Los Angeles Unified School District Division of Special Education

1. Los Angeles Unified School District Division of Special Education Schools for All Children Paraprofessional Institute: Tier I Session 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder Donnalyn Jaque-Antón Associate Superintendent

2. The following presentation wasdeveloped by: Debbie Moss, Pat Grayson-DeJong, & Sharon Asarch Autism Support OfficeFor additional assistance, call (213) 241-8051 by e-mail to:pat.grayson-dejong@lausd.netdebbie.moss@lausd.netsharon.asarch@lausd.net

3. Pervasive Developmental Disorder Autism Asperger Syndrome AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Profound (severe) Autism Moderate Mild (High Functioning) Asperger Syndrome

4. Autism Spectrum Disorder • Lifelong disorder: there is no cure at this time • Can be present at birth, but typically appears prior to age 3 • Affects 1 in 166 • Four to five times more common in boys

5. Core Areas of Deficit • Speech and Language Deficits Non-Verbal Echolalic/sterotypical language Hyper-Verbal • Social Skill Deficits Range from isolative to indiscriminately social • Limited/Repetitive Behavioral Repertoire Self Stimulation Perseverative Inflexibility/rigid

6. Characteristics of Asperger Syndrome: • Higher cognitive abilities (average to superior) • Lucid language by 4 years • Speech often stilted and repetitive; conversations revolve around such topics as weather, history, science, etc.

7. Asperger Syndrome • Abnormalities noted in 3 broad aspects of development  Social interaction and emotional relatedness  Unusual patterns of narrow interests  Behavioral and stylistic characteristics involving repetitive/ perseverative features

8. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are individuals with characteristics that vary from their typical peers. The following slides give a few suggestions for common situations you may encounter as a paraprofessional of students within the Autism Spectrum. Getting to know the student(s) and being proactive with teaching strategies will help reduce difficult moments.

9. Communication • Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder may exhibit: severe delay or complete absence of speech immediate or delayed echolalia poor auditory processing odd voice quality/volume understanding of language is literal/concrete (e.g., “listen up.” “It’s raining cats and dogs”)

10. Communication Tips: • Language occurs throughout the day and is taught byeveryonewho has contact with the student • BE CONCRETE • Use augmentative communication to stimulate verbal language (e.g. PECS) • Use visual cues to facilitate understanding of abstract concepts (e.g. pictures, sign language, drawings, written words)

11. More Communication Tips: • To insure generalization of learned concepts, teach them in a variety of settings using different kinds of materials (e.g. color red: apple, stop sign, crayon, block, lipstick) • Allow extra time for student to respond

12. Social Skills • Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder may: • be irritable and hard to comfort • be isolative • be indiscriminatively social • have poor/no eye contact; odd eye gaze • have no understanding of “friendship” • lack perspective taking; empathy • understanding subtle/ complex verbal and nonverbal communication

13. Social Skills Tips: • Shape desired behaviors • Teach and practice appropriate social skills in natural environments • Have neurotypical peers or adults prompt/cue appropriate social skills

14. Developmental • Do not use toys for intended purpose (e.g., spins, lines up, flips, etc.) • May show scattering of skills: - Decodes words but unable to comprehend meaning - Good computation skills, but unable to apply • Excellent visual matching skills

15. Developmental Tips: • Teach how to use toys/games appropriately • Break tasks into smaller parts • Stress “functional use” of academic skills • Fade cuing

16. Challenges Throughout the School Environment • Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder:  may have difficulty working in groups  may prefer to work alone may demonstrate a lack of organizational skills may not be able to plan steps for long-term projects

17. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: may have difficulty making transitions may communicate resistance to change through “behavior” may have difficulty stopping an activity/ task before completion

18. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: -may over-react to situations -may demonstrate “behaviors” to communicate feelings -may display rigid thinking patterns -may not make connections that are obvious to others

19. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: -may quickly overload over seemingly small things - may become agitated with excess stimuli • may not be able to look at and listen to speaker simultaneously - may be easily overwhelmed with too much sensory stimulation

20. Tips:Teach strategies on how to study using visual supports such as flash cards, highlighting text, and graphic organizersUse calm, re-assuring tones of voice for directives Teach organization through visuals and practice Use visual supports such as color coding, calendars, lists, step-by-step guides “Chunk” steps in big projects/tasks

21.  Additional Tips: Have a predictable schedule  Use a visual schedule to communicate transitions clearly  Give warnings (verbal, visual, music, etc.) about how much time is left before the activity is finished  Use timers for predictability (time-timer)  Forewarn students in advance of any known changes

22. More Tips:Provide clear expectations for each assignment Provide examples and modeling Regularly check student progress Use students’ interests, strengths, passions as motivatorsAllow student to earn time for preferred activity Provide frequent “legal breaks” (movement)

23. Decrease sensory stimulation when possible Provide a calming place for breaks Use appropriate sensory input Avoid forcing eye contactRefrain from joining the argument (it takes two)  Still more tips:

24. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: - achieve academic success - respond to behavioral expectations - communicate effectively WHEN - staff responds proactively - appropriate teaching strategies are used

25. Text & Journal Resources • Asperger Syndrome: A Guide for Educators and Parents by Brenda Smith Myles & Richard L. Simpson • Asperger’s…What Does It Mean to Me? by Catherine Faherty • Autism and Asperger’s Digest Magazine • Autism Treatment Guide by Elizabeth K. Gerlach • A Work in Progress by Ron Leaf & John McEachin • Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism by Catherine Maurice

26. WebsiteResources • www.shafer@sprynet.com • www.O.A.S.I.S. • www.teacch.com • www.futurehorizons-autism.com • www.TonyAttwood.com • www.autism-society.org • www.usevisualstrategies.com • www.TheGrayCenter.org

27. Additional Journals & Texts • Educating Children with Autism published by National Academy Press • Emergence: Labeled Autistic by Temple Grandin • From Goals to Data and Back Again: Adding Backbone to Developmental Intervention for Children with Autism by Jill Jain Lehman & Rebecca Klaw • Helping Children with Autism Learn by Bryna Siegel, Ph.D. • Sensory Motor Issues in Autism by Johanna M. Anderson, OTR

28. Even More Resources • Socially ADDept by Janet Z. Giler, Ph.D. • Teaching young children with autistic spectrum disorder to learn by Liz Hannah • Treasure Chest of Behavioral Strategies for Individuals with Autism by Beth Fouse, Ph.D. & Maria Wheeler, M.Ed. • Understanding the Nature of Autism by Janice e. Janzen, M.S. • Visual Strategies for Improving Communication by Linda A. Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP