Asperger

Syndrome
A Workshop for Educators

Presented by Fab, Ingrid and

Ryan
 Introduction
The main focus of our workshop is to help you
gain an intuitive understanding of what life
is like for a student who lives with Asperger
Syndrome (AS).

We plan to show what AS looks like through a

variety of activities such as videos,
discussion questions and scenarios.

This workshop will also provide you with a

variety of teaching strategies and
approaches that can help you assist any
student with AS within your own class.
Lets get to know
one another!
Bags of M & Ms are
being passed around,
please help yourself
but do not eat them
yet!!!
Getting to Know You
Now, before you
eat your treat,
there is a catch!

For every M&M

you chose, please
tell the people at
your table one
thing about
yourself.
 Brainstorm
What do we know about Asperger Syndrome?
Get into groups of four.
Take a marker and piece of chart paper.
Try to come up with a definition as well as
how it might feel to have AS and what we as
educators can do to assist these students.
Each group will present their ideas to the
larger group and post their chart paper on
the side wall. Well reflect back on them
after the presentation to see what we have
learned.
 Workshop Outcomes
Learn about the diagnosis of Asperger
Syndrome.
Learn to empathize with students who
have AS and try to develop a better
understanding of what they are going
through.
Learn effective strategies that you can
use in your classroom to help assist
any student with AS.
 So where did Asperger
Syndrome originate??
Identified in the 1940s by Hans
Asperger
Viennese pediatrician (1906-1980)
Described a group of boys with:
poor social interaction
failure in communication

development of narrow interests

 Our thinking has
changed over the years!!
Lorna Wing wrote many books on the
topic (1980s) and coined the term
Asperger Syndrome.

She challenged a previous view of autism

by Leo Kanner (1940s) who believed that
the syndrome arose due to poor parenting
or a lack of mothering.

If this were true, we would all have

several kids with AS in our classes!
 Entered the DSM-IV in
1994
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR
ASPERGER SYNDROME

Qualitative impairment in social

interaction, as manifested by at

least two of the following:

 DSM-IV Criteria for AS
1) marked impairment in the use of multiple
nonverbal behaviours such as eye-to-eye gaze,
facial expression, body postures, and gestures to
regulate social interaction;

2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate

to developmental level;

3) lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment,

interests or achievements with other people; and

4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

 DSM-IV Criteria for AS
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped
patterns of behaviour, interests and
activities (at least one of the following)

1) encompassing preoccupation with one or

more stereotyped and restricted patterns of
interest that is abnormal either in intensity
or focus;

2) apparently inflexible adherence to

specific, non-functional routines or rituals;
DSM-IV Criteria for AS

3) stereotyped and repetitive motor

mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger
flapping or twisting, or complex
movements); and

4) persistent preoccupation with parts

of objects.
 Interesting Differences
between Asperger
Syndrome and Autism
AS shows no significant delay
in language (developing normally).

It also shows no significant

delay in cognitive development or
in the development of age-
appropriate self-help skills.
However, they are closely
related!
AS shares many traits with autism
The degree of impairment differs
widely among individuals
Many younger children who are
diagnosed with classical autism
move through the spectrum and are
re-diagnosed with AS later in
childhood
 AS Criteria:
Real Life Examples
Impairment in communication
Literal use of language
confused by expressions cat got your tongue
confused by shades of meaning/ambiguity

expansive vocabulary often hides poor

understanding
Impairment in language pragmatics
lack of reciprocity in conversation -- talks at you
misses non-verbal cues (body language)
 AS Criteria:
Real Life Examples
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped
patterns of behaviour, interests and
activities
self stimulation activities such as rocking,
spinning, arm flapping
intense all-consuming preoccupation with a

