Autism Classroom Management - How to Discipline an Autistic Child in the Classroom

The famous American poet Christopher Knowles and American actress Daryl Hannah both had something in common – they were diagnosed to have some form of autism. Autism is a brain development disorder that lasts throughout the life time of the affected individual leading to impaired communication and social interaction. The signs and symptoms of autism start appearing even before the child is three years old.

Autistic children display repetitive behaviors such as arranging or stacking objects in a line. They go through emotional let-downs and show compulsive and even unusual eating behaviors. As such, there is no rigid treatment protocol for autistic children. Each child is uniquely treated depending on his/her symptoms and behavioral characteristics displayed in the classroom.

Autistic children are found to be highly dependent on rules and visual memory aids. All these should be applied diligently in the classroom so that the child feels stress-free.

Following are some of the methods that can be implemented while managing an autistic child in the classroom:

• The teacher should have one-on-one sessions with the child so that he/she can take their own time in learning how to communicate.
• Notes and picture cards can be used as aids. For example, if the child refuses to have his/her lunch, the teacher can ask about his/her favorite food by showing picture cards that have the images of food.
• If the teacher has to manage an autistic child in an inclusive classroom, as the first step, awareness should be spread in the classroom among other students through a proper channel so that they will have a basic understanding of the disorder. This is because their ignorance may tend to increase the stress levels of the autistic child unknowingly. Children can be directed to read “All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome,” a beautiful book by Kathy Hoopman, in which this complex disorder is being described through a wonderfully written story using brilliant photography.
• An autistic child keeps to himself/herself, avoiding social interactions; hence, one of the major responsibilities of the teacher is to make sure that social skills are taught to the child keeping his/her learning patterns in mind.
• Instead of giving a large assignment to the child to work on, the teacher can spilt it into smaller assignments tailoring to his/her needs.
• If the child becomes physically aggressive, the teacher must be able to find the options that could calm him/her. For instance, an autistic child felt calm when he moved his hands through shaving cream; the reason for this mannerism is unknown.
• Autistic children stick to rules and routines. A disruption in the routine might make them display some violent tendencies; therefore, if there is a change in routine, the teacher or Instructional Assistant must help the child to either follow his/her routine or cope with the change slowly.

Since the 1980s, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of autistic children. Specific behavioral plans, classroom tools and appropriate individual aids will definitely contribute to making the child socially independent and his/her life easier in the classroom.