BehaviorBrain Connections for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Behavior/Brain Connections for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder K. Mark Derby, Ph. D. Gonzaga University

Teaching Specific • I am going to focus on how it effects instruction and behavior management

Differences in the Brain • People with autism think and perceive differently because of differences in their brains: – The way they function (under and over conductivity) – The way they’re organized

Cognitive Differences • Severity 3: Often display similarity to students with developmental impairment. Primary difference is the ability to learn via imitation • Severity 2: Often have strengths in simple memory, elementary motor, visual perceptual. Deficits on overall verbal. • Severity 1: Borderline to gifted. Often see perceptual motor and memory deficits. Often a product of multiple step memory and work tasks.

Overall • Retention of simple information is in tact. • It is using that information to comprehend and therefore complete complex tasks is impaired – Multiple part tasks – process information when there are multiple senses are at play.

Deficits – Complex Motor Skills – Complex Memory – Complex Language – Concept Formation – Face Recognition

Complex Motor, Memory, Language Skills • Complex motor: Example: Tap your stomach with left have and tap fingers with right. Add some noise and it becomes harder.

Complex Memory • • Memory: Simple- Single digit. Complex- Digit and letter order. Add noise

Complex Language • Language skills Simple: Literal words Complex: Sarcasm, Passive/aggressive messages, bullying Add the additional demand of needing to reflect and explain.

Concept Formation • Defined as: The integration of prior information to generalize to new concepts Example: Doctor makes you better Doctor works at a hospital You go to the hospital to get better

Educational Effects • All academic subjects require the ability to make inferences. • A number of the questions on the state test in Washington require inferences • ACT, SAT, ……………. . • He knows the material, why is he not doing better.

Academic Examples Complex sentences • When there is a clause in a sentence, the brain must: – Process the meaning of the first part of the sentence – Hold it it in working memory – Process the meaning of the second part of the sentence, then – Process the first part in relation to the second part

Simple Accommodation • If you want the student to know the end then give them the answer. • No inferences needed for testing • Teach fact to fact. • Take notes. • Provided visual schedules…. .

What creates complex information • Amount: Reduce • Presentation: Everything is Where is Waldo • Multiple demands(time and amount): Select what is Important. • Added setting events that cause anxiety: Separate the setting event from the school. • Remember: Always allow social breaks as long as the work is done.

Memory • Can remember single bits of information • If the presentation is multiple step of multiple sense it is hard. The brain lights up or not at all. Simple: Lights up Complex: Lights up Normals: Brain lights up with complex only So we have no discrimination to learn complex.

Memory and concept formation • Provide rote memory • Visual presentation in chunks Pictures or words that represent complex thought. Helps to generalize and process but is must be taught. ` Doctor-feel better Feel Better- Hospital so Doctors work in the Hospital Typical kids the connection is made (Not ASD)

Alternatively • Must each all of the information as a chunk and do not expect the connection to take place. • The primary tenet of a democracy is that all persons have freedom of speech. to • Free Speech is Democracy (facts not assumptions) Will not be able to provide philosophical reason or comment.

Social Implications • Everything is Literal That think about this: Here we have a brain that does not work the same way is the typical student. A (The rule) + B (The situation that changes the rule) = C (Understanding differences decrease anxiety) Example: A (Rule, No Phones in class) + B (It is the last week of school)= Phones in class are OK OVERLOAD

Result (Increased stress) • So what can we do___________________.

Friendship Implications • Again the brain it simply acting up: A Rule (Friends are there for you) + B (Friend asks someone else to the movie because of a common interest in Steven King and you get scared)= We are still friends (Fill in the blank) Result: Increased isolation. You have to follow the rule of least pain.

How would you turn that around? • ______________________________________

How would you not? • Out of love we engage in permissive parenting and we get trained up. • RESULT: BAD, Slowly we allow for greater isolation, never want to upset

Bottom Line • • We are dealing with very busy brain. Need to relax that brain. Need to not overload with a lot of stimuli Provide advanced notice

Questions