Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Students with Asperger’s Syndrome Chapter Five
T. Attwood, (1998) Asperger’s
Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and
Professionals.
Myles, B.S., and Simpson, R.L. (1998)
Asperger Syndrome: A Guide for
Educators and Parents.
Students with AS often have difficulties with co-ordination. An
estimated 50-90 % of people with AS have problems with motor
co-ordination. The affected areas may include locomotion, balance,
manual dexterity, handwriting, rapid movements, rhythm, and
imitation of movements.
Students with AS may share common characteristics with students
who have Autism in terms of responses to sensory stimuli. They
may be hypersensitive to some stimuli and may engage in unusual
behaviours or repetitive behaviours to obtain a specific sensory
stimulation.
Students with AS may be inattentive, easily distracted, and anxious.
Many students diagnosed with AS are inattentive and easily distracted
and have received a diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder at some point in their lives. Anxiety is a characteristic
associated with this syndrome. The student may have difficulty
understanding and adapting to the social demands of school.
Appropriate instruction and support can help alleviate some of the
stress.
Strategies for Teaching Students with Asperger’s
Syndrome
Some of the strategies for teaching students with Autistic Disorder
may be applicable to students with AS. Consider the unique learning
characteristics of the individual student, provide support when needed,
and build on the student’s many strengths.
The following chart identifies some specific learning difficulties
and suggests possible classroom strategies, adapted from a variety
of sources in the literature. Also, refer to Appendix I for an article
on teaching individuals with ASD who have high-functioning skills.
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 69