Autisme

Table of contents: 1) Interviews
a. Introduction
b. Interview Mr. Hartman
c. Interview Mrs. Scholten d. Interview Mrs. van Gog (Special Needs education) e. Interview Mrs. Van Gog (Parents) i. Conclusion
2) Handbook for teachers
a. Handbook for teachers
b. “Oh my, there is an alien in my class!” c. “I don’t see anything special about this student…” i. Structure
ii. Clarity iii. Verbal contact
iv. Non-verbal contact

v. Physical contact
vi. Visual support
vii. The student’s well being
1. Seclusion a. No, b. Test
3) Enclosure
a. Interview Mr. Hartman (Dutch) b. Interview Mrs. Scholten (Dutch) c. Interview Marion van Gog (Special –Education, Dutch) d. Interview Marion van Gog (Parents, Dutch) e. Test Results Introduction: My purpose with these interviews is finding out how schools deal with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, what the problems are, how these are (attempted to be) solved, and why special needs schools are able to offer these students more than regular schools do. Using interviews rather than literature research brings to light the actual situation in schools. Moreover, I prefer personal contact to books. I hope I will find the answers to these important questions, though I already have an idea how the people I will interview will respond to the questions I am about to ask them. After being done with the interviews, I will form a conclusion with the information I gained, adding, of course, a sprinkle of my own knowledge and experience with autistic people. I hope it will not be to tiring to read, and most of all, I hope this will be useful, and that it will be a big help in changing the situation at schools as it is now. I hope that one day, autistic students will be considered “normal”, and that the teachers will handle them as they should, without having to put much effort in it, for then they will be “normal”. Interview Mr. Hartman: 1) How many autistic students attend this school, what percentage of the students is autistic? There are three students who have been diagnosed with Autism, and there are about 10 students from whom we deeply suspect that they have autism or something autism-related. About 2 to 3 percent of the students are autistic. 2) Are autistic students allowed in this school without any trouble at all, or is there some sort of selection? In case of selection, what is the reason? Whether these students are allowed or not depends on the intensity of their handicapAutism. If a student is mildly Autistic, s/he shouldn't have much trouble keeping up at school. But if a student's autism is more intense, this might be a problem. Another element that is important in the question of allowing an autistic student or not, is how the students in question deal with their handicap themselves. Same goes for the parents and teachers. So, allowing an autistic student or not depends on many aspects. 3) Does it happen that either the parents or the autistic students ask for special facilities? In case of a "yes", what facilities are spoken of? No, because the school can't offer any help or facilities. 4) Does the school offer facilities? ibid. 5) Does the school truly carry out the facilities in question? If yes, how is the progress, and in what way are the facilities in question being used? ibid. 6) Does the school make use of external help? If yes, what external help? Yes, the school makes use of a psychologist, Compulsory education, Top project and the police. 7) Does the school have a special autism team? No, there isn't one. 8) Is there a regular approach for the autistic students? No, there isn't a regular approach. The approach depends on the student. 9) Is there one specific contact for the autistic students? Except for the mentor, there isn't one. 10) Does this school offer enough structure, predictability, clarity and individual attention for autistic students? If yes, how does this school achieve this? If no, what elements are troublesome and why? No, the school doesn't. There is a shortage of teachers, and a lack of quiet, order and structure. 11) How do teachers deal with autistic students? If positive, how does this school achieve this? If negative, what is the reason? It depends, one teacher is prepared to take the time to provide the autistic student with some extra attention, and to create more clarity for them by, for example, instead of saying "Your homework is....", saying; " Open your dairies and write down your homework...your homework is....", There are also teachers who think the autistic students "just have to pretend to be normal". Unfortunately there aren't many teachers who fit into the first group, but luckily there aren't many teachers who fit into the second group. What some teachers do very well is being aware of and careful with using metaphorical language. By doing this, a lot of misunderstandings can be prevented. 12) Have the teachers received information about Autistic Spectrum Disorder? If yes, does it work? If no, what is the reason? Yes, we provide them with a lot of information. We do this for the teachers who are going to teach an autistic student. 13) Is the information specifically aimed at the student in question, or is the information aimed at autism in general? The information is mostly aimed at the student in question, with of course some information about autism in general. 14) How do classmates and fellow students deal with autistic students? How come? That depends on the student. One student understands and respects it, another doesn't. Mostly it is age that causes the most trouble. Usually when they are younger it's all new and odd for them and the autistic students are being teased and bullied a lot. But when they turn older, it is not odd anymore, and the teasing slowly disappears. 15) What is the role of the teacher in this matter? The teacher’s role is to prevent fights, and to guide the students. Unfortunately, the teachers are too dedicated to their subject, and are not open for the social aspects of working at a school

16) Do these facilities, measures etc. truly help? There are no facilities, but these measures can help an autistic student, but most of these depend on the teachers
17) In your opinion, what should or could be changed or improved with regard to the information, dealing with, and the facilities for autistic students? First of all, there should be more structure, order and quiet, the teachers should be approached more, and they should be more understanding. Second of all, there should be fewer changes in the timetable, one teacher should teach more subjects, and there should be one specific contact for the autistic students. Interview Mrs. Scholten. The reason behind this interview is the experience that mrs. Scholten has accumulated at the College Hageveld in the school years of 2001 to 2005. 1) How many autistical students are there at this school? Of the 1200 students, I know of six that they have a certain form of autism (Asperger) . 2) Are autistic children always allowed into this school, or does selection of students take place? In regular secondary schools, it is not allowed to refuse students who have been advised to follow the type of education that your school offers. As a school, you may advise them to make a different choice, but you can’t refuse them. If a student performs inadequately, you can advise him to make a different choice in a slightly stronger way, but every student has the right to fail once. 3) Do the parents or the autistic students themselves request special services for these autistic students? Yes, but it’s very difficult for normal schools to comply, because they receive no budget for that. 4) What kind of services? Extra help with studying (how do I structure my school work?) Extra social/emotional support (how do I tell someone what I think?) A contact person who keeps track of the student’s progress, is also the contact person for the parents, and possibly provides personal aid for the student (so this would be more than a regular mentor can offer) . 5) Does the College Hageveld offer these services? No, or very little (there is no available budget) . There is a first year mentor who is willing to be more involved with the problem and to take more time with the parents, and there is a short after-school session fairly regularly about the way autistic children experience things. 