Autism New Zealand

Monday the 18th of April Robyn Young came to Addington School to present to the staff about Autism and Autism New Zealand. I currently have one student in my class who has recently been diagnosed with Autism and have another child joining our class at the beginning of next term. The information Robyn presented to us was very helpful. She also provided us with ideas to use in the classroom. Something that really stuck walking away from the meeting with Robyn was about difference and that even though as teachers we are open to teaching in an environment that accepts culture of difference, we also need to teach this to our children to enable them to be accepting to all. "We are all different. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same. Sometimes there's a name for difference and one of those words is Autism." Words that also come to mind are TRUST AND POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS - Although this is aways a focus for me to have with all my students, trust and positive relationships with their teachers is really important for children with Autism. 

Robyn mentioned a positive way to share and explain what Autism is to children.  

DVD: In My Shoes 

http://www.inmyshoes.co.nz/

As one person with Autism describes it:

It's isolation of a special type that us strong and protective. It is a way of living in a unique whole personality separate from others. A quiet shy life can be happy too. Negative descriptions come from those who observe on the outside. I have beautiful experiences that I would never give away."

My understanding of Autism is that people with the disorder have trouble communicating and relating to people around them. The disorder varies from person to person. People who have Autism are born with the disorder and it can't be medically tested for. Some difficulties include social-emotional reciprocity, understanding non-verbal communication, difficulties in creating and maintaining relationships and demonstrating restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interest or activities. 

Ideas for the classroom:

-Children like routine (Visual timetable - explain when change is going to happen *IYT LINK)

-Children saying "I can't, I don't want to" (Don't have the communication to say they didn't understand, need further instructions - Be aware of this and check in to make sure they understand the task)

-Give choices (Choice between two different things - Don't say you need to...instead we need to as it will help take some of the pressure away from the person)

-Visual cues (Link to making visuals for children http://connectability.ca/visuals-engine/)

-Counting to 5 after having given an instruction. 

Links to Provisional Registration Criteria

4. Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of personal professional practice. 

ii. Participate responsively in professional learning opportunities within the learning community.