Time for Autism Training for Teachers

Autism presents a real challenge for classroom teachers, children with the condition can have unpredictable responses to changes in their environment and teachers need strategies and perhaps some training to deal with the situation.

There are many reasons why we are seeing increased diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including raised awareness of the disorder, and more precise diagnostic tools and procedures.  Some experts feel there may be possible environmental factors, including exposure to environmental toxins, as well as a greater survival rate of babies born prematurely. However, more research is needed to know if these views hold true.

Dr Cindy Smith, from Curtin University, says children who display difficulties with social interaction or delays in communication need to be provided with educational and behavioural support as early as possible.

“Early intervention is the gold standard.  Parents need to have as much information as possible so that they can both support their children at home and to effectively advocate."

Teachers need effective, ongoing training to be able to differentiate effectively in educational settings. Equally important, we must approach education from a strength-based perspective, and understand the unique skills each individual child brings.

“While children with ASD may certainly need additional support around communication and social skills, we also need to value the diversity of each individual.  A child that has a meltdown because they are experiencing sensory overload, or are having difficulty transitioning from one setting to another, will benefit from changes in the environmental setting, and specific coping strategies, however, these issues should be treated as skill deficits to be supported, and not character flaws. Excluding a child from school or using other forms of punishment only makes the problem worse.

“Teachers need to be able to understand the unique needs of students with autism. Although each individual is different, often students with autism have difficulty with sensory issues (light, touch, taste), need structured routines, and benefit from visual processing of information,” Dr Smith says.

Currently, the non-profit organisation FACES (Furthering Autistic Children’s Education and Schooling) is providing teacher training in the CABAS® method. This training is both theoretical (class based) and practicum based.

“We are currently providing after school services for children in South Perth, and are offering internships.  The intern shadows the master teacher to gain practical training in setting appropriate educational and behavioural goals, delivering instruction, and collecting data.  FACES also offers professional development designed for specific schools,” Dr Smith says.

CABAS® was developed by Dr Douglas Greer of Columbia University, New York, USA and it is one of the most highly researched methods available.  You can learn more about CABAS® schools including the research here: https://www.cabasschools.org/

“Currently, we are conducting a pilot at South Perth, for the purpose of collecting data in preparation for an Independent School for children with autism which we hope to have open in mid-2024.  This is a collaboration between myself, through Curtin University and my colleagues at Columbia University. There are currently 6 CABAS® schools in the world, and FACES aims to locate the 7th in Perth.”

For more information you can contact Dr Cindy Smith at [email protected]  You can learn more about FACES and our work at https://www.faceswa.com/