Teaching Students with ASD

                Autism Spectrum Disorder is becoming more and more prevalent. Trisha Sugita (2016) wrote, “Autism Spectrum Disorder is the fastest growing disability within the United States … The estimated growth of ASD has increased by 78% between 2002 and 2012.” With ASD growing, teachers need to find ways to help students with ASD academically and social emotionally. ASD teaching techniques are not a “one-size-fits-all” model. Students who have ASD are very different, and the significance of the disability changes from student to student.

                “With the rise of Autism rates, the field has also seen a significant need for an increase in ASD expertise and implementing evidence-based practices within schools” (Sugita, 2016). It is important the teachers become educated with a number of different methods so they can help each individual student with ASD achieve to the best of his or her ability. With any good teaching, this starts with knowing the student and best teaching practices. This article focuses on three current educational approaches for teaching students with ASD: interdisciplinary collaboration, progress monitoring, and academic social interaction skills training (Sugita, 2016).

                The article uses two examples of interdisciplinary collaboration. The first one is co-teaching. All students should be taught in the least restricted environment, and for higher functioning autistic children, co-teaching classrooms allow for this. ASD students in co-taught classrooms are able to learn with their “neuro-typical” peers, while still receiving the support they need from a special education teacher. “As students with ASD are being served in the general education classes, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration is increasingly recognized. Co-teaching has gained recent attention as evidence-based practice that increase student engagement and access to the curriculum. In co-teaching models, general, and special education teachers collaboratively plan, teach, and assess all students” (Sugita, 2016).

                The second example of interdisciplinary collaboration is created among related service providers. Students with ASD typically need help socially and emotionally. The can experience high levels of anxiety, and usually have a difficult time interpreting others verbal and physical ques. These related services can included, but are not limited to, speech and language pathologists, mental health providers, and behavior therapist (Sugita, 2016). “Collaboration across disciplines allows for students to make effective progress toward their individual goals and objectives across settings” (Sugita, 2016).

                Another approach for assisting students with ASD is to use progress monitoring. “Traditionally, progress monitoring is used in the field to collect behavioral data; however, recently this strategy has been adapted to incorporate learning objectives and task analysis. Progress monitoring is an important tool to know what is working and what needs refinement” (Sugita, 2016). Progress monitoring can be implemented in many ways. The style used should be selected based off the student, and what is being tracked.

                Last, the article discusses social skills training. This area is an important aspect when working with a student who has ASD. Sugita (2016) wrote,

“For students with ASD, however, these academic skills require social interaction skills that need to be explicitly taught, creating barriers to the Standards. Several studies have documented differences in the neuropsychological functioning among individuals with Autism compared to the neuro-typical peers, particularity during comprehension and processing tasks, with communication between key areas of the brain being an importance difference. Hence, students with ASD require explicit instruction and strategies to access specific areas of content requiring comprehensive and processing of academic language as a whole in the Common Core.”

                In conclusion, teaching students with ASD is not a one-size-fits-all model. Teachers, both general education and special education, need to be aware of best practices and different forms/styles of teaching in order to help a student with ASD succeed to the best of his or her ability. Students with ASD will also, most likely, need relative services to help them be successful. Sugita (2016) did a great job pointing out three “umbrella” models of teaching for ASD students. Within these models, numerous strategies, supports, and factors should be in place for student success.

 

                                                                Reference

 

Sugita, T. (2016). Current trends in psychological and educational

approaches for training and teaching students with Autism in California. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. 9(2), 307-316.