Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Asperger's Syndrome and Retts Disorder)
If pervasive developmental disorders (Aspergers and Retts) is your topic, please post the answers to the four questions here.
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Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
1) As defined by the federal and state laws, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is a developmental disorder that resembles autism. It is characterized by at least two years of normal development, followed by loss of language, social skills, and motor skills before age ten. It is also called Heller’s syndrome, dementia infantilia, and disintegrative psychosis.
2) Children who have Childhood Disintegrative Disorder do not experience any abnormalities in development for the first two years of their lives. At this point (or at about ages three of four), however, they start to develop problems with age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior. Before they reach age ten, children with this disorder may experience loss of skills they have acquired in the following areas: 1.expressive or receptive language 2.social skills or adaptive behavior 3.bowel or bladder control 4.play 5.motor skills. Children with this disorder also experience abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas: 1.qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity) 2.qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play) 3.restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities, including motor stereotypes and mannerisms.
3) As a teacher of a student who has CDD, it is important that you realize how much the child and his or her family have already gone through. For the first two to four years of the student’s life, the family had a perfectly normal and healthy child, and then everything changed. By understanding this unique and very difficult situation, you will be able to help the student and their family more. With children who have CDD, as well as other types of autism, it is important for a teacher to have a behavioral intervention with the student. If early work is done with the child, they have the best chance of improving. As far as having a student with CDD in a general education class, I do not know if that would be fair to the child. I feel that they would benefit more from being in a smaller specialized class where the teacher could truly focus his or her attention on teaching the student.
4) 1. www.cdc.gov - Provides information from the DSM IV-TR about the symptoms of this disorder. In order to be able to teach those with this disease, you must first be able to understand the impact it has on the student’s life. By knowing exactly what is wrong with a student, a teacher can help him or her to her greatest ability. 2. www.mayoclinic.com – This website describes the disease in detail, as well as ways to test for it and cope with the disease. This website would be useful to teachers because it would help them learn just about everything about the disease. They would then be able to treat the student accordingly. 3. www.polyxo.com – This website specializes in methods for teaching those who are autistic. Since CDD is a type of autism, this site would be beneficial for teachers. It would also benefit parents, since it gives information on what parents can do for their children. 4. www.autismweb.com – This website describes many methods for the teaching of children with autism. Again, CDD is a type of autism, and it is covered at this website. The methods shown here would be great for teachers to use in their classroom. 5. Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, School Nurse, Principal – To truly benefit the student, all these people need to be involved in his or her education. The two therapists, especially, would be able to help the student begin learning the skills he or she used to know over again. The more ways in which a child can be helped, including in aspects of speech and daily tasks, the better off the child will be in the long run.
1. How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?
According to the federal and state laws, Asperger Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder, that is a collection of behavioral characteristics that are associated with problems developing adequate social skills and with restricted or unusual interests. Those with Asperger’s have a normal IQ and many exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area.Asperger Syndrome is part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which IDEA ’04 defines as, Children with ASD do not follow the typical patterns of child development. In some children, hints of future problems may be apparent from birth. In most cases, the problems in communication and social skills become more noticeable as the child lags further behind other children the same age. Some other children start off well enough. Often between 12 and 36 months of age, the differences in the way they react to people start to reject people, act strangely, and lose language and social skills they had previously acquired. In other cases, there is a plateau, or leveling, of progress so that the difference between the child with autism and other children the age becomes more noticeable. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors that can range from the very mild to the severe.
2. What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability?
The developmental characteristics under the DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Asperger Syndrome:
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: 1. Marked by impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction 2. Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level 3. A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people - by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people 4. Lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: 1. Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus 2. Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals 3. Stereotyped and repetitive motor machines - hand or finger flapping or twisting - complex whole-body movements 5. Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language -single words used by age 2 years -communicative phrases used by age 3 years E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood. F. Criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental disorder or schizophrenia.
