Intellectual Functioning Flexibility in Thinking Imagination Memory Reading, Spelling, Number Visual Thinking References Discussion

Children with autism spectrum disorders usually develop a predominantly visual and spatial style of thinking and have difficulty with auditory skills. Each piece of information received, they transfer to a visual image. This special ability enables some students to achieve success in the fields of science and art. The disadvantage of visual thinking is that students with autism spectrum disorders tend to have trouble in school where the majority of school work is presented in an auditory format.

Things to remember:

	Create a colorful environment by hanging posters, illustration, and charts around the environment. Caution - be careful not to overload a child's possible hypersensitivities.
	Encourage visualization using his/her mind's eye and work with diagrams and visual analogies.
	Write with colored markers, pens, or chalk.
	Show video, film, or other representations of what you want the student to learn.
	Provide maps, graphs, pictures, and diagrams.
	Use clustering, mind mapping, and other graphic organizers.
	Use field trips as a teaching tool.