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Asperger Educational Behavioral Inquiry Project
It is important for teachers to understand Asperger Syndrome (AS), ways to teach necessary skills to these children, and other changes in the classroom that may benefit them. I have found over the past year of research many educational and behavioral intervention strategies for students with AS. Through reading the book Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, by T. Attwood, I was able to begin my path of understanding AS. In addition, I also found significant information through observations and medical records of one of my AS students, interviews from parents and professionals, as well as attending AS support group meetings. Naturally, not all children with AS are alike. Just as each child with AS has his own unique personality, AS symptoms are also specific to each individual. Therefore, there is no exact strategy or intervention that can be used for a generic classroom, each intervention must be used and reflected upon.
I focused on the behavioral and educational aspects of AS while conducting my research throughout the year. One key idea from the behavioral side I focused on were the social skills of students with AS, specifically their communication capabilities. For most individuals with AS, there is a need to enhance communication. Social skills are carried far beyond their high school career, therefore it is important to foster and enhance them. The importance of these skills is highlighted by Myles and Simpson (2001) by focusing on the “hidden curriculum”. The students with AS need to be taught the skills that we assume most students know. Through my interviews, I found that communication was a key concern of the parents and professionals as well. Dr. Bill Sobotowicz, school psychologist, stated that communication patterns among AS students vary, however they seem to be more literal and focus their conversations on narrow range of interests. The mother of my AS student also agreed and stated that her son was not comfortable with everyday conversations. Her son can not think of things to talk about, therefore general conversations make him nervous. Because of this, she states that her son’s social skills are poor and, as a result, has no friends, goes on no social outings, and talks to no one (through phone or computer conversations). As I observed her son in my class, I found his social skills to be very weak. Communication skills are such a key aspect to everyday life that interventions must be made for each individual student to help them become successful in the classroom and outside of the school as well.
Through focusing on the educational interventions of AS students, I found that a structured environment also proved to be a key element in preparing them for a successful future. Participation in a regular education program presents challenges for students with AS. Students are required to cope with changes in routine and expectations between teachers. Students with AS benefit from a highly structured environment where the classroom is orderly and follows strict routines (Gross, 1994). They may become overwhelmed by small and/or unexpected changes, which can bring on anxiety and panic. Myles and Simpson (2001) suggest creating a predictable atmosphere, which includes using a daily routine with minimal transitions. Also, if changes are going to occur, the AS student should be told in advance so that they can prepare. Dr. Sobotowicz stated that a primary factor in helping AS student succeed in the classroom is to establish trust and security through consistency. He agrees with the research that the classroom needs to be as stable as possible regarding routine, however creative and challenging lessons must be taught. A structured environment needs to be set as a framework for the class through routine and expectations while daily tasks may be changed. Through observing my students I could see a change in their behavior and educational goals.
As I began this research I had two students with AS that could benefit from my interventions. This year, I have been focusing on one AS student that I have currently in my classroom. In addition to applying intervention strategies in my classroom, I also shared my knowledge with colleagues that taught a number of AS students as well. Since I teach in a core content area, social skills are not part of my curriculum and therefore were more challenging to implement. Dr. Sobotowicz suggested I read an article based on common used interventions with AS students. The ABC’s intervention plan (Academics, Behavior, and Communication) was published in the journal Topics in Language Disorders, and is backed by the most relevant research and knowledge, as well as organized case studies. The ABC intervention plan is also supported throughout Attwood’s book. My AS students were very awkward in their timing of conversation. They would come up and expect to start a new conversation as if one was not already occurring. Poking me to get my attention was also a common occurrence. Communication skills should be taught in a structured, formal way which combines explicit teaching, practice, and the monitoring of behavior in a variety of settings (Attwood, 1998). AS students have abnormal verbal communication and can be associated with inaccurate or inappropriate volume levels, expressions, and timing. I would frequently remind my AS students to raise their hand, however that did not seem to work. I started using single words to trigger an action. I would say “timing” in a forceful way in order for them to realize it was not an appropriate time for a question. A quick correction to this issue is not to allow the student to continue. The teacher may want to develop a code with the student or develop a quick word that the student can recognize as an alert to change behavior (Safran, 2003). Most AS students want to interact with their classmates, but simply do no know how. They must be taught how to react to social cues and what to say and when to say it (Attwood, 1998). Socials skills with AS students were practiced before the bell through welcoming them to the class and provoking conversation by asking about their day. As suggested by Safran, in order to improve positive interactions between classmates, I implemented a peer mentor program for my AS students. Students were intentionally selected and paired with the AS students and were educated about the situation. I sat the peer mentor next to the AS students and they would look out for them by making sure they were included in group activities, encouraging classroom involvement, and starting conversations of interest between them.
