Teaching Autistic Children
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Teaching Autistic Children
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore the realm of teaching children who are on the Autistic Spectrum. Autistic children pose a number of practical problems within the classroom but equally, their natural talents can be put to excellent use under the correct circumstances and so, the autistic child presents a wide array of challenges and joys for the teacher. Within the course of this paper, I hope to explore the answers to the following areas of interest: the advantages and disadvantages of teaching autistic children; the effect of the classroom environment on the autistic child and whether it affects the effectiveness of the teaching; whether lessons concerning communication and socializing or academic subjects are of more value to the autistic child.
Introduction
Autism is often a massively misunderstood condition. Many assume that autistic people are mentally disabled; however, it is more closely described as a learning disability which actually sees a wide range of varying levels of severity of the condition. Autism is characterized largely by an impaired understanding of social situations and has a number of symptoms which, invariably, must be present in the child’s development before the age of three, as stated by Eric Zander: “reciprocal social interaction and communication as well as behaviour, and imagination.” (Zander, 2009, p 1). There are two types of autistic child: early onset or regressed. Early onset is where the child is likely to have developed autism whilst in the womb and parents often claim that their baby seemed different from birth whereas the regressed form sees the child developing normally before massively regressing usually around 12-24 months old (Adams et al, 2004, p 2). Autistic children are, invariably, very factually-based people who deal with literal interpretations of information, rather than being able to visualise a metaphorical image, for example. Often, autistic children...
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore the realm of teaching children who are on the Autistic Spectrum. Autistic children pose a number of practical problems within the classroom but equally, their natural talents can be put to excellent use under the correct circumstances and so, the autistic child presents a wide array of challenges and joys for the teacher. Within the course of this paper, I hope to explore the answers to the following areas of interest: the advantages and disadvantages of teaching autistic children; the effect of the classroom environment on the autistic child and whether it affects the effectiveness of the teaching; whether lessons concerning communication and socializing or academic subjects are of more value to the autistic child.
Introduction
Autism is often a massively misunderstood condition. Many assume that autistic people are mentally disabled; however, it is more closely described as a learning disability which actually sees a wide range of varying levels of severity of the condition. Autism is characterized largely by an impaired understanding of social situations and has a number of symptoms which, invariably, must be present in the child’s development before the age of three, as stated by Eric Zander: “reciprocal social interaction and communication as well as behaviour, and imagination.” (Zander, 2009, p 1). There are two types of autistic child: early onset or regressed. Early onset is where the child is likely to have developed autism whilst in the womb and parents often claim that their baby seemed different from birth whereas the regressed form sees the child developing normally before massively regressing usually around 12-24 months old (Adams et al, 2004, p 2). Autistic children are, invariably, very factually-based people who deal with literal interpretations of information, rather than being able to visualise a metaphorical image, for example. Often, autistic children...