The Autism Society
provides a free resource guide for teachers called Building
Our Future: Educating Students on the Spectrum that offers a great overview
of the needs of students at all ages who are on the Autism spectrum. Autism is
the third most common developmental disability (following intellectual
disabilities and cerebral palsy). It is estimated that 1.5 million people in
the United States today have autism.
What does this mean to those of us who prepare future
teachers?
Students with Autism are served most often in a general
education classroom setting. Therefore, every new teacher we prepare will be
working with students with autism during their student teaching and later as a
beginning teacher. In what ways are we preparing them for this eventuality? One
of the best things we can do is point students in the right direction and offer
them resources that will help them hit the ground running when they begin to
teach. This resource guide provided by The
Autism Society is a great place to start.
Here are just a few highlights from this important resource:
- What Autism is and is NOT
- According to the
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), how should students with Autism
be served in schools
- Key Elements to create an
appropriate educational environment for students with ASD
- 20 Suggestions to help you
make learning easier for students with autism
- Addressing behavior issues
- Making adaptations to make
learning easier for students with ASD
- Resources for more
information
Many of the suggestions to work with students with ASD are
good practice for every teacher. For example, the following suggestions will
create a positive learning environment for every child and should be promoted
throughout teacher preparation:
- Extend a welcoming
environment
- Develop predictable
routines
- Use visuals
- Build on areas of
strengths and interests
- Use creative strategies
- Empower the student to be
an active participant
Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome have gone “mainstream” at
this point. Yes, students with ASD are in our classrooms, but ASD doesn't
disappear when a student graduates from high school. We have a number of
students on the spectrum in the college environment as well. The more we know,
the better able we will be to meet the needs of all students.
For more information about Autism, visit The Autism Society for valuable
information, free resources and networking.