Supporting Students With Asperger's Syndrome: Teachers' Edition

What Is Asperger's Syndrome?
1. Asperger's Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder named by a Viennese physician named Hans Asperger.
2. In 1994 Asperger Syndrome was added to the DSM IV
3. Disorder ranges from mild to severe
4. Is at the high end of the autistic spectrum

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Characteristics:

-Normal intelligence and language development
-Exhibits autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills
-Often has difficulties with transitions
-Prefers predictability
-Often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest
-Sometimes have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (ex: body language)
-Sometimes has difficulty determining proper body space

-Psychometric test results show a large discrepancy between verbal and performance results
-Are often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights.
-Sometimes may prefer certain types of clothing and/or food.
-Sometimes may be bothered by lights or sound that no one else can see or hear
-Sometimes talks incessantly about their favorite subject
-May interrupt or talk over others
-May make irrelevant comments
-May have difficulty initating and/or ending conversations
-Have low motor coordination
Academic Deficiencies
1. Reading comprehension
2. Problem Solving
3. Organizational skills
4. Concept development
5. Making inferences and judgments
6. Cognitive flexibility (often rigid in thought)
7. Adapting to change or failure
8. Do not readily learn from mistakes
9. Often falls off task
How To Modify Learning:
1. Require multi-sensory cues (ex: seeing, hearing, touching)
2. Repetition (in everything!)
3. Ensure student is always engaged
4. Utilize social stories, modeling, and role playing
5. Provide clear expectations and rules
6. Use other students as cues in order to indicate what to do
7. Encourage cooperative games
8. Supervise and support student during breaks and recess
9. Use a buddy system to assist the student during non-structured times
10. Teach studnet how to start, maintain, and end conversations and play/free-time
11. Teach flexibility, cooperation, and sharing
12. Test modifications (ex: extended time)
13. Consider use of a computer




Book List:

All About My Brother By: Sarah Peralta
Grade Level: Pre-K to Third Grade

•Gist of text: This story describes the day to day life of the author’s younger brother, Evan who has Asperger’s Syndrome.  It also shows how her family supports and interacts with Evan. The book demonstrates the behaviors of children like Evan who have Asperger's Syndrome.

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Look Me In The Eye By: John Elder Robinson
Grade Level: Ninth Grade and up
Gist Of Text: This memoir describes the life of a man living with Aspeger's Syndrome, starting with the hardships of his childhood. It describes his school and home life. It also describes his job successes.  The story illustrates how Aspeger's Syndrome is not a disease and that with understanding and encouragement from other people, people living with Asperger's can become very successful.


 Freaks, Geeks, & Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide To Adolscence By: Luke Jackson
Grade Level: Eighth Grade and up
Gist Of Text: This story discusses the authors struggle with adolescents.Rationale: shows the life of one particular child with autism, specifically Asperger’s Syndrome.  It also illustrates the behaviors and likes of children similar to Evan.

Articles:
Supporting Students With Asperger's Syndrome In General Education Classrooms
Supporting Students With Asperger's Syndrome Who Present Behavioral Challenges
Supporting Students With Asperger's In College

Video:

The video above describes how students with Asperger's Syndrome can make the transition from high school to Marshall University.