“She’s too much to handle,” “I don’t think he’s capable of learning.” If you’re the parent of an autistic student and you’ve heard this from your child’s teacher, it can feel discouraging.
These frustrations are common among teachers working with autistic students, often stemming from a lack of understanding or support. From your child’s initial diagnosis to understanding autism’s causes and its impact on brain function, there’s a lot to navigate as a parent. However, one thing is clear: building a robust and collaborative relationship between parents and teachers can shift perspectives, foster understanding, and create meaningful support that is critical to your child’s development.
At Heartlinks, we recognize the importance of parent-teacher communication. We are here to support you on this journey, creating a team approach to understanding and addressing your child’s needs. With our range of ABA therapy services and expertise, your child can thrive in an environment of empathy and cooperation.
How Can a Teacher Help a Student with Autism?
Parents, therapists, and teachers all play vital roles in the lives of autistic students. However, teachers interact with the students in a structured learning environment and can observe and support their development daily. The following are a few ways they can help their students on the spectrum.
Recognizing and Supporting Sensory Needs in the Classroom
Sensory overload happens when stimuli such as loud noises, strong smells, or uncomfortable textures overwhelm a child’s coping ability. It is a sensory processing disorder, and 90% of people with autism have it.
Often, an autistic child may show symptoms like hand flapping, rocking, and finger-flicking, which are all types of stimming signals they’re anxious and stressed, not defiant. Recognizing these early signs is critical in helping them self-regulate to avoid further distress, such as an autism tantrum.
However, children with ASD can also exhibit symptoms of another sensory processing disorder known as sensory-seeking behavior, including spinning and scratching and many of the symptoms of sensory overload. These behaviors are responses used to meet a sensory need and usually indicate the child is understimulated.
Regardless of your child’s sensory spectrum, teachers can create a sensory-supportive classroom that accommodates sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant needs.
- Simple changes, like dimming fluorescent lights, incorporating ambient lighting, or taking lights-out breaks, can reduce visual overstimulation.
- Background sounds, such as pink noise or soft music, can mask distracting sounds, and “heads-down” breaks for the entire class can provide a calming moment while normalizing sensory and emotional regulation.
- Additionally, offering sensory toys and gadgets, such as fidget spinners or stress balls, can help students who need extra stimulation stay engaged.
These strategies not only support autistic students but also create a more inclusive and focused environment for all children.
Provide Clear and Direct Feedback for Students with ASD
Supporting autistic kids in the classroom means understanding that they often have difficulty communicating. Yes, the child may have to attend speech therapy to improve communication skills, but the teacher can help with that, too.
An effective autism teaching strategy requires teachers to provide instructions, feedback, and questions straightforwardly and transparently. They should avoid using metaphorical or abstract language and instead choose simple wording to reduce the opportunity for misunderstandings.
The teacher can also schedule regular check-ins to monitor progress and identify any challenges the student with autism may face with a task, course, or assignment. Being proactive about this helps ensure students on the spectrum get the support they need to flourish.
Why Is It Important for Parents and Teachers to Work Together?
Whether your child has low-functioning autism or is non-verbal, if they’re on the spectrum, a strong partnership between teachers and parents can be life-saving. It provides several different benefits, especially including the following.
A Complete Understanding
Parents of autistic students have the most extensive understanding of their child’s behaviors, triggers, and preferred communication methods at home. This information can be invaluable for teachers, allowing them to customize their teaching strategies accordingly. For example, if your child has recently started ABA therapy and is learning new skills using the ABA error correction technique, they would benefit from using it in the classroom.
Consistency in Interventions
By sharing approaches and strategies, parents and teachers can ensure the autistic student receives consistent and similar support across different settings, which could lead to better generalization of skills. For example, if your child’s therapist uses the ABA technique of tacting during their at-home therapy, it would be beneficial for your child’s teacher to use the same method in class.
Early Identification of Issues
Regular and consistent communication will help spot potential problems in a child’s behavior and assist with early detection. This could enable early intervention, critical in effectively addressing undesirable behaviors. Symptoms of autism, such as delayed speech, limited eye contact, or repetitive behaviors, can sometimes appear as early as infancy or toddlerhood, emphasizing the importance of early observation and collaboration between teachers and parents.
Positive Reinforcement
When teachers and parents work together to reinforce positive behaviors, including praising them or providing punishment and reinforcement, this strengthens the child’s learning and confidence.
How Can Teachers Work Effectively with Parents of Children with Autism?
Open Communication
Maintaining regular contact with parents of autistic students, whether through email, phone, or conferences, to help address concerns and share progress. For example, if your student has learned new social skills thanks to their in-class ABA therapy, inform the parents if you see them using it!
Include Parents in the Learning Process
Encourage parental involvement in classroom activities and input on strategies to support their child’s learning at school and home. Share your insights if you’ve discovered an ABA therapy technique that works well in the classroom. Your student’s parents may adopt it as an at-home therapy tactic.
Consistency and Routine
Establishing and maintaining consistent routines is vital to creating a stable learning environment that supports students’ personal and academic growth. Teachers can help by outlining clear expectations for behavior and classroom routines; this helps students understand what is expected of them daily.
Actively Listen
Validate and acknowledge parents’ concerns and viewpoints to foster trust and understanding. For example, if they explain the ABA parent training they’re undergoing, ask how this might be incorporated into the classroom.
Better Together
A strong relationship between parents and teachers will help support autistic kids in the classroom. By fostering open communication, using consistent strategies, and sharing a mutual understanding of your child’s needs, you can help create an environment that promotes empathy, inclusivity, and success for children on the spectrum. Accepting your child’s autism diagnosis can be a challenging step, especially with the possibility of misdiagnosis, which is more common than many realize. Building trust and collaboration with teachers ensures your child’s unique needs will be met.
At Heartlinks, we’re committed to bridging the gap between parents and educators. Our trained specialists and our range of ABA therapy services are here to help you develop a collaborative and supportive relationship with your child’s teacher.
Contact Heartlinks today to learn how we can support you in developing or reinforcing that connection, ensuring your child receives the guidance and care they deserve.