Teaching Strategies and Suggestions
Students who have PDD/ASD benefit and learn best from being with age peers, but most require extensive modifications to the regular grade-level expectations and, in some instances, may need to use a totally alternative curriculum. Individually modified and/or alternative expectations are to be stated in the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP). Wherever possible, programming should be age-appropriate, interactive, and practical. Like other students, these students should be given opportunities to develop skills that will prepare them to be productive community members and assist them to develop the pre-employment skills they may require. Teachers may also find the following sections in this Companion helpful in planning for and working with students with PDD/ASD: Behavioural Exceptionality, Learning Disability, Developmental Disability, Physical Disability.
The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner: Special Education Companion © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002
The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner: Special Education Companion © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002
Strategies and Suggestions Related to the Classroom Environment
The teacher may:
-provide a predictable and safe environment;
-minimize transitions;
-offer consistent daily routines;
-avoid surprises (e.g., prepare the student thoroughly and in advance for special activities, altered schedules, or other changes, regardless of how minimal);
-talk the student through stressful situations or remove him or her from the stressful situation;
-use social scripts to prepare the student for transitions or to help the student modify his or her reactions to a particular situation;
-provide the student with personal space for relaxation in a resource or other room;
-reduce distractions and sensory overloads;
-allow modifications as needed to deal with sensitivity-to-touch issues;
-use visual supports (e.g., mapping, sequence strips, pictorial schedules) to assist the student with routines.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Motivation
The teacher may:
-Schedule opportunities for the student to share his or her experiences;
-develop means to deliver information that will ensure that the student understands;
-develop consistent methods of questioning and use the student’s likes, interests, and strengths when introducing new tasks;
-plan cooperative experiences throughout the day;
-make use of naturally occurring reinforcers (i.e., those that will maintain the positive results desired);
-reinforce any attempts the student makes towards achieving goals and objectives;
-provide feedback immediately so that the connection between the reinforcement and the event is clear;
-vary reinforcers and provide choices of reinforcers;
-encourage, accept, and teach choice making;
-expand the option of choice through varied and meaningful experiences;
-invite and encourage the student to initiate tasks on his or her own, naturally;
-use environmental and instructional cues instead of relying on constant adult verbal and physical cues;
-keep familiar, acquired activities in the program as new ones are added.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Lesson Presentation
The teacher may:
-use the student’s known strengths;
-follow established routines;
-divide instructions into small, sequential steps;
-present new concepts in a concrete manner;
-present material to the student in a combination of different ways (e.g., through maps, charts, videos, computers, diagrams, demonstrations);
-make use of consistent expectations;
-make use of peer tutoring;
-provide needed prompts and cues;
-provide repeated opportunities to practise/review.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Communication
The teacher may:
-provide the student with accurate prior information about changes;
-provide the student with accurate prior information about expectations;
-use concrete and specific terminology (e.g., avoid using vague terms like later, maybe, why did you do that?)
-slow down the pace;
-break tasks down into smaller steps, if necessary, for the student’s understanding;
-use gestures, modelling, and demonstrations along with verbalizations;
-engage the student’s attention visually, verbally, and/or physically before giving him or her information or directions;
-communicate in a clear, straightforward manner (e.g., avoid idioms and double meanings);
-pause, listen, and wait;
-watch and listen for the student’s attempts to respond;
-respond positively to any attempts made by the student;
-model correct formats without correcting the student;
-encourage the student to provide input and make choices when possible;
-consult with a speech/language pathologist about providing alternative methods of communication, if required (e.g., communication books, visual cues, augmentative
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Self-Management
The teacher may:
-incorporate the student’s strengths and interests into the daily plan;
-encourage the student to make choices and decisions, where appropriate;
-analyse the purpose of the student’s behaviour from the student’s perspective;
-use the purpose of the student’s behaviour as the basis for teaching skills;
-avoid punitive measures that lower self-esteem, increase anxiety, and are not understood by the student;
-provide reinforcement that is individualized (e.g., immediate, delayed, concrete, as appropriate);
-avoid disciplining the student for behaviours that are part of his or her disorder;
-ensure that school staff outside the classroom (e.g., bus drivers, librarians, cafeteriamonitors) are familiar with the student’s strengths and needs and have been given adequate
-training in management approaches;
-try to avoid escalating power struggles (These students often do not understand rigid displays of authority or anger, and will themselves become more rigid and stubborn if forcefully confronted.);
-develop a personalized picture schedule for the student to follow.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Independence
Students who have PDD/ASD usually require additional supports, which may work one-on-one with the student to facilitate the student’s entry into school, provide staff with sessions on disability awareness, and assist with the student’s integration into the classroom. Eventually, these students need to learn how to become independent and make their individual needs clear to others. Like other students, students who have PDD/ASD should be given opportunities to develop skills that will prepare them to be productive community members and that will help communication).