narrow subject (e.g., trains, dinosaurs, TV

characters)
intense need for routine and consistency

with anxiety when routines are not followed

AS can be a wonderful thing
Before we move on, lets watch a
little video on some famous people
who live with AS. I think you may be
pleasantly surprised by some of the
faces. Enjoy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3efFjnEhFX4&feature=related
 Enough sitting already! Lets
dramatize!
Each group will be given a set of emotion
cards which will be acted out by volunteers in
your group. It is not necessary for every group
member to act out one of the emotions just
those who want to.
Important You are not allowed to talk.
Your group members will have to guess your
emotion by your actions and facial expressions.
Try and see it through the eyes of a student
with AS who struggles with reading emotions.
Cmo es tener
sndrome de
Asperger?
Desde el punto de vista del
nio
 Por qu es necesario
comprenderlo?
ElsndromedeAspergernoesunaafectacinsocial,
porloquepuedeserinvisibleopasardesapercibidoa
losdems.
Esfcildeducirquealguienensilladeruedas
necesitaayudaycomprensin,perolaspersonascon
autismoparecencomolasdemsquenopresentan
ningunaalteracin.
Estoconllevaquepuedehabermuchasdificultades
paradespertarconcienciaypromovercomprensinde
estacondicin.
 Intenta imaginar
que te despiertas en un pas extrao,
donde no conoces el idioma y no tienes
medios para comunicarte de manera
eficiente con las personas que te rodean.
Adems, la gente que te rodea tiene unas
normas sociales distintas a las que
conoces (por ejemplo, la manera en que
se saludan) . Lo intentas, pero no eres
capaz de comprender qu estn haciendo
y por qu.
 Tmate un momento y
comenta

Cmo te sentiras?

Cmo responderas?

Cmo afrontaras esa situacin?

 LA VIDA CON SA

Desdedistintosgradosdeafeccin,asescmoexperimentasu
entornounapersonaconSAcadada.Susrespuestasiniciales
consistenamenudoenintentarencontrarformasnicasde
comprenderyafrontarlassituacionesenlasquesevan
encontrando.
Porestoavecessecomportandeformasqueresultanextraas
oinclusoaparentementemalintencionadas,yestasreacciones
puedenaislarlesdelmundoinclusoms.
 LA VIDA CON SA
Mi profesor dice
que soy
maleducado. Yo
creo que soy
sincero. No
entiendo por qu
no puedo decirle
a alguien que le
huele mal el
aliento, o que se
 Cmo veo yo el mundo
Me cuesta detectar las claves sociales y saber qu hacer cuando no entiendo bien
las cosas.

Siempre supe que algo era distinto en m, pero no saba qu era.

Yo hablo de manera muy formal y, como resultado, me llaman mis compaeros el

diccionario humano.

Me cuesta hacer amigos en el colegio.

Mis intentos de acercarme a otros eran recibidos con ridiculizacin y exclusin.

Me siento distinto. Los otros nios del colegio no son lo que soy yo.

Lo que yo siento a menudo no lo notan los dems, que me dicen que soy como
ellos y que slo tengo que hacer ms esfuerzo.

Los profesores a menudo me rien por hablar en un tono de voz ofensivo

mientras que yo no veo cmo el tono de voz puede indicar la emocin.

Cualquier cosa nueva puede alterarme.

 Ayudando o haciendo
dao?
Comentarios de las notas de estudiantes con SA sin
diagnosticar
Tiene problemas sociales
Puede retroceder a un estado de conducta muy inmadura si se le deja sola o
con otros nios.
Hbitos pobres de trabajo
Utiliza mal el tiempo
No muestra inters por leer fuera, no trae las tareas a tiempo
Poca capacidad de razonamiento
Si no soara despierta, podra aprovechar ms las clases
Usualmente no hace caso a la primera.
No ha aprendido todava auto-disciplina para centrarse en sus tareas.
Inclinada a terminar la tarea deprisa, y a menudo de manera descuidada
EN CLASE, UN ESTUDIANTE CON TEA
A MENUDO
Tiene dificultad en situaciones sociales: le cuesta comprender
reglas complejas de interaccin, no detecta claves sociales o
lenguaje corporal (por ej., una mirada de frustracin o enfado)
Have a restricted range of interests: they can have eccentric
preoccupations or odd, intense fixations (sometimes
obsessively collecting unusual things). They may ask incessant
questions on one particular topic and lecture on their area of
interest, not noticing that others may not be interested.
Take things very literally. Social nuances are lost on them.
Have poor concentration: are often off task, disorganized,
cannot figure out what is relevant to focus on so may get
fixated on something other than present classroom activity
 IN YOUR CLASSROOM (CONTINUED)

Have poor motor coordination: are physically clumsy and

awkward

Have difficulty with Academic Activities: usually have

average to above-average intelligence (especially in the verbal
sphere) but lack high level thinking and comprehension skills

Suffer from emotional vulnerability: can compete

intellectually in regular classroom but often do not have the
emotional coping skills to deal with the demands of the
classroom (due to inability to be flexible)
 LETS WATCH
Heres a video clip of living with AS
from a childs perspective
This video should help you get a
sense of how these children think
and feel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UAUV4RZPN9k&feature=related
v=UAUV4RZPN9k&feature=related
NOW YOUR TURN!

