Creating an inclusive classroom to support autistic students benefits all students, but it requires planning. You must manage the environment, provide resources, and create an atmosphere to support relationships among students. The key to success is to provide appropriate support for these students while respecting their needs.
Get started by creating an inclusive classroom.
Developing an Inclusive Classroom
Research shows that fostering inclusivity in the classroom provides better outcomes for autistic students, including improved academics and more promising social development. It can also help build community among all your students.
To support your autistic students, you must accommodate their preferred learning styles and integrate them with the styles of other students. This will naturally pose several challenges, particularly in schools where support staff and adaptive learning materials are in short supply.
Some steps you can take to help your whole class include:
- Use educational materials from those with diverse backgrounds;
- Establish ground rules for safe and respectful communication in the classroom;
- Incorporate group activities that allow all your students to collaborate on a project.
While an autistic student might need additional resources, like a one-on-one support aide, alternative communication devices, or adapted lessons, they should still work on the same subjects as everyone else in the classroom. This allows students to collaborate together, even if your autistic students require more support.
You can also prepare your classroom to provide autistic students with more flexibility. Allocate different areas of your classroom for specific tasks, such as group discussions, a daily schedule chart, work areas, and a place for free time activities.
Many autistic students have sensory challenges, so keep distractions, like decorations, to a minimum. Avoid items with strong smells, like air fresheners or heavy perfumes. Finally, fluorescent lights often trigger discomfort. If possible, use soft lighting in your classroom instead.
You can even go one step further and create personalized workspaces for your autistic students. In addition to reducing distractions, a workstation tailored for the student can help inspire creativity, focus attention, and boost confidence and motivation. Provide seating options like a bean bag, exercise ball, or wobble cushion.
A table lamp helps students focus on the task at hand. Warm lighting provides a cozy atmosphere that may help them relax. Have noise-canceling headphones on hand, especially if your classroom is in a loud area.
If you have the space, create a separate sensory resource room where students can take a break. Fill it with sensory-friendly toys, fidgets, and a mini-trampoline. Keep the lighting dim.
Creating an atmosphere that fosters peace and well-being in your autistic students can help them feel more comfortable sharing and getting to know all the class members.
Supporting Relationships in Your Classroom
One of the best ways to foster relationships is by presuming competence in autistic students. Remember that just because they do not have the verbal capabilities of their peers does not mean they are not thoughtful and intelligent. They may not even be intellectually below grade level.
By presuming they are competent, you can build rapport with your autistic students who struggle to communicate. Speak to them in an age-appropriate voice rather than talking down to them or using a baby voice, and provide them a way to communicate more thoughts, opinions, and feelings, not just basic needs. Be sure to ask them if they need help rather than assuming they do. This will help them to participate in classroom discussions.
The other students in the class will see and emulate your respect for the differences among students, which can promote classroom friendships for autistic students. You can also educate your class about autism. Start by helping them find the commonalities between them and their autistic classmates.
Then, help them understand that autistic people may experience the world differently and that ordinary sights, tastes, sounds, and feelings can be overwhelming and frightening to them.
Conclusion
Creating an inclusive classroom is a worthy endeavor that benefits your whole class. With proper planning, you can create an atmosphere that helps autistic students learn, communicate, and build friendships, developing an atmosphere they can thrive in.
