Module 12 – Learning Difficulties: Autism
Duration: Approx 20 minutes
Student Aims
· To understand what autism is
· To know the difficulties that can be experienced by autistic people, as well as the common characteristics
· To understand the diagnostic process for autism
· To understand the main causes of challenging behaviours in autistic individuals, as well as the best ways to deal with it
· To identify the four stages of communication
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12.1 Introduction
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Autism is a complex developmental disorder that typically appears during the first three years of life.
The cause of autism is unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
More than 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK (autism.org)
Autism affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others, and it can also cause repetitive behaviours.
Research is ongoing to better understand the causes of autism.
12.2 What Is Autism?
Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person throughout their life.
It affects how a person relates to and communicates with other people, as well as how they understand the world around them. Autism is known as a spectrum condition, which means that it will affect each person differently, although there are certain difficulties that are shared amongst autistic individuals.
Difficulties Experienced with Autism
Autistic people have difficulties with social skills, including communication, interaction, and imagination.
Social communication difficulties include problems understanding facial expressions, sarcasm, jokes, and jargon or common sayings. Some autistic people may have limited speech and might prefer to use sign language (e.g. Makaton) or other methods to communicate.
Even with good language skills, an autistic individual can still find it hard to comprehend the nuances of a conversation – such as picking up on implications and tone instead of taking the words at face value. Speaking clearly and consistently will give autistic people more time to process and understand what you mean.
Some people on the autism spectrum may have what is known as echolalia; this is a condition that means they repeat words or phrases with little genuine understanding of their meaning.
Social interaction difficulties include a limited ability to understand and recognise emotions. Depending on the person, a lack of understanding of implied social rules may be demonstrated in various ways, such as standing closer to a person than convention naturally dictates. Difficulties in social interaction may appear as insensitivity or a lack of empathy because the individual does not fully understand how the person feels.
An autistic individual may appear to be acting ‘differently’ because of limited powers of expression or because of a difficulty communicating needs.
Social imagination is the concept used to describe a person’s ability to predict human behaviour, conceive of situations that are not within a familiar routine, and comprehend abstract ideas. So, an autistic individual may have a difficult time predicting a future event, recognising when a situation is dangerous, and coping with unfamiliar or new plans.
Characteristics of Autism
There are certain characteristics of autism that make it distinguishable from other learning difficulties.
The first is that most autistic people are comfortable with a life full of routines and secure structures. This inclination towards recurring patterns is very closely related to their difficulty with social imagination, where they can struggle to predict the future. Routines give them the ability and safety net of knowing what to expect.
These routines can manifest as specific food preferences (like pasta with tomato sauce every day for lunch), or a preference for certain methods of travel (like always taking the bus at the same time to get to a certain place).
With the need for routines comes the discomfort of change for many autistic people – many find it very disrupting and can become agitated or upset when something unexpected emerges in their daily patterns. However, if they are informed early enough about a change, many autistic people will be able to adapt to it.
Sensory differences are also commonly shared by autistic people. They are exhibited by any of the five senses as being over (hyper) sensitive or under (hypo) sensitive.
Certain sounds may be disruptive for the individual (sounds that you may consider background noise), or certain clothing textures may not be comfortable. Autistic individuals who are hypo sensitive may not be able to register the extremes of temperatures or be able to feel pain in the same way as others.
Individuals with diminished senses may also be more inclined to rock, spin, or flap their hands or legs, which can help to stimulate sensation and aid with posture, balance, and stress relief.
Diminished sensitivity can also affect an individual’s spatial awareness, which can cause them to bump into objects and stand at an inappropriate distance from things or people.
Having special interests is another characteristic that is exhibited by many autistic people. Special interests are most often intense fascinations about particular subjects and begin at a very young age. These interests have the ability to change over time, but many individuals have a particular topic of interest that spans a lifetime. Many autistic individuals will be able to study and work in these related areas, while others may choose to pursue these interests only as a hobby.
