Teaching The Aspergers Mind…
Welcome to this week’s blog post which examines how to teach children with Aspergers.
But before the article I wanted to let you know some EXCITING NEWS.
I am currently working on a new big project that will offer even greater help, support and information for all parents of children with Aspergers.
It will allow parents to link up like never before in a real community environment where people can share problems, offer advice and strike up friendships.
It will also have tons of great new information with articles, video, audio recordings and lots more; which will all be offering very specialist advice and guidance on all things Aspie.
I am at the early planning stages at the moment and will be hoping to get your help in the next few weeks, when I put together more plans and a survey to find out what you really need and want.
So watch out for that…
Anyway this week’s post will cover the following question:
I’d love to see some information about how to teach in a way that an Asperger’s mind will absorb, particularly rote facts such as math measurements and such. I’d also love more information about teaching basic social skills, manners, and social graces.
Asperger’s children have excellent rote memories and often show intense interest in one or two intellectual areas, such as math, transportation, history, or the characters in a television series. Sometimes the special interest is so absorbing that they ignore all other subjects. They learn every fact about the chosen topic and talk about it endlessly, whether or not their listeners are interested. The child may have little understanding of the meaning of these facts. But, if you can tie rote information into the area of interest, you may find it easy to teach him or her and the learning will be remembered. For example, if the child is interested in transportation, you might be able to involve him in measuring the length of railroad tracks or distances airplanes travel on various routes.
Often using a computer and rote learning computer games helps Aspies retain factual information. Surprisingly, Aspies often respond well to flash cards and other rote teaching methods also. Some Aspies are very good with visual memory and remember things they read or see on charts very well.
Etiquette and social graces are like a foreign language to Aspies. Social skills, such as saying “Hi” or “Good morning” or looking others in the eyes when conversing, are often taught by communication specialists or in social training groups. Imitating and practicing new skills in situations which are as realistic as possible is very effective. Skills’ training includes:
a. Learning nonverbal behaviours, such as using appropriate hand gestures, smiling, and verbal behaviours;
b. Interpretation of nonverbal behaviours of others;
c. Processing of visual information with auditory information;
d. Social awareness.
There are video lessons that teach social skills. Consider using “Model Me Conversation Cues” and “Model Me Friendship” videos, part of a set of videos that focus on social skills activities. You can find the Model Me Kids Videos at www.modelmekids.com
There is a Skillstreaming Curriculum that may help with social skills.
Another idea for teaching social skills is to set a weekly or monthly goal. The goal is to learn a specific skill and be able to apply it in a variety of situations. Here is the procedure.
Decide which skill you would like the child to learn, for example responding to the question “What’s new?”
- Teach the child the question/skill and several possible responses. Explain that there are many ways to respond. Model lots of options.
- Involve family, friends, and school staff in setting up situations that require practicing the skill.
- Develop a plan for how the questioner should prompt or respond, if the child doesn’t respond correctly.
- Keep track of the child’s responses to see if the child uses the skill consistently.
- Use a lot of praise for appropriate behaviour, especially when it is used without prompting.
The AS child may form friendships with others who share his interests. Computer or math clubs, science fairs, Star Trek clubs, etc. are possible avenues to consider. Many of these children will develop coping and social interaction skills, and the ability to “fit in” as a result. For those that don’t, counselling and social “training” may help.
Asperger’s Syndrome - Practical Strategies for the Classroom; A Teacher’s Guide is a great place to learn more on the subject. You can see more about this book by Clicking Here
This guide explains the difficulties underlying Asperger’s Syndrome and how it causes problems in school. The book provides practical, common sense management suggestions. While focusing on “making sense” of the difficulties, common behaviours are discussed and “things to try” are recommended.
