Working with a student with special needs in a classroom requires special preparation and awareness from an educational professional. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have significant developmental, emotional, social, and behavioral particularities that must be considered when working with them in a group of other students. Since children with Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty socializing but have advanced cognitive abilities, these issues might be incorporated in the implementation of standard classroom activities to teach them social skills.
To ensure proper addressing of the needs of a five-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome in the classroom, a teacher should adapt the activities accordingly. When conducting group work, it is important to manage the placement of children by avoiding circle sitting and rather sit children in rows to avoid distraction since eye contact might be a challenge (Ibiam, 2020). For a teacher, it is important to ensure smooth transitions from task to task and a standard schedule to ensure predictability, which is essential for the student’s emotional stability.
For example, circle time “can provide predictability and consistency if held at the same time every day, in the same location, with similar activities” (Barton et al., 2011, p. 4). When initiating projects, continuous support should be administered as well as the precise explanation of the task and expectations. Frequent recess periods and a clear structure of lessons will allow for maintaining the child’s attention. Moreover, speaking with parents and coordinating the activities with homework will allow for effective education for a child with Asperger’s Syndrome.
Importantly, to adapt classroom settings to the needs of a student with Asperger’s Syndrome, a teacher should protect the child from bullying from the rest of the students. The inclusion of a student with a disability might be used as an opportunity to teach empathy in children (Ibiam, 2020). Furthermore, to ensure effective social adaptation of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, an educator should continuously explain why some behaviors might be inappropriate or offensive since children with Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty perceiving others’ emotions. Conclusively, when adapting the classroom activities to the child’s needs with a disability, a teacher should ensure a clear lesson structure, predictable and straightforward activities, and constant explanation and extra attention to the child.
References
Barton, E. E., Reichow, B., Wolery, M., & Chen, C. I. (2011). We can all participate! Adapting circle time for children with autism. Young Exceptional Children, 14(2), 2-21.
Ibiam, J. U. (2020). Managing children with autism in an inclusive classroom. Journal of The Nigerian Academy of Education, 15(1), 131-143.