EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm

Michaela Downward 26156458

Assignment one: Research Essay

Aspergers Syndrome

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a neurological disorder that is distinguished by

social, communication and learning difficulties and is apart of the autism
spectrum. More common in males than females, autism is a word derived
from the Greek words autos (self) and ismos (condition), which means highly
self-absorbed or drawn inward (Autism Epicenter, 2008-2011, as cited in
Ennis-Cole, 2011-2012, p. 52). The autism spectrum is quite complex, and
can have many different diagnoses. Asperger syndrome is placed on the
higher end of the spectrum, and although people with the disorder may have
similar characteristics, no two people with the AS are the same (Moloney,
2010). Although there is no researched evidence to support the causes of AS,
research has discovered several neurological functions that could contribute,
such as impairments in central executive function and in synchronisation
between the cerebral hemispheres (Moloney, 2010, p. 138), which gives us
an understanding of some of the many aspects that come with an AS
diagnosis. There are many distinctive traits of AS, such as social interaction
impairments, stimuli sensitivity and unusual characteristics, that will be
discussed later in the paper, that help to define the diagnosis of AS. These
traits can be challenging for those who identify with the disorder, and the aim
of this paper is to state the challenges children with AS face in the primary
school classroom. Teaching strategies that can be used to assist the children
with the disorder will then be discussed, as the social and emotional
development of our students is as important as the content knowledge
(Cooper, 2012, p. 171).
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EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

There are many characteristics of AS that set it apart from other disabilities.
One of the main challenges a child with AS will confront is the inability to
understand social cues and the unsaid rules that come with social behaviour
(Bianco, Carothers and Smiley, 2009). Children with this disorder struggle to
make eye contact and are not able to interpret or understand body language
(Cooper, 2012; Groft and Block, 2003) or the proximities that come with
personal space (Bianco et al, 2009). They lack the emotional skills to
empathise with others, and therefore can be interruptive, overly honest and
sometimes blunt or hurtful. In their eyes, they see it as being truthful, as they
cannot comprehend how the other person is feeling. These behaviours can
lead to social problems as the student with AS may have trouble making
friends in their peer group. It is not that they do not wish to make friends; they
do not have the knowledge of how to approach or respond to the people
surrounding them (Groft and Block, 2003). Children with AS take everything
that is said quite literally, of which can also lead to social awkwardness, for
example: if sarcasm is used in conversation, it will make no logical sense to
them. Because of these traits, children with the disorder tend to make friends
with younger children or can even prefer adult company (Attwood, 2006).

Another challenge faced by those diagnosed with AS is their preference for

routine and lack of change in their environment. (Cooper, 2012). Those with
AS are able to function effectively if they are aware of exactly what is
expected of them, through a set regime (Cooper, 2012). This can be difficult in
a classroom setting, as there is sometimes up to 25 students that need
assistance and attention, of which means that the classroom routine can
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EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

change. Along with these routine changes can come the characteristics of
being easily distracted, disengaged and unorganised (Attwood, 2006).
Research shows that there are legitimate difficulties with organisation and
concentration in AS as there are neurological problems with working memory
(Attwood, 2006). This must be remembered when giving instructions, as the
student may be unable to retain everything that has been said. In saying that,
many students with AS are intellectual and quite bright. With this comes the
fear of failure, and sometimes if they feel a task to difficult, they will not even
attempt it. (Attwood, 2006). Research by Marie and Nielsen (2011) showed
that one of the students that was coached did not participate in class because
he felt that none of the other students were invested in the topic. It was not
that he was unable to participate, but that he was choosing not too. Adding to
this also the possibility of boredom and therefore disengagement if they feel
that the work is too easy. If they do complete it well, they enjoy being praised
and can be very competitive, always wanting to be first in the class (Groft and
Block, 2003).

Children with AS can be exceptional and very intelligent, but they tend to
focus their thoughts on very few subjects. They will have a very intense
interest in one or two topics, and with permission, will continuously research
and talk about this subject endlessly. One element of the interest is to
research it thoroughly, to the point where the child knows unlimited facts about
the subject. As stated by Attwood (2006), the special interest is more than a
hobby, and can dominate the persons free time and conversation (p. 7).
Though there is little research on the origins of these particular interests,
some believe it can be the elimination of fear, as they learn about the fear it
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EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

may become less terrifying, or the interest can come from an object of
pleasure, something that has created euphoric feelings in the past (Attwood,
2006). Whilst it is important and beneficial for the student to have an interest,
although it can become a challenge when others are involved, as a
conversation dominated by one topic can become quite boring and tedious.
Students with AS also have the tendency in producing repetitive movements
or vocabulary (Moloney, 2010; Cooper, 2012), which can also be very
frustrating when a person is trying to have a conversation with a child with AS.

Students with AS may have several unusual qualities such as irregular

posture, lack of co-ordination in upper and lower limbs as well as clumsiness
(Moloney, 2010). Many times they experience lax joints, immature grasp,
slowed pace of movements, and problems with manual dexterity (Groft and
Block, 2003, p.41), which can lead to difficulties in hand-eye coordination and
even something as simple as holding a pencil correctly. If the student with AS
is unable to do this, they may have challenges when trying to write in class
(Attwood, 2006).

Children with AS can be overly sensitive to external stimuli. They can

sometimes be described as being thin skinned with regard to a broad range
of social situations or in regard to quite specific kinds of light, sound, smell or
fabric texture, for instance (Moloney, 2010, p. 138). This can affect all of the
sensory systems from auditory, in that loud noises cause unease, to tactile
sensitivity with textured fabrics on the skin (Groft and Block, 2003), textured
food on the tongue, or even a result of sticky fingers or hands can cause

EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

anxiety (Attwood, 2006). Intimate contact can also be a challenge, such as

hugging, touching or physical contact with another person (Attwood, 2006).

