Takiwātanga - in his or her own time and space
No longer use the term - high functioning as it implies no support it needed. Anyone who is diagnosed with autism will require support at some time in their lives.
Levels are given at the time of diagnosis however levels might change within their life over time.
Aspergers is no longer used and now labled as on the autism spectrum.
Sensory sensitivity - not just loud noises, can be other things - food, tags on clothes
Girls imitate and mask - not imaginative play but copying others play. This is why girls are often missed. Shows up more in teenage years as can’t mask any longer - average age for girls is 13years for diagnosis.
American accent- slower speech, how they move their mouths
Toe walking - sensory dont’t want to be grounded
Focusing on strengths will help develop self worth.
High general knowledge
Critical thinkers - see a different perspective
Honesty
Visual learners - attention to detail
Layers of knowledge-
special interest- look at in a positive way the child has resilience and perseverance to work on something for a long period of time.
Video - Amazing things happen
Executive Functioning - the mental processes that enable us to organise, plan, remember instructions,
Sometimes unable to differentiate between fact and fiction. Superman who can jump off the roof.
Not always able to move from repetitive actions. Or understand the consequences of the action.
Vital for teachers to understand the signs of stress or anxiety.
Give one instruction at a time, one person giving the instruction. Depends on the child and the time they take to process - take up time is vital. If you interrupt and repeat the instruction they are still processing and have to start again. Visuals are a support- they don’t change.
Autism and anxiety
75% of childre nad 50% of adults with autism experience intense anxiety
Anxiety can lead to:
Lacke of engagement in activiies
Avoidance of new situations
Lack of friendships/relationships
Misunderstood and seen as ‘difficult’
Break cards - PECS Picture exchange communication system
Sensory Sam website for resources
Use the colour coded cards to identify stress levels with students
Child is trying to cope, strategies not working. This is the main goal for us to find a strategy to support before moves to a meltdown.
Build up strategies - Change of state, physical activity
Remain calm. Have an exit strategy or plan.
If they get to meltdown it can’t be stopped
Recovery - Five Rs
Reconnect - spend some time to reconnect with the child. If you don’t reconnect you could become a trigger for the child.
Most autistic children are visual. IF you need to change the plants present in a positive way, now we are going … instead. And provide a visual prompt to help the shift.
REframing the Behaviour
Behaviour happens for a reason. It is the quickest and easiest tool available to them to communicate needs or avoid something they don’t want.
Need support to help them communicate
IF they can’t will get the bahaviours
Lives in the Balance Dr Ross Greene. Free resources
Change the ‘won’t do’ things to ‘can’t do’. Address the reason for the behaviours happening.
Sensory sensitivity-
Vestibular - sense of balance
Proprioception - awareness of body parts in space
Interoception - understanding what is happening inside your body. Autistic children can experience the feeling but not know what the feeling is. Can’t make the connection with the feeling. Can’t take the top off because can’t connect being hot with wearing too much. Being anxious is there but don’t realise what to do to reduce that.
Creating a Sensory Profile
Stimming
If appropriate modifying the stimming to be socially appropriate.
Communication
Non verbal does not mean that I have nothing to say. It means you will need to listen to me with more than just your ears.
Impact
Strategies for communication
Communication profiles - for other teachers to share strategies that have worked for class teacher. E.g. continuity for relievers and duty teachers. Needs to be regularly updated continuously as the child develops over the year.
First Then
Social Stories
Visual Schedules
Video Self-modelling
To change the behaviour- change individual elements
Change the trigger
Change the action
Change the response
USe a visual every time you are talking to someone with Autism
Reframing - figuring out why they can’t do it.
RECAP
What are you going to...
start doing?
stop doing?
do more of?
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