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Inside this issue
Autism expert calls for improved staff training
Countdown to South Africa
The 2010 World Cup kicks off in less than a month. This week, we look at how schools can use the event to help motivate students, and find out how football’s greatest competition can be used to develop links with schools across the globe
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by Bea Yeatman-Biggs
A leading expert on autism has said that mainstream schools should re-evaluate how they respond to children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to Mike Stanton,
a teacher at the George Hastwell School in Cumbria, which caters for children with severe learning difficul- ties, many schools often treat autism as a behavioural problem rather than a communication problem. Instead of viewing difficult
students’ actions as “challenging behaviour”, he encourages teachers to take a different attitude and con- sider what lies behind the situation. By trying to understand why
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the pupil is reacting in a certain way, Mr Stanton thinks that the problem of strained relationships between teachers and autistic chil- dren – sometimes caused when the child is asked to do something they do not want to – could be avoided. “There’s a thin line between
fight and flight in autistic children,” he said. Mr Stanton told us this “fine
balance” can be more sensitively addressed in the classroom by look- ing at two principal ASD issues: time and space. Unstructured time and social
interaction are difficult for autistic children, he says, but strategies can be implemented to make these eas- ier. For example, providing respite from the hustle and bustle of the school in the form of a quiet room, or structured, quiet activities such as playing chess. Beth Reid, policy manager
for the National Autistic Society, agrees that there are basic things that can be done, such as changing the ways in which autistic children are spoken to. For example, as people with
ASD can often take things literally, teachers can avoid using compli- cated, metaphorical language. She told us: “We can be more aware of the environment that they are sensitive to.” However, Mr Stanton feels that
beyond the school gates, services and provisions should be put in place to more effectively tackle bar- riers such as a lack of teacher train- ing, and the examination system. He said: “Mainstream schools
operate under the burden of Ofsted inspections and exams. To change this, schools should be able test competencies, instead of having to implement stressful exams.” Mr Stanton believes that the gov- ernment should do more to reward
New approach: ‘Structured, quiet activities’ can be used to provide autistic children with respite during the school day
Despite this, Mr Stanton says
schools that take on less-able chil- dren. He continues: “It is wrong that a school which takes children no one wants can be classed as a ‘failing school’.” Furthermore, Mr Stanton claims
that much of the research done into teaching autistic children is not get- ting through to educational estab- lishments because the researchers themselves are using the wrong tactics. “Teachers are bombarded by
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new initiatives and people telling them to change their approach,” he told us. “If the people doing the research could go into schools and find out what they need help with and what they can change, then that might work.”
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that things are gradually changing for the better, referring specifically to the Restorative Practices pro- gramme. Although not autism-spe- cific, the programme’s approach has been found to be highly effec- tive. Instead of attributing blame, it focuses on repairing relationships. By asking children questions like “what happened?” and “how did you feel?” a more co-operative response is elicited than if they feel accused. Training for the programme is
currently taking place in special needs schools across the country, and in some mainstream schools. However, a significant lack of awareness still exists about ASD.
Ms Reid continued: “I know
of schools that are doing excellent work but I still hear of establish- ments that don’t think autism exists and perceive it as naughtiness.” Mr Stanton added: “There is
still a huge amount of ignorance surrounding ASD and people often don’t take it seriously. “There is not enough respite
provided for autistic children, and not enough trained staff. Also, those who are trained are overworked.”
• Mike Stanton will be speaking at the Sixth National Autism Today conference, organised in association with SecEd. It takes place in London on July 12 and 13. Visit
www.mahealthcareevents.co.uk
Issue 249 • May 13 2010 Price £1.00
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