Teaching Autistic Students: University Strategies For Success

As the number of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rises, it is increasingly important for educators to develop adequate and appropriate response strategies. Teachers can better serve their students and develop valuable skills that will help them stand out to potential employers. This paragraph will discuss how university teachers can teach autistic students.

[University] teachers can start by creating a structured classroom environment with a familiar routine to reduce stress and boost focus. They should also be mindful of sensory triggers, such as lighting, smells, and sounds, which can be intensely distracting for autistic students. Providing visual aids and written rules can help students understand expectations and navigate the classroom more easily. Teachers should also be aware that students with autism interpret language literally and may struggle with figurative phrases and nonverbal cues.

Understanding autism: Focus on communication, social and learning needs

Understanding autism and the needs of autistic students is essential for creating inclusive classrooms and promoting academic success. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability associated with a range of symptoms, including repetitive motions, difficulty socializing, and compulsive behaviours. The impact of ASD varies from person to person, and each autistic student has unique needs and strengths. Here are some insights and strategies for university teachers to address the communication, social, and learning needs of autistic students:

Communication

Communication challenges are common among autistic individuals and can impact their educational experiences. Teachers can employ strategies to facilitate communication and encourage participation. For example, providing "airtime" during class discussions allows all students, including those with autism, to feel included and express their thoughts. This can be done by asking for physical responses, such as raising hands or standing up, instead of direct verbal answers. Additionally, teachers should be aware that some autistic students may have difficulty with writing. Offering gentle encouragement and support in the writing process can help alleviate potential struggles in this area.

Social Skills

Social integration and interaction with peers can be challenging for autistic students, often leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. To address these challenges, structured social planning interventions have been found effective. These interventions involve weekly meetings to plan social activities, improve organisational skills, and develop specific social skills. Providing peer mentors during social activities can further enhance social integration and increase interactions with peers. University staff members, such as those in Disabled Students Programs and Psychological Counselling Centres, should also be trained to offer support and create a more inclusive environment.

Learning Needs

Autistic students may have unique learning needs and preferences. Offering choices in the learning environment, lesson materials, and methods of receiving assistance can be beneficial. Allowing students to choose which assessments to complete and how to receive support gives them a sense of control over their learning journey. It is important to note that ASD is not a learning or intellectual disability. However, understanding the specific learning needs of each autistic student is crucial for providing effective support and accommodations.

In conclusion, university teachers play a vital role in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for autistic students. By understanding their unique communication, social, and learning needs, teachers can employ a range of strategies to address these needs and promote academic success. A personalised approach, tailored to the strengths and challenges of each student, is key to fostering a positive and inclusive educational experience.

Teaching strategies: Utilise visual aids, group work, and predictable routines

When teaching autistic students, it is important to implement visual aids, group work, and predictable routines to create an inclusive and effective learning environment.

Visual Aids

Visual aids are a powerful tool to enhance communication with autistic students. They can take many forms, such as tactile symbols, objects of reference, printed images, or digital visuals on smartphones or tablets. These aids offer a consistent and physical means of communication that complements spoken words. For example, a student could use a yellow card to indicate they need to use the toilet or put a purple card on the board to signal they are feeling stressed. Visual aids can also be used to create daily schedules, reward charts, or to help students make choices, such as selecting an activity for the afternoon. It is important to personalise visual aids to the individual student's interests and abilities, gradually introducing them to ensure understanding.

Group Work

Group work can be challenging for autistic students due to the social and communication skills it requires. However, with the right support, group work can be beneficial. Teachers should be mindful of the social dynamics and provide structure by assigning specific tasks or roles to each group member. When assigning group work, teachers should give clear, written step-by-step instructions and ensure that students with ASD understand the expectations and instructions. It is also helpful to give students a choice of partners, empowering them to work with someone who can guide and support them effectively. Gradually, students can be encouraged to work with larger groups, building their skills and confidence over time.

Predictable Routines

Establishing predictable routines is essential for autistic students, as it provides a sense of stability, enhances their sense of control, and reduces anxiety. Routines should be consistent and clearly structured, helping students know what to expect each day. This predictability fosters trust, improves student engagement, and enables them to focus on learning rather than worrying about the unknown. It also helps students build stronger relationships with their teachers and peers. Teachers can start by implementing visual sequences for simple tasks, such as hanging coats and backpacks, and gradually move towards more complex daily routines.

By utilising these strategies of visual aids, group work, and predictable routines, university teachers can create a more inclusive and successful learning environment for autistic students.

