Asperger's Inside out

1. Asperger’sUnderstanding a Misunderstood DisorderbyMr. Ryan McGibbon&Dr. Joyce McGibbonwebsite: www.myfriendryan.orgemail: myfriendryan.org@gmail.com

2. Asperger's Inside out

3. What is Asperger’s Syndrome? ?

4. Autism Spectrum A diagram representing the autism spectrum Asperger’s syndrome High functioning autism Autism

5. The effects of Asperger’s

6. Social Skills For children who have Asperger's, it is hard to make and keep friends. It is also hard to work and play with other people.

7. Social Skills Sometimes it can be good to stand out from the crowd.

8. Social Skills But sometimes you just want to fit in!

9. Social Skills • So what do poor social skills really mean to my everyday life? • Social outcast • Excluded • Lonely • Bullied • Few friends

10. Facial Expressions

11. Facial Expressions

12. Facial Expressions

13. Facial Expressions • So what does this mean to my everyday life? • I miss a lot of social cues that people use to understand how other people are feeling • Unaware when people lost interest • Unaware of peoples frustration • Unaware if people upset • It seems like I don’t care, but it’s just that I don’t recognize the signals!

14. Tones of voice Sarcasm Jokes Teasing

15. Tones of voice So what does this really mean to my everyday life? Anger Enemies

16. What does this mean in the classroom?

17. So, what does this mean in the classroom? AS students are often viewed as being Rude and disruptive Insensitive Time intensive Attention seeking All of these actions are explained by Asperger’s, but a few changes in your behavior can minimize the impact of their behavior on your class

18. Is the problem just Asperger’s? Asperger’s frequently goes hand in hand with other disorders • Sensory issues • Mood disorders • ADHD • Motor issues - Tourette's, tics, dysgraphia • OCD • Processing issues

19. Sensory Issues Be cognizant of sensory issues – very real issue often not taken seriously • Fluorescent lights • Labels in clothing • Sound sensitivity • Hypersensitive to smells. • Background noise All can lead to sensory overload which can lead to behavior problems

20. Mood disorders Children with Asperger’s frequently have mood disorders • Take phobias seriously • Anxiety common • Transitioning • Unexpected changes result in difficult behavior • Coach through difficult situations. • Never forget that this is the result of anxiety and fear of the unknown, not bad behavior • Do not try to reason with them during a meltdown. • Depression common due to social isolation • Fear is the main emotion in those with autism. • Be understanding of seemingly irrational fears!!!

21. Processing Issues Children with Asperger’s frequently have processing issues • Auditory processing • Think about bad cell phone connection! • Improve communication by having them watch your mouth

22. Processing Issues • Visual processing issues • Experiment with colored paper (especially pastels), glasses with colored lenses), baseball cap to block glare of overhead lights, natural light, etc. • Use laptop or tablet not desktop • i-pad for typing

23. So what does all this mean? Sensory disorders, mood disorders, focusing issues, and processing disorders all have to be overcome in order for learning to take place So, just how are you supposed to do that?????

24. How to help AS students succeed 1. Clearly explain your expectations • Explain yourself clearly. Be very specific • Avoid figurative language and sarcasm • Check in with your AS student as the class begins independent work to clarify that they understand your expectations

25. How to help AS students succeed 2. Multitasking is very challenging for AS students • Break down tasks into manageable steps • Provide written step-by-step directions or graphic organizers • Don’t ask them to listen and take notes • Provide class notes whenever possible.

26. How to help AS students succeed 3. Problems working with other people in the classroom • Assign partners or prearrange with sympathetic student • AS students seem bossy, they’re just trying to avoid unexpected changes • Model appropriate social interactions • Inform AS student if other kids are getting frustrated

27. How to help AS students succeed 4. Distractions • Students with AS very distractible • Have set routines especially for less structured times • Make necessary changes to avoid sensory issues causing a distraction • Is it always necessary to work as part of the group? • Secret signal to keep your AS student on task

28. How to help AS students succeed 5. Problems with homework • Students with AS are often exhausted by the end of the school day • Be prepared to modify written homework assignments if motor difficulties • Allow flexibility with homework assignments. • The skills the students master are what is important, the way in which they prove mastery can be flexible.

29. How to help AS students succeed 6. Beyond your classroom • Limited or no transfer of knowledge to new situations • Specifically teach same rules apply in other settings too • Share your successful strategies, consistency is key • Be patient! You may find yourself thinking, “I shouldn’t have to teach Johnny this at his age” Keep in mind that with Asperger's students, you dohave to teach them basic behavioral rules as they do not pick up on them naturally like other children

30. Routines

31. Personalized Rule Book

32. Alex Behavior Rules 1. I will be respectful to my teacher • Why: I should always treat others the way I want to be treated myself Reward: Earn stickers Consequence: One = Reminder plus apology Two = No sticker plus written apology Three = Call home If necessary add section giving examples of respectful behavior 2. I will accept responsibility if I do something wrong • Why: I am in control of me, no one else is Etc ……... 10 stickers = 5 minutes free time 20 stickers = prize box

34. What Can I Do to Help Myself • Anger ball Listen to Music • Deep breathing Doodles • Count backwards from 20 Imagery • Shapes Beary Notecards Anger Ball Squeeze your anger ball. If you squeeze your anger into your ball, it can’t come out of your mouth or fists Trace shapes Choose a shape from the booklet and trace the shapes with your fingers. Count Backwards from 20 Start at 20 and count backwards down to 1. If you still feel mad, start at 20 again but this time count backwards by 2’s Etc …..

35. Sometimes the crazy ideas are the best! Adult coloring Only calm can blow a bubble Calm down jar Soothe yourself with shaving foam (spelling words, math facts, or just to unwind) Music brain break Anger tornado Learn to juggle Stress Fidgets (from pool noodle)

36. How to help AS students succeed You are so much more than a teacher In addition to being a teacher, you are also a • Social Coach • Behavior Therapist • Mediator • Advocate • Beacon of Hope

37. Famous people suspected to have Asperger's • Fictional people who show some signs of Asperger Syndrome • Michael Scott (played by Steve Carel in The Office) • Temperance “Bones” Brennan (in Bones) • Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons in Big Bang Theory) • Mr. Bean (played by Rowan Atkinson) • Basil Fawlty (played by John Cleese in Faulty Towers) Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters) Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook founder) Bill Gates Michael Palin (Monty Python) Satoshi Tajiri (creator of Pokémon) Albert Einstein Isaac Newton Benjamin Franklin George Washington Abraham Lincoln Leonardo da Vinci Beethoven Elvis Shakespeare And Many More…

38. Can I tell you about Asperger Syndrome

39. If you would like to teach children in your class about Asperger’s and how they can help a student with AS to succeed, check out www.myfriendryan.org • There you will find an informative video for kids, and resources for teachers to build a supportive understanding community in their classroom.

41. Asperger’sUnderstanding a Misunderstood DisorderbyMr. Ryan McGibbon&Dr. Joyce McGibbon website: www.myfriendryan.orgemail: myfriendryan.org@gmail.com