Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
TODAY’S AGENDA
Summary of ASD
Areas of Impact with ASD
What can be done?
Difficulties of ASD
How to be a Super Librarian
http://www.librarygirl.net/2011/05/rose-by-any-other-name.html
SUMMARY OF ASD
No longer various categories, all considered to be the spectrum of Autism
2014 CDC Report: 1 in 68, 1 in 42 boys
Causes: heredity, pregnancy difficulties, environmental factors, medical conditions? Truly unknown at this time.
Abnormal Brain Scans
Diagnosis can occur as early as 9 months, with signs showing up at 6 months
Siblings have a higher chance of also having autism
AREAS OF IMPACT
Social and Emotional Development
Communication
Sensory
Behavior
Motor
Cognitive
Coincides with other diagnoses
ADHD
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Difficulty in developing peer relationships
Inability to create social exchanges
Inability to understand the feelings of others
Inability to use and understand non-verbal cues
Impaired ability to share experiences with others
COMMUNICATION
Delay or absence of verbal language
Language may be robotic sounding, very matter-of-fact sounding
Impaired conversational skill
Repetitive language
Echolalic language
Difficulty in understanding and using abstract language
Idioms, figurative language, subtleties, etc.
SENSORY
Tactile: Touch
Vestibular: Balance
Proprioceptive: Body Awareness
Visual: Sight
Auditory: Hearing
Gustatory: Taste
Olfactory: Smell
(Myles, Cook, Miller, Rinner, & Robbins, 2000)
BEHAVIOR PATTERNS
Repetitive: flapping, spinning, questioning
Insists upon routine
Preoccupation with objects/attachment to parts of objects (wheels)
Narrow scopes of interests
May have melt-downs due to other characteristics
MOTOR
Gross Motor (PE, walking in line)
Fine Motor (handwriting)
Visual Motor (hand-out)
Visual discrimination
Visual memory
Figure-Ground Discrimination
Motor Processing
Sequencing
COGNITIVE
Can be difficult to know true IQ
because of language and behavior challenges
On Spectrum: cognitive abilities can range from
intellectually disabled to significantly high
MISCONCEPTIONS
Verbal language = Processing
Knowledge = Intelligence
Intelligence = Common Sense
Decoding = Reading
What they say = What they mean
Just a “Smarty Pants”
Behaviors cannot be easily changed because they are due to Disability
Disability = unable to learn or change
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Knowledge is Power
Early Intervention
Educational Interventions
Behavioral Modification Big Bang Behavior Mod
Medication for symptoms
Dietary Restrictions for symptoms
No Cure Available ~ However, with the use of effective early intervention, children will be
able to be much more successful in life and learn to adapt to their social and communicative
deficits.
EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY
From birth to age 3
Reduces the characteristics of Autism
Not a cure
Leads to greater success in school and life
Child may not needs as much support
DIFFICULTIES AT SCHOOL
Daily schedule
Organization
Teacher Expectations
New Tasks
Unwanted tasks
Instructions/Directions
Written Language
Handwriting
Note Taking
Comprehension
Testing
Homework
Sensory
Gross Motor Skills
BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES
Lack of Adaptability, Flexible Thinking
Language Processing Difficulties
Sensory Issues
Difficulty Managing Emotions
1/3 to 2/3 delay
BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES
Prevention is the Best Intervention!
Once the cause is found, decide how to keep it from reoccurring or teach the student strategies to cope.
If cause cannot be found, target the location or time that it seems to occur most frequently.
POINT OF VIEW
Try to view situations through their eyes.
They struggle to understand our point of view.
Many times, this causes the behaviors.
It will take some Super Powers!
www.thedaringlibrarian.com
Can accommodate
students in a
matter of seconds!
Safe place for
all who enter
the stacks!
OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES
Most important needs:
1. Structure
2. Routine
3. Consistency
4. Teach adaptability
5. Teach independence
6. Teach responsibility/accountability
Do not let Autism be an excuse.
HOW CAN YOU TELL?
This is the child who:
Sits alone during story time
Does not participate in activities
Does not share the experience with others, may have little or no affect
Cannot understand the way the library “works”
OR
Seems to be extremely verbal at a young age
Knows academic skills at a developmentally early age
Is able to rattle off numerous facts about topic
EMPOWER!
Seek input from student and teachers as to what are her strengths, challenges, interests, goals, and learning style
Involve the student and teachers in the development of modifications, strategies, etc.