3. If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic support as well as social support. If I were a teacher in a general education classroom and had a child with Asperger Syndrome, I would try my hardest to make sure that the child had the best educational experience possible. I would try to incorporate as much group work and social interaction throughout my lessons to involve the child more with peers. As the teacher I would want the child to feel comfortable with the surroundings in the classroom especially with their peers. The group work with their peers could in fact break the uneasiness of interaction with others that the child may have. If the child tends to experience chronic awkward movements, odd behaviors, or mannerisms I would try to come up with a way of reinforcement that would eventually help able the child to have the chronic experiences less, but also I would do it in a manner in which that would not make them feel uncomfortable in the classroom. I could possibly teach in a way that involves myself using entertaining movements to take the attention away from the child who experiences the chronic tendencies. I would make sure that family of the child and myself are kept in open communication to keep them in the light of the situation of their child’s education and to give daily updates.
4. What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? ( This would include websites, agencies, people within the school) A website that in which can be very helpful to the child is the Council for Exceptional Children, www.cec.sped.org. The website is very informative and can help to have a better understanding of Asperger Syndrome with just one click away. It can help get a more in depth understanding to the disease which can also help with teaching methods to benefit the child. Another website that can be beneficial is www.autism-society.org/site/PageNavigator/about_whatis_asperger . It gives a complete overview of all the different aspects to Aspergers. It not only give the definition of the disease but also explains how to interact and work with those affecteted with Aspergers. A method that could help the student with Aspergers is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the practice that applies learning principles to the eliminator of unwanted behaviors. For younger children, sensory integration training is performed by an occupational therapist to desensitized a child to stimuli to which they are overly sensitive. Also language therapy and social skills training can be very big important factors that a child should part take in.
1. Pervasive Development Disorder is defined as neurological disorders that are usually evident by age 3. Children who have a PDD have problems in communication, social interaction, and repetitive or manneristic behaviors.
2. The developmental characteristics of a person with pervasive development disorder include impairments in social interaction, delayed development of symbolic or imaginative play, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and a limited number of interests and activities that tend to be repetitive.
3. If I were a teacher in a general education classroom, I would help support a child with pervasive development disorder by trying to get him/her involved in the class. Since they may have problems communicating or with social interaction I would try my best to get the student to participate without singling him/her out. If the behavior becomes an issue in class where it is disrupting other students, I may move the student’s seat or have an assistant in class with me to give the student one-on-one attention.
4. The resources I would use as a teacher to help me serve a child with PDD include websites such as www.autism-society.org. I would use books and any articles about autism. In addition to reading material, I would ask people within the school such as counselors, colleagues, or administration to help. Another resource I would use is the child’s parents since they know enough about the disorder and how their child behaves as a result. The last resource I would use are agencies designed to help in these situations.
1. Retts disorder is a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by normal early development followed by loss of purposeful use of the hands, distinctive hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, gait abnormalities, seizures, and mental retardation.
2. Some developmental characteristics of children with Retts disorder include the loss of muscle tone, which is usually the first symptom that is noticed with the illness. Next, the child gradually loses the ability to use the hands and ability to speak. In the later stages which sometimes occur suddenly include fine to broad motor skills. In the earliest stages, the child will develop autistic-like behaviors such as toe walking, sleep problems, teeth grinding and difficulty chewing, slowed growth, seizures, cognitive disabilities, and breathing difficulties while awake such as hyperventilation, apnea, and air swallowing.
3. As a teacher of a student with Retts disorder it is extremely important to understand all of the facts about the disorder.If you can understand what the child is going through than you can best adapt to their learning needs. These children need extra special help and assistance not only academically but socially as well. Many of these students will have trouble speaking so it is important to have an aide that can tell if the student is understanding the material that is being taught in class.
4. a)http://www.rettsyndrome.org This website is very helpful for gaining general knowledge that a teacher should have about Rett's Disorder.
b) http://www.rsrf.org This website is devoted to the research that is continually being performed on Rett's Disorder, it is good for teachers of students with Rett's disorder to stay up to date with the research that is going on with the disorder.
5. Since there is no cure for Rett's Disorder the only treatments available are ones that help the symptoms of the illness. Some treatments include Occupational therapy, speech therapy and hydrotherapy. Also, braces for the arms and legs may be necessary in order for the limbs to regain or sustain control of some motor skills. Hydrotherapy also helps in prolonging mobility. The occupational therapy will help the children with Rett's Disorder perform everyday activities such as tying their shoes, getting dressed, and eating.
