Teaching for Teaching for difference, difference,

teaching teaching differently? differently?

What happens? What happens?

If you think in pictures and your teacher always If you think in pictures and your teacher always wants you to write words?wants you to write words?

Your learning program is reduced to mastering Your learning program is reduced to mastering ‘basic’ skills and your mind is not extended in areas ‘basic’ skills and your mind is not extended in areas you are good at? you are good at?

You know a lot about something and are desperate You know a lot about something and are desperate to share that but nobody wants to hear?to share that but nobody wants to hear?

Doing too much writing and reading makes you Doing too much writing and reading makes you really tired and the words move around on the really tired and the words move around on the page, but the teacher just thinks you’re lazy? page, but the teacher just thinks you’re lazy?

Who do you plan for?Who do you plan for?

When does planning for difference occur?When does planning for difference occur?

What ‘homework’ do you do? What ‘homework’ do you do?

Autism, ASD, Asperger’s Autism, ASD, Asperger’s SyndromeSyndrome

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the name given Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the name given to describe the wide range of behaviours amongst to describe the wide range of behaviours amongst the Autistic population. Children with autism are the Autistic population. Children with autism are less able to interact with the world as other children less able to interact with the world as other children do. Typically they have deficits in three key areas:do. Typically they have deficits in three key areas:           • Verbal and non-verbal Communication           • Verbal and non-verbal Communication           • Social awareness and interactions            •            • Social awareness and interactions            • Imaginative play (variable interests and Imaginative play (variable interests and behaviours).There are  separate labels given to behaviours).There are  separate labels given to children with autism for different points on the children with autism for different points on the Autism spectrum. At the least affected end, you may Autism spectrum. At the least affected end, you may find labels such as "Asperger's Syndrome", "High find labels such as "Asperger's Syndrome", "High Functioning Autism”. At the other end of the Functioning Autism”. At the other end of the spectrum you may find labels such as "Autism", spectrum you may find labels such as "Autism", "Classic Autism" and "Kanner Autism". "Classic Autism" and "Kanner Autism".

To get support for these To get support for these studentsstudents

Must have a formal diagnosisMust have a formal diagnosis

PaediatricianPaediatrician

Often psychologist, occupational therapists, Often psychologist, occupational therapists, speech pathologists etc may also be speech pathologists etc may also be involved in diagnosis and therapy involved in diagnosis and therapy

Autism & Autism Autism & Autism Spectrum DisordersSpectrum Disorders

What are they?What are they?

How do these students ‘present’ in the How do these students ‘present’ in the classroom? classroom?

Strategies and considerationsStrategies and considerations

Diagnosis issuesDiagnosis issues

Working with others Working with others

Planning considerationsPlanning considerations

What people know?What people know?

Social issues Social issues

Obsessive behaviour and interestsObsessive behaviour and interests

Language and communications issues Language and communications issues (autism generally delayed or no speech) (autism generally delayed or no speech)

Repetitive or stereotypical actions – Repetitive or stereotypical actions – flapping, rocking flapping, rocking

Less well known Less well known

Eating and food issues – limited diet, swallowing Eating and food issues – limited diet, swallowing problemsproblems

Handwriting (dysgraphia) – fine motor skills, Handwriting (dysgraphia) – fine motor skills, processing issues, size, spacing etc processing issues, size, spacing etc

Spelling – little phonological awareness, Spelling – little phonological awareness, sound/letter correspondence issues sound/letter correspondence issues

Vestibular & Proprioceptive (position-movement Vestibular & Proprioceptive (position-movement sense) and sensory processing issues – hyper & sense) and sensory processing issues – hyper & hypo-sensitive to auditory, visual tactile & hypo-sensitive to auditory, visual tactile & olfactory inputolfactory input

ScenariosScenarios

What are the issues for this student in this What are the issues for this student in this circumstance? circumstance?

What strategies could be considered?What strategies could be considered?

Where/how could this be incorporated into Where/how could this be incorporated into planning? planning?

Student Possible strategies

What do you do if student What do you do if student is not diagnosed?is not diagnosed?

Teachers practices Teachers practices identified in accountsidentified in accounts

She talked to me like I was humanShe talked to me like I was human

He switched me on to ScienceHe switched me on to Science

He was strict but also made learning funHe was strict but also made learning fun

She didn’t embarrass me in front of the She didn’t embarrass me in front of the other studentsother students

She stopped the bullying from happening at She stopped the bullying from happening at lunch time. lunch time.

Great resources Great resources

http://www.bookinhand.com.au/

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/autism.pdf

Luke’s way of looking (storybook) Nadia Luke’s way of looking (storybook) Nadia Wheatley & Matt OttleyWheatley & Matt Ottley

Movies (not necessarily for children) Temple Movies (not necessarily for children) Temple Grandin, Mozart & the Whale Grandin, Mozart & the Whale