All the best
Dave Angel
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Dear Dave, first of all I want to thank you for the continuing emails you have sent, they have been very helpful. Our oldest son (almost 4) has had on going problems for more than three, almost 3½ years. They have been toying with the idea of putting the Aspergers label on him but so far have just said he was ADHD (trust me MAYBE ADH2D would be better, as he is very hyper). We recently ran into another Neurologist that now says he definitely is NOT Aspergers, because (and I have NEVER heard this one before) he had speech delays in the beginning. It is true, he did have delays in speech, though now he tests MORE than a year ahead, and maybe closer to two years ahead. So, my question is this, does the speech delay in the beginning, automatically disqualify him from Aspergers, because he sure seems to fit in every other way??? Of course I am not asking you to play Doctor nor give some kind of diagnosis, I just want to know if the early speech delays mean he does NOT have Aspergers.
Thank you so much for your time. Rich & Maribeth
Comment by Maribeth Grise — June 24, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Our problem is the opposite. My son’s rote memory is phenomenal, but when it comes to comprehension that is a whole other story. When it is time to apply the critical thinking, generalizing etc… We are not sure how much he is comprehending or not comprehending because he is not capable at this time to express it. It is very challenging and frustrating for him. I am reading a book called “A Land We Can Share” by Paula Kluth. It is wonderful and I hope some of the literacy strategies she discusses will open doors for my son’s literacy skills.
Comment by Bebe — June 24, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
Not all of have visual memories and that needs to be pointed out again and again since its almost become an urban legend that we Autists have great visual memories, so much so that teachers don’t know what to do with an Aspergian who is audio only, as I am. And woe to us if our parents are along the spectrum and they do, and we don’t! It took me decades to figure out why sometimes I am so good at learning and sometimes I can’t learn. It finally dawned on me. Teachers that showed me what to do and subjects that made this type of teaching almost mandatory, were impossible for me. Subjects that could be taught and were taught by me being talked through it, were easy for me. My also Aspergian Father tried to show me how to drive. It ended in a big shouting match. At the age of 32 I finally did learn from a teacher who let me sit in the drivers seat and talked me through it. The only math I ever mastered was where teachers took the time to talk me through it. I could not learn from being shown it on the board. Those were rare because I was not popular and though they do not want to admit it, teachers tend to neglect the kids other kids find unlikable because they don’t like them either.
Comment by Elizabeth Hensley — June 24, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
I am the parent of a young adult aspey (age 20). He has a remarkable visual memory but retains little that he hears. School was very difficult for him as he grasped many of the subjects quickly and became bored with the repetition most students require so his grades suffered. College was much easier because of the faster pace and the emphasis on individual learning. He went from being a D- student to graduating with honors. I suggest all parents determine their child’s learning skills and deficits and make sure their teachers understand them as well. Many teachers are willing to work with their students but some teach the same way year after year and don’t seem to care about the end results.
Comment by Pat — June 24, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
well thats very useful to know elizabeth , my daughter 14 is extremely clever in some areas and in others not i know we all have our weak points but hers are not consistent,she says similar things to you about teachers at school its very apparent on her report as to which teachers like her and which tolerate her.
Any tips on teaching has to be helpful as my daughter is your typical teen and doesnt want to involve her parents in any way shape or form but is starting to get into trouble a lot then saying she cant help it….when some of the time i know she clearly can , she seems to have learnt the art of lying and deciet far too well for my liking….so any help in anyway how to teach the positive things to make things easier for her in the end are always welcome i will certainly think about some of those strategies
Comment by helen hanson — June 24, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
I have ,like many other, found some very interesting websites and articles. One particular article stuck out to me. This is my son and explains so much. I wanted to share it with you in hopes maybe it helps someone else. Below is the link. Enjoy!
