INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS IN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Educating students with autism is usually an intensive
undertaking, involving a team of professionals and many hours each week of
different instruction and therapies to address a student’s behavioral,
developmental, social and/or academic needs. Students with autism often require
explicit teaching across a variety of settings to generalize skills.
Most school classrooms incorporate elements of several
established approaches. It is important for schools to evaluate prospective
interventions for a student on an individualized basis, as well as keep in mind
the need to use evidence-based methods and strategies. No single intervention
has been proven effective for every individual with autism.
Differentiated Instruction
Teachers can effectively respond to a learner’s needs and
strengths through the use of differentiated instruction. Through this approach,
the specific skills or difficulties of students with ASD can be addressed by
employing a variety of methods to differentiate (or vary) the following:
- The content: The depth
or breadth of the information or skills to be taught.
- The processes: The
instructional approaches used with the student, as well as the materials used
to deliver or illustrate the content.
- The products of the learning situation: What the end product will be or look like. This product
may be tangible (a worksheet, project, composition), a skill that has been
acquired, or knowledge that has been gained.
To differentiate instruction, teachers should consider
adaptations to the curriculum, instruction, or expectations that may be
required according to a student’s readiness, interests, and learning profile.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA):
ABA is the name of the systematic approach to the
assessment and evaluation of behavior, and the application of interventions
that alter behavior. The principles of analyzing behavior to understand its
function, controlling the environment and interactions prior to a behavior
(antecedents) and adjusting responses (consequences), and using positive
reinforcement (rewarding what you want to see) are all ABA techniques that are
often used in shaping behavior in individuals with autism. Many programs use
the principles of ABA as a primary teaching method, or as a way of promoting
positive and adaptive behavior.
Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) or the Lovaas Model:
Named for its pioneer (ABA-based) Teacher-directed DTT
targets skills and behaviors based on an established curriculum. Each skill is
broken down into small steps, and taught using prompts, which are gradually
eliminated as the steps are mastered. The child is given repeated opportunities
to learn and practice each step in a variety of settings. Each time the child
achieves the desired result, he receives positive reinforcement, such as verbal
praise or something that he finds to be highly motivating.
Floortime, or Difference Relationship Model (DIR):
The premise of Floortime is that an adult can help a
child expand his circles of communication by meeting him at his developmental
level and building on his strengths. Therapy is often incorporated into play
activities – on the floor – and focuses on developing interest in the world,
communication and emotional thinking by following the child’s lead.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS):
The PECS system allows children with little or no verbal
ability to communicate using pictures. An adult helps the child build a
vocabulary and articulate desires, observations or feelings by using pictures
consistently. It starts with teaching the child to exchange a picture for an
object. Eventually, the individual learns to distinguish between pictures and
symbols and use these to form sentences. Although PECS is based on visual
tools, verbal reinforcement is a major component and verbal communication is
encouraged.
Examples of visual supports: Visual schedule, card with
symbol of next activity, List of written expectations, Daily schedule or
calendar, Series of pictures to demonstrate steps required, Labelled objects, Cue
cards (e.g., STOP), stories, or written behavioural routines and expectations, Choice
board with pictures of options, or a written list for students who have reading
skills
Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT)
(ABA-based) PRT is a child-directed intervention that
focuses on critical, or “pivotal,” behaviors that affect a wide range of
behaviors. The primary pivotal behaviors are motivation and child’s initiations
of communications with others. The goal of PRT is to produce positive changes
in the pivotal behaviors, leading to improvement in communication, play and
social behaviors and the child’s ability to monitor his own behavior.
Child-directed intervention
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)
RDI seeks to improve the individual’s long-term quality
of life by helping him improve social skills, adaptability and self-awareness
through a systematic approach to building emotional, social and relational
skills.
Social Communication/Emotional Regulation/Transactional
Support (SCERTS)
SCERTS uses practices from other approaches (PRT, TEACCH,
Floortime and RDI), and promotes child initiated communication in everyday
activities and the ability to learn and spontaneously apply functional and
relevant skills in a variety of settings and with a variety of partners. The
SCERTS model favors having children learn with and from peers who provide good
social and language models in inclusive settings as much as possible.
Verbal Behavior(VB)
(ABA-based) VB employs specific behavioral research on
the development of language and is designed to motivate a child to learn
language by developing a connection between a word and its value.
THERAPIES USED FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM
Students with autism often require supports in the home
and community, so coordination of care and comprehensive wrap around services
are often needed.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
A Certified Occupational Therapist, (OT) brings together
cognitive, physical and motor skills to enable the individual to gain independence
and participate more fully in life. For a student with autism, the focus may be
on appropriate play, fine motor and basic social and life skills such as
handwriting, independent dressing, feeding, grooming and use of the toilet. The
OT can recommend strategies for learning key tasks to practice in various
settings.
Physical Therapy (PT)
A Certified Physical Therapist (PT), focuses on problems
with movement that cause functional limitations. Students with autism
frequently have challenges with motor skills such as sitting, walking, running
and jumping, and PT can also address poor muscle tone, balance and
coordination. An evaluation establishes the abilities and developmental level
of the child, and activities or supports are designed to target areas of need.
Sensory Integration Therapy (SI)
(SI) therapy addresses disruptions in the way an
individual’s brain processes sensory input, developing strategies to help
process these senses in a more productive way. A sensory integration-trained OT
or PT begins with an evaluation, and then uses research-based strategies to
plan an individualized program for the child, matching sensory stimulation with
physical movement to improve how the brain processes and organizes sensory
information.
Speech-Language Therapy (SLT)
Certified Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) use a
variety of techniques to address a range of challenges for children with
autism. SLT is designed to address the mechanics of speech and the meaning and
social value of language. For students unable to speak, SLT includes training
in other forms of communication, or oral exercises to promote better control of
the mouth. For those who seem to talk incessantly about a certain topic, SLT
might work on expanding the conversational repertoire, or reading social cues
and adjusting conversation to the needs of the listener. An SLT program begins
with an evaluation by an SLP and therapy may be conducted one-on-one, in a
small group or in classroom/natural settings.
For more notes on special education, visit: www.specialeducationnotes.co.in