We ask that one

member from
each group
please come to
the front and pick
up a Classroom
Instructions
chart.
 NOW YOUR TURN!

With your group, use the Classroom Instructions

chart to brainstorm the way in which the instruction
given by the teacher may be interpreted by a
typical student in your class (most likely the way
you intended the instruction would be carried out)
and then how that same instruction might be
interpreted by a student with AS.

(Prepare to share with the large group in ten

minutes.)
 Classroom Instructions
Instruction Typical Student with
Student AS
Interpretation Interpretation
Do this worksheet

Put your thinking cap

on

There has been a

change in where we line
up today at recess.
Please line up at Door A
instead of Door C
today.
 Classroom Instructions
Instruction Student with Suggested
AS Change
Interpretation
Do this worksheet What do I do with it? Heres a math sheet. I
When do I do it? expect you to finish
some but you dont have
Do I have to complete it
to do it all right now.
now?
Put your thinking cap I dont own one Do you remember the
on I dont wear hats process to solve
problems? What do we
No hats are allowed at
school do first?

There has been a When do I line up? Today at the end of

change in where we line Do I line up there now? recess I need you to line
up today at recess. up with the rest of the
Were supposed to line
Please line up at Door A class at Door C. This
up at Door A.
instead of Door C change is only for today.
today. Where is Door C? When
 How do we support
these students in our
class?

What can we do?

 Accommodating the
Environment
for Students with AS
establish routines
establish clear expectations
use visual supports (lists, calendars)
decrease stress
supervise unstructured time
develop circle of friends
work collaboratively with parents
Sample Visual Calendar

For younger AS students

Teaching Strategies
Difficulties with Language
teach conversational skills in small group
settings
explain metaphors and words with double
meanings
pause between instructions and check for
understanding
watch videos to identify nonverbal
expressions and their
meaning
Teaching Strategies
Insistence on Sameness

prepare student for potential change

wherever possible
use pictures, schedules, written/drawn
notifications, and
social stories to indicate impending changes
Sample Schedule Indicating Impending Changes
Sample Written Notification of
Change
Dear Sammy,

Remember that today I will be picking you

up early from school at 2:30 for your
dentist appointment. See you later!

Love,
Dad
Teaching Strategies
Impairment in Social Interaction
explicitly teach rules of social conduct
teach student how to interact through social
stories, comic
book conversations, modelling, role-playing,
and
usesocial
buddy system to assist student during
autopsies worksheets
non-structured
times
structure social skills groups to provide
opportunities for
direct instruction on specific skills and to
practise actual
teach relaxation techniques and designate a
events
quiet place for
 Social Stories
help describe social situations to enhance
social understanding
geared to particular problem/issue
examples include:
transitioning
playing during recess
puberty
appropriate behaviours when in the
community
Social Stories: An Example
Problem: A child with AS who melts
down when his classroom schedule
changes
Goal: Help this child label his
emotions when things change and
give him a larger repertoire of
behaviours to deal with them
 Comic Book Conversations
graphical means of analyzing social
situations
helps individual with AS grasp
thoughts/feelings of conversational
partner
colours can be used to show emotion (e.g.,
green = happy, red = sad, purple =
proud)
Sample Social Autopsies
Worksheet
Teaching Strategies
Restricted Range of Interests
limit perseverative discussions and questions

set firm expectations for classroom but

provide
opportunities for student to pursue own
interests
incorporate and expand on personal interests
in activities
Teaching Strategies
Poor Concentration
provide frequent teacher feedback and
redirection
use visual organizers, semantic mapping,
and outlining
provide timed work sessions