6) How are these services put into practice? The mentor in question keeps regular contact with the autistic students’ families, keeps his collegues informed about the situation of each student, and has extra contact with the students to make sure that, for example, their agendas and study planning are correct. She also pays attention to social/emotional signals (bullying, aggression) 7) Does the school get outside help? Not really, most of the help is simply outside its budget. Sometimes a short after school information session, where possible and where needed. And,usually through parents, contact with the student’s counsellor. Is there a special team for autists in this school? No, except for the slightly specialised first year mentor. 8) Is there a standard approach for autists in his school? That’s hard to say, because every student has different problems and therefore needs another approach. 9) Is there a specific contact person for autists in this school? Their own mentor. 10) Does Hageveld provide enough structure, predictability and clarity for the autistic students and do they get enough individual attention? The school tries, but does not always succeed, because it has no specialised personnel for that purpose, and there is no budget to train someone from this school. 11) How could this be attained, in you opinion? Every school should be able to train someone from within their own team to implement plans of approach and treatment in the team. 12) How do teachers treat autists? Generally reasonably well, but you often see that people have a warped image of autism. Autistic children are often considered “sad” and therefore treated too childishly (pat him on the head and he’ll be fine) . Or sometimes, when an autistic child appears very “professor-like,” they are treated in a too adult fashion. Teachers also often lack the time or patience to re-explain something calmly. 13) Are teachers informed about autism? Does that work? The teachers who get an autistic student in one of their classes, yes. Informing people is good, but it has its limits. One cant expect a teacher to know exactly what to do after receiving a bit of information. Therefore the mentor is important, he must keep pointing out that this student is different and requires a specific approach. Not every teacher is willing to accept that equally fast. 14) How do fellow students treat autistic classmates? Why? At first, they have to get used to them, and autists are often teased or bullied. Help from teachers is very important here; if the pupil agrees, it’s a good move to inform the class about the situation as çompletely as possible, without becoming too personal. Sometimes a classmate is willing to be a sort of “buddy” for the autist, helping them with their agenda, during group assignments, etc. 15) What role does a teacher fulfill in this? Preferably a supportive one. He tries to raise understanding among the classmates, and is the contact person when fights and quarrels occur. Sometimes a more steering approach is needed, when problems threaten to get out of hand, i.e. bullying, or when the student reacts very differently to stimulation from fellow students from what the fellow students expect (exploding, walking away, hitting) . 16) Do these services etc. really help the autistic students? In regular secondary schools, who don’t receive financing for it, the result is very much dependent on the teachers. Unfortunately, a student needs to be lucky with the guidance he or she receives. 17) What could or should be improved or changed, in your opinion, with regard to information about, behaviour towards and services for autistic students? I believe that the government could do much more in keeping teachers informed. Even more important is that schools receive financing to train teachers within their own team so that they can help students who need more attention. Interview Marion van Gog (Special Education) . 1) How many autistic students attend this school, what percentage of the students is autistic? At least 20 students are autistic, about 25 percent of all students (or more) . 2) Are the autistic children divided over several classes, or are there specific classes for the students in question? These autistic children are in different classes; the classes consist of children of the same age. 3) Does every autistic student have a personal specific contact? Every student has contact with their own teacher, many of them have contact with the speech therapist, psychologist and other people working in the school; the school recently started offering more care for (autistic) children, that is my job. 4) What is the most import thing an autistic student needs at school? Every autistic person needs to know what to expect, so I would say: Structure. 5) Does this school offer that important element? How is that achieved? Yes, every class has their own programme of subjects; this programme is written out on large sheets of paper, visible to everyone; the students know what they will do on which day and for how long. 6) Does this school make use of special facilities? Yes, we do. 7) What facilities? A speech therapist, psychologist, artistic therapist, physiotherapist and a teacher specialised in helping autistic children. 8) In what way are these facilities being used, with what purpose? How is the progress? Purpose of these facilities is, to help the student feel safe and comfortable at school, to come to their full potential; we want our students to get as far as possible, to give them the ability to use everything they have and can. 9) Is there a regular approach for autistic students? No, unfortunately there is not; many of my colleagues forget the fact that autistic children do no understand the same things other students do understand; verbal language is most of the time a difficult subject for an autistic child, and it would be nice if people would keep that in mind. 10) Is this approach identical to the ones at other special need schools? I am afraid other special need schools have the same problems we do, special need schools are specialised in learning disabilities, not in autism or other disorders like that. 11) What do special needs schools offer that can't be offered by regular schools? Why is that? Special needs schools have small classrooms, at about 15 children in a classroom; apart from that, the lessons in the school are at a lower speed, there is knowledge about all kinds of learning disabilities (and possible solutions) , much more structure, lessons about how to behave, and all kind of available help outside school are within easy reach. 12) Are there any facilities that are only used at special needs schools? I think the facilities that are used in our school are specific for special needs schools, many different people, each from his or her own profession, monitor the child throughout its schoolcareer, offering help where needed (but, in my opinion, not enough and not specialised enough) . Interview Marion van Gog (Parents) 1) How many autistic children do you have? I have 2 autistic sons. 2) On how many schools did they attend? The eldest son attended 5 different schools, the youngest only 2. 3) What type of schools are/where they? Did you choose these schools with purpose? To start with the youngest, he attended a medical day-care centre for 3 years, then went on at a school for special needs education, now for the fourth year; the eldest son started at the same medical day-care (2 years) , a special nursery school (1 year) , a school for special needs education (1 year) , regular school (5 years) and he is now attending secondary education at the Linnaeus College (3rd year, 2 Havo) . Raising autistic children means there is not much to choose when it comes to schools; the eldest son was behaving well enough to leave the school for special needs education; motivation of that school: he behaves well, and we can’t cure him from autism, so he may just as well attend a regular school when it comes to intelligence. Unfortunately, regular schools are not very keen on admitting an autistic child to their schools, motivation: we don’t know how to deal with autism, we are not prepared and don’t have the knowledge or time to help the child if necessary. 