STRUCTURED TEACHING

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The Wheels on the Bus ...
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.go round and round all through the town.
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Training Presentation
Glenda Pate and Lucy Wieland Old National Trail
Special Education Cooperative 522 Anderson St.,
Box 267, Greencastle, IN 46135 765-653-2781
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Characteristics of Autism
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Autism Spectrum Disorders are lifelong
developmental disorders characterized by
impairments in communication, learning, and
social interaction which typically become evident
in infancy or early childhood.
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• Children with autism
• tend to display difficulties with
• Communication Skills
• Social Skills
• Behavior

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COMMUNICATION

• May have difficulties
• Understanding what they hear
• Comprehending simple language Using
  appropriate language
• Grammar/pronoun confusion
• Using made up expressions
• Idiosyncratic language
• Verbal rituals
• Modulating voice- loudness/softness

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Communication, (cont.)

• May have difficulties with
• Direct gaze
• Reciprocal gaze
• Abstract, vague concepts
• Teasing
• Tend to be very literal
• 40-45 of students with autism are nonverbal

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SOCIAL

• May have difficulties
• Understanding social gestures
• Making/maintaining eye contact
• Showing and directing
• Social smile (reciprocal)
• Ability to judge social situations
• Making friends
• Reading nonverbal cues

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BEHAVIOR

• May display
• Unusual preoccupations
• Repetitive use of objects
• Compulsions/rituals
• Hand/finger mannerisms
• Body movements
• Unusual sensory interests/input
• Self-stimulatory behavior
• Self-injurious behavior
• Special skills

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Miscellaneous Characteristics

• 1/4 to 1/3 have epilepsy
• 4 out of 5 will be boys
• Girls usually have more severe characteristics
• Same incident rate in all countries, races,
  socio-economic status
• May have poor motor skills

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Characteristics of Aspergers Syndrome
Students with Aspergers are higher functioning
and look normal. Behavior is often thought
of as oppositional, defiant, spoiled, and
manipulative.
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Common difficulties include

• Perseveration on specific topics of interest
• Insistence on sameness/difficulty with changes in
  routine
• Inability to make friends
• Difficulty with reciprocal conversations
• Pedantic speech
• Socially naïve and literal thinkers
• Poor coping strategies
• Restricted range of interest

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Difficulties, (cont.)

• Tend to be reclusive
• Difficulty being in large groups
• Difficulties with abstract concepts
• Problem-solving abilities tend to be poor
• Vocabulary will sound great but overall
  comprehension is poor
• Low frustration tolerance
• Emotional vulnerability

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• Students with autism will perform better when
  provided structured settings within their
  environment.
• On the bus, students can be provided
• Physical Structure
• Visual Schedules

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Helpful Hints for the Bus

1. Provide structure by assigning seats so
the student will know where he will sit. 2.
Forewarn the student of changes - substitute
bus driver, change in route, etc. 3. Provide
visual cues. List bus rules. 4. Limit auditory
input. Dont attempt to reason with the
student. 5. Provide with social stories
explaining appropriate behavior.
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SOCIAL STORIES are a way to help with students
with autism.
They provide the student with rules
explaining/defining social interactions and
social settings.
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Social stories are written for a specific student
and a specific situation.

• Situations that are difficult for the
  student.
• Situations where the student misreads the
  situation or the interaction.
• A Social Skill assessment shows an
  individual, specific need.

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