seat student at front of classroom

use nonverbal cues to get attention

Sample Classroom Layout
Teaching Strategies
Poor Motor Coordination
actively involve student in fitness activities

take slower writing speed into account

when giving
assignments
provide extra time for tests

consider use of computers for written

assignments
Teaching Strategies
Academic Difficulties
break tasks down into smaller steps
be as concrete as possible in presenting
new concepts
use activity-based learning where possible

avoid verbal overload

capitalize on strengths (e.g., memory)
Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps
Teaching Strategies
Sensory Sensitivities
be aware that normal levels of auditory and
visual input
can be perceived by student as too much or
minimize background noise
too little
teach and model relaxation strategies (e.g.,
deep breaths)
provide opportunities and space for quiet
time
arrange for independent work space free of
sensory stimuli
that bother student
Managing Tantrums/Rage/Meltdowns

Identifying the three stages of rage:

1. Rumbling Stage (e.g., fidgeting, swearing,

making noises,

ripping paper, grimacing, refusing to

cooperate, rapid

movements, tears, tensing muscles, name

calling,

increasing/decreasing voice volume, verbal

2. Rage Stage (e.g., uninhibited, acts
impulsively, emotional,

explosive, destroying property, self-injury,

screaming,

biting, hitting, kicking, internalized

behaviour harms
3. Recovery Stage (e.g., sleeping, often
cannot
self) fully

remember what occurred during rage

stage, may deny

rage behaviour, withdrawal into fantasy,

apologetic,
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Rumbling Stage:
Key: Intervene without becoming a part of the
struggle! Remain calm and use a quiet voice.
Use strategies that limit adult verbalization,
have student choice options, and can be used
flexibly to meet student needs.
Antiseptic Bouncing: remove student, in
nonpunitive fashion, from environment in which
he or she is experiencing difficulty (e.g., send
child on an errand)
Proximity Control: teacher simply moves near
student who is engaged in target behaviour (e.g.,
circulate through classroom regularly during
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Rumbling Stage (continued):
Signal Interference: when child with AS begins
to exhibit behaviour that occurs just prior to
tantrum, teacher can use nonverbal signal to let
student know that teacher is aware of situation
(e.g., an agreed-upon secret signal to alert
child that he or she is under stress)
Support from Routine: displaying chart or
visual schedule can provide security to children
with AS who typically need predictability (e.g.,
student signalling frustration may be directed to
schedule to remind student that after he or she
completes two more problems, he or she gets to
work on topic of special interest with peer)
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Rumbling Stage (continued):
Acknowledging Student Difficulties: effective
when student working on difficult task and
teacher thinks student can complete activity with
support (e.g., Yes, the problem is difficult. Lets
start with number one.)
Just Walk and Dont Talk: adult merely walks
with student without talking (since child with AS
in rumbling stage will likely react emotively to
any statement); during walk, child can say
whatever he or she wishes without fear of
discipline or logical argument; adult should be
calm, show as little reaction as possible, and
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Rage Stage:
Once this stage begins, it most often must run
its course.
Key: Focus on child, peer, and adult safety as
well as protection of school or personal property.
Remain calm and quiet, and project that
appearance.
Try getting child to home base (i.e.,
designated place to escape stress) only if it can
be achieved without using physical restraint

Important to help individual with AS regain

control and preserve dignity
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Rage Stage (continued):
Adults should have plans ready for:

a) obtaining assistance from other teachers or

principal, or
b) removing other students from area, or
c) providing therapeutic restraint if necessary
(generally, should be used only if child
harming him- any
Do not take or herself
student rage behaviour
personally.
Disengage emotionally (so that you do not
escalate your behaviour)
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Recovery Stage:
Work with student to help him or her once
again become part of routine

Direct student to highly motivating task that

can be easily completed (e.g., activity related to
special interest)
Some students with AS may need to engage in
self-relaxation techniques
 Appropriate Adult Interventions
During
the Recovery Stage (continued):
Do not refer to rage behaviours at this time as
student is not ready to process or learn new
skills that can prevent future meltdowns.

Once child has been redirected to structured

activity, important for teacher to take time to
regroup (e.g., leave classroom briefly if possible,
take deep breaths, engage in filing or another
brief activity that is calming)
Sample Stress Tracking
Chart
 Lets bring it all
together!
With your group, look over the things you wrote
on your chart paper at the beginning of the
workshop.

