Trace My Face!

Activity
The goal of this activity is to help students with autism who struggle with facial expression recognition. The steps are simple, easy, and a fun way to enforce this skill - it is sure to engage both you and the student in question! Step 1: Introduce emotion cards. First, allow the student to guess the emotion. Flip it over and show them the answer!

References
Ben-Arieh, J., & Miller, H.J. (2009). The Educators Guide to Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. London: Corwin. Brock, S.E., Jimerson, S.R., & Hansen, R.L (2006). Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Autism at School. New York: Springer. Brown, H. (2013, April 2). 7 Myths About Autism Its Time To Put To Rest. The HufngtonPost. Retrieved from www.hufngtonpost.com/ hannah-brown/7-myths-about-autism. Haddon, M. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York: Random House Inc. 2003. Pierangelo, R.A., & Giuliani, G.A. (2012). Assessment in Special Education: A Practical Approach. New Jersey: Pearson.

MYTH - BUSTING

Step 2: Pick an emotion. Display it for the student and have them draw your face. Based on the students level, you may challenge them to draw realistically. Of course, if the student draws a simple emotion like the one above, they are accomplishing the task at hand recognizing facial expression/emotion. Step 3: Reverse positions. Its your turn to draw the students expression!

AUTISM

Group Members: Tristan Gilmour Victoria Budgell Jessica Rynn Raquel Khoury

Three Tiers of Prevention

MYTH BUSTED
8 Common Myths About Autism:
1. People with Autism are Rain Man geniuses. 2. People with Autism are all mentally disabled. 3. Autism is a result of bad parenting. 4. Autism is merely a kind of eccentricity. 5. Those with Autism feel no empathy or affection. 6. There are many treatments to cure Autism. 7. Scientists understand what causes Autism. 8. The Autistic have low levels of intelligence.

True Characteristics of Autism

Autism is a complex neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. According to the DSM - IV, a total of at least 6 of the 20 listed symptom items must be met to be diagnosed with Autism. The following is the section dealing with delays or abnormal functioning, with onset prior to the age of three years: a) Social interaction

PRIMARY/UNIVERSAL ! Structured Note Taking Sheets. Tools such as Venn Diagrams, categorized charts, and ll-in-theblank sheets establish various ways for the whole class to take notes, while focussing on developing organizational skills for the Autistic child in need. SECONDARY/TARGETED ! Checklists. Many Autistic individuals struggle with the anxiety of beginning and completing a task, so it is best to lay out guidelines to help them accomplish their work load. Positive Reinforcement is key as the student independently completes the task! TERTIARY/INTENSIVE INDIVIDUALIZED ! Para-Educators. Having a trained assistant in the classroom is a great preventative measure as it allows for inclusion, while also ensuring that the student receives individualized assistance during instruction; it also ensures that the student will have prompts and be given techniques to deal with organization and anxiety. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Provide Visual Support (Visual Schedules) Encourage Socialization (Conversation Placemat) Environmental Adaptations (Reduce Noise in Class) Auditory (Have door closed during class time) Plan Tasks At Appropriate Levels (Matching Numbers) SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT Ignoring Minor Behaviours (Teach student how to ask for attention appropriately) Redirection (Communicate expectations clearly!) Removal from Reinforcements (Time Out) Reinforcement for Positives (Music Time) Token Economies (Receive Tokens for using inside voice)

How to Identify a Student with Autism

1. CASE FINDING This process begins with routine observation of the entire class to recognize warning signs. Parental concerns in areas of social skills, communication, and beahviour. 2. AUTISM SCREENING Those recognized by case finding to be at risk for having autism should be screened for the disorder. These include: - Behavioural Screenings - Hearing tests - Screening for lead poisoning in blood 3. DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT Professionals examine the child in relation to lists of criteria from the DSM - IV - TR, and the childs family/health developmental history. 4. PSYCHO EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT School psychologists must carefully prepare for the childs testing experience to ensure that the appropriate tests are used to yield the most valid results. The information from these tests should not only identify strengths/weaknesses and goals to reach, but also determine if the child qualifies for special education.