The teacher may:on specific expectations that promote independent living;
-work on skills for independent living as part of class activities;
-teach daily-living skills explicitly;
-expect the student to have responsibilities and jobs within the classroom, cooperative work
-group, or school (Give the student responsibilities that are real and valuable. The student should have a role in every group.);
-enhance the student’s dignity by providing him or her with opportunities to make choices;
-teach, and focus on, the development of social skills needed in the workplace (e.g., eye contact, cooperation, punctuality, task completion);
-teach and model strategies that the student can use to effectively communicate his or her strengths and needs;
-encourage all staff and the student’s peers to learn and use the student’s communication system;
-teach the student appropriate ways to request assistance and express feelings;
-teach, model, and coach the student in the steps involved in problem solving;
involve the student in community awareness activities.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Assessment
The teacher may:
-provide the student with a choice of activities;
-teach the student the text and format of the assessment ahead of time through rehearsal;
-pose questions in a way that encourages the student to apply his or her learning to real situations;
-provide visual cues as a way to teach the student how to summarize or write.
Assessment Accomodations
Accommodations for a student who is autistic, the teacher may:
-adapt the assessment format (e.g., make it an oral test, a practical demonstration, an interview, a construction, or a tape-recorded test);
-allow the student to write down the main points and to expand on them verbally;
-allow the student to use assistive devices and technology resources, such as a Kurzweil reader, a speech synthesizer, speech-to-text software, or a Bliss board;
-allow the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems;
-divide the test into parts and give it to the student one section at a time or over a period of days;
-provide the student with a quiet location, free from distractions;
-allow the student additional time, when required, to complete tests;
-read or clarify questions for the student and encourage the student, without assisting or providing the response, to rephrase questions in his or her own words;
-highlight key words or instructions for emphasis;
-allow the student to use a calculator, where appropriate;
-allow the student flexibility, as appropriate, in the number of questions to be answered relating to the same skill;
-allow audiotaped responses or verbatim scribing of responses to test questions;
-provide prompts for the purpose of drawing the student’s attention back to the test;
-provide periodic supervised breaks.
Taken from: The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner: Special Education Companion © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002
The teacher may:
-provide a predictable and safe environment;
-minimize transitions;
-offer consistent daily routines;
-avoid surprises (e.g., prepare the student thoroughly and in advance for special activities, altered schedules, or other changes, regardless of how minimal);
-talk the student through stressful situations or remove him or her from the stressful situation;
-use social scripts to prepare the student for transitions or to help the student modify his or her reactions to a particular situation;
-provide the student with personal space for relaxation in a resource or other room;
-reduce distractions and sensory overloads;
-allow modifications as needed to deal with sensitivity-to-touch issues;
-use visual supports (e.g., mapping, sequence strips, pictorial schedules) to assist the student with routines.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Motivation
The teacher may:
-Schedule opportunities for the student to share his or her experiences;
-develop means to deliver information that will ensure that the student understands;
-develop consistent methods of questioning and use the student’s likes, interests, and strengths when introducing new tasks;
-plan cooperative experiences throughout the day;
-make use of naturally occurring reinforcers (i.e., those that will maintain the positive results desired);
-reinforce any attempts the student makes towards achieving goals and objectives;
-provide feedback immediately so that the connection between the reinforcement and the event is clear;
-vary reinforcers and provide choices of reinforcers;
-encourage, accept, and teach choice making;
-expand the option of choice through varied and meaningful experiences;
-invite and encourage the student to initiate tasks on his or her own, naturally;
-use environmental and instructional cues instead of relying on constant adult verbal and physical cues;
-keep familiar, acquired activities in the program as new ones are added.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Lesson Presentation
The teacher may:
-use the student’s known strengths;
-follow established routines;
-divide instructions into small, sequential steps;
-present new concepts in a concrete manner;
-present material to the student in a combination of different ways (e.g., through maps, charts, videos, computers, diagrams, demonstrations);
-make use of consistent expectations;
-make use of peer tutoring;
-provide needed prompts and cues;
-provide repeated opportunities to practise/review.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Communication
The teacher may:
-provide the student with accurate prior information about changes;
-provide the student with accurate prior information about expectations;
-use concrete and specific terminology (e.g., avoid using vague terms like later, maybe, why did you do that?)
