RUNNING HEADER: Asperger s Syndrome 1. Middle Childhood Students with Asperger s Syndrome. Caryn Setzler. Mount Vernon Nazarene University

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1 RUNNING HEADER: Asperger s Syndrome 1 Middle Childhood Students with Asperger s Syndrome Caryn Setzler Mount Vernon Nazarene University EDU2001 Professional Writing for Educators December 2, 2011 Mrs. Janice Nielson

2 Asperger s Syndrome 2 Abstract There are many aspects to teaching students with Asperger s Syndrome. A teacher has to be aware of what the latest research says about students with Asperger s Syndrome. Teachers with students with Asperger s Syndrome have to know how to help the students and the students families. The parents of students with Asperger s Syndrome have many issues going on in their lives. Finding support and understanding at the school with teachers who understand what the child is going through. Similar to the parents, the siblings of students with Asperger s Syndrome also have other issues due to a sibling having Asperger s Syndrome. A teacher in the classroom with a student with Asperger s Syndrome has to be able to help their students. The environment of the classroom has to have a routine and structure to help the students focus during class. Also a teacher needs to be aware of how students with Asperger s Syndrome socialize in the classroom and with their fellow peers. Students with Asperger s Syndrome socialize differently compared to other students. In the classroom, bullying can also happen. How a teacher teaches in the classroom as effects how his or her students will respond to the material. Students with Asperger s Syndrome need to know that they are not alone in the world. A teacher can help the child by aiding the child in finding the right type of counseling to ensure the child can take care of themselves at school and is comfortable with who they are. Having a friend in the world to listen and give advice can bring relief from the stress of the world. The needs of the whole child are important. A teacher needs to know how to help a child not only academically but also physically too. At the middle school level many changes are happening to a child and supporting the child physically and academically can give them the encouragement they need to take the next step into the world.

3 Asperger s Syndrome 3 Middle Childhood Students with Asperger s Syndrome Children with Asperger s Syndrome are more than a development problem with the brain. They are children with feelings and dreams like any other child. Children with Asperger s Syndrome may need the extra help to go beyond their disability but every child is worth the extra help. Teaching any child can have its own set of up and downs making teaching difficult; students with Asperger s Syndrome have different up and downs than other students. Knowing the child personally helps the child to be motivated in the classroom and helps the teacher know how to encourage the child in the classroom. Teaching is an art; an art that is continuing to change and be altered to better help students, all students. Teaching students of any age with Asperger s Syndrome comes with challenges that must be dealt with to help the student succeed and the teacher succeed during the school year. Throughout the school year, having the parents or guardians help with the child in and outside of the classroom will make a difference for the child. The middle school years for any student tend to be the most difficult but going through those years not understanding how to communicate or interact socially makes those years even harder for the student. As a teacher, helping the students understands the tough times and what is going on around them can be a challenge, but a challenge worth winning. Definition of Asperger s Syndrome One in every 150 children endures Asperger s Syndrome (AS) every day, but the children are more than statistics (Woolfolk, 2010). According to Sainsbury (2009), Asperger s Syndrome is a mild form of autism, a developmental disorder of neurological origin... which affects communication and social interaction (p. 29). What does a developmental disorder of neurological origin mean? According to Woolfolk (2010):

4 Asperger s Syndrome 4 People with Asperger s Syndrome, do not form connections with others, avoid eye contact, or don t share feelings such as enjoyment or interest with others About half of these students are nonverbal; they have no or very few language skills. Others make up their own language. They may obsessively insist on regularity and sameness in their environments change is very disturbing They may be very sensitive to light, sound, touch, or other sensory information They may be able to memorize words or steps in problem solving, but not use hem appropriately or be very confused when the situation changes or questions are asked in a different way (p. 144) (Franklin, 2007; Friend, 2008; Matson, Matson, & Rivet, 2007). History of Asperger s Syndrome According to Myles (2007), the study of autism in children was first introduced by Leo Kanner in 1943 and grew in the popular media and professional literature. As autism grows in awareness, Asperger s Syndrome (AS) also increased in awareness. Even though the awareness of AS has increased, people today still do not know the difference between autism and AS. The number of people diagnosed with AS has also increased worldwide, the statistics does vary due to the fact that in different countries people are diagnosis differently (Teaching children with autism, 2009). Although, the number of people diagnosed with AS has increased and the awareness has increased there are still myths that are believed about AS. There are similarities in the people diagnosed with AS but at the same time there are differences for every person

