1. Advantages of Routine Learning
Autistic children rely heavily on routine, which can be an advantage when teaching them. Structure your lesson plans and methodologies tightly and don't deviate from them unnecessarily. New ideas and ways of learning will need to be introduced, so prepare them for the changes. If you have a class of autistic children, keep new learning methods in reserve until they feel open to learning something new and can tolerate a change in their established routine. Introduce new things slowly, and autistic children will respond better to them.
2. Find the Best Method of Delivery
New information is conveyed through several different delivery mediums, including visual, tactile and auditory. While most children have two or three ways to absorb and process new information, autistic children are usually confined to one. Teach new material while using different forms of delivery in order to include all of your students. Include pictograms and pie charts in addition to teaching listening skills, and use tactile methods for teaching if you can think of a way to make them fit into the lesson plan.
3. Eliminate Distractions
Autistic children become easily distracted. Illuminate the class with natural light as much as possible, since autistic children can be distracted by a fluorescent light flickering. Set up partitions or use curtains to hide bookshelves, toys and television materials. Your classroom should have a muted color scheme in beige or off-white and should not be decorated with posters, bulletin boards and other items that could distract a student's fragile attention. Autistic children also are susceptible to auditory distractions. Select a room with deep carpeting and acoustical tiles to dull any outside sounds. If your classroom has a P.A. speaker, mute it or turn it off to prevent interruptions.
