Teaching students with autismIn 1990, in the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed which “mandates suitable educational plans for children with developmental disabilities or delays,” including autism . This states that the government must grant a free and equal education to all students, regardless of their disability or learning delay.A widely discussed subject that is centered on education is the inclusion of students with disabilities into the classroom. Students with autism are being included into regular classrooms with students who do not have disabilities. The non-disabled students will model appropriate behaviors for the student with autism to follow. Studies have shown that inclusion is beneficial to both the student with autism and their non-disabled peers . When teaching a child with autism, Egel suggests focusing on two areas: “the use of functional activities and an effort to make programs appropriate for the student’s developmental level and chronological age.” Smith, Polloway, Patton, and Dowdy also point out that educational programs should teach the child life skills and help them to deal with daily needs.  When teaching children with autism, developing a structured learning environment is important. It is helpful to be consistent and to develop predictable routines . Some additional strategies for the teacher to use when teaching a student with autism are listed in the book by Smith, Polloway, Patton, and Dowdy. Some of these strategies are: • Speak slowly and state positively what to do (ex. Let’s walk) Peer buddies and peer tutoring can be used in the classroom to help teach the child with autism. In the peer
buddy approach, the child with autism is paired with a student of normal development. The children are encouraged
to talk and play to promote social interaction . Peer tutoring again involves one typical student and one
child with autism, but the child with autism is being tutored. This approach can be varied by having the child with
autism tutor a younger, normally developed student . These approaches are most appropriate when the child has
high functioning autism. |