I am getting requests from teachers and other support staff on how to best serve their students with special educational needs while at home. Some individuals will not have the ability or capacity to engage in traditional online learning formats that are currently being offered through the Zoom platform, for example. Instruction still needs to be personalized for the best…
Teaching a child with autism can be both rewarding and challenging at times. If this is your first time teaching a person with autism, it can feel overwhelming knowing what to do or understand what makes that child tick. Luckily, there are lots of resources out there to educate and guide teachers to help make a child’s school experience a…
It’s not often that I write about personal issues I am facing with either of my children on the autism spectrum, but this struggle has to be told because I would hate to see other parents go through what we have for the past 3 months.
Our daughter, Julia, has been in an inclusive setting since kindergarten. We have been fortunate in our choice of school because class sizes has been relatively small, the teachers have been accommodating and caring, Julia has been with the same supportive peer group since kindergarten, and she has had the same aide since the first day of school. Even with a severe coding for her disability, her aide support has been gradually reduced from all day in kindergarten, to 2 pm daily for grades 1 – 2, and down to mornings only from grades 3 – 6.
Advocating for your child at school is not an easy task. To be effective, you have to keep your emotions in check, be concise about what problems your child is experiencing, bring possible solutions to the table, and be prepared to wait for change to take place.
Educating children with autism can be a daunting task for teachers. Learning styles differ greatly with this population. Many ASD students have an IPP, need an adapted curriculum, and classroom accommodations. Social and communication difficulties can make group work difficult and inclusion a challenge. I was a teacher for 13 years and understand the demands and challenges of educating students on the autism spectrum. I’ve gathered a list of resources that I think would be helpful to teachers.
Advocating for your child at school is not an easy task. To be effective, you have to keep your emotions in check, be concise about what problems your child is experiencing, bring possible solutions to the table, and be prepared to wait for change to take place.
The start of the school year is an anxious time for parents, especially if their child on the spectrum is attending a new school. Even if a child is returning to the same school there may be changes such as a new teacher, aide or classroom or program adjustments.
A Purdue University professor says the challenges of educating a child diagnosed with various autism disorders are best met by parents with knowledge and a guiding set of principles.
Laurent Mottron, professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal and Michelle Dawson, a postal worker on an involuntary disability leave, make an unusual research and writing team. Michelle Dawson and Dr. Mottron have co-authored six published papers in journals such as Brain, Neuropsychology and the Journal of Autism and Behavioral Disorders and are causing a stir in both the autism and scientific communities.
Cuts have occurred in education over the past several years in our Alberta public education system. While all children suffer from cutbacks, the ones most affected tend to be the children with special needs. With class sizes growing and classroom resources diminishing, another educational option for the special needs child is available – homeschooling.