Educational Strategies For Children With Autism
Educating a child with autism is not an easy task, it requires a lot of patience and dedication. And it is that as the child begins to grow and the symptoms become more acute, the docility of the first years disappears and in its place more indifferent and challenging behaviors arise. Therefore, it is important to take action on the matter and implement some educational strategies that pave the way.
Structure the environment well
Its main objective is to adapt the child to different spaces, according to the activities to be carried out in them. In essence, it is about structuring the environment with different materials, depending on the tasks that are to be developed. For example, in the dining room you can place the dishes on the table before the child enters, as well as pictures that allude to the act of eating. On the contrary, you should avoid placing objects unrelated to the activity that takes place in the room, such as a television or a computer.
With this simple strategy you will make it easier for the child to adapt to different environments and understand what activity they should do in each one. You can also use nameplates when visiting new sites. In this way the child will understand what is expected of him.
Anticipate activities and behaviors
Most children with autism become engrossed in their favorite activities, thus becoming anxious and irritable when prompted to change tasks. A very simple strategy to avoid this problem is to anticipate the daily tasks and the expected behavior. To achieve this, it is convenient to resort to images since these little ones tend to have an excellent visual memory and can remember task sequences more easily if they are presented through images.
Introduce changes gradually
Children with autism generally develop a very limited sphere of interests that motivates them to engage only in certain activities. In fact, it is not uncommon for them to stick to the same routines and have tantrums or behave inappropriately if they are forced to change their habits. In many cases, this leads to parents locking themselves at home, becoming complicit in their child’s isolation. However, there is a strategy for making progress in a child’s social behavior.
Demand standards of behavior
However, it is essential that children follow the same rules as the rest of their peers, even if they need higher levels of help to achieve it. The key is to give them simple instructions, according to their level of development.
The first step will be to require him to meet the same rules and limits as his peers or siblings. Of course, you will have to make some concessions and explain several times clearly and simply what to do. For example, if you want him to learn to wait his turn in a queue, you can ask him directly and, even if he is irritated or annoyed, you should make him wait, without getting angry but showing him that he should stay there.
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