-slow down the pace;
-break tasks down into smaller steps, if necessary, for the student’s understanding;
-use gestures, modelling, and demonstrations along with verbalizations;
-engage the student’s attention visually, verbally, and/or physically before giving him or her information or directions;
-communicate in a clear, straightforward manner (e.g., avoid idioms and double meanings);
-pause, listen, and wait;
-watch and listen for the student’s attempts to respond;
-respond positively to any attempts made by the student;
-model correct formats without correcting the student;
-encourage the student to provide input and make choices when possible;
-consult with a speech/language pathologist about providing alternative methods of communication, if required (e.g., communication books, visual cues, augmentative
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Self-Management
The teacher may:
-incorporate the student’s strengths and interests into the daily plan;
-encourage the student to make choices and decisions, where appropriate;
-analyse the purpose of the student’s behaviour from the student’s perspective;
-use the purpose of the student’s behaviour as the basis for teaching skills;
-avoid punitive measures that lower self-esteem, increase anxiety, and are not understood by the student;
-provide reinforcement that is individualized (e.g., immediate, delayed, concrete, as appropriate);
-avoid disciplining the student for behaviours that are part of his or her disorder;
-ensure that school staff outside the classroom (e.g., bus drivers, librarians, cafeteriamonitors) are familiar with the student’s strengths and needs and have been given adequate
-training in management approaches;
-try to avoid escalating power struggles (These students often do not understand rigid displays of authority or anger, and will themselves become more rigid and stubborn if forcefully confronted.);
-develop a personalized picture schedule for the student to follow.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Independence
Students who have PDD/ASD usually require additional supports, which may work one-on-one with the student to facilitate the student’s entry into school, provide staff with sessions on disability awareness, and assist with the student’s integration into the classroom. Eventually, these students need to learn how to become independent and make their individual needs clear to others. Like other students, students who have PDD/ASD should be given opportunities to develop skills that will prepare them to be productive community members and that will help communication).
The teacher may:on specific expectations that promote independent living;
-work on skills for independent living as part of class activities;
-teach daily-living skills explicitly;
-expect the student to have responsibilities and jobs within the classroom, cooperative work
-group, or school (Give the student responsibilities that are real and valuable. The student should have a role in every group.);
-enhance the student’s dignity by providing him or her with opportunities to make choices;
-teach, and focus on, the development of social skills needed in the workplace (e.g., eye contact, cooperation, punctuality, task completion);
-teach and model strategies that the student can use to effectively communicate his or her strengths and needs;
-encourage all staff and the student’s peers to learn and use the student’s communication system;
-teach the student appropriate ways to request assistance and express feelings;
-teach, model, and coach the student in the steps involved in problem solving;
involve the student in community awareness activities.
Strategies and Suggestions Related to Assessment
The teacher may:
-provide the student with a choice of activities;
-teach the student the text and format of the assessment ahead of time through rehearsal;
-pose questions in a way that encourages the student to apply his or her learning to real situations;
-provide visual cues as a way to teach the student how to summarize or write.
Assessment Accomodations
Accommodations for a student who is autistic, the teacher may:
-adapt the assessment format (e.g., make it an oral test, a practical demonstration, an interview, a construction, or a tape-recorded test);
-allow the student to write down the main points and to expand on them verbally;
-allow the student to use assistive devices and technology resources, such as a Kurzweil reader, a speech synthesizer, speech-to-text software, or a Bliss board;
-allow the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems;
-divide the test into parts and give it to the student one section at a time or over a period of days;
-provide the student with a quiet location, free from distractions;
-allow the student additional time, when required, to complete tests;
-read or clarify questions for the student and encourage the student, without assisting or providing the response, to rephrase questions in his or her own words;
-highlight key words or instructions for emphasis;
-allow the student to use a calculator, where appropriate;
-allow the student flexibility, as appropriate, in the number of questions to be answered relating to the same skill;
-allow audiotaped responses or verbatim scribing of responses to test questions;
-provide prompts for the purpose of drawing the student’s attention back to the test;
-provide periodic supervised breaks.
Taken from: The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner: Special Education Companion © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002