5 Asperger s Syndrome 5 diagnosed. Watching a movie with an actor portraying AS does not mean that every person with AS will act as the character in the movie acted. How the definition of Asperger s Syndrome has Changed over the Years In the past, Asperger s Syndrome (AS) was thought to be an emotional disturbance from bad parenting, but since then that theory has been discredited (Sainsbury, 2009). Teachers back then would see students who had trouble focusing on the lesson and students who would not want to participate in new experiences in the classroom as problem students. New studies of the brain have shown a difference in the way the brain is wired which means there are no known cures for Asperger s Syndrome. The exact criteria for being diagnosed with AS is qualitative impairment in social interaction, and children present a substantial problem with social, occupational, or other areas of functioning (Teaching children with autism, 2009, p.8). To simplify, the students may not have many friends, may find making eye contact difficult and to the teacher the students may seem to be exaggerating what happened, but in reality that is how the students perceived what happened. These are just some examples of how students with AS may respond or act. There are many different indicators and more symptoms of AS. People with AS are capable of functioning in everyday life, but tend to be somewhat socially immature and may be seen by others as odd or eccentric. (Dowshen, 2008, p. 2). AS is not a disease that needs to be cured, it is a different way of thinking, acting and living. What Teachers Can Do to Help the Students and Families Being a parent of a child with Asperger s Syndrome can be both positive and negative; trying to do what is best for the child is almost never the easy choice. Parents have to make sacrifices for their children, some sacrifices the children do not even notice. A child with AS can require more sacrifices from the parents than parents of children without AS. For example,

6 Asperger s Syndrome 6 planning a trip for vacation for a family with a child that has AS requires more pre-planning than one would think. Sending children with AS to school can be stressful and difficult for parents. According to Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome (2009) Teachers can be great allies in keeping the youngster with Aspergers safe and successful in school, but you [the teacher] will need to make sure you [the teacher] have all the knowledge you [the teacher] need to help (para. 1). Knowing that teachers with knowledge of AS will be there to help the student and the parents with the transitions can bring relief for the parents. Working with the Parents of Children with Asperger s Syndrome Although the amount of information is growing about Asperger s Syndrome (AS), some parents do not know who to turn to, to receive support they need when raising a child with AS. According to Aston (2011), therapy is one of the top ports for families of AS to turn to, to aid themselves in helping the family member with AS. A therapist to help the whole family through the transitions in school and through life is hard to locate. Consistent with Aston, Teaching Children with Autism (2009), mentions that the therapist is not just to help the child but to help the parents with the stress and pressures of their life. Being a teacher of a child with AS is difficult, but the teacher must realize the stress the parents are under. Another suggestion Aston (2011) has for parents is to find all the information about children with AS. The information is out there; it may not help with specific circumstances, but having the knowledge will take some pressure off. Supporting. In a world where people who are different are looked down on or ignored, raising a child whose brain is wired differently than others is stressful. Having a person who is supportive of what the parents are trying to accomplish with the child takes the pressure off of the parent who is trying to take care of the child the best they can. If a parent decides to hire a

7 Asperger s Syndrome 7 board certified behavior analyst to develop a home-based curriculum to improve his social skills, activities of daily living, and verbal skills (Teaching students with autism, 2009, p.161), then the teacher should incorporate some of the skills the child is learning at home in the classroom. Getting together with the board certified behavior analyst can help to synchronize the environments to help benefit the child but without losing the other students in the classroom. Understanding. Reading and gaining knowledge is not just important for the parents to do, it is also important for the teachers to do (Aston, 2011). Once the teacher adequately understands the child, the teacher can understand the decisions the parents have to make for the child. For example, the parents may make the decision to move the students from the mainstream class into a special-education classroom. According to Sainsbury (2009), taking the students out of the mainstream classroom and placing them into a special-education classroom is less stressful for the student. Talking to a knowledgeable teacher about the decision to move the child can give the parents insight to what is going on at school. Aiding Siblings of Students with Asperger s Syndrome Similar to a student with Asperger s Syndrome (AS), their siblings will face bullying at school. Calling names and laughing at students who act differently is the common way to bully fellow students. Siblings of students with AS may not personally get made fun of but watching their brother or sister get made fun of is just as hard on the sibling as if it were themselves being humiliated. Another point is the siblings may not understand or realize why their brother or sister is considered different compared to the other students in the classroom resulting in the insults. Students with Asperger s Syndrome in Middle School Middle School age is a tough age regardless of how normal a child can seem. Students can act as though everything in their life is great when in reality they feel as though their whole

