Teaching

Click toStudents with

edit Master subtitle style

Learning Disabilities
Purpose and Agenda
l Overview of students at Stanbridge
l Some strategies for assisting them
l 22 slides in all
Autism Core Characteristics
Social
Impairment
Repetitive
Behaviors

Communication
Impairment
Autism Spectrum
l Hypercommunicators and “little professors”
l Bookworms, computer/electronics worms
l Emotional reactors
l Every combination of the above and
more…
Autism Heterogeneity
l 30% of individuals with autism have
epilepsy
l 20% have big heads and brains…
l …but 15% have small brains
l Some lose acquired developmental skills
and regress around age 2
l Others develop slowly in fits and starts
l Some have chronic GI symptoms
More Heterogeneity
l Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are more
common in males than females (4:1) across all
ethnic groups
l ASD are associated with intellectual disability
though the rate may be decreasing with earlier
identification and treatment
l 30.8% have normal or above normal intelligence
l With PDD NOS 92% have normal intelligence
Theory of Mind
l Theory of mind is the ability to attribute
mental states—beliefs, intents, desires,
pretending, knowledge, etc.—to oneself and
others and to understand that others have
beliefs, desires and intentions that are
different from one's own.
 Central Coherence

Central coherence is the process of constructing a higher

meaning from diverse information. It helps us comprehend
the main idea and not focus on the details.
 Executive Functioning
Executive functioning is the ability to
control our attentional focus, to pay
attention to more than one thing at a time,
and to shift focus to the most relevant
thing.
It helps us know where we left our keys,
when to cross the street, and how to plan
ahead.
Anxiety, Attention Problems,
Depression
l Anxiety is characteristic of 30-40% of
people with ASD
l Depression present in 30% of adolescents
with ASD in most studies
l Attentional Issues present in 40-75%
l Behavioral Problems in 30%
ADD/ADHD
l Boys more commonly diagnosed.
l Girls more likely to be inattentive, boys
hyperactive.
l Impulsive, impatient, irritable.
l Most have theory of mind and good social
skills.
l Symptoms can lessen over time.
Dyslexia, Hyperlexia and other
Learning Problems
l Impairment in the brain's ability to translate
images received from the eyes or ears into
understandable language.
l Poor working memory makes it difficult to
keep a concept in mind and use it.
l Social development can be delayed but
social skills are good.
Mood Disorders
l Bi-Polar Disorder- mood and energy
fluctuate with varying frequency. Can be
unpredictable and frustrating.
l Depression - sad or irritable mood
persisting for 2 weeks.
l Anxiety - common co-occuring disorder
with ADHD and ASD.
l OCD - also seen in many forms with ASD
and ADHD.
Common Characteristics
l Lack executive functioning
l Miss “right place/right time” cues
l Dislike sarcasm
l Sensitive to criticism
l Difficulty maintaining friendships
l Difficulty sustaining conversations
l Concrete thinkers
What They Need From Us
Structure
l Establish classroom routines and insist on them if
they are functional and make sense.
l Post and review behavior expectations each day.
l Post and review the schedule every day.
l Post homework in the same place each day.
l Keep your room organized and have students do
the same.
l Consistently reward cooperation.
Guidance
l Make positive suggestions…what they should do
rather than what they shouldn’t do.
l If student is in a heightened state, speak slowly
and use short sentences or don’t speak at all.
l Give choices when possible.
l Maintain your composure.
Acceptance
l Self-acceptance begins with self-
knowledge.
l Our acceptance of students where they are
now is the best place to start.
l Students who know and accept themselves
will be more effective self-advocates.
l Self-acceptance lowers anxiety and
alleviates depression.
Challenge
l We do not serve our students if we don’t challenge
them personally and academically.
l Encourage them to challenge themselves and each
other to do their best at all times.
l Assist them to set realistic behavior and academic
goals and to accomplish them.
l Compassionately reject self-pity.
l Be the holder of hope for them when they cannot
hold it themselves.
Acknowledgement
l Greet students daily and try to make each day a
new start.
l Notice and mention accomplishments large and
small, in school and out.
l Consistently reward cooperation, helpfulness,
improvement, effort.
l Be generous, specific and sincere with verbal
praise.
Advocacy
l Take time to assist students to identify and
articulate their needs.
l Help students understand and use proper
channels to be heard and get needs met.
Honesty
l Accurately reflect to students who they are
and how their behavior is perceived.
l Answer questions with as little evasiveness
as possible.
l Keep sarcasm to a minimum.
l Maintain professional distance and
demeanor.
l Explicitly model the behavior you would
like to see.