Welcome to Week 6's posting on students with autism spectrum disorders/pervasive developmental disorders. An audio of the chapter has been provided. For the chapter audio, ignore references in the audio to week numbers, dates, chapter numbers, page numbers, assignments, the discussion board,names...thank you. The core of the audio speaks to the current chapter topic in your edition of the text book. https://edocs.uis.edu/jherr3/www/TEP224F2010/TEP224Ch6.mp3
According tothe DSM there are five categories of Pervasive Development Disorders (1) Autistic Spectrum Disorder, (2) Rett's Syndrome, (3) Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, (4) Asperger's Disorder, and (5) Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, or PDDNOS (see website on Pervasive Development Disorders).
Autistic Spectrum Disorder has become more prevalent just in the past few years, although there is no documented rhyme or reason why this disorder is on the increase. At least, for parents and educators of such children there is now available concrete information that can be useful in providing the best possible care for them. ASD students usually have already been identified and hopefully intervention methods are already in place by the time they enter public school. Such students have an IEP in place, with assistance provided from special education teachers and paraprofessionals who work with general education classroom teachers. The following website The Camp MakeBelieve Report on Autism provides further insight on the disorder, along with facts vs. myths on frequently asked questions.
Asperger's Syndrome is also referred to as 'highly functioning autism' as most children with Asperger's are highly intelligent but lacking in social skills. The following website The Asperger's Child: The Different Drummer follows that such students may respond to repetitive intervention, needing an IEP in the general education classroom as well.
Characteristics of students with Pervasive Development Disorders: Check the book.
See Autism Speaks ( a series of video clips on uptodate information on Autism)...you will need Windows Media Player or a comparable media player to view these).
So if such students are going to remain in my classroom, what are some strategies for dealing with them?:
Visit the following website: http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs20txt.htm#education .
Pragmatically Speaking - How to use this information in the classroom:
Become familiar with Professional and Parental Support groups in the state of Illinois. Share this information with other educators/parents.
Access as much information as is possible on the IEP of students with PDD; work very closely with the special education teacher and paraprofessionals. If a FBA (functional behavior assessment) has been done on the student, be sure and use it. See website: http://cecp.air.org/fba/default.asp ) .
Visit (pass on) Other Websites -
International Society for AAC
Positive Behavior Interventions and the Law
TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic an d related Communication and handicapped CHildren)
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What are some of your thoughts on the similarities and differences in social skills and behavior problem in children with autism and Asperger's disorders? What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors? Find and post two website links (not any of the websites already given in this lesson) that support your answers.
30 comments:
Asperger’s syndrome and Autism have similar characteristics but to varying degrees. For example, eye contact. Children with Asperger’s syndrome do make eye contact but it’s an uncomfortable eye contact, whereas a child with Autism makes little or no eye contact. A child with Asperger’s can part of a social environment yet do not understand how to form those social relationships. A child with Autism is in their own world, typically unaware of social situations around them. A child with Asperger’s syndrome does communication with others; they just may have some inability to have a normal conversation. A child with Autism has little or no communication and often has an emotionless tone to their speech. One major similarity is that they are inflexible in their routines. They have their routines and are completely thrown off when their routine is changed in any way. Both children with Autism and children with Asperger’s syndrome have a greater chance of handling change when they are warned ahead of time. Where I saw the major difference in the two disabilities, and is supported by the text, is that children with Asperger’s syndrome are often overlooked because they appear to be socially awkward or immature. Children with Autism display clear signs that something is wrong and there are services to support and foster the development of these children. Asperger’s is more difficult to diagnose and these children tend to have more social problems and struggle with depression and anxiety. As educators, we need to be aware of the signs of Asperger’s syndrome as I feel many children may be overlooked because they function in a social setting. These are two websites to get more information about Asperger’s syndrome (1) http://www.aspergers.com/
(2) http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms
These are two websites to get more information about Autism (1) http://www.autismspeaks.org/
(2)http://www.autism-society.org/
Sorry, I have no idea how to hyperlink these websites.
The Anonymous post would be Heather K Archey. :-)
One website I found that was quite interesting is http://centerforspectrumservices.org/index.php/more-information.
It discusses the hardships teenagers and adolescents with Aspergers face, in comparison with those young children with the syndrome face. The website also includes a 30 minute film about three students with AS and their goals for the future.
Another website I found is http://www.sacramentoasis.com/docs/8-22-03/as_&_hfa.pdf. The author questions whether there is a difference between Aspergers Syndrome High Functioning Autism. In fact, he argues that there are more similarities than differences. It is an interesting.
The biggest difference between Aspergers and Autism is the onset of the syndrome. Autism is typically onset before age three, while Aspergers may take longer to diagnose or even notice - sometimes it is not even noticed until the child is in school /Vaughn, Boss, and Schumm. p. 233 and 234/.
However there are many similarities between the two. Impairments in social interactions, stereotypical behavior like body rocking or hand flapping, and inflexible routines are common among both students with Aspergers and students with Autism /Vaughn et al. p. 232 - 234/.
I think the process of just searching for websites on these two syndromes demonstrates how many resources are available for teachers. I am sure at some point in our teaching careers we will have a student with Aspergers or Autism. It is reassuring to know we can find the tools to help us help our students.
Some of the similarities in social skills and behavior problems in children with autism and Asperger’s disorders can fall under the umbrella of poor communication skills. Neither afflicted individual utilizes good or even adequate eye contact. Both populations seem to prefer conversing with adults instead of kids their own age. Another type of similarity involves a high dependence on a routine. Some others deal with a high sensitivity to pain, motor skill issues, and obsessions with specific subjects.
