for children with autism have advantages and disadvantages. In addition, more research needs to be performed. It is important to know that each of these methods will impact each autistic child differently due to individual differences.

An autistic child's plans needs to meet their individual needs. Therefore, a variety of the above methods may need to be implemented to target the specific needs of the child. The method or techniques chosen should be selected in accordance with what has been discovered to work with each particular child. Methods should not be chosen simply because it is the new method at the time and therefore implemented on all autistic children. Some children would then make progress while others would not. Educators need to be careful not to fall into this trap and to always be watchful and mindful of the IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) and the teaching strategies that will work for each individual child in order for him/her to make significant progress. Endnotes 1. Merriam-Webster Online. Page 1 2. Grandin, Temple. Page 1 3. Grandin, Temple. Page 3 4. Grandin, Temple. Page 2 5. Grandin, Temple. Page 1 6. Grandin, Temple. Page 2 7. Grandin, Temple. Page 2 8. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 2 9. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 3 10. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 3 11. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 4 12. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 4 13. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 5 14. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 7 15. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 8 16. Structured Teaching-Autism. Page 9 17. Autism Web. Page 1 18. Autism Web. Page 1 19. Autism Web. Page 1 20. The Discrete Trial. Page 1 21. The Discrete Trial. Page 1 22. The Discrete Trial. Page 1 23. The Discrete Trial. Page 1 24. The Discrete Trial. Page 2 25. The Discrete Trial. Page 2 26. The Discrete Trial. Page 2 27. Autism Web. Page 2 28. Autism Web. Page 2 29. Autism Web. Page 2 30. Autism Web. Page 3 31. Autism Web. Page 3 32. Autism Web. Page 3 33. Autism Web. Page 3 34. Autism Web. Page 3 35. Autism Web. Page 3 36. Autism Web. Page 4 37. Autism Web. Page 4 38. Autism Web. Page 4 39. Autism Web. Page 4 40. Autism Web. Page 5 41. Autism Web. Page 5 42. Autism Web. Page 5 Works Cited

Merriam-Webster Online. 2005-2006. . Page 1.

Grandin, Temple, Ph. D. Assistant Professor Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism. December 2002. . Pages 1-3.

Structured Teaching-Autism. . Pages 2-5, 7-8, 11.

Autism Web. 2000-2005. . Pages 1-5.

The Discrete Trial. 2001-2004. . Pages 1-2.