Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning Challenges LISA SULLIVAN, PHDSCHOOL OF EDUCATION UC DAVIS

THANK YOU TO NICOLE SPARAPANI

Outline ASD Overview

Presentation of symptoms Early Childhood School-age

Best Practices Tips for Educating

Children with Unique Learning Challenges

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Neurodevelopmental disorder (1 in 68) 4:1 male to female Social communication Fixated interests and repetitive

behaviors

68% (IQ >70), 70% co-morbidity

Life-long (optimal outcomes)

Unfolds over lifespan

Uneven skill profiles (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Baio, 2012; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014; Charman et al., 2005; Estes et al., 2011)

DSM-5 Criteria: Autism Spectrum DisorderDeficits in Social Communication (3) 1a) Deficits in nonverbal and verbal communication for social

interaction 1b) Lack of social reciprocity 1c) Failure to develop and maintain peer relationships

Repetitive Behaviors and Fixated Interests (2/3) 2a) Stereotyped motor or verbal behaviors or unusual sensory

behaviors 2b) Ritualized patterns of behavior 2c) Restricted, fixated interests

*Symptoms must be present in early childhood

Autism Phenotype The observable

behaviors/characteristics of ASD

Expression of core features change over the lifespan

Interaction between developmental changes, environmental, and biological processes

Spectrum of impairment Mild to severe impairment

Lack of showing Lack of coordination of nonverbal

communication (gestures, eye gaze, expression, etc.)

Lack of sharing interest or enjoyment Repetitive behaviors with objects Lack of appropriate eye gaze Lack of response to name Lack of warm joyful expression Unusual prosody Repetitive movement or body posturing

(arching back, flapping hands)

9 Early Red Flags of ASD

Joint Attention

Ability to share attention between people and objects

Advances over the last 30 years

Distinguishing ASD feature

Peter Mundy, Associate Dean, SOE

School-Age

Social communication Friendship

Initiating comm.

Responding

Attention Language

Follow directions

Answer questions

Emotional regulation Adapt and cope

Flexibility Willingness to go with flow

Classroom Demands

Classroom Challenges Social communication

Initiating and responding (over/under) Attending to relevant instruction Classroom expectations Interactions Intention reading Reading development Friendships

Restricted range of interests or insistence on sameness Participation in activities Problematic behaviors Sensitivity to sensory input

Emotional Regulation Emotional regulation

Manage and maintain physiological arousal and emotions to match the demands of the environment

Emotions and arousal are intertwined

Well-regulated

Emotional Regulation

Emotional regulation is related to positive educational outcomes Have higher educational

success

Show greater organization abilities

Show higher communicative competence

Are better able to establish peer relationships

Optimal arousal = Optimal window for learning

Dysregulation may interfere with the child’s ability to Participate in activities Attend or engage Listen or respond Use and understand language Make friends Follow-through or finish tasks

Emotional Regulation and Learning

Strategies for Educating Children with Autism and Unique Learning Challenges BEST PRACTICE (GENERAL)5 TIPS FOR SUPPORTING LEARNING

Best Practices Use person first language

A student with autism vs. autistic student

Use asset based language vs. deficit based language That student is able to work well independently vs. that student

does not work well in groups.

Communicate with families and other colleagues Seek out advice and support

Families are a great resource

Provide information in multiple formats Verbal language can be hard to process

Use visuals whenever possible

Plan transitions carefully and allow time to anticipate change

Universal Design for Learning

Changes that we make to support students with autism often help all students.

All students benefit from teaching that provides clear expectations, gives students some agency and is supportive.

1. Considering Emotional Regulation

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”

(Wayne Dyer)

Emotional Regulation Sensitivity to sensory

information Auditory, visual

Excitement

Stress/Worry Lack of predictability

Inflexibility

Lack of coping strategies

Irritable or quick tempered Leaving activity or avoidance Humming/sub-vocalizing Fidgeting or bouncing Repetitive questioning Adherence to sameness Avoiding eye contact/shut down Tantrums Mouthing objects Toe walking, rocking, hand flapping

Signs of Dysregulation

2. Increase Predictability Individuals with ASD have difficulty predicting

Intentions of others

Difficulty initiating and following conversational focus and attending relevant instruction

Time

Difficulty predicting daily sequence of events

Sequence of events

Difficulty predicting when activities will begin and end (endless!)

