Setting Up Classroom Spaces That Support Students With Autism

Kabot, Susan,Reeve, Christine E.

ISBN 10: 1934575682 / ISBN 13: 9781934575680

Editore: Future Horizons, 2010

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Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Setting Up Classroom Spaces That Support Students With Autism
• Editore: Future Horizons
• Data di pubblicazione: 2010
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 1934575682
• ISBN 13: 9781934575680
• Rilegatura: paperback
• Condizione: Very Good

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Riassunto

With even the best curricula and interventions, students with autism spectrum disorders will not learn unless the classroom environment is organized with their specific needs in mind. Setting Up Classroom Spaces That Support Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders shows through clear and brief text and lots of photos how to determine what type of furniture and materials to choose for various types of classrooms and how to arrange them in a way that creates an effective learning environment while reducing anxiety and preventing problem behaviors. It uses evidence-based practices of structure and visual supports to enhance the well-being and success of students. Examples are given for students across the age span with lots of lists and helpful resources, making it a must-have resource for every classroom. Foreword by Juane Heflin, PhD.

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We all make use of visual strategies every day, often totally unconsciously. We go to the supermarket and stand in the checkout lines where the numbers are lit up. We stop before crossing the street when the light is red … the list goes on and on. Similarly, visual cues help students with ASD to make sense of their environment. By being able to rely on predictable cues in the classroom, they are more comfortable and, therefore, in a better position to focus more time on instruction. That is, the energy otherwise spent on worrying about what will come next can now be constructively expended on learning.

To be successful, visual cues must be clear and readily available. In addition, students must learn to understand and use each type of cue before they can rely on it on a regular basis. A good rule of thumb is to have a colleague come into the classroom and look at the materials displayed. Can he or she identify the function of each of the materials? If so, then the materials areprobably relevant and needed. If the function is difficult to discern or if the visual is not related to the running of the classroom (e.g., a bulletin board decorated with fall leaves when none of the lesson plans address seasons or leaves), consider removing that item and storing the material elsewhere.

Designing effective classroom environments for students with ASD is more complicated than simply putting out desks and chairs. The unique characteristics of ASD and their impact on students’ learning styles and ability to navigate complex environments make careful consideration and planning of their instructional environments a key component of effective intervention. The following is a synopsis of warning signs and solutions to potential difficulties observed in classrooms that can be addressed by changes in the physical environment. These warning signs are provided as an overview to help teachers think about issues in their own classrooms and how the physical environment may impact them.