Autism
and structured teaching
These
pages give an overview and include practical classroom
suggestions for those who are unfamiliar with teaching
autistic children.
The bottom of each page holds
a link to the next page (series of 9)
Link
to TEACCH Course images
click on controls to play Introduction Video (827kb
Quicktime.mov)
Introduction to Autism by Kate Doherty, Senior support teacher,
SEELB
In a special
school there are pupils with a variety of different conditions and syndromes.
The autistic spectrum is one condition which needs consideration and
organisation.
Pupils
demonstrate a range of behaviours which put them on the autistic spectrum.
Some behaviours are less severe than others.
Those who
are without structure may be confused, anxious and can display particular
challenging behaviours.
These pupils
require organisation in their daily lives because they are unable to
create it themselves.
Structured
teaching is a method of helping children on the autistic spectrum to
cope in our disorganised and unpredictable world.
These pages
give an overview and include practical classroom suggestions for those
who are unfamiliar with teaching autistic children.
For
more information on Structured
Teaching go to
Division
TEACCH
University of North Carolina
Kate Doherty is a Senior Support teacher in the South East Education
and Library Board, Northern Ireland.
Next
Introduction * Deficits
of autism * Five Reasons for using structure
* Five elements of structure * routines
* physical structure
* daily schedules * individual
work systems * visual structure
* www links
ASSESSMENT
NOTES:
The assessment of Autism is not currently included in these pages
All children need to be formally assessed before making a diagnosis
of autism. The following developmental signs should be taken into consideration.
What to
look for during assessment
1 Emerging
Skills
2 Strengths
3 Interests
4 Organisation
and Distractibility
5 Attention
Span
6 Independence
7 Motivation