4) If yes, what is your motivation? The eldest son is attending the Linnaeus College for 4 reasons: his sister already attended the Linnaeus College, the school is very close to our house, there are not many students and the main reason: I already knew some people in the Linnaeus College and started conversations about this son while he was still attending group 7 of the regular school, until he was finally admitted. 5) What was the main difference for you, between regular and special needs education? According to you, what is the reason? Differences are: much more children in one classroom in regular schools, less structure in regular schools and no, or little, support from other disciplines (like psychologist, speech therapist, …) . The reason is money, special needs education is much more expensive. 6) Do you think that which is being offered at special needs schools could also be offered at regular schools? Why do you think so? I know that it is not possible for regular schools to provide for the same care as special needs school do, since regular schools do not have the same financial possibilities. 7) What do you prefer, regular or special needs education? Why is that? When it comes to autistic children, most of the time they are better off in special needs education, since they need more care; they need structure and a quiet surrounding, which most of the time is impossible in regular education. 8) What is the main problem you had to deal with, having an autistic child at a regular school? How come? Main problem was the fact that nobody knew what to think of or how to deal with my son; he appeared to be a quiet person, did not show any behavioral problems at school, was quite an easy student; he never acted out at school, always at home. He was not a problem to the teachers, so they did not change their attitude towards him (one teacher did acknowledge the problem, she changed her attitude and tried to understand him and his needs) . I had a very hard time trying to explain the problems my son endured daily, and received very little understanding or co-operation. 9) What is the main problem you had to deal with, having an autistic child at a special needs school? How come? The youngest son still is attending a special needs school; he has severe problems when it comes to normal behaviour, he is a very complicated person with acting-out behaviour; the main problem with this son is that he has a very high I.Q., at the age of nearly 10 years old he had already finished almost all subjects (not just at special needs school level, also at regular education level!) ; he is an exception to all the other children, there is a lot of knowledge about autism in this school, but no experience with a child with such a high I.Q. 10) With what problems did you have to deal with enrolling your child? I think I answered this question in some of the answers above. 11) Have you ever had financial problems due to having an autistic child who attends school? How come? No. Parents don’t have to pay for the special needs of their children. 12) Are there any problems that come up frequently or continuously; no matter what school your child attends? No matter what school a child attends, the child and the parents totally depend on the teacher of the child. 13) In your opinion, does the school offer enough help towards the parents? When it comes to helping parents, the answer is easy: No, schools do not help parents, even worse, they most of the time do not help the children enough. It is about time schools realize there is a problem with the child, too often the problem is seen as a problem of the parent. 14) In your opinion, what should be improved as we speak of education? Since I have 2 autistic sons with a normal to very high I.Q., I think it would be nice if there would be a secondary school at a high level for children with special needs, such as autism. Conclusion: I conclude that one of the biggest problems at regular schools is money. They do not receive a sufficient amount of money from the government to provide their special students with, for example, special training, smaller classes, one specific contact person, etc. Another problem is the teacher’s behaviour towards the student with Autism spectrum disorder. There are a number of teachers who are not willing to give any extra attention, care and clarity to these students. They are not open to what these students need. Even after having received information about autism and the student him/herself. Fortunately, there are teachers who are open to these students, but do not know how to handle them. For example, patting them on their head, this is a well-meant gesture, but it can be very uncomfortable for an autistic student, for some of them do not want (physical) contact. Another example, treating them as the most important student in the class, this is well-meaning too; this student needs extra attention, but not in the way of being treated like a VIP. Most of them absolutely do not want to be the centre of attention, on the contrary; they want to be “unnoticed”. Other problems are: a lack of structure, clarity, visual support, internal help (guidance, training, monitoring) , empathizing with the student etc. For the teachers the problems are: not being open to/aware of the student’s needs, to suggestions (from, for example, the coordinator, other teachers, students, parents) , thinking they handle the autistic student perfectly but in fact not treating them as perfectly as they had in their minds (though they try very hard) . One of the most important differences between regular and special needs schools is, besides money, the structure they offer their students. Having structure in the class can prevent a lot of troublesome situations, confusion and misunderstandings for both the teachers and the students. Another important element that can be found in special needs schools is smaller classes, and the number of facilities offered, such as a speech-therapist, artistic therapist, physiotherapist, etc. However, special needs schools receive more support from the government, financially, than regular schools. Therefore, it’s not or hardly possible for regular schools to supply the students with the same care, possibilities and facilities as special needs schools do. They do not receive as much money, therefore are obliged to have bigger classes, fewer teachers, and fewer facilities. Another problem, that goes for both types of schools, but especially for regular schools: providing everyone (school staff, parents, student) with enough information. Teachers often do not have a clue what to expect from this “difficult and odd student”.Possibly the information they have received is correct, but the student behaves differently from they had imagined. This way, the teachers’ plan of “ how to treat the student” does not work anymore. At least, so it would seem… An autistic student might have trouble adapting to the situation. It is possible that a silent and perfect student turns rebellious in class, or that a rebellious student turns into “the perfect student”. Some teachers will think: “Oh, he is adapting, well that should be all right, he/she behaves well in class, so why would I change my attitude towards him or her?” It is understandable, I must say, but that doesn’t mean it is right to no longer pay attention to the student. The fact that he/she seems to do very well in class doesn’t necessarily mean this is true. In this situation, I believe, it is wise to have a conversation with the parents, talking about how the student behaves, if this is “normal, and how to handle this situation. And last but not least, I believe there is a lack of communication, which is a very important element. There should be more contact between the teachers and the parents and the teachers and the student. This way, it would be a lot easier to keep track of the student and his/her progress in school. And it would become easier to find out what hardships the student has to go through and what the student requires to climb obstacles. For the teachers it would become easier to know how to act, when to act, and when to leave well enough alone. A student’s progress depends in large part on how s/he is treated and guided by the school staff, and on how much effort is put into the well-being of their special, difficult but interesting student(s) .
