Red Group Lisa Neal Literacy and Asperger's Syndrome

EDU 744

What do:

have in common? Give Up?

The brilliant minds behind these accomplishments,

Elvis Presley Jim Henson Albert Einstein Thomas Jefferson Bill Gates
all displayed characteristics associated with

Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome and its effects on literacy development.

Guiding Questions:
*How does Aspergers Syndrome affect a students literacy? *What are some techniques that educators can utilize to help these unique learners?

Thesis Statement:
Although children with Asperger's Syndrome have major hurdles to overcome, given an educational setting that caters to their needs, they are able to learn and be productive citizens in society.

What is Asperger's Syndrome?

Asperger's Syndrome is a high functioning form of Autism. It was officially deemed a diagnosed disorder in 1994 however, in 1944 Hans Asperger from Germany, perceived odd behaviors certain children displayed, and recognized the challenges they faced.

Challenges "Aspies" Face:

Difficulties with...
*Gross Motor skills which makes it hard for them to participate in sports. *Fine Motor skills which hinders their ability to write. *Understanding social cues such as how others around them are feeling and articulating how they are feeling. *Communication along with odd speech patterns. They do not understand sarcasm and jokes. *Change in routine can cause great anxiety and sometimes result in shutting down in class or throwing tantrums which often are severe. *Aversion to sensory stimuli such as touch, taste, and sound which makes it difficult in hallways or in classrooms where student discussions are prevalent. Even the "feel" of certain clothing can be troublesome. *Organizational Skills which makes it hard for them to keep track of tasks or homework, and interferes with managing certain assignments.

Although there are numerous challenges children with Asperger's face, it is imperative to remember that "each student is unique and has strengths upon which a teacher can build" (Mercer, 2009, p.18)

Asperger's Syndrome
How does this disorder affect literacy development? What can educators do to help these students be successful?

Literacy for students with AS

"...the general cognitive and language abilities of these students are comparable with most of their peers.." (Mercer, 2009, p.11). The challenges they face do not tend to be with the mechanics of reading or language, but rather with the abstract ideas involved. They struggle to grasp metaphors and make inferences.

The delayed motor skills make it difficult for "Aspies" to write. Although they may have interesting ideas, getting well structured thoughts down onto paper proves to be arduous, not only because of the physical demands, but also due to their lack of organizational skills and struggles to grasp abstract ideas.

Critical thinking is a struggle for these children

and as they grow, this becomes more apparent in their responses to social cues, as well as in their academics.

What are some strategies that work?

Visual Aides Manipulatives Music Rhythm and....

Drama and Theater

Dramatic activities are crucial to early literacy development because children can be involved in reading and writing as a holistic and meaningful communication process (Sun, 2003, p. 2).

Because children with Asperger's Syndrome "...often have difficulties in perceiving and understanding the overall context or 'main idea'" (Mercer, 2009), giving these students authentic learning experiences that provide a frame of reference will help them to be better able to grasp the material.

Theatrical Strategies that Work...

* Story reenactments

"foster children's sense of story structure..., which promotes their narrative competence" (Sun, 2003, p. 3).

Vocabulary Development through Drama...

Asking students to "act" out new vocabulary words creating a "memorable event" (Sun, 2003, p.4) helps students to retain the information and apply it in other situations.

Enhancing writing through Dramatic activities.... Asking students to "act" using characters from literature or from history is a great way for them to "view the story from the perspective of characters within the text" (Sun, 2003, p.4). As they write, they are able to draw on those experiences and make logical inferences about the characters.

"Becoming" the character helps students to identify on a much deeper level.

Even Bigger Benefits for Students with Asperger's Syndrome "It is critical to recognize that in order to achieve the best possible outcome in real-life social situations, people on the autism spectrum need to first practice social skills in controlled environments"(Davies, 2004, p.3). Having a classroom where peers are supportive and the teacher is aware of the specific challenges associated with AS will nurture these skills in a positive way.

Acting classes offer students opportunities to develop the skills they need for literacy development, as well as providing them with tools they can use to build meaningful relationships and become successful in life.

References
Asperger, H. (1944/1991). Autistic psychopathy in childhood. In U. Frith (Ed. & Trans.), Autism and Asperger syndrome (pp.37-92). Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press. (Original work published in 1944) Davies, A., McAfee, J. L., & Stamm, J. (2004). Teaching Asperger's students social skills through acting: all their world's a stage!. Arlington, Tex.: Future Horizons. Doell, C. (2011, January 1). The Expository Writing of C.F. Doell: Aspergers Syndrome and Literacy:. The Expository Writing of C.F. Doell. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://cfdoell.blogspot.com/2011/05/aspergerssyndrome-and-literacy.html Mercer, K. L. (2009). Understanding the literacy difficulties of students with Asperger's syndrome in middle years' classrooms. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years , 17(2), 11-21.

Sun, P. (2003, January 12). Using Drama and Theatre To Promote Literacy Development: Some Basic Classroom Applications. ERIC Digest. . ERICDigests.Org - Providing full-text access to ERIC Digests. Retrieved January
26, 2013, from http://www.ericdigests.org/2004-1/drama.htm