I also provided a more structured environment for my AS students throughout the year. The mother of one of my AS students during an interview discussed her concerns of routine with me. She suggested that a routine be set for her AS son so that he could become more comfortable in my class. Research by Myles & Simpson and Safran also concluded that a structured predictable class time would also benefit my AS students. Children with this disorder may become overwhelmed by small and/or unexpected changes, which can bring on anxiety and panic. Creating a predictable atmosphere, which includes having a daily routine with minimal transitions, is a must. In addition, if changes are going to occur, the child should be told in advance so that he can prepare (Myles & Simpson, 2001). As suggested I reorganized the flow of my class and my AS students were given detailed to-do check off lists for each class. This list included, but was not limited to, checking homework answers on the board and leaving out on the corner of their desks, completing the problem of the day, taking notes, participating in classwork/activity, writing down homework in agenda, and asking any questions the had about a lesson before leaving class. This list was given to the AS students to use as a guide to help them feel more comfortable during the class time. The flow of the class was kept the same during each day with detailed lessons. In addition, each student was given a lesson/assignment sheet for the chapter. This sheet provided them with a glance at what was to come so they could feel less anxious of future classes/lessons. The mother of the AS student was very appreciative of the changes she saw in the class as well as the progress her son made with the changes.
I had many successes in my classroom throughout my research. Unfortunately, there has been little research to date to show progress in identifying specific effective intervention techniques for those with AS. A major drawback seems to be that intervention strategies are difficult to generalize with AS students. Interventions require more tailoring in a case by case basis. Throughout my research, what proved to be a great accommodation for one AS student did not affect the other. Although all positives may have not been seen immediately in the classroom, the feedback I received from the parents of my AS students were invaluable. I chose to work with these AS students so that I could provide the best possible learning environment for them. I worked hard to gain their trust and respect throughout the year. Building a strong relationship with the students proved to be the most challenging task, and was in turn the most successful intervention used when working with them. Starting off each class with a general conversation between myself and the AS student built a strong relationship with them. This also provided an opportunity for them to work on their conversation skills and enabled them to be more willing to answer and ask questions in class. The parents of the AS students could also see a difference in their child’s interest in the class. Before, their child may have not shown interest, or just enough interest to complete their homework. However, now they felt like the class had a purpose. Because I took the initiative to speak to them about their personal interests, the AS students linked this to the actual importance of the class and therefore their willingness to work increased.
Also, as a result of my efforts, my AS students felt less anxiety coming into class knowing what to expect and having their lists and schedules in hand. If there was going to be a change in the daily schedule I made sure to make a new check off sheet for them or inform them of the changes, which made it easier for them to adjust. In addition to the check off lists and new timely flow of the class, I also included a break time. Student with AS need a sensory break at times, therefore a 2 minute stretch break was included in our new schedule. This gave not only my other students a nice break in the middle to refresh, but also gave my AS students a time to sit and relax or get up and move around. Each student varied in what they needed to do during the break time. However, all students reacted to this break time in a positive way, by seemingly being more attentive for the entire class. The entire class also seemed to benefit from the lesson/assignment sheets. Some students liked to work ahead of schedule or just review ahead of class time, while others used it as a way to keep up. Just as the AS students, my other students enjoyed knowing what was coming up in future lessons.
