6 STEPS TO SUCCESS FOR ASPERGER SYNDROME
Having a child with Asperger Syndrome in your class will have a different impact on your classroom environment than having a child with autism. Each individual with Asperger Syndrome is different and will present his or her own unique challenges.
Children with Asperger Syndrome often display considerable academic strengths. The effects of the disorder require different teaching strategies to discover and capitalize those strengths for successful learning. Students within the school environment also face many obstacles to successful social interactions and relationship building.
The first challenge is to recognize Asperger Syndrome as a serious challenge for the student and you. It can be very deceptive, almost hidden to the untrained eye at first. Children with Asperger Syndrome can, at times, look and act like much like their typical peers. Further, these children tend to perform as well or better academically as their typical peers potentially masking the effects of the disorder.
Asperger Syndrome is a neurological disorder; individuals with the disorder often have difficulty controlling certain behaviors. Most often these behaviors are a function of Asperger Syndrome and not the result of the individual’s willful disobedience or noncompliance.
To read more about Asperger Syndrome, please refer to the Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome and other Asperger Syndrome resources listed on this web site.
SIX-STEP PLAN
Following the six-step plan, detailed below, will help prepare you for the entrance of a child with Asperger Syndrome in your classroom, as well as foster inclusion throughout the school. The six steps are simple and highly flexible—think of them as continuing and often concurrent actions.
Note: The steps are outlined first with links to more detailed discussion. To read the most complete version, please view the guide.
Step 1: Educate Yourself
Different behaviors are a large part of Asperger Syndrome. Learning about Asperger Syndrome and the specific characteristics of your student will help you effectively manage the behaviors. Here are some helpful hints that can guide everyday school life for students with Asperger Syndrome.
- Operate on “Asperger time.” “Asperger time” means, “Twice as much time, half as much done.” Students with Asperger Syndrome often need additional time to complete assignments, gather materials, and orient themselves during transitions.
- Manage the environment. Any change can increase anxiety in a student with Asperger Syndrome. Strive to provide consistency in the schedule and avoid sudden changes.
- Create a balanced agenda. Make a visual schedule that includes daily activities for students with Asperger Syndrome. Some parts of the daily schedule or certain classes or activities should be monitored or restructured, as needed.
- Share the agenda. Students with Asperger Syndrome have difficulty distinguishing between essential and nonessential information. In addition, they often do not remember information that others acquire from past experiences or that come as common sense. Thus, it is important to state the obvious and “live out loud.” By stating what you are the child can better understand the meaning behind your actions.
- Simplify language. Keep your language simple and concise, and speak at a slow, deliberate pace. Students with Asperger Syndrome to have difficulty “reading between the lines,” understanding abstract concepts like sarcasm, or interpreting facial expressions. Be clear and specific when providing instructions.
- Manage change of plans. Make sure the student with Asperger Syndrome understands that sometimes planned activities can be changed, canceled, or rescheduled. Have backup plans and share them with the child with Asperger Syndrome. Prepare them for change whenever possible; tell them about assemblies, fire drills, guest speakers, and testing schedules. Recurring transitions, such as vacations and the beginning and end of the school year, may cause anxiety for a child with Asperger Syndrome.
- Provide reassurance. Because students with Asperger Syndrome cannot predict upcoming events, they are often unsure what to do. Provide feedback and reassurance frequently so that the student knows he is moving in the right direction or completing the correct task. Use frequent check-ins to monitor student progress and stress.
- Be generous with praise. Find opportunities throughout the day to tell the student with Asperger Syndrome what they did right. Compliment attempts as well as successes. Be specific to ensure that the student with Asperger Syndrome knows why you are providing praise.
Step 2: Reach Out to the Parents
The parents of your student with Asperger Syndrome are your first and best source of information about their child; they can provide you with information about their child’s behavior and daily activities. Ideally, this partnership will begin with meetings before the school year. After that, it is critical to establish mutually agreed-upon modes and patterns of communication with the family throughout the school year.
Step 3: Prepare the Classroom
Having learned about the individual sensitivities and characteristics of your student with Asperger Syndrome, you now have the information you need to organize your classroom appropriately. You can manipulate the physical aspects of your classroom, making it more comfortable for children with Asperger Syndrome without sacrificing your general plans for the class. The Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome contains information about specific approaches for structuring the academic and physical environment to address the needs of your student with Asperger Syndrome.
Step 4: Educate Peers and Promote Social Goals
Children with Asperger Syndrome have social deficits that make it difficult for them to establish friendships. However, with appropriate assistance, they can engage with peers and establish mutually enjoyable and lasting relationships.
The characteristics of Asperger Syndrome can cause peers to perceive a child with the disorder as odd or different. This can lead to situations that involve teasing or bullying. Children with Asperger Syndrome often cannot discriminate between playful versus mean-spirited teasing. Teachers and school staff must be aware that students with Asperger Syndrome are potentially prime targets of bullying or excessive teasing and must watch for signs.
One strategy is to assign a “buddy” in the classroom. Research shows that typically developing peers have more positive attitudes, increased understanding, and greater acceptance of children with Asperger Syndrome when provided with clear, accurate, and straightforward information about the disorder. Thus, educating students about the common traits and behaviors of children with Asperger Syndrome can lead to more positive social interactions between your student with Asperger Syndrome and his or her peers.
Many social interactions occur during unstructured times in settings outside the classroom where students with Asperger Syndrome may end up isolated. You may want to create a “circle of friends,” a group of responsible peers for the student with autism, who will not abandon him, serve as a model of appropriate social behavior, and protect against teasing or bullying. This tactic can also be encouraged outside of school.
Step 5: Collaborate on the Educational Program Development.
Read about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Step 6: Manage Behavioral Challenges
School is a stressful environment. Commonplace academic and social situations may create extreme stress for students with Asperger Syndrome. The stressors may include: difficulty predicting events because of changing schedules; tuning into and understanding teacher’s directions; interacting with peers; anticipating changes, such as classroom lighting, sounds/noises, odors, etc.
Tantrums or meltdowns (terms that are often used interchangeably) typically occur in three stages that can be of variable length. These stages and associated interventions are described more fully in the guide. Students with Asperger Syndrome rarely indicate that they are under stress. While they may not always know when they are near a stage of crisis, most meltdowns do not occur without warning. There is a pattern of behavior, which is sometimes subtle, that suggests an imminent, behavioral outburst. Prevention through the use of appropriate academic, environmental, social, and sensory supports and modification to environment and expectations is the most effective method.
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