How would you implement a child with this disorder into a general education classroom? What accommodation and modifications would you give this child?
Asperger Syndrome -Children who have Asperger Syndrome typically have a hard time in a school setting and require accommodations and modifications. Such accommodations which they may require are teaching style, behavior support, and social support. Modifications may need to be made to the curriculum. Although, all children with Asperger syndrome typically need accommodations and modifications, each child is unique and requires something different. -As far as accommodations to the teaching style, classes need to be highly structured and have a consistent routine. If there is not a consistent routine a child with Asperger Syndrome may over react to changes in their schedule or if there is change from the way things are normally done. An accommodation that can be made to help the child feel consistency is give them a visual schedule of the day so they can prepare themselves for the activities ahead. Because these children often process sensations differently, accommodations may be necessary regarding their sensory issues. When they become overwhelmed, there should be a quiet, isolated area in which they can go to work. This area should always be available to the student so they can go here to calm themselves down. Physical education class may need to be modified because it is often a very difficult class for children with Asperger Syndrome. Because P.E. usually has very little structure, limited supervision, games are socially orientated, and there is usually a lot of noise and physical contact the child may easily become overwhelmed. Usually children with Asperger Syndrome excel in their visual processing skills, so for this reason visual methods of teaching and visual supports should always be used. Also written directions can help a child with Asperger Syndrome to better understand an assignment. Also children with Asperger Syndrome often have difficulty in some academic areas. In these areas direct instruction is required. One modification that may benefit these children is extended time on assignments that pertain to their academic areas of weakness. Another modification that can be made is giving the child a “finish later” folder. Even if a teacher tells them they can go back and finish the assignment at a later time it may not register to the child, however the visual aid of the folder will help them to understand this concept. Another modification may be to give the child worksheets or tests with fewer problems. Children with Asperger Syndrome interpret speech literally so an accommodation a general education teacher may have to make is to limit their use of figurative language, jokes/riddles, words that have multiple meanings, and implied meanings. -A child with Asperger Syndrome usually has enough mental ability to allow them to participate in a general education classroom; however their behavior may require a more restrictive environment. A positive approach to behavior should be used in a class which contains a child with Asperger Syndrome. Excessive auditory stimulation can have an effect on a child with Asperger Syndrome’s behavior. An accommodation that can be made to fix the behavior problem is to allow the student to wear headphones or a headband to muffle the noise. -Social support is needed for children with Asperger Syndrome because they are often an easy target for bullies. It is the teacher’s responsibility that the safety of this child is ensured. Also by helping non disable peers understand the child with Asperger Syndrome, they will be more likely to be accepting to the child, which will give the child with Aspreger Syndrome better behavior models. Because children with Asperger Syndrome have a hard time learning social skills an accommodation that can be used is small groups to directly teach various social skills. Activities such as social stories, role-playing, lunch/recess club and individualized visual social rule cards can be used to teach specific social skills.
Educators can make modifications by making events predictable to studuents, should carefully explain expectations, and must foster a positive learning environment.
In repsonse to Christine's blog: PDD is a very serious disease and once I find out that one of my students I wil take several measures to insure that the student receives the education he deserves.Children who have PDD usually have delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Some of the symptoms include difficulty interacting with others, play unusually with toys, difficulty with changes, and repetitive body movements and behavior. As a teacher I would try to create lesson plans that sort of revolve around that student. For example, I would try to address and incorporate social skills and communication into the lesson maybe having them have to work in groups. Also, because those with PDD have behavioral problems I could use rewards to try and stop and problems. For example, if the student with PDD has behaved well during class and any other of his fellow students I could reward them with extra time for recess or even a delicious treat. Even verbal praises like “good job” or “I’m proud of you” can also encourage the student to try and behave well. I would also encourage communication with the student. I would let them know that if they are having problems or any issues in class, that they should let me know so I can help them. It is important that a child with PDD understand the importance of communication and how to effectively communicate. I would also try and encourage the student with PDD to interact with their peers while at recess so they can develop social skills. It is very important that they learn this at an early age so as they grow older they are not as hesitant about interacting with people. Those with PDD may be a challenge at first but with the right modifications and accommodations the student as well as my self will gain a lot.