As for the differences, children with Asperger’s have normal to above average intelligence and language development. They also possess a higher verbal IQ than a performance IQ. Autistic children usually have below average IQ's and exhibit delays while communicating. Autistic children also develop verbal language later and some of them are even nonverbal. Asperger’s is typically detected during the ages of 6-11, while autism is detected before the child is 3. Those with Asperger’s are more likely to deal with depression, due to being aware of their social challenges, while autistic children are typically unaware of such issues.
I was surprised to see so many similarities. Prior to reading about both disorders, I didn’t know too much about them. As a future teacher, and as a result of many schools pursuing the concept of inclusion, the more I know about specific disorders and conditions, the better I will be at accommodating students with such disorders. I will soon be a middle or high school math teacher. Many issues that would make a student exceptional or special needs will more than likely have been diagnosed by the time they make it to my class. That being said, this will not always be the case. There may be a student that, until my class, went unnoticed. The more knowledge in my possession will only help identify students that may need extra attention. Obviously this is not at all limited to only children with autism or Asperger’s.
Many of both types of students are extremely susceptible to becoming overwhelmed. In a large classroom, the anxiety level could be quite high. In order to improve social skills, these children will need to feel comfortable. I think small group work would be a very effective way in bridging the gap for them. By working with only a couple of other students, the children will be able to focus more and be less anxious.
Autistic children and those with Asperger’s disorder are highly dependent on a routine. A way of limiting problematic behaviors would be to build on this dependence. Make sure rules are clearly displayed. Perhaps even have the small group discuss them and their importance. Give the child a list of the rules. When giving assignments, have them broken into clear steps for the student to follow. These are only a few examples, but I think they can go a long way into improving classroom behavior.
My two websites are:
http://www.suite101.com/content/classroom-social-skills-training-for-autism-a109770
http://www.brighthub.com/mental-health/autism-pdd/articles/31859.aspx
What are some of your thoughts on the similarities and differences in social skills and behavior problem in children with autism and Asperger's disorders? What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors? Find and post two website links (not any of the websites already given in this lesson) that support your answers.
I got the idea just from some of the video clips that Aspergers and autism are pretty similar. I caught in one of the videos that no eye contact is made with autism, yet with aspergers, there is some eye contact. I really liked that in the videos, the earlier you detect it, the better off the child's future is. One question I did have was when Matt was talking with one of the doctors and she answered an email question about the age of 8 not being too old for anything to be done. She even said that age 18 wouldn't be too late. Then, right after that, she said that your kids are out of the woods once they are past the age of three. I felt those were contradictory of one another. I think ways of improvement would be just what the video showed of the parents who found out their son, as well as their older daughter, has autism. They said right away after finding out that they had him in intense therapy and were making sure he had plenty of time every week to interact with other kids in a preschool environment to help his communication skills, which it seemed to really be working. That in itself not only improves social skills, but it also has the ability of decreasing problematic behaviors because of the fact that the child will be getting the experience of being around other kids in a successful environment. Not having good social skills is a big reason why problems arise in the first place because autistic children really aren't sure how to be in social environments, which is why social intervention early on is so huge for them.
My websites are:
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Autism
(this talks about the things we see in autistic children and basically just reinforces what I already said after watching the videos.)
http://www.autismcenter.org/treatment_interventions.aspx#q1
(this talks about the interventions you can do and how it helps alleviate the problematic behaviors of kids later on. I think the parents in the video did the ABA-Based intervention, meaning applied behavior analysis, because they seem very similar after reading what it is.
The first website I found was; http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HoRX8s8V8WYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=autism+vs.+asperger+syndrome&ots=tk4KVUwCYp&sig=MjA3Am71zUXTB1K7RbfWt5Mf7j0#v=onepage&q&f=false It is a book about both Autism and Asperger Syndrome. It states that Asperger is a form of autism and that both share similar attributes. This is actually strange we are studying this chapter now because one of my extremely close friends was just diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. We always struggled with his lack of social skills and awkwardness in crowds. He also thought very abstractly which is another one of the signs and we didn't know how to overcome it and it was VERY frustrating. Finally he saw a counselor at his college and is starting group therapy next week, so I'm hoping to learn more as he goes through his counseling sessions.
The second website I found was; http://php.scripts.psu.edu/users/d/m/dmg294/treatments.htm
It lists characteristics that are similar between the two which include; social isolation, egocentricity, and lack of interest in feelings or ideas. There is also poor eye contact, excessive gestures, and repetitive movements.
The biggest differences I see between the two disorders is that people with autism show more signs of egocentricity rather than people with Asperger's syndrome. Obviously, this is not with every case, but autism seems to be more severe than Asperger's. There are mild and severe signs of both, but students with autism might not even realize what they are doing until someone does a test and mentions they have autism. A person with Asperger's might realize on their own that they do not do well in social situations and wonder why. I'm not saying this can't happen with autistic cases, but from the readings it seems both can be sever and mild which makes it difficult to really decipher between the two.
The similarities in social skills and behavior problems in children with autism and Asperger syndrome are poor communication skills, poor eye contact, trouble maintaining relationships, and resistance to change. As I understand the readings these similarities are responsible, in part, for the disruptive behavior patterns of children who have been diagnosed with either impairment.
A couple of key differences that I found were the age of diagnosis and verbal IQ. A diagnosis of autism usually takes place around the age of three. Where Asperger syndrome is usually diagnosed around the age of six. The higher verbal IQ with Asperger syndrome as opposed to autism may be one reason for the delayed diagnosis.
I found an interesting study on the subject of improving social skills and disruptive behavior in children with autism and Asperger syndrome. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1279715/pdf/jaba00016-0107.pdf
The study was about teaching self-management techniques to children aged six to eleven years. The research was aimed at whether the self management could be used in the community, home, and school setting in the absence of a treatment provider. The results were pretty impressive and worth a look.