Classroom environment: Create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive space

Creating a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive classroom environment is essential for teaching autistic students effectively. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

Promote a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment

Foster an atmosphere where all students feel valued and respected. Encourage social interaction and extended learning opportunities. Pair autistic students with positive role models in the class to enhance their social skills and prevent isolation. Be mindful of potential bullying, as autistic students may not always respond in expected ways.

Provide Structure and Predictability

Establish clear rules and expectations for classroom behaviour. Provide written rules or visual aids, such as pictures, to help students understand the expectations. For example, explain the importance of remaining quiet while the teacher is speaking to ensure everyone can hear. Use descriptive praise to reinforce positive behaviours, such as "I like how you threw your trash in the trash can." Keep language concrete, as students with autism may struggle with figurative language. Provide a schedule to help students know what to expect, reducing anxiety and improving focus.

Avoid Sensory Overload

Minimise potential distractions, such as fluorescent lights, strong smells, or excessive noise, as these can make it challenging for autistic students to concentrate.

Teach Social Skills Directly

Explicitly teach social skills and appropriate behaviours. Use social stories or picture books to illustrate social cues and how behaviours can impact others. Model patience, understanding, and respect when working with autistic students, and celebrate their successes.

Collaborate with Families

Partner with parents or caregivers to create a holistic support system for the student. This collaboration reinforces positive behaviours and skills across different environments and enhances overall social and emotional learning.

By implementing these strategies, university teachers can create a classroom environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive for autistic students, promoting their academic success and social development.

Social skills: Model and teach appropriate behaviours and interactions

It is important to remember that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not a learning or intellectual disability, but a developmental disability. Students with ASD may have difficulty with socialising, but they can be taught social skills.

Firstly, it is important to teach students with autism empathy and reciprocity. This can be done by making students aware of their own feelings and emotions, as well as those of others. Teach them to recognise facial expressions and non-verbal cues, and provide them with the vocabulary to express their emotions. Social narratives and social cartooning can be used as tools to describe and define social rules and expectations.

Next, it is important to reinforce what the student does well socially. Use behaviour-specific praise and concrete reinforcement to shape pro-social behaviour. Model social interaction, turn-taking and reciprocity. Teach imitation, both motor and verbal. Teach context clues and referencing, for example, by standing when everyone else is standing. Break social skills into small component parts, and teach these skills through supported interactions. Use visuals as appropriate. Celebrate strengths and use these to your advantage. For example, students with autism often have a good sense of humour, a love of music, strong rote memorisation skills, or a heightened sense of colour or visual perspective. Use these to motivate interest in social interactions or give a student a chance to shine and be viewed as competent and interesting. Identify peers who model strong social skills and pair the student with them.

It is also important to provide peers with strategies for eliciting communication and other targeted objectives, but be careful not to turn the peer into a teacher. Keep peer interactions as natural as possible. Create small lunch groups, perhaps with structured activities or topic boxes. This can be helpful for students who tend to talk about the same things all the time, as it provides support, motivation and a visual reminder of the topic. Focus on social learning during activities that are not otherwise challenging for the student. Support peers and students with structured social situations.

Finally, remember that social skills need to be taught explicitly to students with ASD. Traditional social skills strategies, such as board games about friendships and appropriate classroom behaviour, tend to be too subtle. Instead, focus on skills the child can use to make and keep friends.

Individual support: Provide tailored resources and celebrate individual successes

Providing tailored resources and celebrating individual successes are key aspects of supporting autistic students. Each student with ASD is unique and may be affected by a wide range of symptoms, with varying strengths and levels of impairment. For instance, while some autistic individuals may have social anxiety, others may have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or oppositional disorder. Therefore, it is important to understand that ASD is not a learning (intellectual) disability, but a developmental disability.

To provide tailored resources, teachers should be clear and direct when giving instructions, asking questions, or giving feedback. Avoid metaphorical or abstract language and opt for simple, straightforward wording to minimize the risk of misunderstandings. Provide very specific instructions and ask students to repeat instructions to verify their comprehension. For instance, instead of saying "Turn your papers in by the due date", it is more effective to say, "When you are dismissed from class, place your research papers on this desk on your way out of the room. Be sure to upload your papers to Desire2Learn (D2L) by Wednesday, July 3".

Additionally, teachers can utilize the basic ideas of ABA, such as positive reinforcement in the classroom. Teachers can also use reward systems to encourage better student engagement. For example, multimodal reading was found to be supported by the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and led to more positive attitudes towards reading in autistic students. Furthermore, social inclusion was more likely if the other students in the class understood the diagnosis of the autistic student.

Celebrating individual successes is an important way to support autistic students. This can be done by capitalizing on students' strengths and providing resources for individualized support. For instance, an autistic individual's extreme focus when pursuing an interest can be channeled into their academic pursuits.

Frequently asked questions