To a teacher about a child with autism spectrum disorder

Hi! Oh no, hello!

I came to school. Let's get acquainted, I am a girl and I have autism. This means that I have impaired social communication and repetitive restricted behaviour. Previously, children with autism were taught individually at home or in specialized schools. But now we can study in a regular school. School is both learning and the beginning of my life in society.

I prepared a lot for school.

My behaviour is related to the diagnosis, not to a lack of parenting and attention from my parents. I prepared for school more seriously than other children. I worked with specialists, went to kindergarten and practiced with my parents. However, this does not mean that I can accept all the school rules at once. I will need your help and time. After all, communication and socialization are difficult and important tasks for me.

Let me describe who I am and why.

My strengths are visual perception, attention to detail, and a large amount of mechanical memory.

Weaknesses include - difficulties in understanding the general meaning of the text and perceiving spoken language. They can prevent me from doing all subjects, even math. Because I won't be able to understand the condition of the problem.

I have different sensory thresholds of perception.

My thresholds of sensations are very different from yours. What is usual for everyone else can be a challenge for me, or it can be completely unnoticeable.

Sometimes I swing, tiptoe, put on headphones, or go to the resource room. Such actions help maintain a balance of sensations and regulate my behaviour. If I am forbidden to do so, I might have a tantrum.

I can't stand to look other people in the eyes and avoid touching them. I avoid this with all people, close and unfamiliar. Do not touch me unnecessarily and ask your colleagues and children to do the same.

Tips and ideas to help me get acquainted and adapt:

To get to know each other, let's do the following.
To get to know me, address me by name and tell me your name. I will not answer or look in the eye. But I will hear you. And my parents will introduce me.
My place in the classroom should be as private and quiet as possible. What does it mean? Closer to the teacher and on the edge. This way, the children's movements and voices will distract me less and not take away all my strength. I will be able to study better. And if necessary, leave the classroom as quickly as possible. Also, this way my behaviour will be less distracting to other children. Show me the desk I'm going to sit at. Let me touch it, sit on it, and maybe rock a little on a chair.

Introduce me to the school. Show me where the cloakroom and classroom, toilet and dining room, first aid station and library are located. It would be great if I had a school plan. I think in pictures, and I understand them well.

Tell me about the rules. "We all go to the dining room together. To use the restroom, raise your hand and point to the door." Accompany the instructions with gestures. It's like stewardesses, and everyone understands them well. For me, this is the key to success.

I will need time and your help to learn the rules. Rely on the pictures. This will help us negotiate better.

Tips and ideas on how to get to know children in the classroom.

Many teachers say that it's more difficult to deal with parents than with children. I know that adults are often opposed to inclusion because they are worried about their children and their success.
Some people are afraid that I am dangerous and unpredictable.
Some people think that I can teach children bad behaviour.
Some are afraid that the teacher will not have enough time for everyone.
Some people think that the teacher will focus on the level of weak students, not strong ones.
And there are those who believe that autism is contagious.

You will have to dispel all these myths and have a serious talk with parents.

So that parents are not afraid, tell them that I will be studying according to my personal program, and it doesn't change anything for other children.

Let them know that other children may sometimes repeat some of my actions. But they will not adopt this behaviour and make it their own. They have already formed their own habits and rules for different situations.

I don't need to ask permission to be in the classroom. I have the same rights to get an education as all other children.

Give my mom and dad the floor at the parent-teacher conference. They will talk about the diagnosis, difficulties, achievements, and plans. My parents know about me better than anyone else. And although they will be nervous at first, let them perform anyway. When my parents talk about me, other moms and dads will think I'm just a kid.

Remember that my parents and other parents believe in you. If they see that you understand us and know how to make friends with everyone, they will calm down and love our class.

It's not easy for me to communicate with children. Nevertheless, it is very important to be together with everyone.

When we all get to know each other, say all our names. We're all unlikely to remember each other right away, but the moment of meeting is important in itself.

I will go to the dining room with everyone, study, and listen to the children's answers. After a while, I will be able to engage in more active communication: participate in some outdoor games, answer questions.

If I don't want to participate in joint activities or play alone, it doesn't mean I feel bad. I like to be alone. It's also how I restore my strength.

Children will ask why I get tired faster, study in a different program, and find it difficult to play and communicate with me. Explain to them the reasons for my behaviour (link to the introduction) and how they can help me.

Tips and ideas to help me cope with stress and prevent tantrums:

Stability and predictability are important to me. I don't need to be moved from desk to desk. It is also important to have a permanent place in the dining room. It's not a fad, it's a key to adaptation. Please explain this to the school staff and children.
I need to know the schedule and have it in the form of a picture. This is how I imagine my day, prepare for a new event or lesson, and worry less. This means I'm behaving better.
I express my emotions and desires differently than other children. Observe me, ask my parents how to understand my behaviour. Over time, you will understand me better and share tips with your colleagues who teach separate classes with us.
I can get tired and lose balance faster than my classmates. If you see me swaying and waving my arms, let me do these and calm down. If I behave worse: shouting, getting up and walking around the classroom, let the teacher's assistant take me to the resource room.
Say out loud: "You are tired, you need to rest." This phrase will allow me and all the children in the class to understand what happened. Don't talk about me in the third person and shame me. This will definitely not help.

If I do something that is forbidden for everyone else to do: bite, take off my clothes, and scream for a long time, this behaviour must be stopped. Ask my parents how to do this. At home, they use the "Stop" card.

Tips and ideas to help me with my studies.

The Inclusive Resource Centre will write me an individual development plan. With it, my parents and I will come to your classroom. This plan will take into account my capabilities and help me select and adapt the necessary materials. To put everything in its place, discuss it when you meet my mom and dad. They will tell me what I like, with what I have difficulties and what results they expect from my studies.

In addition, a teacher's assistant will help you in the classroom. Discuss the division of responsibilities with him or her to make everything harmonious and convenient.

I will gradually, not immediately, start studying in a general education class. Everything new is difficult for me, so the first lessons are not indicative. Regularly discuss these issues with the school psychologist, assistant, and teachers:

which lessons I am ready to attend with everyone else,

how much time I spend in group classes and how much time I spend individually

how to reduce the assistant's support.

Don't be afraid to include me in the general course of the lesson and give me individual tasks. I memorize poetry very well, but it's hard for me to tell its meaning. I can help voice the rules for everyone, and I memorize them very well. I also like to draw and go to physical education!

Like everyone else, I am ready to complete tasks and get fair grades for them.

In many ways, I am like my classmates: sometimes I will be lazy, and in some ways, I will be more diligent with time. Evaluate me fairly according to the criteria from the individual development plan. I will be happy or sad, but I will feel equal.

I think in pictures. If we use them together, I will better understand what is happening and cooperate. Here are illustrations of possible activities.

Use a minimal hint. First try a verbal hint, and then a more intense one (do it with my hand). One thing: remember, I am wary of touch, so don't touch me unexpectedly and without getting to know me well. When I "make friends" with you and recognize your hands, I will accept help.

There are many people with whom you can share experiences and get support. If you have questions that my parents or your colleagues at school can't answer, think about who else you can ask. These can be psychologists and speech therapists with whom I work after school. Give them a call. There are also teachers from other schools who have experience in teaching children with ASD. Find such forums and conferences. Your experience can be valuable and useful to them.

In a school where children learn to understand each other's peculiarities from an early age, an atmosphere of trust is created, and the best qualities are developed: tolerance, care, and kindness. And all children (and adults too) feel more comfortable.