| Teaching Children About Autism | | | | experience. Token economy systems are also useful |
| Autistic children are usually visual thinkers, so teaching | | | | in educating autistic children. In a token system the child |
| by speech alone will not be entirely effective. It is also | | | | is rewarded for each correct response then slowly |
| common for autistic children to have difficulty | | | | moves to a schedule where the child must make |
| connecting 2 events. For example, if teaching reading | | | | several correct responses before the reward is given. |
| with flash cards, it is best to have both the picture and | | | | Token economy systems are great for building the |
| written word on the same side. If they are on different | | | | ability to delay gratification, enhancing a child's attention |
| sides, the child may not understand that they represent | | | | span and increasing the amount of work that a child is |
| the same idea. Although there are many unique ways | | | | able to produce in a given period of time.o Floortime |
| of teaching, the following three methods have proven | | | | Interactions between you and your child (verbal or |
| to be helpful in teaching autistic children:o Social Stories | | | | non-verbal) help to build skills. They are ways to build |
| Social stories are used to teach social skills to children | | | | family connections by enhancing your child's emotional |
| with autism. They are simple descriptions of everyday | | | | growth. The more animated you are and the more |
| situations, written from a child's perspective. Social | | | | energy you have, the easier it will be to keep the child's |
| stories can be useful in helping a child prepare for | | | | attention. The child now views you as a fun play |
| changes in routine or learn appropriate social skills. The | | | | partner. Singing fun songs, playing Simon Says, |
| child practices these stories ahead of time in hopes | | | | pretending to be zoo animals (yes, this means acting |
| that when the actual situation arises, the child can use | | | | out the role!) are all ways to engage the child into |
| the story to help guide his or her behavior. | | | | exploring their feelings and encourage original thinking. |
| Example: I like to talk to my friends. I like it when my | | | | Autism is so prevalent today that one in every 166 |
| friends talk to me. To talk to my friends I need to ask | | | | people have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. |
| questions. Sometimes I do not know how to ask | | | | We cannot ignore this disorder any more and it is our |
| questions. When I see my friends at school I can say, | | | | responsibility as parents and educators to come up |
| "Hi, how are you?" Teaching Children About Autismo | | | | with new and effective ways of educating autistic |
| Visual Supports | | | | children. Although there are many unique ways of |
| Since individuals with autism are often described as | | | | teaching, the 3 methods reviewed above are just a |
| "visual learners," it makes sense that autistic children | | | | few methods that have proven to be helpful in |
| learn easier through visual activities. Pictures and cue | | | | teaching autistic children. |
| cards are great ways to enhance the learning | | | | |