| Teaching autistic children certainly presents a challenge, | | | | child were to participate, it won't be meaningful. Visual |
| but it's not impossible. It's all about changing your | | | | learning is the most logical of the three types: if done |
| perspective. Autistic children don't react to social | | | | properly, very little will be "lost in translation." A picture |
| situations the same manner that most children do, so it | | | | doesn't have a voice, let alone a tone, pitch, and |
| doesn't make sense to educate them in the same | | | | inflections to understand. (When you think about it, |
| way. | | | | verbal communication is truly an art; it is easy to take |
| Autism is a neurobiological disorder that affects social, | | | | for granted our ability to understand it.) |
| physical, and language skills. It manifests itself in | | | | Another tried and tested technique for teaching autistic |
| different ways: repeated gestures or noises, aversion | | | | children is to make a daily schedule, post it, and adhere |
| (or indifference) to affection and touching, resistance to | | | | to it. This reduces the child's stress, confusion, and |
| change in a routine, or a strong desire for order in their | | | | anxiety because their environment is predictable, thus |
| environments. It is three times more prevalent in boys | | | | making it possible to gradually introduce new concepts |
| than in girls, and estimations of occurrence change all | | | | and lessons. You can't assume the child understands |
| the time; estimates range from 8 in 10,000 to 1 in 200. | | | | you, so you must be as precise as possible. Many |
| As more is discovered about autism, it is possible that | | | | experts recommend letting the child know ahead of |
| even more children will be diagnosed. The | | | | time when an activity will begin or end, and warning |
| idiosyncracies of autism makes it ineffective to | | | | them before you touch or move them. Good |
| educate autistic children in the "traditional" manner; the | | | | educators and informed parents will use the autistic |
| aim and goals of educating children with autism are | | | | child's individual strengths to tailor lessons to them. |
| different as well. | | | | Additionally, it is essential to know how to |
| You've probably heard about the different types of | | | | communicate with autistic children. Expectations should |
| learning. They include auditory, visual, and kinesthetic | | | | be altered in accordance with a child's abilities. For |
| (tactile or hands-on). Traditionally, autistic children are | | | | example, it is unrealistic to expect your autistic child to |
| visual learners. This makes sense considering the | | | | follow multiple-step directions. When teaching autistic |
| quirks of autism: autistic individuals have trouble | | | | children, it is necessary to be mindful of this, and break |
| "reading" social situations and body language; therefore, | | | | steps and lessons down in to their most basic forms. |
| it may be difficult for them to process information | | | | Patience is of the utmost importance; you will have to |
| aurally. Kinesthetic learning presents a challenge | | | | teach and re-teach the same lessons. Mastery will |
| because of the rigid thinking patterns of autistic children; | | | | come with time; these milestones are exceptional |
| it will probably be hard (or impossible) to get them to | | | | when raising autistic children. |
| participate in a hands-on learning activity. Even if the | | | | |