Cardinal Ambrozic ASD Diploma Support Program

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Cardinal AmbrozicASD Diploma Support Program

• Peer Tutor Presentation
• September 19/12

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Activity

• With your dominant hand, please write your name
  and address on a piece of paper.

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Activity continued

• Now, with your non dominant hand write your name
  and address, while tapping your finger with your
  dominant hand
• Feedback How did that feel?

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What Does Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)Mean?

• Think of ASD as a rainbow
• Wide range of colours displayed in an Arc.
• At one end of the rainbow are students with
  severe disabilities such as some of the students
  in the PIP class
• At the other end of the Spectrum are students who
  are very capable and working towards an OSSD.
  These students are in the ASD Program

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The Spectrum

• See 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8 in the ASD Support Guide

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Retts Syndrome
PDD - NOS
Autism
Asperger Syndrome
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Understanding Asperger Syndrome (AS)

• AS is a complex neurological condition(brain
  differences )
• In other words these students have a different
  way of thinking, caused by differences in the
  hard wiring in the brain

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AS contd

• Think of students with Aspergers as an IBM
  computer trying to run its software on a MAC!
• Just imagine how many glitches there would be
• It would more than likely not be able to run at
  all, or crash!

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Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

• ASD is characterized by impairments in three core
  areas
• communication
• social interaction
• unusual patterns of behaviours, activities, and
  interests

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The Triad of Impairments
Communication
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Restricted Repertoire of Activities and Interests
Socialization
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Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

• In Canada
• 1 in 100 of all children
• Currently more than 200,000 cases in Canada
• More than 3,000 cases are identified each year
• Dufferin-Peel 1 in 95
• Source Geneva Centre webpage
  http//www.autism.net/faqs/585-what-is-the-inciden
  ce-rate-of-autism-spectrum-disorders-in-canada.htm
  l

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Strengths

• Very Strong in some areas of academics (Math
  Sciences)
• Computer Skills
• Extremely knowledgeable in their area of interest
  i.e. science and video gaming
• Honest (sometimes too honest)
• Desire for friendships and to fit in

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Needs and Challenges

• Difficulties interacting with typically
  developing peers
• Difficulty reading and understanding social cues
  and situations
• Withdraws from or provides unusual responses to
  social situations
• From Effective Educational Practices for
  Students with ASD, Ministry of Education, 2007

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Social Challenges

• Unusual eye contact
• Difficulty managing and maintaining reciprocal
  conversations (may talk at you)
• Difficulty reading and using a range of facial
  expressions and body language
• Limited ability to conceptualize the thoughts and
  feelings of others

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Social Challenges

• Unaware of the codes of social conduct
• Lack of maturity in friendship skills
• Limited ability to detect someones true
  intentions
• Limited ability with team skills

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Social Understanding

• Socializing is harder than any maths question
  for me. What works for one person doesnt work
  for another. People do not always say what they
  mean, or stick to what they say.

Marc Fleisher, 2003
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The Role of a Peer Tutor

• Be open and accepting of differences
• Be a good role model
• Engage our students in 1-1 casual/social
  conversations
• Play games with them
• Greet them in the hallways and cafeteria
• Help them feel part of The Riverhawks Family

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The Hidden Curriculum

• What is it?
• What are some examples of the hidden Curriculum
  at Cardinal Ambrozic?
• What are some examples of the hidden curriculum
  of teenagers?
• What are some unwritten social rules?
• Do you usually speak to a teacher like you do a
  friend?

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Students with ASD

• Often have difficulty understanding the hidden
  curriculumknowing the way you speak to
  teachers, is sometimes different than parents or
  peers
• For most of you, this is a natural understanding
• Social skills that you automatically understand,
  our students need specific help with

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Final Thoughts

• We look forward to and are excited to have you
  work with our students and with us.
• You will be a valuable part of our team.
• Questions?
• Please ask no question is too big or too small!
• Thank you ? Mrs. Abbruscato Ms. Kidd