Observation Report of a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Implications

Observation Report of a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Kai Ting, Rui Jing, Yanting, Melissa

What can I do to ensure that the child is treated humanely?

Does it goes against my moral ethics?

Observations

How does this affect my teaching as an educator?

Child

• Good fine motor skills
• Intelligent and fast worker

• Likes to draw shapes in mid air
• Likes to play in the home corner
• Likes to rearrange numbers on the calendar
• Likes to run about in the classroom

Learning Environment

• No instructional plan for John
• Learning is teacher-dominant
• Lack of classroom management skills
• Raise her volume at students
• Knock her marker against the whiteboard
• Threaten children

Responses

• Interacts with his peers minimally
• Talks to himself

Instruction

Class

• Respond actively to teacher's request

John

• Refuse to oblige to teacher's request despite repeated reminders

Teacher

• Unclear instructions
• Lack of motivational mechanisms (does not use children's interest to motivate them)
• Asks open-ended questions
• Does not promote active participation in the classroom
• Children hardly raise questions (no on-going exchange)

• Subject and level of work is age appropriate

Lesson

• Does not have a clear beginning and end (unclear tuning-in, main body and absence of closure)
• Activities and materials does not encourage critical thinking or problem solving from the children

Patterns observed

• Lack of problem solving opportunities
• Children were fed information instead of being an active participant in acquiring knowledge
• John is always a neglected member of the classroom

Brief Description

Setting: Kindergarten

Challenges

Child's Profile:

• Boy
• 6 years old
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Mild condition
• Undergoing social therapy

• Teachers have a lesson plan and timeline to adhere to
• Teacher's teaching methodology
• Teacher's lack of knowledge in the disability and child's needs
• Daily schedule is packed
• Lack of time

from Peterson and Hittie (2010) (p. 95)

Foundations of Inclusive Teaching

Strategies for Student with Behavioral and Emotional Challenges

• Commit ourselves to engaging, supporting, guiding and teaching students with emotional and behavioral challenges and in working to develop relationships where we communicate that we care for them
• Teach with creative and engaging activities to help provide a positive, meaningful school experience
• Provide options and choices that respond to individual needs and learning styles
• Develop predictable class routines and help students understand changes that may occur
• Integrate social skills learning into all academic lessons on a moment-by-moment basis
• Use positive behavior support strategies that affirm students' needs, explore the reasons for behaviors, and work to help students have their needs met in new ways and develop effective social skills

QUESTION

Why do we have strategies to help children?

Why are there strategies imposed?

Learning Setting

• Set up a buddy system to help John
• Use positive encouragement instead of threatening children
• Engage the of musical instruments in classroom management
• Teacher should place child in a corner where it does not "invite" him to run about (boundary)

Materials and Activities

• Conduct movement activities to engage children
• Kinesthetic learning helps children to grasp, internalize and maintain abstract information (Griss, 1994)
• Cater activities to child's strengths and interests
• Teacher should provide a wide variety of materials
• Provide materials that is relevant to interests of child
• Reward child with breaks/praises after he successfully accomplish tasks

Strengths

Numeracy

• Good with numbers

Literacy

• Spell well

Weaknesses

• Short attention span
• Unable to follow instructions to a certain extent

Recommendations

Routine and rules

• Visual schedule
• Specific verbal instructions
• Short and concise rules and instructions