Although I felt very successful in my applied interventions, there is always room for improvement. One area of concern for me was how to continue the structured environment in the classroom for my AS students, while still being creative so that no student would not be bored. Teaching students with AS requires creative planning and good classroom organization that is consistent. For me I found these two ideas opposing, which presented a challenge for me to continue with the same routine daily, all the while being creative in that routine. AS students are all different, therefore there are no set ways in modifying the curriculum by generalizing. Modifications that work with one student may not work for the next. I believe with more research and knowledge, creating lesson plans with consistency and creativity will continue to become easier. When beginning this intervention, I stuck to my schedule to the minute and used the same list everyday: check homework, notes, practice problems, activity/classwork, assign homework. Throughout the year I found that if my transitions stayed consistent I could switch around the schedule/activities with little hesitation. However, improvement in this area is still needed.
Managing AS students’ behavior is an aspect of teaching that I could improve. Realizing that when a child with AS interrupts or acts inappropriately around others they usually are not being rude or acting up. They really just do not understand how to interact and require assistance to help learning this skill. Because of this, the AS student will not be able to learn if punished. Therefore, before reacting to an AS student’s outburst, I must ask myself why this is occurring and see what could be done to avoid the situation later. A mother of an AS student informed me that her son’s weakness was that he was impatient and thinks he always right, which makes him come off as stubborn and unwilling to conform to the group. Even after speaking with her I would take her son’s actions personally and quickly act upon them. During one incident with the use of a particular pencil, I saw where I must pick my battles with students with AS. This student refused to do any work using a pencil that I had loaned him and would rather take the penalty of not during the class work than using my pencil. According to him, my pencil was not a pencil that met his standards. During a support meeting several of the parents replied that their children insisted on familiarity as well. As an unsuspecting teacher, I thought I was in a control battle with this student, when, in fact, the child was behaving in a way that he thought was very logical. Another challenge when AS students are present in a regular education classroom deals with classroom management in regards to the other students in the class. Once the AS student gets away with something they all want to know why, which is hard to explain. Therefore, I believe one area I could improve upon is managing the undeveloped social skills of AS students.
Using the information I collected and learned throughout this study, I plan to continue developing interventions with AS students I come into contact with. Cooperation between teachers, staff training opportunities, and coordinated planning can provide a positive classroom experience for all students. Therefore, I plan on partnering with our special education department to offer a professional development class on AS including general and specific interventions to be used in the classroom that I have used as well as others that have been found through research. Individualized planning with specific students’ needs can also be addressed during this class. I hope to also be able to attend more seminars and classes myself on AS. Another goal is to continue my work with the DFHS AS support group. The support group was formed as a liaison between the parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and Dutch Fork High School. I want to continue to work closely with teachers in helping them understand the needs of students with AS. Presently, not much is known about autism and autism spectrum disorders. It has been a neglected area of study. By forming and continuing the support group, I am helping to educate the school through better communication for intervention strategies that may work with students in the future. Students with AS present many challenges to their parents and teachers. It is therefore important for teachers to be aware of the unique characteristics of children with AS. Given the rise in the rates of AS and the fact that IDEA requires general educators to meet the educational and social needs of students with disabilities, it is clear that general educators will undoubtedly have to teach students with AS in their general education classroom. I will continue my research to implement evidence-based interventions and will keep positive attitudes toward my students with AS. With support, we can hope that the students with AS will no longer be social outcasts, but will function more efficiently in the classroom and the real world.
Reference List
Attwood, T. (1998). Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Proffesionals. London:
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Gross, J. (1994). Asperger’s syndrome: A label worth having? Educational Psychology, 10(2),
104-110.
Myles, B.S. & Simpson, R.L. (2001). Understanding the hidden curriculum: An essential social
skill for children and youth with asperger syndrome. Intervention in School and Clinic,
36, 279-286
Safran, S.P., Safran, J.S., & Ellis, K. (2003). Intervention ABC’s for children with Asperger’s
syndrome. Topics in Language Disorders, 23, 154-165
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