“Autism is part of my child. It’s not everything he is. My child is so much more than a diagnosis” (Westendorf-Coelho, 2011). As classrooms and school communities become increasingly diverse, including students with disabilities, the urgency in understanding the theories and best practices for teaching exceptional learners has become increasingly important for educators. When educators reflect on current practices and curriculum, while studying case studies and theories on how our students with disabilities do their best learning, teachers can begin to develop and adjust their pedagogy in preparing all students to persevere, have confidence in their strengths, and ultimately achieve future success.
In essence, moving away from an education system that labels and isolates, transitioning into a system of inclusion that values each student as an individual unique in their own right.
The single most important factor that will begin to create change in our education system, will be the hiring of teachers that place caring for their exceptional students as human beings first and foremost, as the key factor ensuring educational success.
Caring teachers that are committed to preparing inclusive learning environments, through the building of classroom communities where the lessons and instruction is planned for all students, including our students with disabilities. “We can no longer afford the luxury of designing curriculums and educational programs at which only a favored segment of our society can succeed” (Purcell-Gates, 1995, p. 190).
Furthermore, an essential part of the shift in mindset will be the educator’s awareness of language, attitude, and approach to providing special education in the classroom.
It will be the focus on how to support and encourage learning by offering “a customized instructional program designed to meet the unique needs of an individual” (Gargiulo, 2012, p. 9) that will be most beneficial. On the contrary, Public Law (PL) will still categorize and label students with disabilities in order to provide additional services through funding by the national government and states. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), PL identifies the below thirteen categories of disability (Gargiulo, 2012) as:
To continue, as educators begin to understand and prepare for the complexities of each disability and each individual student, it will be the supportive and cooperative team approach that will provide the most ideal learning environment for all students.
More specifically, as educators examine the first listed category of Autism, it is important to continue to place great focus that each individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, although given the same label, is still unique in the way they interact, express themselves, and most of all their learning styles and abilities. However, although ASD is still one of the “least understood and most mysterious of the pervasive developmental disorders” (Gargiulo, 2012, p. 324) it has become one of the fastest-growing disabilities. Therefore, making it is important for educators to learn the signs, diagnosis, behaviors, suggested instructional approaches, and effective practices when working with students labeled as having ASD. Once the student has been categorized, the public schools then have the obligation to create an Individualized Education Program, IEP, designed specifically for that student.
In understanding ASD, it will be important to understand early signs and symptoms as well as who can diagnose the disorder. According to the National Autism Association, NAA, Autism is a neurodevelopmental spectrum disorder and can range from mild to severe. A person with ASD may be nonverbal, avoid eye contact, want to be alone, have difficulty understanding others or their own feelings, repeat words, have sound sensitivity, resist change, have repetitive behaviors, have obsessive interests, unusual reactions, low to zero social skills, show extreme anxiety, be impulsive, have short attention spans, aggression or meltdowns, show unusual emotional reactions, and unusual sleeping habits (NAA, n.d.). For educators, the main thing to remember is the diagnosis is made through developmental screenings and comprehensive evaluations by a team of specialists. Teachers are not responsible, nor do they have the knowledge or expertise to diagnose a disorder. If an unusual behavior has been observed in the classroom, educators should explain the consistent behaviors, not offer a label, to the parents and encourage specialized evaluation from a professional.
In addition to understanding the signs of Autism, it is essential for educators to be aware of the most effective programs and strategies yielding the best outcomes. “Although no one instructional approach is effective with all students with autism spectrum disorders… an emphasis on developing functional communication abilities and appropriate social skills is characteristic of most approaches… [aiming] to maximize the individual’s independence and future integration in the community” (Gargiulo, 2012, p. 339). Likewise, the best and most effective way educational teams construct individualized programs is to build on the student’s strengths and incorporate areas and topics in which the student is most interested in.
Furthermore, due to the fact that a range of sensory issues accompanies ASD, including sights, sounds, smells, touch, and body awareness, teachers will want to be prepared to provide students accommodations to limit their discomforts. Some examples of accommodations include (Autism Speaks, n.d.):
Additionally, teachers should provide ASD students adequate notice of routine changes or activity conclusions to provide awareness for preparation for transitions in the classroom. Luckily for educators, Lisa Smith, a mother of a son with autism, created a list specifically for teachers to understand more about ASD (Smith, 2015):
This amazing list sheds a light on the two key things educators will need to remember, the first is that all students, even those labeled as having a disorder, are humans, and the second is that their parents are an essential part of the team ensuring success and achievement for their child. It is our job to create the most meaningful and relevant lessons and programs for all students in the classroom, especially those requiring special needs.
To close, “we are all different. It is what makes us unique and interesting human beings” (Gargiulo, 2012, p. 3). Autism does not define our students with ASD, but something that adds to their very uniqueness. Therefore, it will be this awareness of valuing different abilities and characteristics, in combination with the convergence of theory and practice that will yield the greatest success for our exceptional students. It is our job as teachers to advocate for our students, put in the work to understand, authentically care for, and get to know all of our students, while making a commitment to creating classroom communities where we all belong, ensuring our exceptional students have the tools to achieve their fullest potential.
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