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/spec/CE96C5C608138FABCC25747000784BD0
Comment by Stacy — June 24, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
My son is 24 and always had trouble in school after 6th grade, and had to go to summer school every year in order to graduate. No one heard of Aspergers around here until a couple of years ago, when my son cracked. He had a good job, making good money for a boy his age and had his own apartment, but without the social skills - he was lost. It took nearly 2 years, but he is making a recovery and has a new job now - doesn’t pay as much, but he is making circuit boards for computers - his one true passion and his only savior in high school. He has also started going back to the volunteer workshop that he attended in high school, to work on computers. He finds comfort in being with people who share in his interest. He has always been an intelligent man, but he learns more from surfing the internet than he did in school. Don’t get him going on a subject - he could ramble on for hours if you let him. Unfortunatley, his grandparents don’t understand his lack of etiquette and social graces and can be rather mean about it. It has been rough, but I think he is on the road to recovery and to finding himself.
Comment by Debra Swenson — June 24, 2008 @ 4:18 pm
Amen, Elizabeth!! My son has such inconsistent learning. He hates school because of the teachers. They mostly see him as a lazy person that doesn’t want to learn! He is a senior and 18. He had all A’s and B’s one trimester and the next he had all D-’s ….he kept saying that the teachers were more helpful the good grade time and that he knew that they liked him and that it makes all the difference for him. I tend to agree but I get caught in the theory that all people will not like him all the time for the rest of his life? Is my thinking incorrect? I do believe that teachers should like their students and that their job is to teach equally. Any opinion out there?? Thanks Kim
Comment by kim — June 24, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
My daughter aged 10 years was diagnosed as ADHD at the age of 3 years. After lot of therapy she has improved a lot and now read in Class-V. Her main problem is ESD (Expressive Speech Disorder). She is unable to express her feeling either at home or school. She takes all her learnings through rote memory. Some times she screams loudly and this causes inconvenience in school settings.
Comment by Srinibash Mishra — June 25, 2008 @ 12:18 am
my son has just started highschool here in perth western australia i was dreading the time when it came due to his unruley behavior in primary school even though he always had top marks he was still fustrated being the only child in school with aspergers with a principal that ran him down.he was supposed to go in to a mainstream highschool but the government here decided to give unlimited funding towards asper schooling and he was then put in a local highschool that has only 500 students with 6 other autistic spectrum disorder and after his last yr at primary school with 32 suspensions he has had no problems and seems to be becoming a very normal behaved child he says its because they actually understand him and they help to develope his brain with lots of information the half yearly reports r due soon so i guess we’ll really see the difference.All teachers working with the children r qualified to work with the spectrum disorder and also there r normal teens at the school so they learn to interact well with others.
Comment by jodie — June 25, 2008 @ 4:51 am
My son Jack is 11, I put him in private school when he was 7, for the best I thought, but now I’m not so sure. He has always hated school but it is very dependent on the teacher, the one he has now is very negative towards him, they are aware he will not do home work at home but fail to supervise him at school, because he also suffers with ADHD if not kept on task he gets distracted, He is going to state school next year and I’ve got to say how very helpful and aware of his condition they are, he will get a teaching assistant in every lesson, can stay in at break times, use his laptop in every lesson, and do his homework at school etc I wonder whether he would have been better staying at state school during primary, I think I might have wasted my money so think before you move them, it took Jack 2 years to stop asking to go back to his old school.
Comment by Karen Robins — June 25, 2008 @ 7:49 am
I can see where you are coming from. My son has as and sometimes he loves school and sometimes he hates it. I know it has to do with which teacher he has on which day. Trevor can learn from both ways though. Sometimes he can learn from visual and sometimes through audio. But it is not the same with all subjects. You just have to figure which one works.