8 Asperger s Syndrome 8 world is falling apart. Switching from elementary school to middle school is a stressful situation for everyone, but students with Asperger s Syndrome are easily overwhelmed by environmental stressors and the changing of schools will add more stress (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 63). Making the transition process as stress free as possible is crucial for a student with AS. Teachers can help by verbally walking the student through what they should expect the first couple of days at a new school. The Environment in the Classroom Finding the best way to set up the classroom to help students with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) focus during the lesson is crucial. The lighting, sound and classroom material all make up the physical environment of a classroom. According to Teaching Students with Autism (2009), taking the time to find the right seat assignment is especially important for students with AS (p.31). A seating arrangement will help the students to focus on the lesson and get the most out of the lesson. Routine and structure. Keeping the classroom routines consistent will help a student with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) to stay stress free and relaxed in the classroom. Students with Aspergers are easily overwhelmed by minimal change, and are highly sensitive to environmental stressors (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 7). When a change is going to take place in the school, explaining the change to the student with AS will save the student from being anxious over the situation and will allow others to enjoy the change. Students with AS can be either visual or auditory learners. In a classroom where the teacher talks to the class the whole time can be very frustrating for the students who have significant language delay. On the other hand if a teacher shows visual effects but does not explain the information, out loud so the auditory students can comprehend the information the students do not understand all of the

9 Asperger s Syndrome 9 information (Sainsbury, 2009). Helping the students learn and comprehend the information in the easiest way for the student can be difficult to accomplish in every lesson plan, but trying to accommodate the different learning styles does not just benefit the students with AS, it also helps the other students. Socializing in the classroom. For students with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) socializing is difficult. There are many unwritten rules to socializing that can cause challenges and... grief for those with AS (Myles & Simpson, 2001, para. 5). The brain of students with AS has trouble interpreting body language and facial expressions that take place in a conversation. For example, a student with AS may stand too close or too far away when interacting, not realizing that she [or he] is making other people uncomfortable, they do not understand what is expected of them socially (Woolfolk, 2010, p. 144) (Friend, 2008; Harris, 2006). There is a hidden curriculum that everyone knows and understands, and that is what helps people to better communicate using body language and facial expressions. According to Myles and Simpson (2001), students with AS are at a disadvantage because they do not understand the hidden curriculum (para. 31). The disadvantage can cause awkward conversations and other students to make fun of the students. Bullying. Dealing with bullying and isolation is one of the most important responsibilities of any school (Sainsbury, 2009, p.87). Since students with AS do not understand how to interpret body language and facial expressions they make easy targets to be made fun of because they are different. Students with AS have difficulty seeing from another point-of-view and thinking about how their actions will affect the people around them in the classroom (Sainsbury, 2009). For example, students with AS will act in certain ways because they enjoy doing it; they do not realize how others interpret their actions. A student with AS may

10 Asperger s Syndrome 10 enjoy licking their hands or a metal railing because they like the texture. Other students will interpret those actions as different and make fun of the student for such an action. Intervention. Many say that admitting something is amiss is the first step to getting the help a person needs. Early and intense interventions that focus on communications and social relations are particularly important for children with autism spectrum disorders. Without interventions, behaviors such as poor eye contact and odd-seeming mannerisms tend to increase over time (Matson et al., 2007) (Ed Psychology, p. 144). Teaching in the Classroom When teaching younger students a teacher has to deal with students lying or exaggerating the truth. Students with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) have a different perspective of when something happens. For example, if a teacher pats them on the head or a classmate accidentally brushes against them in the corridor the student may react like they have been hit by the other person (Sainsbury, 2009, p. 37). Teachers have to take into consideration that the child is just saying how they understand what happened. The student is not lying or exaggerating the truth in their mind. Students with AS tend to go through different interests and do not like to do work that does not pertain to their current interest. According to Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome (2009), kids with Aspergers have eccentric preoccupations, or odd, intense fixations. They [the students] tend to relentlessly lecture on areas of interest (para. 21). Connecting new information to students newest interest will increase the students likelihood of enjoying what they are learning. Helping Middle Childhood Students with Asperger s Syndrome

11 Asperger s Syndrome 11 During middle school students are going through emotional and physical changes. Students who suffer with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) are more prone to emotional turbulence than other students. Those with AS have lower self-esteem and they are often very self-critical and unable to tolerate making mistakes (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 53). Being aware of a student s emotional status is part of a teacher s job. Taking the time to get to know the student so the teacher can be alert to changes in [their] behavior that may indicate depression allows help to be brought in before the depression gets too bad (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 62). Depression is real for all students even students with AS. Finding help to get the students through the tough times is essential for the student. Counseling Having someone available for the students to share what is going on in their lives can open many doors for the students and avoid tantrums in the classroom. To ensure that a therapist can make the best connection with the students, it is vital that any therapist have a good understanding of Asperger s Syndrome (p. 108); his understanding will ensure a connection with the therapist and student. Finding the right therapist for the child may take going to more than one therapist but finding the right therapist for the child is important for the child. Knowing the Student According to Attwood (2007), characteristics of individuals with Asperger s syndrome may include rigidity of thought, unusual interests, poor impulse control, and desire for sameness, these characteristics do not describe who the student is nor recognize his or her gifts (as cited in Teaching Children with Autism, 2009, p. 47). Remembering that students with AS are more than just their symptoms is part of getting to know the students. Sitting down and having a