Handbook for teachers I wrote this handbook for the sole purpose of helping and guiding teachers who have a student with Autism Spectrum disorder in their class. I would first note that this is NOT per definition useful for any autistic student, for not one single autistic student is identical to another. Therefore I would suggest to examine the student first, gain information by reading the personal reports and invite the student his parents for a conversation. Then, this handbook might be useful, but I repeat: Not every measure written in this handbook is useful for the autistic student in your class. Every autistic student is different, for they all have different personalities. Like your “normal” students, everyone requires a different approach, measures and care. For example, one student loves attention, another trembles by the thought of being the centre of attention. So be cautious, I would suggest not to read and blindly do what is written here. Always question yourself: Does this help the student – me – the classmates? If the answer is yes (after thinking about it thoroughly) I would suggest trying it out. I truly wish you will enjoy reading this handbook, and I hope it will help you as far as it is possible. Of course, autistic students can be difficult, but if you put some effort in them, you will enjoy them. With Regards, Samira Ragab. Oh my, there is an alien in my class! Most people never heard of autism. There are who HAVE heard of it, but have a really odd impression of autistic people (Flapping their hands as if they are birds, rocking back and forth, not responding as if they are deaf, staring into the nothing with a dumb looking grimace etc.) , and of course there are a few who DO know what it is, because they have had one in their class, in their family/friends etc. So in other words, there are three profiles/groups: 1) The not knowing. 2) The ones who think they know, but really don’t (mostly have a blurred or even negative image of autistic people, and don’t have an idea what they are talking about) . a. Have seen an autistic person (once!) . b. Have heard something from mouth-to-mouth. c. Have heard something on the radio/television. d. Have read something in a book/internet/newspaper. 3) The ones who DO know what they are talking about (Mostly more positive about autistic people, mostly underline that not one autistic person is identical to another, etc.) a. Have an autistic child
b. Have done a study with autism as an important element (social work, psychology, etc.) c. Have (had) an autistic student in their class. d. Have and autistic family member (that doesn’t include second grade cousins etc.!) , for example: a brother. If you hear someone talking about an autistic person, don’t follow blindly what he or she says, first try to find out in which profile that person fits (the second or the third profile) . That is crucial for filtering the information entering your brain. A lot of the things you hear are plain rubbish, told by a person who was trying to be interesting. Most of the times those are the people who describe autistic people as “aliens”. But they always forget that, even though they are a bit different, they ARE human, with human thoughts, feelings, capabilities, wishes, desires, dreams and needs. In the “profile section”, there is an obvious difference between the second and the last profile: their opinion. The reason for this odd appearance is, that one of the two groups has experiences with autistic persons, and the other groups hasn’t. The opinion of the second group is based on gossip, wrong information, not understanding, imagination, and the not-knowing-what-it-really-is (which frightens a lot of people, unknowing walks hand in hand with fear) , which will end as a blurry and/or negative image. While the other group, the third groups, has the straight opposite opinion. It is not odd (anymore) , they know what it is, might have good experience (My experiences are that autistic persons can be extremely funny!) etc. Please be cautious, and filter the information you receive. In case of uncertainty, please consult a book (internet is not always trustworthy!) if possible, or consult an expert. If neither of these options are possible, thrust your instinct, do NOT handle the autistic student with the information you received from the “best friend- of- my uncle’s nephew’s- classmate’s – mother- who – had the information from the Internet” or anything like that. Handle with care. “I don’t see anything special about this student…” It happens a lot that teachers think there is nothing “wrong” with the student. Well, that is true. There is nothing wrong; he or she is just a bit different. And it’s not like it is written on their forehead that they are autistic (you can tell if someone has the down-syndrome, that doesn’t go for autistic people) . It is not their appearance that differs, but their behaviour, they way they deal with situations, the way they respond, the way they (mis) interpret etc. What do these students require/What are the problem area’s ? Most of the things they need/have difficulties with are things that other students need/have difficulties with too, but in a more intensive way. To show you what is needed for an autistic student to function well, and what the difficulties are; I made a step-by-step plan, consisting of 7 steps. Each step explains the situation, consequences and tips. 1) Structure. a. Have a routine: i. Monday: ii. Tuesday: iii. Etc. Always make sure your planning stays the same, for example: Monday we will do Grammar, Tuesday Speaking exercises (If necessary, use time: On Monday we will start with Grammar at 10 o’clock) . This way, nothing is unexpected, there are no misunderstandings, and no confusing. They absolutely don’t like any changes whatsoever. b. Everyone has a stationary seat/place in the class. Don’t let everyone just sit where they want to sit, this can be very confusing for an autistic student (“I am supposed to sit here, but Susan is already sitting here.) . This may result in: Just standing still, not knowing what to do, completely panicking or becoming furious and attacking other students. To prevent this, let everyone have a stationary place in class during the whole year. c. Let everyone know exactly where to put his or her belongings. For example: The coats should hang outside the classroom on the hook with your name on it, the bags have to be placed next to your table (left/right) , your pencil has to lye on the right end of your table, next to the crayon etc. If you do have to change anything (you have to go to the dentist, there is no grammar that day) , explain them carefully, and let them know as soon as possible (“Usually we discuss grammar on Monday, unfortunately, next Monday there will be no grammar, because I have to go to the dentist, but the Monday after that we will have grammar again, as usual, if necessary repeat it) . 2) Clarity a. Metaphorical language. i. Try to avoid using metaphorical language. This is confusion for most autistic people, they hear literally what you say, and don’t know that it is not literary what you mean, and this may result in odd situations. b. Let them know what is allowed and what is not, and what the consequences are. c. Let them know what they are supposed to do. (“When I am writing on the blackboard, and tell the whole class to take notes, you are supposed to pick up your pen and your notebook, and write down exactly what I write on the blackboard”) d. Tell them exactly what you want them to do. Instead of saying “The homework is..” it is better to say: “ Pick up your diary and write down for Friday that exercise 20 and 21 should be finished”. Otherwise they will just write it down, without knowing why and not knowing that they are supposed to do homework. e. Write the planning down on the blackboard (See structure section) . Or write it down on a piece of paper and give it to the student. Example: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8.30: Enter the class. Sit down on your seat. Put your pen, exercise book and handbook on the table. 10.10: Enter the class. Sit down on your seat. Put your pen, exercise book and handbook on the table. 