Strategies I used

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2003 : July : 31

Strategies I used
By SPEteacher2

I had a students with aspergers' syndrome this past year in second grade. I was his resource teacher and spent well over half of each day with him. I worked closely with his reg. ed teacher and other specialists he would
see almost daily to find out what was working or not working for him and how we could try to solve any problems he seemed to be having. I(as the SPED resource teacher) contacted the mother via e-mail everyday to give her an update on his daily behavior. This was helpful because she was able to give me insight to what was going on at home that might have caused problems at school.
Here

are some strategies/ideas that worked for us(no, they didn't work 100% of the time but they all are worth a try and consistency makes them more reliable):
Daily structure-a visual schedule of the days events
A special place in the classroom where the child can go when he/she feels the need to take a "time-out" This helps especially when the student is at a loss for words and needs time to think instead of having a meltdown.
A seat near the front of the classroom with few distractions.
A special place in line or a job to do such as carrying something that will keep his/her hands occupied. Transistions in hallways are usually very difficult, so this area needs special consideration.
Some type of behavior chart that the child can see throughtout the day.
The student may also need to have fidget toys(stress balls) or opportunities to stand up and have sensory break.
Help the student be prepared for any changes to the normal daily schedule: if you know you are having a sub, a fire drill, a speaker, a field trip.
I can't remember all of the things we used at this moment, but I hope some of these are helpful. Please remember, you are not alone in educating this child. I agree with the posting about reading the IEP. I also think you should work closely with everyone this student has contact with which should make your year go more smoothly.