Make learning meaningful to the student - incorporate interests into the curriculum
Use the student’s gifts! Empower!
ACCOMMODATING IN THE LIBRARY
Eliminate the stress of coming to the library!
Make the library a fun class for all!
Have the opportunity to educate!
COMMUNICATION • Very literal understanding
• Use specific terms, no fluff
• Show and Tell
• Make sure you give examples
• Take the student through the motions
• Show where/how, don’t just tell
• Use visuals and videos: Library Rules!
PROCEDURAL CHANGES
• Rule followers!!!
• Difficult to understand “special
circumstances”
• Changes to the daily happenings and
routine
Help Students by:
• Giving them notice
• Giving them time to adjust
• Not making the rule into a bigger
problem
STRUCTURAL CHANGES
○ Moving tables or furniture
○ Bulletin Boards/displays
○ Moving their favorites!
Help Students by:
○ Using visuals to direct
○ Preparing them before they come to class
○ Recognizing the anxiety
○ Giving explanations, asking for their help and offering a solution
STRUCTURAL EXAMPLE -
Structure can be an asset!
It provides boundaries for the students!
SUBSTITUTE DAY
• Familiar face = Comfort
• Good to have back-up people for the individual (para)
• Select another plan on difficult days – library lunch or the “Secret Library Sneak”
THE HIDDEN RULES…
Voices
Taking care of the books
Library = Computer
Use of furniture
Book markers
Must finish books
Sharing the books with the rest of the school
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO BIG PROBLEMS
PATIENCE, VOICE, & PERSONAL SPACE
○ Very difficult to wait
○ Needs must be met instantly
○ Volume of voice
○ Type of voice
○ Not cognizant of boundaries
EASY RULES AND RATIONALES
3 Reasons for No
Not Safe
Not Earned
Not the Right Time
3 Voices to Use
Cloud: whisper, soft, secrets
Wildcat: conversational, happy, calm
Thunder: shouting, emergency, excited
WAYS TO HELP…
Social Narratives or Stories ○ Developed by Carol Gray
○ Introduces or explains a wanted behavior and purpose behind it
○ Easy to do!
○ Utilize special interests
Scuba Steve and SkippyJon Jones
Power Cards
Take the social story idea and condenses it into a handheld card for easy mobility
Elisa Gagnon
QUANTIFY THE PROBLEM
What size is the problem? Give power over the problem!
Glitch: very small, solve on own
Little: may need someone to help you solve on your own
Big: unable to solve without a lot of help or many people helping
Help with practical problem solving.
Give “hints” or “clues” to help with solving.
glitch
Little
BIG
RESOURCE LIBRARY
ASD Section of the Library
Leading Authors: Michelle Garcia Winner, Brenda Smith Myles, Jed Baker, Temple Grandin, Tony Atwood
TEACHING – (YOU KNOW, THAT THING YOU ARE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE PLANNING FOR IN YOUR FREE TIME)
Keep in mind the overall goal
What will keep you from reaching that goal?
What can be your back-up plan for specific students?
How can you ensure library won’t be disrupted for the other 20+ kids?
Accommodate and remember to not sweat the small stuff!
Pre-teach, Invite for a special sneak peak, use an “assistant”
Story Time
Provide visual schedule
Be interactive
Be flexible and customizable
Have fun – no worries!!!
TEACHING –
Be a safe place for the older kids to belong!
Prove yourself and the worth of your program!
Anime Club
Book Club
TAG: Teen Advisory Group
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
Michelle Garcia Winner ~ curriculum for teaching social and relationship skills www.socialthinking.com
Autism-Asperger Publishing Company: www.asperger.net
Autism Society of America: www.autism-society.org
Ozanam – www.ozanam.org
Libraries and Autism: http://www.librariesandautism.org/
Google: Autism and Libraries or Sensory Story Time
Gagnon, E. (2001). Power Cards: Using special interests to motivate children
and youth with Asperger syndrome and autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism
Asperger Publishing Company.
Myles, B.S., & Adreon, D. (2001). Asperger syndrome and adolescence: Practical
solutions for school success. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing
Company.
Myles, B.S., Cook, K.T., Miller, N.E., Rinner, L., & Robbins, L.A. (2000). Asperger
syndrome and sensory issues: Practical solutions for making sense of the world.
Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.