8.30: Enter the class. Sit down on your seat. Put your pen, exercise book and handbook on the table. 8.30: Enter the class. Sit down on your seat. Put your pen, exercise book and handbook on the table. 8.30: Enter the class. Sit down on your seat. Put your pen, exercise book and handbook on the table. 8.40: Correct the exercises with the teacher. 10.20: Correct the exercises with the teacher. 8.40: Correct the exercises with the teacher. 8.40: Correct the exercises with the teacher. 8.40: Correct the exercises with the teacher. 9.00: Speaking exercises. 10.40: Grammar exercises. 9.00: Speaking exercises. 9.00: Listening exercises. 9.00: Writing exercises. 9.15: Write down the homework.Start with putting the books and pen back in the bag. 10.55: Write down the homework.Start with putting the books and pen back in the bag. 9.15: Write down the homework.Start with putting the books and pen back in the bag. 9.15: Write down the homework.Start with putting the books and pen back in the bag. 9.15: Write down the homework.Start with putting the books and pen back in the bag. 9.20: Wait for the bell to ring.Go to the next subject when the bell rings 11.00: Wait for the bell to ring.Go to the next subject when the bell rings 9.20: Wait for the bell to ring.Go to the next subject when the bell rings 9.20: Wait for the bell to ring.Go to the next subject when the bell rings 9.20: Wait for the bell to ring. Go to the next subject when the bell rings 3) Verbal contact. a. A lot of autistic students absolutely don’t want to be the centre of attention (Look how well Josh is progressing with his story!) . So a well meant gesture can be taken differently. Sometimes it is better to leave the student alone, and handle when needed. b. If you are speaking towards the class, it might happen that the autistic student doesn’t listen. He has not heard his name, therefore he doesn’t have to listen. In fact, he might not hear it at all, that you are talking. There are a few things you can do: “ Winston and the rest of the class, I have an announcement to make”, or first talk in general, en then talk to the autistic person. c. Verbal contact can be very difficult for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, that doesn’t only goes for the contact between the teachers and the student, but also for the student and the other students. They might be a bit clumsy when it comes to social skills. They do/might not know how to deal with situations such as jokes (They don’t accept it when someone makes a joke about them, but do not know they can hurt other’s feelings as well when they are making jokes about others) , fights (“it’s not their fault”) , having a conversation (laughs when it is not meant to be funny, blabbers something out, hurt other’s feelings without knowing, not responding, breaking in the conversation, start a new topic when others are completely focused on the topic they are discussing now, making faces, etc.) . The student his behaviour is usually considered as odd, unusual and sometimes even crazy by his fellow students. This makes having social interaction even harder. Keep in mind that, even though they hurt someone by saying something wrong, it is not meant that way. It was just another attempt in having verbal contact. Being a teacher, there is not much you can do about it. All you can do is, if you have the permission to, tell the class why he acts different, and try to make them more understanding. d. See Metaphoric language section. e. Most have some difficulties with noticing, for example: Raising your voice because you are angry. They have no idea that you are angry, all they can hear is that you speak up. Mostly they don’t recognize sarcasm either. So perhaps it is better to say you are angry instead of raising your voice, this way, the autistic student knows how you feel, and doesn’t have to search for an explanation for why you are speaking up. 4) Non-Verbal contact. a. Most autistic people are not “capable” of noticing non-verbal responses such as raising your eyebrow, yawning, sighing, nodding. So if you truly want the student to , for example, stop talking: Just say it, making clear what you want using body language doesn’t work (for most of the autistic persons) , then you should make use of clear verbal contact. b. A lot of autistic students have a bit of trouble with making themselves clear by using body language. Some of them even can’t. It is easy to recognize who can and who can’t. The ones who can, well that would be obvious: Examine them and see how their expression changes when you talk etc. The ones who can’t will either stare at you without any expression or sign that they are listening, or continuously say: Yes (I hear/understand you) . This may be a bit frustrating at first (It might feel as if he is making fun of you, but really, he is not!) , but it is well meant. This person has learned that if someone talks to you, you should respond, and if you can’t, let the person know you are listening/give feedback. In other words: There are three groups. i. The better socially-developed group: Has no or few problems with (non-verbal) communication. Responds with facial expressions (frowning, smiling, yawning, looking away etc.) . ii. The less socially-developed group: 1. The “zombie” group: Seems as if they ignore you, or just stare at you without saying a word or wearing any expression at all. Does not respond properly. 2. The “over-feedback” group: It seems as if they do anything to make you as frustrated as possible, by responding every time a word slips out your mouth. 5) Physical contact. a. It is better not to touch an autistic student. Small gestures of proud ness like patting them on their head and shoulder might give YOU a good feeling, but might be horrible for the autistic student. A lot of autistic students are hyper sensitive. This means that a gentile pat on the shoulder can feel like being hit. They will think they are being punished, instead of praised. b. Some autistic people are keen on touching others (for example: touching noses) , but are not so keen on being touched themselves. Please keep in mind that whatever an autistic person does (touching, making jokes etc.) , isn’t per definition allowed to do to them or at them. 6) Visual support a. Sometimes visual support can be a huge relief. It makes things more clear for autistic students (Example: Instead of just writing down what the planning is for that day, make pictures of the things you are planning to do) . Sometimes words are not enough (student still does not know what to do), to gain control of that situation I would suggest to make use of pictures or as a lot of people call them: Picto’s. This can prevent a student from panicking or not working. Example: You can either create the picto’s yourself, or if you are not that creative, search for them on the internet, just make sure they are clear enough for the student. 7) The student’s well being. a. It is very important to keep contact with the parents on a regular base, they can provide you of information about the student, and tips of how to handle that student in different situations, and give explanations for situations that occur in the class (such as fights, different behaviour, not paying attention) etc. b. Another important element is keeping track of his progress In school: i. Is he paying attention? ii. Does he really learn from things at school? iii. Does he understand everything? 1. How to deal with a dairy? 2. How to deal with his timetable? 3. Instructions given by the teacher? 4. That he has to go to his next class when the bell rings? iv. How does he handle unexpected scenario’s? 1. Does he adept to that situation? 2. Panic? 3. Wait for instructions? 4. Doesn’t do anything at all? 5. Becomes grumpy/angry? v. Does he make his homework? vi. How is the relationship between him and his classmates? 1. Does he have friends? 