The second website I found:http://www.brighthub.com/mental-health/autism-pdd/articles/31859.aspx
I believe a lot of times that people think that autism and Asperger syndrome are the same thing. Even though there are some similarities, there are many differences. Some of the similarities are that they both have traits of having issues with social interaction and communication skills. However, even though in both autism and Asperger syndrome there are similarities in social interaction and communication skills there is a great differences in regards to the disabilities in these two categories. With autism, students will have little or no eye contact, which is similar to Asperger Syndrome, but with autism, students will have no interest in social situations, whereas students with Asperger syndrome will have some interest in social interaction. Students with autism have very little communication skills and use repetitive, robotic speech. Students with Asperger syndrome will have very normal communication, but they may lack the ability to understand when such things has being loud is appropriate. Students with autism will also exhibit characteristics of inflexible routines and motor repetitions, along with having mental retardation or savant characteristics. Students with Asperger syndrome usually have normal cognition; they may have restricted areas of interest, certain routines, and repetitive motor movements.
When I was comparing these two disabilities I immediately thought of a student that was in one of the classes I was an aide in last year. Before last year I had never really been around anyone with autism or Asperger syndrome. There was a student in a class, which was a resource study hall and all of the students had IEPs. This particular student was characterized as having Asperger syndrome. After reading this chapter in our book it was very evident to me of how he was said to have Asperger syndrome. He was a very smart student, and did well in all of his classes, which were all regular division. However, he had a hard time relating to the kids his age. He wanted to belong, but he had a hard time socializing with kids, whether it was saying something inappropriate or continuing to repeat something if he found he got a rise out of the other students. There were also times he would bother the other students, and not realize it. As a teacher I think it is very important that we are aware of these different types of abilities because it will allow us to know how to get through to some of these students and help them to succeed.
I think one of the biggest things to prevent problematic behaviors in the classroom is to make sure you have a routine that you follow in the class and with this particular student. I also think it is very important to constantly beware of the student and how the student reacts to certain things. In regards to improving social skills, I think something that could be done is to assign this student a “buddy” that they are comfortable with and that the “buddy” is comfortable with the student who has the disability. This student could make a point each day to engage in a simple conversation with the student with a disability or lookout for the student. As a teacher, I think that we could encourage the student to talk with the other students or to participate in class discussion, and when they do so praise them.
http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/success.html
This website suggests having a safe place for the students to go, in which they can go and feel comfortable and regroup if they need to.
The other website I found was http://www.kidneeds.com/diagnostic_categories/articles/teach_students_autism.htm
Children with Aspergers and Autism have some similarities and differences. Children with Asperges's disorder make eye contact but not for long and it is uncomfortable. Children with Autism rarely make eye contact or never make eye contact. I didn't realize this was a symptom of autism, because I graduated with a kid who had autism and he was great and now that I think about it he never made eye contact with me and we would hang out a few times a day and eat lunch together and now I know why he never would look me in the eye. Autistic children also have a real tough time with social skills and communicating. Children with Aspergers can communicate with good skills. Autistic children also don't really know much out side their own life and world, they are kind of in a world of their own. You can usually tell when there is an autistic child but sometimes it's hard to tell if a child has Asperger's disorder. To teach an autistic child you need to find something that he or she relates to all the time and use that to teach them. Both types of these children are very special and important people in our society and we need to do everything we can to help these children with their problems.
my websites are:
http://www.kylestreehouse.org/understanding/what-is-autism.aspx?gclid=CI6W2-q1raQCFQtN5wodqVmXaQ
http://www.aspergers.com/
I have to admit I knew very little about either of these disorders before this chapter and research. I did not realize that persons with Autism or Asperger’s had so many similarities. I was surprised to know both experienced problems with social skills like little or no eye contact, little or no tone inflection when speaking, and the physical flipping movements. I previously thought these were only symptoms of Autistic persons.
My question that I believe I will research in the future is why such a major difference in communication ability? I’m sure there are learned scholars out there asking the same question and maybe I will find an answer. There are so many similarities in all other areas of social behavior and yet the communication abilities of these two disorders are quite different (depending on severity).
I believe establishing a classroom routine would significantly assist students with these disorders. Our text explicitly states these students are greatly unhinged by changes in routine. A routine seems to calm the nerves (so to speak). Finding and maintaining a routine for the class as a whole and even an individual routine for the student in question would be of great assistance to the student as well as the teacher, staff, and other students involved with the child.
One of the websites I found suggested matching these students with peers with good social skills and having those students initiate interactions with the student. I thought even pairing this with the positive reinforcement factors for desirable behavior with the said student would be even more of a stimulus for the desire behavior.
This is not from any reading, but I had already mentioned to Dr. Herring that I recently watched a movie called ‘Temple Grandin’, which is a true story about a women with autism and what she had to go through in life and her education and all she achieved by simply having people that believed in her and supported her, including teachers. In thinking about these questions I recalled part of the movie where the woman developed more social skills when she befriended a blind girl her own age. It appeared that knowing the other individual had impairment as well helped the autistic woman feel more comfortable with the other individual and the autistic woman even took on a caring/friend role with the blind girl, assisting her with watching television and things of this nature. I’m not prescribing pairing up people with disabilities all the time as a solution to any problem, but I found it interesting especially thinking back on it while doing this lesson. Maybe, in some cases, if it is possible attempting to initiate a relationship between an autistic individual and someone else with a more physically visible disability (but otherwise socially competent) would be of assistance.
The two websites I found are:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/autism/teaching-methods/8193.html?detoured=1
Site charges, but you do get the first 5 article views for free.
http://www.slc.sevier.org/autbehav.htm
In-depth article about autistic behavior and interventions.
Vaughn, S. R. C. S. Bos, & J.S. Schumm (2011). Teaching Students Who Are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk In the General Education Classroom. Boston, Ma: Pearson Education Incorporated.