12 Asperger s Syndrome 12 conversation with the student and taking the time to get to know the student makes a difference to the child. Having an adult who takes the time to listen makes a child s day. How Teachers Can Support the Needs of the Whole Child Teachers understand that teaching is not just about academics. Students need more from their teacher than just knowledge; they need a role-model, counselor and leader to help them find guidance to negotiate the world around them (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 64). Teachers are significant adults in a student s life, and having a teacher that understands the attention the child needs will make a huge difference to the student. Physical Needs Sensory motor skills are skills that students with Asperger s Syndrome (AS) lack. Students with AS have clumsy or awkward movements that effect their handwriting and their ability to play sports (Sainsbury, 2009, p.103). If a student does not have good motor skills then their handwriting will be difficult to read and writing will take the student longer than other students. According to Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome (2009), when a teacher assigns timed units of work, [they need to] make sure the youngster s slower writing speed is taken into account (para. 42). The physical needs of the students need to be considered just as much as the academic needs of the students. Academic Needs The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) placed students with disabilities in the mainstream classroom. According to Sainsbury (2009): Inclusion for children with autistic spectrum conditions is often promoted on the grounds that normal peers will model appropriate behavior for the child with autism (leaving aside the

13 Asperger s Syndrome 13 fact that one of the notable elements of autistic spectrum conditions is our inability to absorb social conventions from our environment), while contact with other autistic children might encourage the development of bad (i.e. autistic) behaviors. (p. 48) Inclusion is hard, not just for the students with disabilities, but it is also hard for the other students and the teacher if they do not understand AS. Understanding AS is more than reading books on the topic; it is also putting the knowledge to work in the classroom. Having a teacher who understands why a child goes through different interests, allows the student and teacher to connect the current interest into the lesson. For example, during a social studies unit about a specific country, a youngster obsessed with trains might be assigned to research the modes of transportation used by people in that country (Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome, 2009, para. 24). Connecting the current interest into the lesson will draw the student into the lesson deeper. Asperger s Syndrome is happening now. The number of people being diagnosis with AS grows every year, whether that is from the heighten awareness or the number of people with AS is growing. The students with AS are not doomed for a life where they fall through the cracks of society, they can become whatever and whoever they want to be. There are people in this world who have AS but because of what they have accomplished they are not looked at their disability but rather what they add to society. People like musicians Beethoven and Mozart, and the artists van Gogh and Warhol [these men] display[ed] behaviors associated with Asperger s Syndrome (Woolfolk, 2010, p. 144). They are world famous for their contributions to society. Any student no matter if they have trouble communicating or behaving like the world thinks they should, they

14 Asperger s Syndrome 14 can make something of their lives, if they put their mind to it. Teachers should never give up on their students based on what others have said, but try proving others wrong. References

15 Asperger s Syndrome 15 Aston, M. (2011). A different way of thinking: Understanding asperger syndrome. Healthcare Counseling & Psychotherapy Journal, 11(3), Retrieved from OhioLINK. Dowshen, S. (2008). An autism spectrum disorder. KidsHealth from Nemours, Retrieved from Myles, B.S. (2007). Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders: Introduction to the special series. Remedial and Special Education, 28(3), Myles, B.S. & Simpson, R.L. (2001). Understanding the hidden curriculum: An essential social skill for children and youth with asperger syndrome. Intervention in School & Clinic, 36(5), 279. Retrieved from OhioLink. Sainsbury, C. (2009). Martian in the playground: Understanding the schoolchild with asperger s syndrome. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Spencer, V.G. & Simpson C.G (Eds.). (2009). Teaching children with autism in the general classroom: Strategies for effective inclusion and instruction in the general education classroom. Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press Inc. Teaching students with asperger syndrome: Guidelines for educators. My aspergers child: Help for parents with children who have aspergers/hight-functioning autism. (2009). Retrieved from Woolfolk, A. (2010). Eduational psychology. (11 ed., pp ). Columbus, OH: Merrill.