May stress about when and if things may happen during the day (e.g., fire alarm, lunch, recess)

The 4 questions

Where am I supposed to be?

What am I supposed to do?

When am I finished?

What will happen next?

Use a visual timer

https://www.visnos.com/demos

https://www.visnos.com/demos/classroom-timer

3. Use Visual Supports Language (especially receptive) is not a

strength

Stress = decreased use and understanding

Visuals provide constant reminders

Visuals = clarity

Example Visual Supports Class schedules OR

individual desk schedule

Visual rules to outline expectations

Visual choice boards

Visuals to map out steps of an activity

Increase visuals = increased understanding

Individual Visual Schedules

Break tasks in to visual steps

4. Clear Roles/Jobs Waiting can be really difficult – can cause stress and

increased problematic behaviors

Transitions are the hardest part of the day Flexibility

Independence

Predicting what will happen next

Classroom feels chaotic (loud, unsystematic, etc.)

Rather than tell students what they should not do, give them a job – showing them what they should be doing

Create Jobs Examples

Passing out papers Collecting materials Carrying materials Using own materials during group Sharpening pencils Cleaning Sorting Cutting/stapling/folding Timer

Jobs can also serve as a break!

5. Provide Choices Providing choices help students feel in control

Increase willingness to participation

Choices allow the teacher to feel in control

Choices provide clarity

Examples Do you want to play this game or this one? Do you want to write with a yellow or blue pencil?

Focus is off of writing and on choosing the color!

Remember

All kids want to do well

All behaviors serve a function

It’s okay to let things go!

He is 8 years old

Has a diagnosis of ASD

In second grade

Spends his day in the general education classroom

Meet Braden

Braden’s teacher is worried that his disruptive behaviors are Negatively impacting his learning Disrupting the instruction Negatively impacting the other students’ learning

She reported that he frequently “blurts out” off-topic questions during group times when he is supposed to be listening. “If I don’t respond to him, he increases the volume of his voice and proximity of his body to others until someone pays attention to him. Sometimes he will take his shoes off and roll or bounce around.”

The Problem

All behaviors serve a function! Behavioral regulation (self or others) Social interaction

Braden’s blurting out, excessive questioning, increased volume, proximity to others, and fidgetiness are attempts to Self-regulate or regulate the behaviors of others Share an experience or communicate

He needs something! It’s our job to figure out what his behavior means…

1. Consider Emotional Regulation

Sensitivity to sensory input Overwhelmed by the stimulation of the group

Language overload

His behavior may be an attempt to self-regulate

Social rules and group expectations Lack of understanding of when to listen and when to talk

(watching others may not help)

Worry/Stress due to a lack of predictability Excessive questioning may be his way of asking about what will

happen during the day and when will it happen

Why is Braden dysregulated?

Be responsive to Braden’s needs Help Braden begin to identify how he is feeling How to ask for a break when feeling overwhelmed Add breaks into Braden’s daily schedule

1. Support Emotional Regulation

2. Increase Predictability 1. Where am I supposed to be?

Define his physical space (carpet square, chair, on the tape)

2. What am I supposed to do? Define what he should be doing

3. When am I finished? How many activities will occur before the endpoint

4. What comes next? Show Braden what through a visual or written schedule what

he is supposed to do next

3. Use Visual Supports Visuals to define the end of the activity

Visuals to help him understand when it will be his turn to talk

Visual rules for “group times”

4. Give Braden a Job!

Give Braden a role or purpose within the activity What should he be doing??

Examples Hold his own materials Turn pages Follow along with a white board Other

5. Provide Choices

Would you like to sit on the carpet or in a chair?

Do you want a ________ or a ________?

Would you like to _________ or __________?

Rather than directing, give Braden choices when possible!

What are 5 tips for supporting students with Autism?

Support Emotion Regulation

Increase Predictability

Use Visual Supports

Give students jobs

Provide choices

Temple Grandin Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPFAT4p8Lc

Additional Resources

https://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/national-professional-development-center-autism-spectrum-disorder

NPDC on Autism Spectrum Disorders

lhsullivan@ucdavis.edu