To me, the major difference between children with autism and those with Asperger’s disorders as they relate to social skills is that children with Asperger’s are usually on par with other students of their age as far as language development. With autistic children, they have severe lapses in this area. In fact, they may not be able to speak at all. To me, this is a very big difference because children are social creatures. Think about the early elementary years. That classroom is hugely social. When we read a book together as a class, there is a hugely social aspect. When we learn about math skills, we discuss our learning with a partner or group. Over and over, we repeat these social learning strategies that must be so frustrating to a child with autism. In addition to this, children with autism may be perceived as not caring about other children. This is read early by other children and so they stay away from this child. With a child who has Asperger’s, they may be perceived as inappropriate, but may still be included with his/her peers. Children with Asperger’s also tend to become obsessed with certain interests and only speak about this particular interest with others. This can be very awkward in a social context. These pervasive social differences between children with ASD and those who don’t have these disorders seem to put the children at odds with each other early in the school experience, and without intervention, can lead down a very negative trail. While a little more clinical, I liked the usability of information on this website and I also checked out some of their links which were very helpful. http://www.pediatricneurology.com/autism.htm
I think that the camp you refer us to is a wonderful opportunity for children with ASD to improve their social skills. As far as teaching these children in the classroom, Ithink that some ways to improve social skills of children with Asperger’s and autism is not to exclude them from the regular classroom, but to provide them with a classroom that takes them into consideration. They must have a caring teacher who understands their disorder and who is trained to work with them. This seems to be a pervasive problem. Teachers don’t understand these disorders and may unintentionally provoke undesirable behaviors. I read an interesting article on this website: http://www.speechandlanguage.com/article/nov2.asp. Alecia Ellis’ philosophy is to help these children have fun while learning. Teachers need to provide other students as models for behavior, but still make coming to school enjoyable for all. Providing other children as models of behavior helps the autistic child see a picture of what the teacher expects. Although children with ASD vary widely in their abilities, using an intervention like PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) can help them express themselves using pictures. Children use these pictures to answer questions or to express their feelings and thoughts if they cannot verbalize them. Having this kind of tool can give the child a constructive way to express themselves instead of screaming out of frustration or overstimulation.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm
I have had experiences with both Asperger’s and Autism in a family of very good friends of mine. I believe the biggest distinction between the two parts of the spectrum is the amount of social interaction the person with autism is able to participate in comfortably. My friend J has Asperger’s Syndrome. She easily interacts with other people, even strangers, rather easily. She has no trouble making eye contact and expresses her emotions and processes others emotions without difficulty—although, I have seen my sarcasm be lost on her a few times. Having a conversation with her can actually be rather intense, especially if you engage her in a conversation in one of the many topics she knows much about. She is ridiculously smart and her memory for things she has seen or read once makes me jealous, especially in her ability to recall the information easily. I have also never had a problem physically touching her, and we often hug when parting. But, meeting J, you sense a bit of social awkwardness about her, and she shies away from many of the things adults her age would be doing, like having a relationship or driving a car. On the other hand, her nephew C has been diagnosed with Autism, and the differences in their ability to interact are evident right away. C has a much harder time listening and comprehending conversations, and I have often heard him parrot those holding the conversation rather than engaging in it with them. He also takes much longer to warm up to you, and can receive physical interaction, but it does take awhile. Like J, C’s memory is uncanny, but C can recall random information, stuff that I would forget easily, by merely hearing it casually mentioned once. C demands much more of my attention than J, but I do not find it hard to interact with either of them.
I have found that the best way to engage C is to encourage him to explain or teach me something. I think this would be a good technique for a child with autism exhibiting behavioral problems. I have found that merely giving them something they can focus their time and mind on calms them and makes them much easier to interact with. I often have C explain things to me in only the way he can, which usually blows my mind the amount of knowledge he has acquired in his young age. In the end, he feels very smart and helpful, and he has formed an attachment to me that others may not experience with a child with autism. I think this technique would work with all forms of the Autistic spectrum—it engages a child with autism on their own level and allows them to express themselves in their own way.
I believe the first thing to recognize is that there is no cookie cutter list of symptoms that all people with autistic or asperger's suffer from.
One difference between the two is the capacity at which the students can communicate. Asperger's is much more forgiving in the communication department for most when its compared to autism. Eye contact can be different between the two. Autistic people may not make eye contact whereas people with asperger's will. People with aspergers usually are higher functioning than autistic people. Since asperger's is a much higher functioning disorder it is harder to diagnose. That is why people that are autistic are usually diagnosed at a much younger age.
After reading our text and looking through documents it's very apparent that placing these kids in a routine is essential. The routine could provide these children with the comfort of having no unknown. Also finding appropriate social settings within the classroom could also help. Pairing the trouble makers with the properly behaved and/or the quiet with the socially outgoing could help counterbalance the students.
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer
Here you can read stories of family members, people with autism/asperger's, and even professionals. There are also forums and other research tools to use.
http://www.autismchatboard.com/
This website was designed specifically to help teachers who have autistic children in their classroom. There are many different resources included.
What are some of your thoughts on the similarities and differences in social skills and behavior problem in children with autism and Asperger's disorders? What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors? Find and post two website links (not any of the websites already given in this lesson) that support your answers.
I found it very interesting that even though both of these problems are similar in the way they affect a student’s social interaction. Before I read about the two disorders I figured they were pretty much identical but after reading I found it interesting that students with Asperger syndrome can go undiagnosed for some time, while Autism is usually found within the first 3 years of life. I found it interesting that a child with Asperger syndrome could be so educated and talk above level a lot of time. I always thought children with disorders such as these all come with communication problems and had a smaller IQ, while they actually can have normal IQ’s. It seems like children with these disorders have behavioral problems because they are misunderstood all the time. With anyone, it can be difficult when a person doesn’t understand what you’re talking about or what point you’re trying to get across. I also noticed that children with autism tend to have behavior like rocking or hand flapping, while children with Asperger syndrome don't show these signs. Although both tend to avoid eye contact and have problems with forming relationships.