2. IS there any contact? a. Is this students ignored by his classmates? b. Does he ignores them? 3. Fights? vii. How are his grades? viii. Is he active in class? ix. Comments by your colleges and the student’s parents. Please be aware of the fact that autistic people are splendid in copying other people, so always question yourself if he does that because he knows he should, or does he do that because someone else in his class did that? Seclusion. I hope this handbook was useful for both you and the student. It was fun for me to write, though sometimes hard due to my enthusiasm to write a hundred pages about autism. Another reason for me to make the writing of this handbook a little bit more difficult is that I am not a native speaker of English. I also had the urge to put a lot of examples in this handbook, for I am literally “brought up with autism” (two autistic brothers, babysitting autistic children, guiding them (school and social skills) , being an au-pair on vacation) , therefore experienced a lot (I have laughed my lungs out at some moments!) , and have a lot of examples popping up by the written of each subject. I hope I am able to change the opinions of certain teachers, and that they will become more open for autism, through spreading this handbook worldwide. If there are certain things that are still difficult to understand, or not detailed enough, I would refer you to: - Books about autism. - Search on the internet (I completely agree with Lorna Wing’s theory, so I would suggest looking for it) - Contact an expert. This handbook is based on (as I said earlier) my personal experiences and the results of my interviews. Therefore it is not completely “water-proof”. I would like to thank: me, my experience, my knowledge, my mother (Mrs. van Gog) , my teacher (Mrs. Scholten) , the coordinator (Mr. Hartman) , Lorna Wing’s brilliant theory, my partner in crime (Tamara Theil) , my brothers, and all the other autistic children I know. With Regards, Samira Ragab.
No, I can’t help it. I just have to bother you some more. Here are some additional hints and tips: 1. Write down everything you know about the autistic students (and I mean EVERYthing!) . From the way how he laugh to the way he rests his head on his hand, from the way he walks in to the way he walks out etc. This way, you will get to know this person better. Example (I am so sorry, I just HAVE to put another example in it!) : If you keep an eye on him and you see something go wrong (starting to get frustrated) , and you have written it all down (the progress from happy to furious) , it will be a lot easier to prevent it the next time you see something that reminds you from the last time. Everything becomes a lot more clear when you rite everything down (mind the body language!) . 2. Inform the whole staff about the autistic student. Because what will happen if someone he doesn’t know suddenly starts talking to him? He might panic, ignore it, become angry, run away etc. And what if you are absent? What if one of your colleges takes over your classes? How will the student respond to such a change? Therefore it can always come in handy for another teacher to know what to do and what NOT to do. This can prevent a lot of trouble, and I mean A LOT (student sits home, absolutely not willing to go to school, it is scary now, Mrs… is not here, I can’t go to … when Mrs… is not there) . 3. Let another student be his “buddy”. This buddy can help the autistic student with his dairy, group assignments etc. This “buddy” can also provide you of a lot of very important information (“He told me that when… He doesn’t know what to do when… He is afraid of… etc.) . All right, now I am done, well, almost. Usually I am finished when I say I am. Thus, this time, I am a bit teasing. I hope you liked reading my handbook. Surely I liked it. My last attempt to bother you: Surprise! Please turn the page. Test: Test: What have you learned from my handbook? Don’t cheat (don’t read the handbook while doing this test) ! Ok, here we go: 1) What is important for a person with autism Spectrum Disorder? Structure or Clarity? a. Structure. b. Clarity. c. Both of them. 2) Most autistic persons don’t like physical contact, why? a. They are sensitive. b. They like verbal contact so much, they don’t want anything to replace that. c. They are allergic to other people. 3) Metaphorical language: a. Is excellent for autistic students, they love to find out what it really means. b. It is ok, nothing usual… c. No! Don’t you dare using metaphorical language anywhere near him. 4) Which kind of information is trustworthy? The information from: a. The neighbours. b. The internet ( national autism society) c. The book ( once upon a time…) . 5) Why is it important to keep contact with the student’s parents. a. To know if he makes his homework! b. To know how he thinks about you… c. To know how the student is progressing. Already done? Gosh, You work fast! To see the results, I would refer you to the enclosure section. A good result? Splendid! I am very proud of you. Now, It is time to say goodbye (honestly) . I would like to thank you for reading my handbook. I bid you all farewell, and wish you good luck on your journey. Greetings, Ps: And remember, deep in our hearts we just LOVE autistic people! Samira Ragab . Interview Mr. Hartman (Dutch) . 1) Hoeveel autistische leerlingen zijn er op deze school, hoeveel procent van de leerlingen is autistisch? Er zijn 3 leerlingen daadwerkelijk "bestempeld" met autisme, en er zijn ongeveer 10 leerlingen waarvan sterk vermoed wordt dat zij ofwel autisme hebben ofwel een aanverwant van autisme hebben. Ongeveer 2 á 3 procent van de leerlingen is autistisch. 2) Worden deze leerlingen zonder meer toegelaten op deze school, of is er sprake van een selectie? Indien selectie, wat is de reden hiervan. Of deze leerlingen toegelaten worden licht aan de mate waarin zij autistisch zijn. Indien een leerling licht autistisch is, kan het gewoon meedraaien op school. Maar indien het een zwaardere vorm van autisme is licht dat lastiger. Ook word er naar gekeken hoe een leerling zelf met zijn of haar handicap omgaat, ditzelfde geld voor de ouders en leerkrachten. Het toelaten van een autistische leerlingen hangt dus van verschillende aspecten af. 3) Worden er door ofwel de ouders ofwel de autistische leerlingen om speciale voorzieningen gevraagd die nodig zijn voor deze autistische leerlingen?Zo ja, welke voorzieningen zijn dat? Nee, omdat deze school dat niet kan bieden. 4) Worden er voorzieningen geboden door de school? Idem. 5) Worden deze voorzieningen ook daadwerkelijk in de praktijk gebracht door de school? Idem
6) Zo ja, hoe verloopt dat, en op welke manier worden deze voorzieningen gebruikt? Idem
7) Maakt de school gebruik van hulp van buitenaf? Waar maakt de school gebruik van? Ja, de school maakt onder andere gebruik van een psychologe, Leerplicht, Topproject en de politie. 8) Is er een speciaal autistenteam op deze school? Nee, die is er niet. 9) Is er een vaste aanpak voor autisten op deze school? Nee, geen vaste aanpak, er wordt hier specifiek naar de desbetreffende leerling gekeken. 10) Is er een specifieke contactpersoon voor autisten op school? Nee, er is niet één persoon aangesteld als contact persoon voor autisten, wel is er voor alle leerlingen een mentor die als contactpersoon fungeert. 11) Biedt deze school genoeg structuur, voorspelbaarheid, duidelijkheid en individuele aandacht naar de autisten toe? Zo ja, op welke manier wordt dit bereikt. Zo nee, op welke manier zou dit volgens u bereikt kunnen worden? Nee dat bied de school niet, er is namelijk een tekort aan leraren, rust, orde, regelmaat. 12) Hoe gaan de leerkrachten met autisten om? Indien positief, op welke manier werd/word dit bereikt. Indien negatief, waar ligt dit aan. Dit verschilt per leraar. De een is wel bereid om extra aandacht te schenken aan deze leerlingen, en wat meer duidelijkheid te creëren door bijvoorbeeld niet te zeggen: " het huiswerk is...", maar," pak je agenda en schrijf het huiswerk op, het huiswerk voor maandag is....". Er zijn ook leraren die van mening zijn dat ze maar "gewoon" moeten doen. Helaas zijn er weinig leraren die in de eerste categorie horen, maar gelukkig vallen niet alle leraren in de laatste categorie. Wat een aantal leraren ook goed doen is het letten op beeldspraak, hierdoor voorkom je veel misverstanden. 13) Wordt er voorlichting gegeven over autisme aan het team ? Ja, er wordt voorlichting gegeven aan de leraren die deze leerling les gaan geven. 14) Is de informatie in de voorlichting heel specifiek gericht op de desbetreffende leerling, of is de informatie meer bedoeld voor autisme in het algemeen? De informatie is gericht op de leerling zelf, met natuurlijk wat uitleg over wat autisme precies inhoudt. 15) Hoe gaan medeleerlingen om met autistische klasgenoten? Hoe komt dat. Dat verschilt per leerling, de een heeft daar begrip en respect voor, de ander niet. Vaak ligt het ook aan de leeftijd. Vaak als de ze wat jonger zijn is het allemaal vreemd en worden de autistische leerlingen gepest of geplaagd, dit veranderd als ze wat ouder worden, dan is het niet meer "vreemd". 16) Welke rol speelt een leerkracht hierin? De leraar hoort ruzies te voorkomen, en de leerlingen te begeleiden. Helaas gebeurt dit vaak niet omdat de docenten te vakgericht zijn. 17) Helpen deze voorzieningen, maatregelen e.d de autist werkelijk? Er zijn geen voorzieningen, maar de maatregelen kunnen de autist wel helpen, maar veel hiervan hangt af van de docenten zelf. 18) Wat zou er volgens U nog verbeterd of veranderd moeten of kunnen worden, wat betreft de informatie over, de omgang met en de voorzieningen voor autistische leerlinge
