Children with autism may experience many difficulties throughout their school experience due to their lack of language and communication development. Teachers are faced with the challenge of finding and implementing the best possible strategies for working with students with limited language or communication skills. Schools cannot possibly put every effective technique into practice, because so many are in existence. Therefore, educators must take into consideration each child's strengths and weaknesses when choosing the best strategy for that child. The following is an example of a method a school system might consider when trying to develop communication skills in children with autism.
According to Potter and Whittaker (2001), it is critical for schools to implement effective classroom management when trying to improve the child's level of engagement and communication abilities. The key factors for communication-enabling classroom management are as follows:
A. Effective training and deployment of staff
Teachers need to identify roles for each staff member during each activity throughout the day. It is also important that the teacher be able to make quick, yet appropriate, decisions about changes that might need to be made during those activities.
B. Effective management of time
C. Engage children in activities they find enjoyable
Teachers must be able to ensure that children with autism are actively engaged in their environment before successful learning can occur. Allowing the child to choose the activity he/she wants to participate in will help the student remain engaged.
D. Provide clear goals for each lesson based on the individual's long-term goals
E. Provide children access to an adult who is using communication-enabling strategies
The Burkhart Project
Carol Layton, Ed.D and Robin Lock, Ph.D.
Texas Tech University