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Disability & Dyslexia

Information for Staff

Asperger's Syndrome and Autism

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental condition on the Autistic Spectrum. It is "hidden". It affects the way a person communicates and relates to others.

The characteristics of AS vary from one person to another but are generally divided into three main groups:

Difficulty with social communication

"If you have Asperger syndrome, understanding conversation is like trying to understand a foreign language."

People with AS sometimes find it difficult to express themselves emotionally and socially. For example, they may:

have difficulty understanding gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice
have difficulty knowing when to start or end a conversation and choosing topics to talk about
use complex words and phrases but may not fully understand what they mean
be very literal in what they say and can have difficulty understanding jokes, metaphor and sarcasm.

Difficulty with social interaction

"I have difficulty picking up social cues, and difficulty in knowing what to do when I get things wrong."

Many people with AS want to be sociable but have difficulty with initiating and sustaining social relationships, which can make them very anxious. People with the condition may:

struggle to make and maintain friendships
not understand the unwritten 'social rules' that most of us pick up without thinking. For example, they may stand too close to another person, or start an inappropriate topic of conversation
find other people unpredictable and confusing
become withdrawn and seem uninterested in other people, appearing almost aloof
behave in what may seem an inappropriate manner

Difficulty with social imagination

"We have trouble working out what other people know. We have more difficulty guessing what other people are thinking."

People with AS can be imaginative in the conventional use of the word and can excel in writing, art and music. However, the problems lie with social imagination:

imagining alternative outcomes to situations and finding it hard to predict what will happen next
understanding or interpreting other peoples thoughts, feelings or actions. The subtle messages that are put across by facial expression and body language are often missed
having a limited range of imaginative activities, which can be pursued rigidly and repetitively eg lining up toys or collecting and organising things related to his or her interest.

Most people with Asperger's Syndrome continually report their main worry is the social isolation which stems from their social difficulties described above.

Strengths

It must also be heralded that people with AS are of average or higher intelligence and many are academically gifted. These individuals usually have talents that far exceed the before-mentioned weaknesses. They have excellent rote memory; their intense pre-occupation with a particular subject can lead to superior things later in life; and they are generally not ones that give up or let fear stand in their way with respect to going after something they want.

Case in point, there is a list of famous people with autistic traits that posses many of the same characteristics as ones diagnosed with Asperger's. Although they were never diagnosed, many feel that if the criteria was in place at that time, a majority (if not all) of them would fall somewhere within the autistic spectrum. Some of the people are...Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Jane Austin, Emily Dickenson, Henry Ford, Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Graham Bell, etc.

Teaching and Learning

Every AS student's needs are different. Upon discussion with a Disability Advisor, a Learning Support Agreement (LSA) will be drawn up and disseminated to all relevant UEL staff. The LSA will inform you of the disabled student's particular teaching, learning and assessment requirements.

Below are strategies to consider when supporting students with AS:

It will help a student with Aspergers if there is one particular staff member to whom they can go if they have concerns. They will hopefully have made contact with the DDU, who will have made provision for support. However, a member of staff from the school with which they can become comfortable with when they have subject related issues is a great help.
Make the structure and objective of lessons clear to all students at the start. Make direct links between concepts clear, even if they seem obvious to you. Explain the purpose behind any task/assignment, as students with AS tend to have difficulty inferring meaning.
When asking or giving instructions/explanations, be as clear, direct and precise as possible.
Group work can be difficult. This requires a sensitive introduction, the setting up of ground rules and expectations at the start. Students with AS find it difficult to understand other people’s points of view, and have difficulty tolerating anyone deviating from the task. It may be necessary to consider other methods of assessment if it is possible.
As students with AS rely greatly on routine, anything that disturbs this (such as field trips, examinations, timetable changes) may cause difficulties and great anxiety. It helps if you can talk these through with the student to ensure that they are prepared and clear with regards to all instructions and what is expected of them. The unknown can be extremely stressful, so the possibility of doing a mock exam, seeing where an exam might take place or accessing past papers, can help. This will give them an idea of what to expect.
Assessment feedback should be positive and specific and highlight aspects carried out well. It would be helpful if students with AS are told how an error has affected their grades (i.e. "to get 70% next time you need to...").