Before commencing this course I had limited knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However since commencing this course I have gained valuable knowledge and information about individuals with autism and various ways as to which I can include them in a general mainstream classroom.
These students face a variety of difficulties each day and both of the assessments opened my eyes to these challenges. Each child has their strengths and weaknesses and it is our job as teachers to help students find a strong platform to stand on to learn, grow and develop. The first assignment (book review) helped in conveying the difficulties that children with ASD could face with daily tasks that we take for granted. While the second assignment benefited myself as a graduate teacher in finding appropriate meaningful resources to use with students in the classroom. The five areas that I targeted in this assignment are that of attention and memory retention, language development, challenging behaviours, social awkwardness and need for control and order. The resources varied for each behaviour and had their own individual use in the classroom or routine. Most of the resources found would also help general mainstream children and could be used as a class or group rotation to limit exclusion of the ASD child. Some of the resources were planned for prior to lesson (timetable) while others were used as necessary (chill out zone).
Through researching and exploring these areas of common difficulties I became more familiar with the behaviour and possible experiences which may trigger the behaviour. By having to investigating a specific aspect of the behaviour rather than the broad overarching general behaviour proved very beneficial. I was able to take traits of students and children I have interacted with and this made it more meaningful to me. By having to create resources to target the behaviour I have become more aware of the difficulties students with Autism face within general education and classrooms.
As a beginning teacher this research into the field of Autism is very beneficial to me, as many strategies that can be put in place are also beneficial to other students. Resources such as a visual timetable, a chill out zone and social skills board games are also useful to other students and can easily be implemented into a classroom for all students. Combined with the learnt knowledge acquired in the first assignment of a book report I have sufficient knowledge into ASD to assist students in my class and interact with other students in class and in the playground. However as I have had overall limited interaction with students in my class who are autistic I still feel like this is an area that I need to explore further as I progress as a teacher.
I have enjoyed this course and the assignments and looking at the field of autism as it is such an interesting and large field. This will definately not be the end of my research and exploration into Autism.
I hope you have enjoyed my blog highlighting a few traits and easy resources which could easily be used in a classroom to address the issues that many children with Autism face on a daily basis.
Classroom inclusion for individuals with Autism 