While researching these disorders I found that social skills can be aided with the use of social skills stories. These can be used at any age or school level. These stories are told in first person and can go over how to brush teeth to how to behave at a birthday party. They are a visual way to educate the children on everyday activities and promote normal behavior. I found a website that has good information and also has ways to order stories such as these http://www.autismsocialstories.com/socialskills/. I was able to locate this website through an information website about skill building with children with Asperger’s syndrome; http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/social-skills-building-aspergers-syndrome-793120.html. I looked at several website before I find a way to help with problematic behavior. What I thought would work the best is behavioral modification therapy. It is basically showing the children ways to handle their aggression by giving them a way to communicate their feeling before they get too mad and act out. As per the website you would teach your child to ask for, point to, or show an emotion card to indicate the need that he is trying to fulfill. If this is done at a young age a child can grow up knowing how to communicate his frustrations with activities and people. The website I found the information on was http://ezinearticles.com/?Asperger-Syndrome-Behavior---Teenagers-and-Violent-Behavior,-Rebellious-Behavior-and-Aggression&id=1414083. I was able to find out other information but I liked the links available on this site and the examples given. From what I have learned it is best to diagnose as early as possible to start molding appropriate behaviors. This is significantly more possible with autism since it can be diagnosed so much sooner than Asperger syndrome. With either disorder it is reassuring having so many resources at our fingertips as teachers to aid us in teaching these students properly.
Autism is a wide ranging disorder. Students with autism can function independently, or can be dependent on aids or help. (Vaughn 232.) There are no physical signs for autism.However, the signs are noticed mostly through speech and social behavior. Some impairments in social behavior may incluse lack of eye contact, lack of responsiveness, inability to build relationships, no formal language, or no tone reflection. Some students may have behavior that is stereotypicl for those who have autism. This may include body rocking, hand clapping, or fascination with certain objects. It is important as a teacher to understand you students and what their "ticks" are, so that you can manage your classroom in a way that is good for all studemts. It is also important to explain to the other students what rules and expectationsyou have and perhaps precautions in the classroom.
A disorder that can go unnoticed for an amount of time is Asperger Syndrome. Students with Asperger Syndrome typically still have high vocabulary skills,normal IQ, and cognitive abilities. Socially students lack the social ability to develop relationships, or reciprocate behavior. Parents with younger children with Aspergers Syndrome may say that their child does not hug them or tell them " I love You, " like most young children will. They do not have the ability to express emotions properly. Some may develop an extreme interest in a subject. Others may have rituals they HAVE to follow through. A variation of the routine can "set off" the student. As a teacher you can see how the needs of students with Aspergers can impact your classroom. It is important once again, to understand you student, understand thier routines, and needs.
In order to imporve social skills in the classroom, it is important for the child to feel comfortable and not pressured. The student should not be forced to work in groups, but allowed to join a group when he or she is ready. When the student is comfortable and ready, they can join in group work. http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/autism-students-in-inclusive-classrooms.html Students with autism are especially visual, so rules, cheats, and routines should be mapped out visually, not just written.A routine in the classroom is vital to help both students with autism ans Aspergers. a routine needs to be consistant to help students achieve in the classroom.
Students with such disorders also need to be engaged, This will help increase skills and decrease problematic behaviors. If students are engaged they will not have the opportunity to "act out." Students must also be frequently reminded of their good behavior, and have visual clues as reminder. http://www.ericdigests.org/2000-3/autism.htm
Autism is a wide ranging disorder. Students with autism can function independently, or can be dependent on aids or help. (Vaughn 232.) There are no physical signs for autism.However, the signs are noticed mostly through speech and social behavior. Some impairments in social behavior may incluse lack of eye contact, lack of responsiveness, inability to build relationships, no formal language, or no tone reflection. Some students may have behavior that is stereotypicl for those who have autism. This may include body rocking, hand clapping, or fascination with certain objects. It is important as a teacher to understand you students and what their "ticks" are, so that you can manage your classroom in a way that is good for all studemts. It is also important to explain to the other students what rules and expectationsyou have and perhaps precautions in the classroom.
A disorder that can go unnoticed for an amount of time is Asperger Syndrome. Students with Asperger Syndrome typically still have high vocabulary skills,normal IQ, and cognitive abilities. Socially students lack the social ability to develop relationships, or reciprocate behavior. Parents with younger children with Aspergers Syndrome may say that their child does not hug them or tell them " I love You, " like most young children will. They do not have the ability to express emotions properly. Some may develop an extreme interest in a subject. Others may have rituals they HAVE to follow through. A variation of the routine can "set off" the student. As a teacher you can see how the needs of students with Aspergers can impact your classroom. It is important once again, to understand you student, understand thier routines, and needs.
In order to imporve social skills in the classroom, it is important for the child to feel comfortable and not pressured. The student should not be forced to work in groups, but allowed to join a group when he or she is ready. When the student is comfortable and ready, they can join in group work. http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/autism-students-in-inclusive-classrooms.html Students with autism are especially visual, so rules, cheats, and routines should be mapped out visually, not just written.A routine in the classroom is vital to help both students with autism ans Aspergers. a routine needs to be consistant to help students achieve in the classroom.
