1. Be Visual
Autistic children respond more quickly to visual cues than to written instructions. When you teach an autistic child how to develop problem-solving skills, you may want to use diagrams, flash cards or other visual medium to show the child the step-by-step process used to solve problems. If you need to use verbal methods to instruct a child with autism, emphasize nouns. Most autistic children instantly link a noun to a visual image.
2. Keep it Simple When Using Verbal Instructions
Children with autism think in pictures, not words. While many autistic children can solve a problem that requires two or three steps, they need assistance when instructions become more complex. If a particular problem involves several steps, you may want to encourage the child to write instructions down and keep them around as a handy reference. Remember, most autistic children will become confused if you use more than three sentences to explain a problem solving technique.
3. Use the Child's Existing Interests to Solve Problems
Most autistic children are fixated on particular subjects. If your child with autism is interested in planes, dinosaurs or horses, then implement these subjects into the problem-solving lessons. For instance, if you are trying to teach an autistic child basic mathematic skills such as addition or subtraction, formulate the equations by using planes, dinosaurs or horses instead of abstract numbers.
4. Throw out Your Pencils and Grab a Keyboard
If a child with autism has difficulty with using a pencil and paper to solve problems, allow them to work out the same problems on a computer keyboard. Many autistic children struggle with handwriting, and find it much easier to think and solve problems while typing out the answers.
5. Look Them in the eye
Autistic children tend to absorb instructions much more easily when you maintain eye contact with them. Since they tend to focus on one thing at a time, eye contact ensures that they are not distracted by something else in the room. Generally, if you have the undivided attention of a child with autism, they will listen to your instructions.