7 comments:
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
1) As defined by the federal and state laws, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is a developmental disorder that resembles autism. It is characterized by at least two years of normal development, followed by loss of language, social skills, and motor skills before age ten. It is also called Heller’s syndrome, dementia infantilia, and disintegrative psychosis.
2) Children who have Childhood Disintegrative Disorder do not experience any abnormalities in development for the first two years of their lives. At this point (or at about ages three of four), however, they start to develop problems with age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior. Before they reach age ten, children with this disorder may experience loss of skills they have acquired in the following areas:
1.expressive or receptive language
2.social skills or adaptive behavior
3.bowel or bladder control
4.play
5.motor skills.
Children with this disorder also experience abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:
1.qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity)
2.qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play)
3.restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities, including motor stereotypes and mannerisms.
3) As a teacher of a student who has CDD, it is important that you realize how much the child and his or her family have already gone through. For the first two to four years of the student’s life, the family had a perfectly normal and healthy child, and then everything changed. By understanding this unique and very difficult situation, you will be able to help the student and their family more. With children who have CDD, as well as other types of autism, it is important for a teacher to have a behavioral intervention with the student. If early work is done with the child, they have the best chance of improving. As far as having a student with CDD in a general education class, I do not know if that would be fair to the child. I feel that they would benefit more from being in a smaller specialized class where the teacher could truly focus his or her attention on teaching the student.
4) 1. www.cdc.gov - Provides information from the DSM IV-TR about the symptoms of this disorder. In order to be able to teach those with this disease, you must first be able to understand the impact it has on the student’s life. By knowing exactly what is wrong with a student, a teacher can help him or her to her greatest ability.
2. www.mayoclinic.com – This website describes the disease in detail, as well as ways to test for it and cope with the disease. This website would be useful to teachers because it would help them learn just about everything about the disease. They would then be able to treat the student accordingly.
3. www.polyxo.com – This website specializes in methods for teaching those who are autistic. Since CDD is a type of autism, this site would be beneficial for teachers. It would also benefit parents, since it gives information on what parents can do for their children.
4. www.autismweb.com – This website describes many methods for the teaching of children with autism. Again, CDD is a type of autism, and it is covered at this website. The methods shown here would be great for teachers to use in their classroom.
5. Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, School Nurse, Principal – To truly benefit the student, all these people need to be involved in his or her education. The two therapists, especially, would be able to help the student begin learning the skills he or she used to know over again. The more ways in which a child can be helped, including in aspects of speech and daily tasks, the better off the child will be in the long run.
1. How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?
According to the federal and state laws, Asperger Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder, that is a collection of behavioral characteristics that are associated with problems developing adequate social skills and with restricted or unusual interests. Those with Asperger’s have a normal IQ and many exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area.Asperger Syndrome is part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which IDEA ’04 defines as, Children with ASD do not follow the typical patterns of child development. In some children, hints of future problems may be apparent from birth. In most cases, the problems in communication and social skills become more noticeable as the child lags further behind other children the same age. Some other children start off well enough. Often between 12 and 36 months of age, the differences in the way they react to people start to reject people, act strangely, and lose language and social skills they had previously acquired. In other cases, there is a plateau, or leveling, of progress so that the difference between the child with autism and other children the age becomes more noticeable. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors that can range from the very mild to the severe.
2. What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability?
The developmental characteristics under the DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Asperger Syndrome:
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. Marked by impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people
- by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people
4. Lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. Stereotyped and repetitive motor machines
- hand or finger flapping or twisting
- complex whole-body movements
5. Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language
-single words used by age 2 years
-communicative phrases used by age 3 years
E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
F. Criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental disorder or schizophrenia.
3. If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic support as well as social support.
If I were a teacher in a general education classroom and had a child with Asperger Syndrome, I would try my hardest to make sure that the child had the best educational experience possible. I would try to incorporate as much group work and social interaction throughout my lessons to involve the child more with peers. As the teacher I would want the child to feel comfortable with the surroundings in the classroom especially with their peers. The group work with their peers could in fact break the uneasiness of interaction with others that the child may have. If the child tends to experience chronic awkward movements, odd behaviors, or mannerisms I would try to come up with a way of reinforcement that would eventually help able the child to have the chronic experiences less, but also I would do it in a manner in which that would not make them feel uncomfortable in the classroom. I could possibly teach in a way that involves myself using entertaining movements to take the attention away from the child who experiences the chronic tendencies. I would make sure that family of the child and myself are kept in open communication to keep them in the light of the situation of their child’s education and to give daily updates.