Students with such disorders also need to be engaged, This will help increase skills and decrease problematic behaviors. If students are engaged they will not have the opportunity to "act out." Students must also be frequently reminded of their good behavior, and have visual clues as reminder. http://www.ericdigests.org/2000-3/autism.htm
The similarities between Asperger syndrome and autism seem to me to be related mostly to social interactions. The book describes each disorder as showing poor eye contact and a lack of "normal" communication skills. There is also mention of motor repetition for each disorder. These similarities may lead someone to believe that students suffering from either may have the same disorder. With a closer look you would see that the differences are quite evident. While an autistic child would show little inflection with regard to speech, the child with Asperger syndrome will be a little more outspoken, and even excitable.
I think one of the best ways you can get a student with behavior problems to cooperate is to keep yourself from forcing the student into what you think they need to do. Everyone has different ways to respond to your technique, but I know few people who like to have ultimatums rather than choices. This site tells a story of a boy who went to a school where this forceful teaching was happening, but once that technique was abnegated, the child developed skills quickly.
Of course, a great tactic is to use positive reinforcement. Our textbook describes situations where you can help students curtail their poor behaviors by offering them rewards for proper behavior. Some rewards could be popcorn, others a simple "Way to go!" or high-five (p. 239). This site gives some tips on how to find good motivators for students.
What are some of your thoughts on the similarities and differences in social skills and behavior problem in children with autism and Asperger's disorders? What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors? Find and post two website links (not any of the websites already given in this lesson) that support your answers.
One of the main similarities between students with autism and Asperger’s is that children with both of these types of disabilities are very attached to their own routine. Routine is very important to people with Asperger’s and autism and they are really thrown off course if for some reason that routine is disrupted. They are also very similar in terms of having difficulty’s fitting into what most refer to as a normal social environment. While students with Asperger’s can interact in and fit into a standard social environment those with autism have a much more difficult time doing so. Asperger’s syndrome is a part of the autism spectrum. This spectrum is also known medically as pervasive developmental disorders. As is obvious by the word spectrum Asperger’s and autism have similar symptoms just in different ranges and degrees. A major difference between Asperger’s syndrome and autism according to a source I found is that autism is a communication disorder where the student isn’t able to communicate normally while those with Asperger’s just aren’t able to understand the communication directed at them.
This subject is fairly but not completely new territory to me. I’ve never actually subbed in a class or had any friends with Asperger’s syndrome or autism but I do have a few onetime experiences with them. When I was 8 years old my mom was a teacher who did in house teaching of a student with autism. This student was about 4 years old at the time. During these sessions I tried to help my mom with whatever activity she was doing with the student at the time. I don’t remember much from those sessions other than having an extremely difficult time trying to get his attention and keep him focused on the task at hand. I also strongly remember how much he loved to play the piano. It seemed that he was a lot more calm and focused when he was doing what he wanted and able to be centrally focused. The main activity he really enjoyed was pounding on the piano. I wouldn’t call it playing but it also wasn’t just noise. It wasn’t music per say but it was his music. I want to contrast this with another experience I had about 2 years ago. I started to date a woman with a child who was a high functioning high school student with Asperger’s syndrome. I spent some time around him and spent a lot of time talking with her about him. He was able to go to high school and take regular classes; he was able to master difficult videos games and even program a difficult VCR that his mom wasn’t able too. After hearing all this you may think that he was just a normal student but he wasn’t his social skills weren’t normal for a high school student. His mom often has to remind him to eat; she had to remind him to bathe because if she didn’t say on him about it he wouldn’t do so for up to a week at a time. He also had to be reminded to go to the bathroom because if he was wrapped up in something, usually his video games, he would simply go in his pants. I don’t know if he didn’t know it was happening, didn’t feel it or just valued playing his video games more than being clean. In terms of mental ability each child was very different but in terms of social behaviors they were just on different places in the spectrum.
There are a few things that I would do to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors. The first major thing I would do is help these students keep in a routine as to not throw them off balance. Students with both learning disabilities are very sensitive to any faltering from routines. The second thing I would is major sure that each category of student in discussed group would have a special education aide in the classroom in order to help them if they are behind. Finally, I would try to set up mentoring/buddy programs where classmates or slightly older students can mentor or spend time with students with Asperger’s syndrome students with that LD can model the behavior and actions of their “buddy”.
http://www.aspergerssyndrome.org/
http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/The-Difference-Between-Asperger-s-Syndrome-and-Autism/159628
I apologize but for some reason it won't let me post everything at once for some reason.
It seems to me that there are a great many similarities between children with Asperger’s and Autism; the greatest one being that neither set of children understand what is expected of them socially. They just don’t know the proper response to any challenging social situations, and both set of children often fall victim to being misunderstood and teased by their peers which causes, in both cases, the disease only to show itself more. These children are alike in that they are often isolated, which can cause feelings of unhappiness. Yet, the reason these children lack an understanding of what is expected of them socially seems to be very different. Children with autism tend not to relate to others and understand that other people have feelings or tendencies that differ from their own. They don’t see their behavior as being abnormal or deviant because they don’t recognize “normal”. They know that they stand apart, but they do not necessarily recognize why. Children with Asperger’s are quite different. They know that their moods and episodes are nonstandard and know that other children have emotions that differ from their own. They long to make and keep contact with their peers and family but do not have the cognitive filter to understand what appropriate and inappropriate for social situations. They know they are different and they know why.
