| When designing a plan for teaching a child | | | | Repetition and constant praise were the key. |
| with Autism, it is important to implement a lot of | | | | Repetition in academic areas is also important |
| trial and error along with observation. Each child | | | | for a lot of children with Autism. File folder |
| is different. You want to approach education | | | | activities or shoe box activities, is a great site |
| from the direction of the child's strengths. | | | | for these types of activities. |
| Always set up a situation for success. I have | | | | |
| found that repetition is great for my son when | | | | My son hates repetition with his |
| learning fine motor skills such as, writing, dressing, | | | | academic work. Although his fine motor skills |
| and bathing. These are areas that he has the | | | | are below his age, his intellect is far above. My |
| most trouble in. Breaking down each task to | | | | son communicates by using a computer and |
| the smallest action has been best for him. I | | | | keyboard. He is just now learning how to write. |
| would demonstrate the first thing he needed to | | | | It is important that he continues his repetition |
| do, and work with him until he was able to | | | | work with his writing, but when it comes to doing |
| accomplish it. I only step in and help when I | | | | school work, he does that on the computer. |
| see that he is getting extremely frustrated and is | | | | His teacher and I also allow him to go at his |
| about to give up. Remember, I want him to | | | | pace, fast, and we both are constantly introducing |
| succeed. This helps build his self confidence. | | | | new concepts and knowledge to hold his |
| | | | | interest. One thing we learned quickly through |
| Teaching him to put his socks on by himself | | | | observation and trial and error, is that if my son is |
| was extremely hard. I had to use hand over | | | | bored, he won't do anything. |
| hand to get him to place his fingers in the right | | | | |
| place to stretch the sock. Then I had to teach | | | | An important point that I would like to |
| him how to bend his knee and bring his foot up to | | | | make in this article, is that you have to be |
| his reach. After that, it was helping him put the | | | | adaptable. Do not let one area in the child's |
| sock on his foot. Most of us put our socks on, | | | | development hold up another. My son can not |
| and don't even think about the coordination it | | | | write yet, but that doesn't mean he can not do |
| takes to do so. For a child who has motor | | | | school work. Always keep an open mind. |
| planning difficulties, learning to put his socks on | | | | What works for one child might not work for |
| independently is a huge accomplishment. | | | | another. |