Most of these characteristics can lead to an explosive outburst, more

commonly known as a meltdown. A meltdown is not just a tantrum, it is large
amounts of frustration and most of the time the student cannot control it. It can
result in screaming, crying, hitting, kicking and biting (Ennis-Cole, 2011-2012).
In conjunction with the meltdowns, the student can feel terribly at the
conclusion of the melt down (Groft and Block, 2003). This sort of feeling can
lead to self esteem issues, self blame and even depression, which have high
rates in this population, possibly due to the idea that the people with AS are
aware they are different from others (Hedley and Young, 2006). The current
research indicates that around 65% of adolescents with Asperger's syndrome
have an affective disorder that includes anxiety disorders and depression
(Attwood, 2003, as cited in, Attwood, 2006).

While on placement rounds, I observed a male child in my class who had

been diagnosed with AS. The child showed many of the characteristics above.
Sensitivity to external stimuli such as loud noises in a busy classroom had him
covering his ears and crying, leading to a small meltdown. He was distracted
easily and would refuse to participate in classrooms classes, sitting by himself
and ignoring instructions. He had obsessions with the fire brigade, and did
not want to stop discussing the topic during show and tell, even when it was
another students turn. He had a lack of social skills, and most of the students
treated him differently because they did not know how to approach him.

EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

Finally the teachers frustrations were paramount, as she was not trained to
look after the child and she did not know how to handle him.

I learnt a lot from placement and have several strategies I would put in place if
I have a student with AS in my classroom. I feel that it is important for the
students to have an understanding of a range of special needs so they are
able to understand the students behaviour. This will change the classroom
into an inclusive environment. It is important to know the students interests
and strengths so they can be incorporated into the curriculum (Bianco et al.
2009). The easiest way to do this is to speak to the child, and collaborate with
the childs family (Bianco et al. 2009). In doing this, I will be able to learn of
the warning signs of a meltdown and better deal with the situation. If a
meltdown were to occur, I will make a space for the child, a calming area,
(Groft and Block, 2003) which can also be used as the if stimuli (noise) in the
classroom is too overwhelming, with headphones and music to help them to
tune it out. I would have a space near the front of the classroom for the
student to sit, so they are able to hear and see the instructions clearly (Groft
and Block, 2003).

If the student shows weaknesses in writing due to lack of manual dexterity,

there may be access to computers so the student can type (Attwood, 2006).
Something as simple as a set routine will help the student to be organised and
on task, even using items such as checklists (Cooper, 2012), so the student is
aware of what is expected of them, and if the routine needs to be changed, I
will give the student plenty of notice and assist them in the changeover period
(Attwood, 2006). If the student cant cope with the idea of making eye contact,
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EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

I will employ an idea similar to Marie and Nielsen (2011), where when the
student raises there hand to speak, instead of making eye contact, the
student can pinch their ear. This will result in the student engaging in
discussion in the classroom without having to feel uncomfortable.

Social cue lessons is a must, but not just for the student with AS, but the
whole classroom. It is important that the there is a need to enhance the entire
classroom, not just the student. In learning about social cues, the student will
not be an outsider, but included in the learning provided for all of the students.
Finally, I believe it is of utmost importance to praise the child when they do
well and remind the child of their good qualities (Groft and Block, 2003), to
boost their self-confidence and self esteem.

Many teachers find it difficult to teach students with AS, as they do not have
sufficient knowledge on the subject and do not know how to respond to the
student (Marie and Nielsen, 2011). Perhaps the simplest way to understand
Aspergers syndrome is to say that it describes someone who thinks and
perceives the world differently from other people (Attwood, 2006, p. 3) and to
remember that a child with AS cannot control their behaviour as much as they
might like too (Groft and Block, 2003). The most important strategies to have
when teaching a student with Aspergers syndrome, is to guide them with
acceptance and understanding.

EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

References

Attwood, T. (2006). Aspergers syndrome. Tizard learning and disability

review, 11(4), 311.

Bianco, M., Carothers, D.E., & Smiley, L.R. (2009). Gifted students with
Asperger syndrome: Strategies for strength based programming.
Intervention in school and clinic, 44(4), 206215.

Cooper, M.E. (2012). Everything I ever wanted to learn about teaching, I

learned from gifted boys. Gifted child today, 35(3), 171178.

Ennis-Cole, D. (2011-2012). Teaching students with autism spectrum

disorders: Technology, curriculum, and common sense. i-Managers
journal on educational psychology, 5(3), 5261.

Groft, M., & Block, M.E. (2003). Children with Asperger syndrome:
Implications for general physical education and youth sports. Journal of
physical education, recreation & dance, 74(3), 3843.

Hedley, D., & Young, R. (2006). Social comparison processes and depressive
symptoms in children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome. Autism,
10(2), 139153.

EDF1029 Learners with special needs in the primary classroom

Joseph Agbenyega & Prasana Srinivasan Wednesday tutorial 1pm
Michaela Downward 26156458

Marie, C., & Nielsen, B. (2011). Towards applied integrationism Integrating

autism in teaching and coaching sessions. Language sciences, 33(4),
593 602.

Moloney, P. (2010). How can a chord be weird if it expresses your soul?

Some critical reflections on the diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome.
Disability & Society, 25(2), 135148.