In both cases I think it would be appropriate for the children who suffer from Asperger’s and Autism’s class mates be informed that that child is unique and to be educated about what makes that child different in a way that is understandable and appropriate. Zero tolerance policies need to be employed when it comes to teasing and bullying children with cognitive development issues. I think so much of the problems that plague children with theses disease is that they often become spectacles since their classmates just don’t understand them and their issues. If their peers were made better aware of why an effected child behaves the way he/she does and that they can not always help their compulsions, there would be less pressure on the child with the disorder. In support of this theory of mine a mother at circleofmoms.com said that, “My son is now 13 and wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until he was 9. He has been teased, bullied and down right abused for years. It will kill your soul to watch these kids go through this. Eventually, the teachers and everyone at the school blamed my son for everything that went wrong....."What did you do to cause him to do that....well don't do that anymore........He keeps doing this thing and the kids tease him because of it...If he would just stop doing this thing...." They just don't get it! You can't just tell these kids to stop. Your son is gong to sing no matter what. The other kids have to be taught not to treat him differently. My son's school refused to bend on this and just a few months ago I moved to a different school district.....solely because of this....He is doing wonderfully now because the school cares and understands these kids.”
http://www.aspergerssyndrome.net/
http://www.circleofmoms.com/autismaspergerspdd-awareness/Teased-on-the-bus-Asperger-s-anyone-deal-with-this-before-203871
What are some of your thoughts on the similarities and differences in social skills and behavior problem in children with autism and Asperger's disorders?
The indicators of autism and Asperger’s are very similar; they include (but are certainly not limited to): poor communication with others (especially those of their same age group), poor eye contact, resistance to change routine, hyper or hyposensitivity to pain and touch and repetitive motor movements.
While there are many similarities, there are also many differences. I found the most interesting difference to be their desire to be in social groups. According to the Autism Society of America, autistic children are not interested in social interaction, whereas Asperger’s children often want to belong to a group but don’t necessarily know how. Asperger’s children are often socially awkward, not picking up on social “norms” or cues.
Another significant difference is their ability to have an average IQ. Most asperger's children have average to above average intelligences and language development. In fact, their verbal IQ is often higher than the performance IQ. In autism, the child’s IQ is usually below average, and communication delays are always present. Many autistic children are very late in developing verbal language with a high percent never developing langue skills at all. My question is, if a child has the symptoms of Asperger’s but has a below average IQ are they then consider to have autism? Since IQ is really the only measurable symptom, how big of a role does it play in diagnosis?
Sources:
http://www.brighthub.com/mental-health/autism-pdd/articles/31859.aspx#ixzz10ybREbmn
http://ezinearticles.com/?Aspergers-vs-Autism&id=590524
What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors?
The author of the website I found requests the following be quoted when citing “Written by Susan Stokes under a contract with CESA 7 and funded by a discretionary grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction."
The author suggests “structured teaching” as a way to decrease problematic behaviors. An example is having the classroom design/layout be clear with visual and physical boundaries. “Each area of the classroom (or environment) should be clearly, visually defined through the arrangement of furniture (e.g., bookcases, room, dividers, office panels, shelving units, file cabinets, tables, rugs, etc.) and use of boundary markers, such as carpet squares or colored floor tape. Children with autism typically do not automatically segment their environments like typically developing children. Large, wide-open areas can be extremely difficult for children with autism to understand. What is to occur in each area; Where each area begins and ends, and How to get to a specific area by the most direct route.”
Many more great and interesting ways can be found at http://www.specialed.us/autism/structure/str10.htm
This same author also writes about characteristics/learning styles and intervention strategies of children with Asperger’s Syndrome. http://www.specialed.us/autism/asper/asper11.html I found the section on social behavior to be most interesting.
Since a child with Asperger's lacks an understanding for social norms or is unable to pick up on social cues, the author suggests they will need to be directly taught various social skills (recognition, comprehension and application) in one-to-one and/or small group settings. Since children with Asperger's Syndrome will not learn social relations by watching other people, or by participating in various social situations we as educators need to provide tools for teaching them social skills. Below are the tools the author suggests are used: Individualized visual social "rule" cards that can be taped to the child's desk as a visual reminder regarding appropriate social behaviors to exhibit. - Social Stories and social scripts (visual “stories” that teach the child appropriate behaviors to exhibit when he is engaged in varied social situations – there is an example on the website) - Role-playing - “Lunch/recess club” (a structured lunch/recess time with specific peers to focus on target social skills) - Comic Strip Conversations (there is an example on the website)
The only experiences I have had with Aspergers is through the movies (the dad in Dear John) and T.V. (the son in Parenthood). My best friend has a cousin with down syndrome and autism. His case is very severe and was recently put in a specialized home. I am definitely going to take Crystal’s recommendation and watch Temple Grandin – sounds very interesting!
I must admit that I had never read extensively about autism or Asperger's and the only things that I knew about them were that the children did not make much eye contact and in severe cases the child could be completey unresponsive to social interaction. After reading the chapter and searching the web for various websites, I have learned a great deal of information about these disorders. Autism and Asperger's have many similarities, as has been pointed out in previous posts, which include the affected child having repetitive movements or quarks such as rocking of the body or tapping and flapping of hands and fingers and also needing to have routines and to have those routines rigorously kept. Both disorders render the child socially awkward, however children with autism can sometimes be completely unaware of the social world around them while children with Asperger's show an interest in the social happenings around them, they are simply awkward or incorrect in how they handle and interpret those situations.
The differences are big between the two disorders of which the biggest in my opinion involves verbal communication and cognition. Children with autism show the delays in language skills and cognitive development at a very early age (usually before the age of three) while children with Asperger's do not usually show significant delays in these areas. Many times the actions of children with Asperger's are interpreted as being intentionally defiant or purposefully not following directions. This leads me to how we as teachers can work to improve and teach these social skills and behaviors to these students.
One suggestion that I found and have seen in some of the grade schools in which I have substitute taught is the use of social stories or scripts in which a picture of the action or behavior which is acceptable is shown to the student so that they can interpret what it is that they should be doing. These can include pictures of a child reading, sitting in a chair, being quiet, etc. This supports that children with autism and Asperger's need visuals and learn best through visual and kinesthetic means than through audio methods. These children also learn best when their attention is kept with motivating and interesting activities. This would benefit all students as well.
