Asperger in the Classroom Strategy
- Providing a very clear structure and a set daily routine (including for play). Ensuring the pupil knows the day's programme at the start of each day and can make frequent reference to this throughout the day, e.g. providing a 'picture board' with the day's activities 'laid out'.
- Teaching what "finished" means and helping the pupil to identify when something has finished and something different has started.
- Providing warning of any impending change of routine, or switch of activity.
- Using clear and unambiguous language. Avoiding humour/irony, or phrases like "my feet are killing me or it's raining cats and dogs", which will cause bewilderment,
- Addressing the pupil individually at all times (for example, the pupil may not realise that an instruction given to the whole class also includes him/her.
- Repeating instructions and checking understanding. Using short sentences to ensure clarity of instructions.
- Using various means of presentation - visual, physical guidance, peer modelling, etc.
- Ensuring consistency of expectation among all staff... and avoiding any 'backing-down' once a reasonable and manageable target has been set.
- Recognising that some change in manner or behaviour may reflect anxiety (which may be triggered by a [minor] change to routine).
- Not taking apparently rude or aggressive behaviour personally; and recognising that the target for the pupil's anger may be unrelated to the source of that anger.
- Specific teaching of social rules/skills, such as turn-taking and social distance.
- Minimising/removal of distractors, or providing access to an individual work area or booth, when a task involving concentration is set. Colourful wall displays can be distracting for some pupils, others may find noise very difficult to cope with.
- Seeking to link work to the pupil's particular interests.
- Exploring word-processing, and computer-based learning for literacy.
- Protecting the pupil from teasing at free times, and providing peers with some awareness of his/her particular needs.
- Allowing the pupil to avoid certain activities (such as sports and games) which s/he may not understand or like ; and supporting the pupil in open-ended and group tasks.
- Allowing some access to obsessive behaviour as a reward for positive efforts.