Ten eerste zou er meer structuur, orde en rust moeten zijn, de docenten zouden wat meer aangesproken moeten worden, en ze moeten er wat meer begrip voor moeten hebben. Verder moeten er minder roosterwijzigingen komen, dat er één docent is die meer vakken doceert, en er zou één aanspreekpunt moeten zijn. Interview Mrs. Scholten (Dutch) . Dit interview is afgenomen naar aanleiding van ervaringen opgedaan op College Hageveld van schooljaar 2001 t/m 2005. 1) Hoeveel autistische leerlingen zijn er op deze school, hoeveel procent van de leerlingen is autistisch? Op een populatie van rond de 1200 leerlingen weet ik van 6 leerlingen dat zij een gediagnosticeerde vorm van autisme hebben (Asperger’s). 2) Worden deze leerlingen zonder meer toegelaten op deze school, of is er sprake van een selectie? Indien selectie, wat is de reden hiervan? In het regulier middelbaar onderwijs kun je een leerling die een positief advies voor het geboden schooltype heeft in principe niet weigeren. Je kunt een leerling als school alleen adviseren een andere keuze te maken. Bij onvoldoende resultaten kun je wel dringender advies geven, maar een leerling mag in principe 1 keer blijven zitten. 3) Worden er door ofwel de ouders ofwel de autistische leerlingen om speciale voorzieningen gevraagd die nodig zijn voor deze autistische leerlingen? Ja, alleen is het voor reguliere scholen heel moeilijk om daaraan tegemoet te komen, omdat zij geen budget krijgen voor intensievere begeleiding. 4) Zo ja, welke voorzieningen zijn dat? Extra studievaardigheden hulp (“hoe breng ik structuur aan in mijn schoolwerk”) . Extra sociaal-emotionele begeleiding (“hoe vertel ik iemand wat ik denk”) . Een aanspreekpersoon die de vooruitgang van de leerling met extra zorg en aandacht volgt, en die ook aanspreekpunt is voor de ouders, en eventueel de hulpverlening (meer dus dan de reguliere mentor kan bieden) . 5) Worden er voorzieningen geboden door de school? Niet of nauwelijks (er is geen budget) . Wel is een mentor brugklas bereid gevonden zich wat verder in de problematiek te verdiepen en extra overleg met de ouders te hebben, en wordt met enige regelmaat een korte nascholing geboden over de belevingswereld van jongeren met een autistiforme aandoening. 7) Worden deze voorzieningen ook daadwerkelijk in de praktijk gebracht door de school? Zie boven. 8) Zo ja, hoe verloopt dat, en op welke manier worden deze voorzieningen gebruikt? De betrokken mentor heeft regelmatig overleg met het thuisfront, houdt collega’s zoveel mogelijk op de hoogte van wat er speelt, en onderhoudt extra contact met de leerling, om te zorgen dat bijvoorbeeld, de agenda en studieplanning kloppen. Ook op sociaal-emotioneel gebied let zij op signalen (pesten, agressie) . 9) Maakt de school gebruik van hulp van buitenaf? Waar maakt de school gebruik van? Niet intensief (budget) . Af en toe korte nascholing met informatie, waar mogelijk en nodig, meestal via de ouders, contact met de hulpverlening. 10) Is er een speciaal autistenteam op deze school? Buiten een lichtgespecialiseerde brugklasmentor, nee. 11) Is er een vaste aanpak voor autisten op deze school? Moeilijk te beantwoorden, aangezien elke leerling tegen andere problemen aanloopt en een andere ‘aanpak’ vereist. 12) Is er een specifieke contactpersoon voor autisten op school? De eigen mentor. 13) Biedt deze school genoeg structuur, voorspelbaarheid, duidelijkheid en individuele aandacht naar de autisten toe? Zo ja, op welke manier wordt dit bereikt. Zo nee, op welke manier zou dit volgens u bereikt kunnen worden? De school doet een poging, maar zal daar niet altijd in slagen, omdat er geen gespecialiseerd personeel is, en er geen budget is om intern iemand een opleiding te laten doen. Om goed in te kunnen spelen op deze heel specifieke problematiek zou elke school iemand van binnen het eigen team moeten kunnen opleiden om behandelplannen of plannen van aanpak in het hele team te implementeren. 14) Hoe gaan de leerkrachten met autisten om? Indien positief, op welke manier werd/word dit bereikt. Indien negatief, waar ligt dit aan. Over het algemeen redelijk, maar je merkt vaak dat men een raar beeld heeft van wat autisme en aanverwante stoornissen inhouden. Leerlingen worden vaak sneu gevonden en daardoor snel te kinderlijk behandeld (aai over de bol en het gaat wel weer) . In andere gevallen, waarbij een leerling bijvoorbeeld heel ‘professorachtig’ overkomt (persevererend taalgebruik, stokpaardjes) worden ze soms juist te volwassen benaderd. Docenten ontbreekt het ook vaak aan tijd of geduld om structuren nog eens rustig uiteen te zetten. 15) Wordt er voorlichting gegeven over autisme aan het team ? Zo ja, werkt dit? Zo nee, wat is hier de reden van? Ja, aan de docenten die een leerling met een vorm van autisme in hun klas krijgen. Voorlichting is goed, maar heeft zijn beperkingen: je kunt niet van docenten verwachten dat zij na een korte informatiebijeenkomst precies weten wat er van hun verwacht wordt. Veel komt dan ook op de schouders van de mentor neer: je moet mensen erop blijven wijzen dat deze leerling anders is en een eigen aanpak behoeft. Dat is een boodschap die niet elke docent in het middelbaar onderwijs wil aannemen. 16) Hoe gaan medeleerlingen om met autistische klasgenoten? Hoe komt dat? In het begin moeten ze erg wennen, en wordt er vaak geplaagd of gepest. Ook hier hangt weer veel van de begeleiding af: als de leerling het zelf goed vindt, is het verstandig om de klas zo goed mogelijk in te lichten over de situatie, zonder heel persoonlijk te worden. Soms lukt het om in de eigen klas een medeleerling bereid te vinden als buddy te fungeren, en dus te helpen met het bijhouden van de agenda, en steun te bieden bij groepsopdrachten, enzovoorts. 17) Welke rol speelt een leerkracht hierin? Liefst ondersteunend, probeert begrip op te wekken en vast te houden bij klasgenoten, is aanspreekpunt bij ruzies of problemen. Soms is een meer sturende aanpak nodig, als problemen uit de hand dreigen te lopen, bij pesten, of als de leerling heel anders reageert op prikkels van medeleerlingen dan deze verwachten (ontploffen, weglopen, slaan) . 18) Helpen deze voorzieningen, maatregelen e.d de autist werkelijk? In de niet-gebudgetteerde praktijk van de gewone middelbare school, is het resultaat heel docentafhankelijk. Helaas is het zo dat een leerling met een autistiforme stoornis mazzel moet hebben met de begeleiding die hij/zij treft. 19) Wat zou er volgens U nog verbeterd of veranderd moeten of kunnen worden, wat betreft de informatie over, de omgang met en de voorzieningen voor autistische leerlingen. Ik denk dat de overheid veel meer kan doen op het gebied van voorlichting aan docenten. Nog veel belangrijker is het dat er budget wordt gecreëerd waarmee scholen binnen hun eigen team mensen kunnen opleiden en vrijmaken om leerlingen die extra aandacht behoeven te kunnen helpen. Interview Marion van Gog (Special Education-Dutch) . 1) Hoeveel autistische leerlingen zijn er op deze school, hoeveel procent van de leerlingen is autistisch? Op z’n minst zijn er 20 leerlingen autistisch, dat is ongeveer zo’n 25 procent.van alle leerlingen. 2) Zitten de autisten verdeeld over allerlei klassen of is er een of meer aparte autisten groepen? De autisten zitten verdeeld over verschillende klassen. Deze klassen bestaan uit leeftijdsgenoten. 