Comment by Betsy LeQuire — June 25, 2008 @ 11:09 am
I think there are a variety of factors to consider when assessing why your child is struggling in school or in a specific subject. Assessing your childs learning style kinesthetic-learns by doing, auditory-learns by hearing, visual-learns by seeing or a combination. The teacher may be teaching in their preferred style or non-preferred style and that may be the struggle. Your child might have a sensory processing or integration disorder that could be playing havoc in the classroom. They may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to sound, touch, movement, smell, taste or vision. For example, if your child is an auditory learner, but is sensitive to visual stimuli and they sit at the back of the classroom, the movement of the other children in front of them and the sounds they make may be too distracting. An Occupational Therapist can help assess your child’s sensory sensitivities by doing a Sensory Profile on them if you are not sure. Even the time of day could be effecting them. Before lunch I’m great-but after-whew! I think the student/teacher and student/student relationships in the classroom can have a profound impact on the childs learning. When we sense that someone doesn’t like us we typically do one of two things-go overboard trying to please the person and getting them to like us or say to heck with it-they don’t like me and aren’t going to want to help me. This is where I think the social skills training is so important-teaching them how to handle difficult situations instead of withdrawing, because it is not a matter of If but When these situations will arise. Maybe setting up some different senarios that have or could happen at school at home in a safe situation and helping them formulate a response maybe helpful. I hope this was helpful!!
Comment by Kim Livingston — June 25, 2008 @ 11:20 am
My son has struggled to learn his math facts, the Autism spec. for our county loaned me a “Hooked On Math” package. It has tapes that repeat the math facts over and over in time to music. My son loves it and after 3 weeks he finally know his times table. This after 2 years of flash cards and many tears on both our part. If your child is struggling with math facts’s I would really reccommend this.
Comment by Kimberly — June 25, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Does anyone know if Brain Gym can really help this sort of thing?
Comment by Leesa — June 25, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
my as son is also an audatory learner. he has difficulty reading and getting his books on tape made all the difference. the perception that the teacher likes or dislikes him also effects his ability to learn certain subjects. a school psychologist helped him get books on tape from the blind and dyslexic society. he also gets them from the public library and on his computer. he is an avid reader or should i say listener. social skills are still a challange but support from a small private school school setting has helped a great deal, only 93 kids in the entire high school. so everyone gets to know everyone and each child gets individual attention and the teachers know them all.
hope this helps someone, linda
Comment by linda — June 26, 2008 @ 12:57 am
One thing I have come to realize as a parent, is there is too much noise out there. I am teaching my child that being different is ok - as every person on this planet is different. No one (even teachers, have the right to label). It is too easy to say that I am not coping because of the teacher and then it becomes ok to drop grades - if the teacher is ignoring you, make yourself heard. Every child has the right to an education, especially if you are paying them to educate your child. Do you not perform your functions in your job, when you are getting paid. There is a reason that so many of these children are being born into this world at this time, there must be a shift coming - so these kids should stand tall and be proud and not have to conform to the old ways, when clearly they are here to teach us new ways. I, as a parent will fight the world if need be, so that my son’s place that he has been given in this world is open for him to use. It has been proven that kids have changed generally not just Aspie’s, due to TV, video games and the like. This generally makes kids anti social anyway - so our kids should fit in to this new world with no problem.
Comment by Wendy Graham — June 26, 2008 @ 4:03 am
Is it bad for Aspies to play video games and watch tv and play on computer? My 6yo son loves to do so and we let him. He does earn the time by reading books to us but we haven’t been limiting the laenght of time as long as he has earned the tickets.
Comment by Susan — June 27, 2008 @ 9:10 am
may i ask how many people learned about their mental state later in their life? it is my belief about my progress had to do with not knowing i had a severe mental disability. growing up on a farms and ranchs and my parents never told me anything was wrong with me or i had a condition.
i was 45 when the answers to why i had so many problems when i got married. what i learned about the first six years of my life and the drowning at age six helped me to put things to rest.
my advice to anybody live in the moment not in the past or future. never do two things at one time mentally or physically and most importantly, never say no or i can’t do that to anything and do things of value.
Comment by rusty — July 2, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
I have looked at all the lessons you have sent me for about a year now, my question is does asperger sydrome children in their teens show sexual misbehavior?
Comment by Donna Hamilton — July 7, 2008 @ 2:28 am