Use classroom routines to relief their anxiety
Classroom routines will encourage the student with autism to function independently in the classroom. It’s very important for the student to have self confidence. In order to achieve this you can make frequent breaks. Take the time to ask them if they need any help and allow them to relax in a specified place with no distractions.
Use images to increase student understanding in the classroom
Take advantage of their visual memory to help them understand and remember better. You can also use visual classroom schedules. If a student loves trains you can put an image with a train on every important part of the lesson. This will make it easier for him to remember.
Observe any sign of high anxiety in the classroom
Students experiencing high anxiety or stress might need your help to relax. To do that you should learn to recognize the signs. The student with autism might put their hands over the ears during a panic attack. You may also observe some repetitive behaviors.
Make sure you have a quiet corner in the classroom. Bring the student there and give him some squeeze toys or let him listen to some relaxing music. Some students might have at home a favorite object that calms them. Ask the parents to bring it in the classroom. When the student has anxiety problems you can give him that favorite object to help him relax.
Number the steps to complete harder assignments
For more difficult worksheets you need to create a good structure that scaffolds the assignment into smaller doable chunks of learning. Provide steps for completing the assignment. You should also give an example of the completed task.
Ask them simple questions. Try to avoid open questions with multiple options. This will only confuse the student. Keep in mind that some students with autism might not have the courage to answer your questions. The best solution for this is to make eye contact and gently press for a response. If no response is given at that time, remember to keep asking in intervals because eventually, you might get one.
Explain the importance of each assignment
Keep in mind that for a student with autism it’s difficult to understand the importance of an assignment. This is why as a teacher you need to make sure every student understands the purpose of all work assignments and expected outcomes.
Try to give them as many examples as possible. To make sure they understand, ask each of them to tell you what they heard and learned.
Special individual tasks for group work
To help students with autism work easier within a group you need to provide special expectations for each student. This will encourage all the group members to participate in the classroom project.
Make sure the students understood the new lesson. Ask them to explain using their own words about what they learned. This way you will know if you need to restate the learning objective or if you can move on.
Remove any auditory or visual distractions
Try to avoid any visual or auditory distractions. The classroom walls should be painted in a non-distracting color. Try to store the things you don’t need in another area. Keeping a TV screen or a any equipment in the classroom will disturb the student’s concentration.
There are many classroom strategies that create an effective learning environment for students with autism. Try using the ones in this article to see results that will last during the entire school year.