Would you change or add anything at this point?

Discuss with your group.

Each group will share with the larger group one

change or addition that they would make to
their original brainstorming list and briefly
explain why.
 Ok lets recap!!
Asperger Syndrome is a high-functioning form of
autism.
One of the most notable characteristics of AS is a
problem with communication. Although people with AS
can speak and may have a very extensive vocabulary,
they
have difficulty understanding the subtle nuances of
communication. Nonverbal communication can be
particularly difficult for some of them; therefore,
forming
lasting friendships is a huge task.
Understanding things from
an AS point of view!
Life can be difficult for these students
so we often need to step back and
empathize what they are going through.

We need to be supportive and

remember that they are not broken.
They are not abnormal. They just learn
a little differently than others.
 Teaching Strategies for
Students with AS
By establishing consistent routines and expectations,
students with AS will feel confident that they can learn in a
classroom environment that is supportive and predictable.

Visual aids can help to alleviate stress, provide more

opportunities to develop a circle of friends, and avoid
potential problems with transitions/changes in routines for
students with AS.

The Stress Tracking Chart can be used to record the

teachers observations on a student with AS so that the
teacher gets to know the student better and can more
readily identify patterns in behaviour.

Throughout all three stages of rage, it is extremely

important for the adult to remain calm and to project a calm
appearance!
 References
Help! Napoleon Dynamite is in my Classroom - power point by
Kiwalski, Timothy

http://autismvisualresources.com/images/visuals/visual_calenda
r.gif - visual calendar

http://education.alberta.ca/media/511995/autism.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorna_Wing - Lorna Wing

http://hubpages.com/hub/What-its-Lkie-to-Have-Aspergers-
Syndrome-A-Story - recap page

http://web.mac.com/socialpragmatics/Site/Welcome.html
 References (continued)
http://web.syr.edu/~rjkopp/data/as_diag_list.html - DSM IV criteria

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/socialcarolgray.html - social stories,

cartoon conversation

le:///Users/teacher/Desktop/asperger's%20info/Asperger%20Info:
%20moreno_tips_for_teaching.webarchive - tips for teaching O.A.S.I.S

Miles, Brenda S. Children and Youth with Asperger Syndrome: Strategies for
Success in Inclusive Settings. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2005.

Users/teacher/Desktop/asperger's%20info/Asperger%20Syndrome:
%20Understanding%20the%20Student%20with%20Asperger's%20Syndrome:
%20Guidelines%20for%20Teachers.webarchive - teaching tips for students with
Aspergers (O.A.S.I.S)

Users/teacher/Desktop/Asperger%20Syndrome%20Writer's%20Corner:
%20What%20the%20DSMIV%20Means%20To%20Me.webarchive - Aspergers
Syndrome Writers Corner
 Additional Resources to
Support Further Research
Asperger Syndrome: Living Outside the Bell
Curve. DVD. Attainment Company Inc.,
Verona, WI, 2002.

Dubin, Nick. Asperger Syndrome and Bullying .

Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers,
2007.

Prior, Margot (editor). Learning and Behavior

Problems in Asperger Syndrome. New York:
The Guilford Press, 2003.
 BOOKS TO SHARE
These are some books you can share with your whole
class or suggest as positive reading material for a
family with a child with AS
All these books can be purchased from Amazon Books.

This book takes the perspective of an eleven year old boy who
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has Asperger Syndrome. It gives a positive approach to families
who are personally affected.
Title: Aspergers Huh: Author: John Strachan

This is written in a fun way to help a student with AS learn positiv

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ways to deal with issues that may arise in school.
Title: Adams Alternate Sports Day Author: Jude Welton

This book is a memoir of a couple who fall in love and

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learn to cope with the challenges of Asperger
Syndrome together.
Title: Mozart and the Whale Authors: Jerry and Mary
Newport
 Thank you!
We extend a thank you to each of you for
being a part of our workshop today! We
hope that you have learned something
new about Asperger Syndrome!

Before you leave, please take a moment

to complete the feedback sheets being
distributed. You may leave the
completed sheets at your table. Thank
you.