Teaching Children On The Autism Spectrum

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Speech & Language Pathologist, Alisha Sanchez (who has a background in working with kids with autism spectrum disorders, including PDD-NOS and Aspergers disorder) about the best ways to teach kids on the autism spectrum. Below are some of her recommendations for setting up successful lesson plans for students on the spectrum. Always defer to the parents’ proposed strategy for teaching as every child is unique.

• Schedule– Having a visual schedule can be extremely helpful. Make sure your student knows what the goals are at the beginning of the lesson by writing the 3-4 things you will do on a schedule (i.e., a small whiteboard). Stick to the schedule and cross off each event as it’s finished.

• Predictability– Maintaining the same lesson structure is important. It’s important to stick to the structure and not make promises you can’t keep. Give direct and consistent instructions.

• What They Love– Find out what your student loves and base the lesson around that theme. If they love dinosaurs, play a song about dinosaurs or use dinosaur toys on the keyboard, etc.

• Reward System– Set up a reward system for positive behavior. Positive reinforcement is more effective than negative reinforcement (i.e., “If you try this 5 times, you’ll get a sticker,” etc.). As time goes on you can start rewarding for bigger actions over smaller actions.

• Choices– Narrow down choices to give you student a sense of ownership and responsibility (i.e., “You can choose to play your song first or play a rhythm game”).

• Breakdowns– If a child on the spectrum has a breakdown, less is more when it comes to your reaction. Do not try to negotiate. Presenting clear and calm directions (i.e., “I’m going to set a timer for two minutes, and when it’s up, we’ll continue with the lesson”) is more effective than a lot of language. A timer can be very helpful in these situations.