On our Student Free Day this term we were fortunate to have Erica Handley, Autism SA Consultant, on site to present information to staff to help us develop strategies that address the needs of our students who are on the autism spectrum. We also welcomed staff from other sites who took up the invitation to engage in our professional development.

We looked at the complexity of students on the spectrum and identified a range of strengths typical of these students including: a good rote memory, visual-spatial abilities, honesty, an intense focus on an area of interest, preference for routines, logical thought processes and often, a good sense of humour. We discussed other commonalities including heightened anxiety and the need for direct instruction around social communication and social interaction. Common concerns with students on the spectrum may include: a delay in spoken language, problems reading non-verbal communication, sharing of interests, initiating social interaction, developing and maintaining relationships, understanding emotions in self and others, adjusting behaviour to suit different social contexts and Theory of Mind.

Erica also shared information on how behaviours may manifest in a school setting with some students having difficulty with: seeing the ‘big picture’, knowing the relevant detail in each learning area, organising and sequencing information and reading in context. This enabled conversations around the impacts for us and our students in specific learning areas.

Another important area of discussion revolved around sensory processing patterns. We looked at the sensory threshold of students and how this may impact in the classroom, enabling us to consider the implications for some students in specific areas of the school.

Students on the spectrum can find it difficult to self-regulate so during our afternoon session we considered tools and strategies to use in a secondary setting. This included the use of the 5 point scale, already being used by many students, along with calming strategies and useful fidget toys.

We also offered a free session for parents after hours to provide an opportunity for our community to know of the training undertaken by staff and to offer some strategies, information and access to resources. Erica covered some very useful topics including:

• School-family partnership
• Information gathering
• Supporting your child at home with regard to routines and organisation.

The session also enabled parents to talk to each other about common concerns and to discuss their students’ learning in a casual but informative environment. We would like to thank those parents who took up this opportunity.

Future directions: We have already purchased some resources and have a range of other tools on order to hopefully assist us in supporting our students with ASD. We are also holding discussions about potential areas that may provide sensory support and a safe ‘time out’ space for students who would benefit from this. I will be working with SSOs early next term to develop resource kits for every teacher to provide useful strategies and reminders of ways to support our students with specific learning needs.

If you would like further information, please contact me at the school.

Danielle Weeks – Student Support Coordinator