12.3 The Diagnosis
Diagnosis can occur in both childhood and adulthood.
However, most experts will agree that the earlier you obtain the diagnosis, the sooner intervention can start; this way, the autistic individual will have the best chance of leading an independent life.
The diagnosis can occur from as young as age two. The process starts with your GP or health visitor if the child is younger than school age. The child will be screened for any signs that further assessment needs to occur. By presenting the GP with a list of observed behaviours, they can better understand whether further action will need to be taken. If necessary, they will refer the child for an autism assessment.
If the individual is of school age, speak with the school’s SEN Coordinator (SENCO) and discuss the observed behaviours and find out about the child’s behaviour in the classroom. The SENCO will also follow up with any teaching staff that may have observed similar behaviours. The referral for official testing will come from them.
An NHS diagnosis will often be the most acceptable and reputable source for local authorities to recognise an individual as being autistic, and thus provide the necessary services. Privatised testing may not guarantee that the individual attains the services that they may require, so going through the NHS system is the easiest way to ensure that the individual’s needs are met.
The diagnostic process is carried out by a multi-disciplinary team who evaluate the individual and then come together to discuss their findings.
The team will then provide feedback to the family and offer recommendations for support. This may include educational support, behavioural therapy, and other interventions tailored to the child’s specific needs.
It’s important to note that the exact process and timeline of an autism assessment can vary, depending on the specific needs of the child and the resources available in their local area.
12.4 Behaviour
It is important to understand the behaviour of an autistic person.
Autistic people cannot always express how they are feeling through the common ways of body language and facial expression, and so other behaviours may be used to accomplish that means of communication. Certain behaviours may signify that the person is stressed, tired, or wants some time to themselves.
What Causes the Behaviour?
This depends on the individual. While there are common characteristics among autistic people, this does not necessarily mean that there are common behaviours shared by them. Rather, behaviours should be viewed as a means of the individual expressing their needs and feelings – so, it is a unique area of the condition.
Keeping a diary of the behaviours, and the situations that surround them, will help you to build clarity regarding the individual’s needs and tendencies. For example, you may notice that a child begins to act out every time the lunch break ends. This could signify that they are not ready to go back into the classroom as they either need more time to themselves or they do not have the energy to continue with classroom demands.
Monitoring and reflecting on the diary entries will help you to understand and support the individual. When you can identify the triggers that affect an autistic individual, you will be able to start creating techniques to manage these behaviours in the future. These are known as strategies.
The strategies will have the highest likelihood of success when they target the function or the cause of the behaviour. For example, a function of a behaviour may be the method that the individual habitually uses to communicate a need, such as screaming before a meal because they are happy that food is going to be eaten. A cause of a behaviour could be that when a child’s favourite television programme ends, they become very upset and begin to throw objects.
When you are trying to implement a strategy for an autistic person, try to focus only on two behaviours at a time. Focusing on more than this may not provide the time and repetition necessary for any one behaviour to show the adjustment. Create a strategy that targets either the cause or the function of that behaviour.
It is also common for behaviours to get worse before they get better, as many individuals will try to resist change. But if you are consistent with your implementation of strategies, then the individual will fall into the new routine and begin adjusting their behaviour.
Managing Challenging Behaviour
When managing challenging behaviour, there are five areas to consider, to help make a positive change in an autistic individual’s life: consistency, perseverance, don’t use punishment, exercise, and setting realistic goals.
Consistency
When you are consistent, you are creating a routine that is predictable. Everyone in the individual’s environment must ensure that the behavioural modification takes effect, this includes teachers and parents. Different reactions to behaviour by different people cause frustration, confusion and often stress for autistic individuals, which will make the behaviour more difficult to modify.
Perseverance
Persevering with behavioural strategies for an autistic individual is crucial for achieving positive outcomes.
Regular monitoring and adjustments to the strategies may be necessary to ensure their ongoing effectiveness. Patience and understanding are also essential, as behaviour change can be a slow process.
