Autism and Multicultural Perspectives in the Classroom
Classroom Management
In providing a multicultural education system for autistic children, classroom management becomes an important issue. The issue is important in terms of maintaining an appropriate learning environment so that students with autism and students with average academic abilities can learn in the same setting. However, it is even more important in relation to the ability of traditional classroom teachers to have the knowledge and even the desire to do what is necessary to include autistic children in all classroom activities. Because of the special needs and behavioral issues of autistic children, traditional classroom teachers require specialized training to transition from being teachers to being facilitators (Vakil, Welton, O’Connor & Klein, 2009). Even more, traditional classroom teachers must understand how to intervene in a way that makes autistic children not just bystanders in the learning process, but actually involved in a way that is appropriate for their mental and behavioral abilities (Murphy, 1996).
The problem that must be overcome is not just about the knowledge and abilities of traditional classroom teachers, but also the stereotypes and attitudes that many of these teachers possess. Studies have shown that generally less than half of regular classroom teachers that are surveyed feel that inclusion of autistic children in the traditional classroom is appropriate (Murphy, 1996). Many of the teachers that are surveyed in these studies stated that general education teachers simply do not have the abilities or the resources with which to handle the specialized needs of autistic children. One argument that could be made is that working toward full inclusion of autistic children in the traditional classroom setting would actually benefit regular educational teachers because they would receive the extra skills needed to handle students with extreme needs due to disabilities.
Lesson Plans
It is often the case that traditional classroom teachers have a specific method of instruction that they use. Teachers may fall into a specific method, such as using lectures and verbal instruction, and forget the importance of allowing group learning or using reading as an instructional method. In a multicultural classroom with many different types of students, including students with autism, lesson plans have to be created that allow for learning to occur using different approaches and different interaction styles. Some students may learn by hearing a teacher speak in front of the class as a way of relaying information. Others may be more silent and perform better when they can read information. This is especially true when dealing with students that have autism. Some of these students will use language in a verbal sense, while others may comprehend language in a written form (Banks et al., 2007).
Assessment
Another of the specific needs that must be addressed in order to provide a truly multicultural education experience for autistic children is in how to assess their learning abilities. The research that is available on the subject of traditional assessments has demonstrated that children with autism generally perform very poorly on tests that require spatial memory or to read and recall information (O’Neil, 2008). However, what research has also shown is that about 30% of all children with autism have above average skills in specific areas. For example, children with autism may perform on an above average level in music, drawing, or even the ability to read complex materials that are considered to be advanced based on their age and educational level. Other autistic children have been found to be above average in working out complex mathematical problems or other abstract puzzles (O’Neil, 2008).
What this means is that in order to truly provide an inclusive and multicultural learning experience for children with autism, teachers must be able to provide specialized assessments related to their specialized abilities. This will require teachers that are willing, and that have the knowledge, to be able to assess different students in different ways. Students with average abilities may be assessed for what they have learned with traditional tests. However, students with autism may have to be assessed based on the specialized skills, such as musical skills, mathematical skills, or language skills. If these students have specialized skills, they certainly have the ability to obtain larger amounts of knowledge in these areas. The task for teachers in a truly inclusive environment is to assess the learning that is occurring, regardless of how or why it may be occurring.
Social Development
Traditional classroom teachers must help other students overcome the issues that they may feel, including annoyance and surprise, that students with autism can have very specialized areas of interest and above average intelligence. An autistic student in the classroom that is clearly interested in complex mathematical problems can be annoying for other students that may have to work to complete these types of exercises. Classroom teachers must be able to recognize that part of a truly multicultural learning environment is not only to help create an inclusive environment for children with autism, but also an inclusive environment for students with average academic abilities. These students have to be given the knowledge to understand the specialized learning abilities and interaction styles of children with autism (O’Neil, 2008).
This also leads into the larger issue of the social development of students with autism and their interactions with other children. Autistic students in traditional classrooms often find themselves being ignored by other students. When they are included in traditional social interactions, such as play activities, they may become the target of taunting and bullying (Meshnik, 2005). Teachers have to be able to help not only the students with autism, but also the traditional students, interact together in an appropriate manner.
Teachers also have to educate the regular students on why the autistic students may behave in a particular way. The end goal has to be full integration of both the regular students and the students with autism so that social interaction can occur. Otherwise, the students with autism face being ignored and not having the full social development experiences that all students need and require as they move toward adulthood (Meshnik, 2005).
9 comments:
When the other students are made aware of the reason for alternative learning methods they will also be able to individualize the benifits for themselves. The end result is that the Autistic student may not feel "different" and the non- autistic ,may discover a new learning method.
You are right to point out the difference in diversity of teaching styles. Just as on a grand scale, every person responds to different stimuli, on the smaller scale of Special Education as a subset, it is vital to explore as many avenues as possible when trying to reach a student.
Any student will experience frustration in learning if they come across a concept they can't immediately grasp. This effect is compounded if the student experiences that frustration more often. However, if he or she knows that the teacher will take the time to find methods that allow each student to understand, this frustration can be reduced.
This goes back to Yarntangler's comment where she points out the peripheral benefit of all students being able to observe all of the methods being used.
-Sage Words
From a teachers perspective, the task of inclusive classrooms can be daunting, but the ideals embedded in the philosophy are great.
In some ways one can empathize with the mainstream teacher’s apprehension to move to more inclusive classrooms because so many mandates given to teachers do not come with needed and necessary support systems to actualize successful carry through. Wile the argument that inclusion provides opportunity for training I think it is kind of a chicken and egg argument, which should come first training then inclusion or inclusion that necessitates training. I wonder if anyone has thought about integrating current educators using the jigsaw format with existing specialized staff.
This is a subject that is diverse within itself and is its own culture. Some thoughts that enter my mind are what pedogogy of the oppressed enlighten me to...in order for there to be liberated freedom from being oppressed the oppressor and the opressed will have to over come fear and co-create a workable situation with love. I would say this certainly will need to apply to the teacher, school, parent and autistic student. Not just the student's needs. In love all will prosper from the experience of being able the successfully working together.
As an observer of an autistic child in the family I agree with Yarntangler. I have seen this child learn from alphabet musical toys, watching cartoons with certain sounds or movements, from someone working with sign language all of which could help the non-autistic as well.
Thank you for the information on the needs in our schools for intergration, of special needs children (Autistic children)The teachers or there to teach all students!
I think that with many students, Autistic or not, it is best to adopt
a teaching style that addresses all
4 of the brain lobes. Visual, Emotional, Literal, and Audio.
With all these in place, the student
is bound to pull something out of
the classroom that can be understood, learned, and remembered.
I agree with the education need and gap that occurs in our classrooms today. I am not sure that with the current classroom size and other requirements teachers have if the changes neccesary for autistic children to be blended in with other students is realistic. Do these autistic children end up NOT receiving the individual attention they need from teachers simply because there is not enought TIME for them? Is it fair to ask regular students to take a back seat in the classroom for the gifted children when they already don't get enough of the teachers time?
For this legislation to be effective it will have to address the allowable number of students in classes where an autistic child is present.
As for the social aspect of this integration, I don't think teachers are going to be any more effective against descrimination towards autistic students than they are against feminime acting boys or butch acting girls. Or racial differences ofr that matter. Our culture is too focused on having a "norm" and trying to shoehorn people into the acceptable roles/categories. Our children are taught quite well what is odd or different by the time they reach school age. What we need is some required courses for the parents of the "normal" students.
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