4. What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? ( This would include websites, agencies, people within the school)
A website that in which can be very helpful to the child is the Council for Exceptional Children, www.cec.sped.org. The website is very informative and can help to have a better understanding of Asperger Syndrome with just one click away. It can help get a more in depth understanding to the disease which can also help with teaching methods to benefit the child.
Another website that can be beneficial is www.autism-society.org/site/PageNavigator/about_whatis_asperger . It gives a complete overview of all the different aspects to Aspergers. It not only give the definition of the disease but also explains how to interact and work with those affecteted with Aspergers.
A method that could help the student with Aspergers is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the practice that applies learning principles to the eliminator of unwanted behaviors.
For younger children, sensory integration training is performed by an occupational therapist to desensitized a child to stimuli to which they are overly sensitive.
Also language therapy and social skills training can be very big important factors that a child should part take in.
Pervasive Development Disorder:
1. Pervasive Development Disorder is defined as neurological disorders that are usually evident by age 3. Children who have a PDD have problems in communication, social interaction, and repetitive or manneristic behaviors.
2. The developmental characteristics of a person with pervasive development disorder include impairments in social interaction, delayed development of symbolic or imaginative play, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and a limited number of interests and activities that tend to be repetitive.
3. If I were a teacher in a general education classroom, I would help support a child with pervasive development disorder by trying to get him/her involved in the class. Since they may have problems communicating or with social interaction I would try my best to get the student to participate without singling him/her out. If the behavior becomes an issue in class where it is disrupting other students, I may move the student’s seat or have an assistant in class with me to give the student one-on-one attention.
4. The resources I would use as a teacher to help me serve a child with PDD include websites such as www.autism-society.org. I would use books and any articles about autism. In addition to reading material, I would ask people within the school such as counselors, colleagues, or administration to help. Another resource I would use is the child’s parents since they know enough about the disorder and how their child behaves as a result. The last resource I would use are agencies designed to help in these situations.
Retts Disorder
1. Retts disorder is a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by normal early development followed by loss of purposeful use of the hands, distinctive hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, gait abnormalities, seizures, and mental retardation.
2. Some developmental characteristics of children with Retts disorder include the loss of muscle tone, which is usually the first symptom that is noticed with the illness. Next, the child gradually loses the ability to use the hands and ability to speak. In the later stages which sometimes occur suddenly include fine to broad motor skills. In the earliest stages, the child will develop autistic-like behaviors such as toe walking, sleep problems, teeth grinding and difficulty chewing, slowed growth, seizures, cognitive disabilities, and breathing difficulties while awake such as hyperventilation, apnea, and air swallowing.
3. As a teacher of a student with Retts disorder it is extremely important to understand all of the facts about the disorder.If you can understand what the child is going through than you can best adapt to their learning needs. These children need extra special help and assistance not only academically but socially as well. Many of these students will have trouble speaking so it is important to have an aide that can tell if the student is understanding the material that is being taught in class.
4. a)http://www.rettsyndrome.org
This website is very helpful for gaining general knowledge that a teacher should have about Rett's Disorder.
b) http://www.rsrf.org
This website is devoted to the research that is continually being performed on Rett's Disorder, it is good for teachers of students with Rett's disorder to stay up to date with the research that is going on with the disorder.
5. Since there is no cure for Rett's Disorder the only treatments available are ones that help the symptoms of the illness. Some treatments include Occupational therapy, speech therapy and hydrotherapy. Also, braces for the arms and legs may be necessary in order for the limbs to regain or sustain control of some motor skills. Hydrotherapy also helps in prolonging mobility. The occupational therapy will help the children with Rett's Disorder perform everyday activities such as tying their shoes, getting dressed, and eating.
How would you implement a child with this disorder into a general education classroom? What accommodation and modifications would you give this child?