Don’t use punishment
Not using punishment is key when dealing with autistic individuals. People on the autism spectrum cannot often make the connection between their behaviour and a punishment that they may have received for such challenging behaviour. Additionally, punishment does not clearly explain what you want from the individual and does not teach them new skills.
Instead of punishment, focus on communicating what you would like the individual to do instead of the behaviour that they are exhibiting; focusing on the cultivation of new skills in situations arising from unacceptable behaviour.
Exercise
Exercise will serve as an outlet and preventative measure for stress and frustration. It will help to regulate the energy levels within the individual’s body. Regular exercise can have a positive effect on general behaviour, as well as improve focus and attention.
It is important to consider the individual’s interests, abilities, and limitations when selecting physical activities and to work with a therapist or coach to develop a safe and appropriate exercise programme.
Set realistic goals
Setting realistic goals for autistic individuals involves considering their unique strengths, needs, and challenges. Define clear, specific and measurable goals that are relevant to the individual’s needs and interests.
It is essential to be flexible and patient, and provide ongoing support and encouragement to help the individual reach their full potential.
Communication
Some autistic individuals may not speak, and when you are speaking with them, it may seem that they do not hear you, will not respond to their name, or may seem indifferent to the attempts that you make to get their attention. By observing the way an autistic person communicates, you will have better success at more in-depth communication in the future.
Echolalia is a common symptom of autism. It occurs when a person repeats what you have said to them. While this may seem like an unpromising sign, it is quite the opposite. It actually shows that the child’s communication is developing, and eventually, the child will begin to use the words that they have repeated to communicate something important.
An adult or a child may use phrases that they often hear from a favourite TV programme, so if you watch the programme and understand the context in which that recurring phrase is used, you may find some insight into what the person is trying to communicate to you.
There are four stages of communication that you should understand:
1. The “Own Agenda” stage
In this stage, the individual shows a lack of interest in others and often ends up playing alone. Their communication is often pre-intentional, which means that the things said or done are not meant to affect those around them. Most children are at this stage when they are diagnosed with autism.
2. The “Requester” stage
In this stage, the individual has started to realise the effect their actions have on others. The individual will communicate with you their wants by taking you towards objects, games, or areas that they are interested in.
3. The “Early Communicator” stage
This is the stage in which interactions lengthen and begin to have more intention. Echolalia is a sign of this stage that the individual may use to communicate wants or needs, but increasingly they will begin to look at and point at things in a way that creates two-way communication.
4. The “Partner” stage
More effective communication is often achieved in this stage, usually consisting of the ability to have a simple discussion. Confidence in communication within familiar settings can often be lost in a new or unfamiliar setting, but do not be put off by this or worry that it is a setback to the individual. Rather, the individual needs to become more familiar with this setting before more effective communication takes place.
Fact
According to a recent survey by Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Council, 75% of autistic young people have experienced bullying and only half of young people said they felt safe at school.
Source: ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk
12.5 Relating to Learning Difficultiest
Understanding the characteristics of autism and how it affects learning can help you better understand the difficulties that autistic students face in the classroom.
Observe the student’s behaviour and performance in the classroom to identify specific difficulties they may be experiencing. Ask them directly about their experiences and perspectives, and engage in open, non-judgmental conversations.
With this knowledge, you will be more confident in applying the suggested strategies in a supporting and effective way.
Conclusion
In this module, you were introduced to a detailed look at what autism is and how it is experienced by individuals. You now know the difficulties that can be experienced by autistic people, as well as the common characteristics that are exhibited.
You understand the diagnostic process, as well as the main causes of behaviours in autistic individuals. You know the best ways to deal with challenging behaviour and the four stages of communication.
Finally, you understand how all of this information is integral to working with autistic individuals in an educational setting.
In the next module, we discuss dyslexia and how to support individuals with dyslexia in the classroom.
WELL DONE!
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