Transcript What is Autism?

Autism
Quick Cooking for a
Five Star Educator
Educators Choose to be
Chefs or Cooks!
Myth or Fact?
Children with autism must be taught to make eye contact in order to
learn.
Children with autism prefer to be left alone and are not usually
interested in friendships.
Parenting styles can lead to autism.
Children with autism do not learn from others in their environment.
Autism is such a complex and severe disorder that little can be done
to help children with autism and their families.
Myth
or
 Children with autism must be
taught to make eye contact in
order to learn.
 Children with autism prefer to be
left alone and are not usually
interested in friendships.
 Parenting styles can lead to
autism.
 Children with autism do not learn
from others in their environment.
 Autism is such a complex and
severe disorder that little can be
done to help children with autism
and their families.
Fact
 NO! Children with autism do not have
to be looking at you to learn.
 NO! Children do want friendships!
They do not have the social skills to
develop and maintain healthy
relationships.
 NO! Autism is a neurological
disorder. It has nothing to do with
parenting styles.
 NO! They do learn from others in
their environment, they just respond
differently.
 NO! Intervention and support do
make a difference!
What is Autism?
Autism is a neurological disorder that typically
appears by 3 years of age. The symptoms of
autism involve three major areas of development
and impact a child’s abilities to:
 Take part in social interaction
 Communicate with others in age appropriate
ways
 Participate in activities and behaviors typical of
the child’s age and stage of development
Autism Spectrum Disorders
5 Pervasive Developmental
Disorders:
PDDNOS
Childhood
Disintegrative
Disorder
Autism
Asperger’s
Rett’s
Disorder
Characteristics in Autism
 Challenges with Social Interactions
 Nonverbal language
 Pretend play
 Poor eye gaze
 Controlling emotions and anxiety
Characteristics
 Communication Challenges
 Delayed in expressive and receptive
language
 Literal understanding of speech
 Echolalia
Characteristics
 Behavior Differences
 Intense or restricted interests
 Unusual repetitive behavior
 Difficulty with transitions
 Possible aggressive disruptive behaviors
 Refusal to participate in some activities,
particularly fine motor activities
 Sensory driven behaviors
Continuum
Impairments in Socialization
Appears withdrawn
Passive
Active but Odd
Difficulty making friends
Impairments in Communication
Non-verbal
Gestures / motoric
Verbal
Uneven expressive / receptive language
Stereotypical Behaviors
Simple
Complex
Restrictive, repetitive nature
Continuum
Cognitive Skills
Severe Mental Retardation
Gifted
Measured Intelligence
Sensory
Hyposensitive
Hypersensitive
Varies in intensity and manifestation
over time
Motor Skills
Awkward / Uncoordinated
Agile / Coordinated
How to be a 5
Chef
Remember---
Visual Is A Strength
Adaptations:
Visual cues for rules
Visual Schedules
Visual Boundaries
More Visual Adaptations
Give examples of finished product
Color Coding
Remove extra materials
Start / finish baskets or folders
Teach left to right and top to bottom
progression
Social Stories
 Each story is designed to teach children
how to manage their own behavior during
a specific social situation.
 Social stories are helpful because they are
presented visually.
Sensory
 Sensory adaptations help students
organize their brains to focus
 Sitting on alternative surfaces
 Fidget items
 Auditory
 Movement outside of class
 Oral
Crisis - What Do We Do?
Strategies for Crisis
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Back off – this is NOT a teaching moment
Don’t take it personally
Sometimes Ignore (Choose your battles)
Use visual cues
Talk low, talk slow
Stay cool
Get the student moving
Watch your own body language
Try to keep your sense of humor and STAY
SAFE
Gourmet Teacher Tips
 Preparing your
classroom
 Rubrics for
behavior
 Assistive
Technology Team
Are You a Chef or a Cook?