Pedagogy for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can vary between schools.
There are several different approaches to planning an appropriate curriculum for children
with ASD.
Recent research by The Schools Network into children with complex learning disabilities
and difficulties has resulted in a wealth of information and resources being available
to professionals via their website.
Reference to such information can inform classroom practice taking place in classrooms
and enable professionals to plan more effectively to meet the needs of this population
of learners.
Many approaches have as their central premise the notion that an ASD is a lifelong developmental condition and so focus on a compensatory approach, which builds on the strengths of children with ASD, i.e. responding well to routine, structure and predictability.
Well known approaches are TEACCH and ABA, in which structure and routine are reinforced by use
of symbols and other visual supports such as timetables.
These are discussed below.
Read the briefing sheets on ASD below .
Autism classroom support sheet
Think about what the implications would be for a teacher planning to meet the needs of a class of children, many of whom have a diagnosis of autism.
Have a look at these websites and see what the current thinking is towards educational approaches for children with ASD.
Schools Network