Autism is a wide-spreading developmental condition that affects the neurological and social capacity of an individual. Teaching autistic children requires much of your time so you need to have patience. Many autistic children do not attend public schools because more often than not, the public school’s teaching methods do not meet the autistic child’s needs. Keep in mind that children with autism often require the repetition and structure.
As always, it is a good idea to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to determine your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The IEP will describe the objectives, strategies, and tasks that your child will receive based on what they need. Ensure that your child’s IEP is updated frequently to ensure your child’s steady progress. Parents must attend regular meetings with teachers to discuss the experience and progress of their child.
When teaching the child, always adapt the lesson plans for the child. Each student progresses at their own pace so it is best that you do not rush the learning process. Doing so, will only confuse the child. If you are teaching him mathematical concepts, use concrete objects to increase the child’s interest and to allow him to understand the concepts better. Objects such as beads and coins will help him visualize the concept that you are trying to teach him.
You can also include sports and games as part of the mathematics education. As keeping the child’s attention can be difficult, introducing mathematical concepts with a favorite activity of the child can help keep him interested. Try teaching the calculation using the backboard in a sports game, or sing and dance to the rhythm of the multiplication facts times at home.
You can also provide the child with some equations that he can work on. Give him a piece of paper with plenty of room to write and to determine the answer. It is important that you do not overload the student with a paper full of equations. Use only a minimum number of equations per page. This way, he will not feel overwhelmed.
Keep in mind that teaching math skills to autistic children is beneficial for their growth, confidence and independence.
