How to Help Children With Autism to Learn
Autism creates numerous learning problems for children. Children with autism have difficulty generalizing ideas, learning by imitation, paying attention for long periods, and with memorizing sequences of events. Teaching an autistic child is a challenging process that requires an understanding of what difficulties the child faces and a plan for addressing those problems in your classroom. Autistic children can succeed at school if the curriculum is modified to match their unique needs.
Instructions
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Provide your students with instructions suitable for all four styles of learning -- visual, auditory, kinesthetic and logical. Children with autism may have difficulty interpreting visual or verbal instructions. If you explain instructions verbally, provide students with visual instruction by performing the activity while they watch, and use a picture-based set of cues as a reminder, your autistic children will have more success.
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Give your students plenty of time to play. Autistic children can be prone to large stress build-ups and will benefit greatly from an outlet for all of that nervous energy. With that anxiety out of the classroom, your autistic students will find it easier to focus and learn.
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Remember that autistic children often have troubles understanding the meaning of verbal or requests. If you speak clearly and pause after each instruction to allow the child to process it, you may see better results in the classroom.
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Try using a buddy system for the autistic children in your class. Pairing an autistic child with another student that is not disabled and does well at his or her class work provides the autistic student with a source of model behaviors. While many autistic children have difficulty learning through imitation, you may still see positive results.
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Be predictable. Set up constant routines in your classroom and cue changes in activities with a bell or other noise. Children with autism benefit from rigid, predictable routines.
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Approach each day with a warm, positive attitude. All children are receptive to the moods of adults and you will find that bringing positivity and a sense of welcoming into your classroom will dramatically improve the progress of your students.
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