Archive for the ‘Special Education’ category

How to Advocate for Your Child With Asperger Syndrome

February 12th, 2012

If your child was recently diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, you will need to educate yourself about AS in order to understand how it affects him/her so that you can provide relevant information about his/her needs to the school in writing. You want to give the teacher as much information about your child as possible, in terms of how AS affects him/her, but at the same time keep the document as short as possible. That way the teacher is more likely to read ALL of it.

Here are a few points to consider including in your document:

Highlight the safety needs, both for your child and others. This will be the best way to get support for your child in the classroom (if that’s what you want). Think in terms of anxiety related behaviours and meltdowns that may lead to destructive behaviour or aggressive behaviour towards others, and the potential for your son or daughter to be the target of bullies.

Point out that although your son or daughter may look normal and advanced in many ways, he/she has poor communication skills because it is difficult for him/her to read facial expressions and make eye contact (if this is the case). Also he/she may take expressions literally and miss implied meanings. He/she may also have obsessive and limited interests and/or repetitive routines and physical clumsiness. Provide real examples that relate to your child. Remind the school that your child’s ability to function well in group activities or social situations should not be over-estimated. As a result, he/she will need support and programming in all of these areas. Make suggestions as to what you would like to see in the IEP (Individual Education Plan).

The teacher’s attitude will be the prime example to a class on how to treat a child with Asperger Syndrome. If a teacher is intolerant and impatient with an AS student’s odd behaviours, it sends a signal to the other students that it’s okay to tease the AS student, both in and out of class. Also, it is important to point out that punishment is not the appropriate method for addressing the inappropriate behaviours of an AS student since the behaviours are one of the diagnostic signs and a result of having Asperger Syndrome. » Read more: How to Advocate for Your Child With Asperger Syndrome

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Special Education Instruction

July 8th, 2011

Advocating at school on behalf of children with autism can be so frustrating that it’s like hitting your head against a brick wall. In fact, it’s a glimpse into what it must be like to have autism…you know what you want to communicate, but you just can’t seem to get your message through to the people who need to hear it. It is no wonder that people with autism often hit their heads against brick walls or with their fists out of sheer frustration, since one of their main difficulties is their communication skills.

Advocating is all about communicating for others who can’t communicate their needs for themselves. Much of your frustration as an advocate can be alleviated if you gain the skills and the knowledge to be an effective advocate.

Knowledge is Power

First, advocates/parents need to be knowledgeable about the child’s disability and how it affects their learning and well-being while they are at school. Since no child with autism is just like another child with autism, parents need to educate the school staff about the specifics of their child’s autism.

For example, some children with autism seek out loud noises, while others are unable to tolerate loud noises. Some children may like specific types of noises like music or the sound of the toilet flushing, but can’t tolerate loud noises like alarm bells or blenders. If the school staff are told facts like these about the child, they can put accommodations in place to prevent triggers that may cause a meltdown, or they can use sounds that the child likes as a reward for good work. This is just one example of how seemingly insignificant information can make a huge difference for a child with autism while he/she is at school. » Read more: Special Education Instruction

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Posted in Special Education