3) Heeft iedere autisten een specifiek contactpersoon? Elke leerling heeft contact met de eigen leraar, veel van hen hebben contact met de logopediste, psychologe en andere mensen die op school werken, de school is net begonnen met het bieden van meer zorg naar autistische leerlingen toe, dat is mijn werk. 4) Wat is het belangrijkste wat een autist nodig heeft in het onderwijs? Elk autistisch persoon moet weten wat hij/zij kan verwachten, dus ik zou zeggen: Structuur. 5) Bied deze school dat? Op welke manier wordt dit bereikt? Ja, elke klas heeft zijn eigen vakkenprogramma, dit programma staat opgeschreven op grote stukken papier zodat iedereen het kan zien. De leerlingen weten wat ze gaan doen op welke dag en hoelang. 6) Maakt de school gebruik van speciale voorzieningen? Welke zijn dit. Ja. Een logopediste, psychologe, creatief therapeut, fysiotherapeut en een leraar die gespecialiseerd is in het helpen van autistische kinderen. 7) Op welke manier worden deze voorzieningen gebruikt, en met welk doel? Hoe verloopt dit? Het doel van deze voorzieningen is : het helpen van het kind om zich veilig en comfortabel te voelen op school, het einde van hun kunnen te bereiken, we willen dat de leerlingen zo ver mogelijk kunnen gaan, om ze de mogelijkheid te geven om alles te gebruiken wat ze hebben en kunnen. 8) Is er een vaste aanpak op deze school. Nee, jammer genoeg niet, veel van mijn collega’s vergeten dat autistische kinderen niet dezelfde dingen begrijpen die anderen leerlingen wel begrijpen; verbale communicatie is vaak een lastig aspect voor een autistisch kind. En het zou mooi zijn als mensen dat niet vergeten. 9) Is deze aanpak op elke speciale school hetzelfde? Ik ben bang dat andere speciale scholen dezelfde problemen hebben als wij, speciale scholen zijn gespecialiseerd in leerproblemen, niet in autisme of andere stoornissen

10) Wat bieden speciale scholen dat door het reguliere onderwijs niet geboden kan worden. Hoe komt dit? Speciale scholen hebben kleine klassen, ongeveer 15 kinderen per klas, verder zijn de lessen op een lager tempo, er is kennis over verschillende leerproblemen (en mogelijke oplossingen) , veel meer structuur, lessen over hoe je je moet gedragen, en connecties met buitenschoolse hulp. 11) Zijn er voorzieningen die alleen gebruikt worden op speciale scholen? Ik denk dat de voorzieningen die gebruikt worden op onze school specifiek voor speciale scholen zijn, veel verschillende mensen, met elk hun eigen beroep, volgen het kind door de school, hulp biedend wanneer nodig (maar in mijn mening, niet genoeg en niet genoeg gespecialiseerd) . Interview Marion van Gog (Parents-Dutch) 1) Hoeveel autistische kinderen heeft u? Ik heb twee autistische zonen. 2) Op hoeveel scholen hebben zij gezeten? De oudste zoon zat op 5 verschillende scholen, de jongste maar op twee scholen. 3) Welk soort scholen waren dit? Heeft u bewust voor deze scholen gekozen? Allereerst de jongste, hij zat 3 jaar lang op een medisch kinderdagverblijf, daarna ging hij door naar een speciale school, hij zit daar nu voor het 4e jaar. De oudste begon op hetzelfde medisch kinderdagverblijf (2 jaar), een speciaal kinderdagverblijf (1 jaar), een speciale school (1 jaar), regulier onderwijs (5 jaar), en nu zit hij op een middelbare school, het Linnaeus college (3e jaar, 2 Havo). Het hebben van autistische kinderen, houdt in dat je weinig te kiezen heb als het gaat om scholen. De oudste school gedroeg zich goed genoeg om van de speciale school af te gaan en naar het reguliere onderwijs te kunnen gaan. Motivatie van de school: Hij gedraagt zich goed, en we kunnen hem niet van autisme genezen, daarom kan hij net zo goed naar het reguliere onderwijs gaan, als het gaat om intelligentie. Maar reguliere scholen vinden het niet leuk om autistische leerlingen toe te laten op hun school, motivatie: We weten niet hoe we met autisme om moeten gaan, we zijn niet voorbereid, we hebben niet de kennis en de tijd om het kind te helpen indien nodig. 4) Zo ja, met welk motief? Mijn oudste zoon zit op het Linnaeus college om vier redenen: Zijn zus zat al op die school, het is dicht bij ons huis, er zitten weinig leerlingen op die school. En de hoofdreden: Ik kende al wat mensen op het Linnaeus college, en begon wat gesprekken over mijn zoon, toen hij nog in groep 7 zat, net zolang tot hij werd aangenomen
5) Wat was voor u het grootste verschil tussen het reguliere en het speciale onderwijs? Waar komt dat volgens u door? De verschillen zijn: Er zitten meer kinderen in een klas op het reguliere onderwijs, minder structuur en andere disciplines (zoals psychologen, logopedisten). De reden is geld, speciale scholen zijn veel duurder. 6) Bent u van mening dat hetgeen dat geboden werd op een speciale school ook mogelijk is op een reguliere school? Wat is hier de reden van? Het is niet mogelijk voor reguliere scholen om de leerlingen te kunnen voorzien van de zelfde zorg, zoals op speciale scholen, omdat zij niet dezelfde financiële mogelijkheden hebben. 7) Waar bent u meer tevreden over; het speciale of het reguliere onderwijs? Wat is hier de reden van? Als het gaat om autistische kinderen, zijn ze vaak beter af in het speciale onderwijs, omdat ze meer zorg, structuur en een rustige omgeving nodig hebben, wat vaak onmogelijk is in het reguliere onderwijs. 8) Wat was het grootste probleem van het hebben van een autistisch kind op een reguliere school? Waardoor kwam dit? Het grootste probleem was het feit, dat niemand wist wat hij/zij moest denken of hoe ze met mijn zoon om moesten gaan, hij was een rustig persoon, toonde geen gedragsproblemen op school, was een vrij makkelijke leerling, hij misdroeg zich nooit, hij liet zich altijd thuis uit. Hij was geen probleem voor de leraren, dus veranderden zij niet van houding (een lerares erkende het probleem, en veranderde van houding om hem en zijn behoeften te begrijpen. 9) Wat was het grootste probleem van het hebben van een autistisch kind op een speciale school? Waardoor kwam dit? De jongste zoon zit nog steeds op een speciale school, hij heeft ernstige problemen als het gaat om normaal gedrag, hij is een lastig persoon met misdragend gedrag, het grootste probleem is dat hij een heel hoog IQ heeft, hij heeft op bijna 10-jarige leeftijd bijna al zijn vakken al gedaan (niet alleen op speciaal onderwijs niveau, maar ook op regulier niveau!), hij is een uitzondering bij alle leerlingen, er is veel kennis over autisme op deze school, maar geen ervaring met een kind met zo’n hoog I.Q. 10) Op welke problemen stuitte u bij het inschrijven van een autistisch kind? Waarom is dit? Deze vraag heb ik al bij de bovenstaande vragen beantwoord. 11) Heeft u op financieel gebied ooit problemen gehad met betrekking tot het hebben van een autistisch kind in het onderwijs. Hoe kwam dat? Nee. Ouders hoeven niet te betalen voor de speciale zorg voor hun kinderen. 12) Zijn er problemen die zich vaak of continu blijven voordoen, op welk type school dan ook? Welke zijn dit? Het maakt niet uit op welke school je het kind zet, zowel het kind als de ouders zijn volkomen afhankelijk van de leraar van het kind. 13) Word er naar uw mening door de scholen genoeg hulp geboden naar de ouders toe? Zo ja, op welke manier? Zo nee, wat zou de school dan volgens u moeten doen? Als het gaat om de hulp naar ouders toe, is het antwoord simpel: Nee, scholen helpen de ouders niet, erger nog, vaak helpen ze de kinderen niet genoeg. Het wordt tijd dat de scholen beseffen dat er een probleem is met het kind, vaak word dat probleem gezien als het probleem van de ouders. 14) Wat vind u dat er verbeterd zou moeten worden binnen de scholen? Aangezien ik twee autistische kinderen heb met een normaal tot hoog IQ, zou het leuk zijn als er middelbare scholen zouden zijn op een hoog niveau voor kinderen met speciale behoeften, zoals autisten. The test results 1. a) 0
b) 0
c) 5
2. a) 5
b) 0
c) 0
3. a) 0
b) 2
c) 5
4. a) 0
b) 5
c) 0
5. a) 2
b) 0
c) 5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-12 Points: What?!? Have you actually READ my handbook? I would suggest reading it again! After you have done that, try the test once more! Pfff… 13-25 Points: I told you, my handbook is great! Very good, I am proud of you! Now, you are ready to face the most fascinating part of your life: Dealing with Autistic students. Congratulations!