I forgot to post my websites. They are:
http://www.ericdigests.org/2000-3/autism.htm
http://www.specialed.us/autism/asper/asper12.html
Question 1 (this is too long, so I had to split it into 3 parts)
First to recap, the key social markers for autism are: little to no eye contact, Autistic leading, unawareness of social situations, little to no verbal communication, echolalic speech, inflexible routines, motor repetitions, and savant characteristics. The social markers for Asperger’s syndrome are: a lack of ability to read social cues, akward eye contact, interest in social environments, language is not necessarily delayed, language use may be delayed, restricted interests, inflexible adherence to certain routines, and repetitive motor movements. (233 Vaughn et al).
That said, I cannot help but draw on my experience with these disorders. The book and outside texts basically describe the same thing, but I think it’s beneficial to provide personally available insights. First, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I am close with numerous speech pathologists, but one, my fiancé’s, sister has done extensive work with children who fall on in Autistic spectrum and we talk frequently about this. I especially recall a conversation in which we discussed how only recently Autism and Asperger’s have been reconsidered in their classification. Apparently, until recently, these were considered separate disorders, but they are now both officially reclassified and considered to related disorders that both fall on the “Autism spectrum.” This official decision is important in that it allows for children with Asperger’s to receive interventions and services which may not have been available to them under the previously separate designation. This, in turn, allows for more of the all-important early intervention, which is paramount for the future of these children. I also recall how positive my sister-in-law (to-be) felt that this was because, as a “spectrum” would suggest, like a color spectrum, there are varying shades of the conditions, so children may show more or fewer markers of either Autism or Asperger’s depending on their individual circumstances and treatments. The text supports this with, “Although people diagnosed with autism are considered to have a severe disability, the range in ability level within this group is varied. (National Research Council, 2001). Some individuals with autism may function independently or almost independently.” (Vaughn, et al. 232) Though I agree, I feel that this may be dated, as I don’t think that current trend would label all autistic spectrum people as “severely disabled.” With this, I encourage everyone to seek information on Dr. Temple Grandin as evidence.
Part 2 of 3
To speak to the specifics of Asperger’s, it may be a bit more difficult to detect, but the text provides some helpful behaviors to look for: impaired social interaction, stereotypical “autistic spectrum like” behavior, presence of an impairment (social or vocational), no delay in language but speech may be monotone, no delays in cognition (not really a warning sign, is it?) and NOT schizophrenic. It is important to be aware of these markers, because a failure to identify and intervene will prevent a student from receiving the services he/she needs, the result of which is, “many of these students will experience social isolation, anxiety, and depression.” (Vaughn, et al. 234). With this, I must again share an anecdote from my sister-in-law that demonstrates a type of social deficit that an Asperger’s person (or any Autism-spectrum person even) may demonstrate. As she put it, when you talk with a person in normal conversation, and you want to “wrap things up” you may give generally understood social cues, such as gathering your things to leave, saying, “Well, it was nice talking to you,” or various other things. When you try to do these things with an Asperger’s person, they don’t pick up on these cues. The person might continue to talk to you, or when you say that it was nice talking, they might say “its nice talking to you, too” in such a way that you know that they expect you talk again. In a way, it’s very hard for me to describe this in writing without being able to share the voice inflection and body language, but then that illustrates what an Asperger’s person experiences, perhaps—they don’t know what those things mean because they can’t experience them, either. I do not consider to this to a “behavior problem” but it will require teachers and students to be a little bit more patient and understanding.
As I mentioned earlier, people with autism can very highly in the degree in which they are affected by autism, as there are limitless ways in which a person can fall on the spectrum, but best experience with autism comes from my Uncle Rick, who is severely autistic. My Uncle Rick has absolutely no social awareness. As far as family, he only knows who is parents and siblings are. He doesn’t make eye contact with anyone and he only speaks when you ask him a question about something that is of interest to him. And when he does speak, it will repeat the question and the response a couple of times. My uncle rocks constantly, holds his hands in front of him always and has a very strict routine. As far as his savant characteristics, you can tell him your birthday, and he will be able to instantly tell you what day of the week you were born on (even if you birthday occurred before he was born) and you can ask him, “What was on CBS at 7pm, March 21, 1985?” and he will be able to instantly tell you because he reads TV Guides ( I don’t even know if these are still in print). The only behavior problem that my uncle would ever have, and it may be similar to other Autistic people, is that he doesn’t know how to cope when his routine is changed. In regard to behavior problems, the text states that, “many students with ASD have difficulty regulating their emotions. They may in engage in what appears to be spontaneous outburst of aggression, self-injury, or sadness.” (Vaughn, et al., 236) I would venture to posit that it is not spontaneous, but that the ASD student perceived that their routine was infringed upon in some way.
part 3 of 3
What do you think would be ways to improve social skills and decrease problematic behaviors?
In short, I feel that it absolutely and unequivocally paramount for students to receive as early an intervention as possible, and for them to go to school with a highly effective IEP in place so that the teachers and resources are prepared.
In more detail, however, the text and my personal experience would suggest that social skills can be improved upon by creating an environment where the ASD student is comfortable. I believe that their comfort with translate to problematic behaviors. I would have a well-established routine. I would also work to ensure communication with ASD students (both teacher-student and student-student) is explicit and that student’s are receptive to and patient with the needs of their classmate(s). I would work very a situation the book describes: “This awareness that they are different can in some instances cause frustration, embarrassment, and social isolation, which may ultimately result in secondary psychiatric issues such as anxiety and depression.” (Vaughn, et al., 236) I
Find and post two website links (not any of the websites already given in this lesson) that support your answers.
I made an earlier reference to Dr. Temple Grandin, please see her site at http://www.templegrandin.com/templehome.html
And here is some information from NPR about how Asperger’s is/was reclassified into an Autism Spectrum Disorder
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123577220
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