Asperger Syndrome
-Children who have Asperger Syndrome typically have a hard time in a school setting and require accommodations and modifications. Such accommodations which they may require are teaching style, behavior support, and social support. Modifications may need to be made to the curriculum. Although, all children with Asperger syndrome typically need accommodations and modifications, each child is unique and requires something different.
-As far as accommodations to the teaching style, classes need to be highly structured and have a consistent routine. If there is not a consistent routine a child with Asperger Syndrome may over react to changes in their schedule or if there is change from the way things are normally done. An accommodation that can be made to help the child feel consistency is give them a visual schedule of the day so they can prepare themselves for the activities ahead. Because these children often process sensations differently, accommodations may be necessary regarding their sensory issues. When they become overwhelmed, there should be a quiet, isolated area in which they can go to work. This area should always be available to the student so they can go here to calm themselves down. Physical education class may need to be modified because it is often a very difficult class for children with Asperger Syndrome. Because P.E. usually has very little structure, limited supervision, games are socially orientated, and there is usually a lot of noise and physical contact the child may easily become overwhelmed.
Usually children with Asperger Syndrome excel in their visual processing skills, so for this reason visual methods of teaching and visual supports should always be used. Also written directions can help a child with Asperger Syndrome to better understand an assignment. Also children with Asperger Syndrome often have difficulty in some academic areas. In these areas direct instruction is required. One modification that may benefit these children is extended time on assignments that pertain to their academic areas of weakness. Another modification that can be made is giving the child a “finish later” folder. Even if a teacher tells them they can go back and finish the assignment at a later time it may not register to the child, however the visual aid of the folder will help them to understand this concept. Another modification may be to give the child worksheets or tests with fewer problems. Children with Asperger Syndrome interpret speech literally so an accommodation a general education teacher may have to make is to limit their use of figurative language, jokes/riddles, words that have multiple meanings, and implied meanings.
-A child with Asperger Syndrome usually has enough mental ability to allow them to participate in a general education classroom; however their behavior may require a more restrictive environment. A positive approach to behavior should be used in a class which contains a child with Asperger Syndrome. Excessive auditory stimulation can have an effect on a child with Asperger Syndrome’s behavior. An accommodation that can be made to fix the behavior problem is to allow the student to wear headphones or a headband to muffle the noise.
-Social support is needed for children with Asperger Syndrome because they are often an easy target for bullies. It is the teacher’s responsibility that the safety of this child is ensured. Also by helping non disable peers understand the child with Asperger Syndrome, they will be more likely to be accepting to the child, which will give the child with Aspreger Syndrome better behavior models. Because children with Asperger Syndrome have a hard time learning social skills an accommodation that can be used is small groups to directly teach various social skills. Activities such as social stories, role-playing, lunch/recess club and individualized visual social rule cards can be used to teach specific social skills.
In response to Kathleen's blog:
Educators can make modifications by making events predictable to studuents, should carefully explain expectations, and must foster a positive learning environment.
In repsonse to Christine's blog:
PDD is a very serious disease and once I find out that one of my students I wil take several measures to insure that the student receives the education he deserves.Children who have PDD usually have delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Some of the symptoms include difficulty interacting with others, play unusually with toys, difficulty with changes, and repetitive body movements and behavior. As a teacher I would try to create lesson plans that sort of revolve around that student. For example, I would try to address and incorporate social skills and communication into the lesson maybe having them have to work in groups. Also, because those with PDD have behavioral problems I could use rewards to try and stop and problems. For example, if the student with PDD has behaved well during class and any other of his fellow students I could reward them with extra time for recess or even a delicious treat. Even verbal praises like “good job” or “I’m proud of you” can also encourage the student to try and behave well. I would also encourage communication with the student. I would let them know that if they are having problems or any issues in class, that they should let me know so I can help them. It is important that a child with PDD understand the importance of communication and how to effectively communicate. I would also try and encourage the student with PDD to interact with their peers while at recess so they can develop social skills. It is very important that they learn this at an early age so as they grow older they are not as hesitant about interacting with people. Those with PDD may be a challenge at first but with the right modifications and accommodations the student as well as my self will gain a lot.
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