Autism in a Child at School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Autism in a Child at School - Essay Example These children are often wrongly dismissed by many teachers in ordinary schools as having normal behavioural problems and are not given the special kind of treatment and education that they need. Instead, they are treated just like other kids in most schools leading to poor performance on their part. Many a times, private schools refuse to admit children with autism giving reason that they are ill equipped to deal with autism in the classroom. The handful of schools that admit these special needs children are very expensive and have a limited capacity, meaning they can only accept a limited number of children (Cowly, 2010). It is therefore the mandate of teachers in special needs education and parents with an autistic child to ensure that they acquire quality education and stand a fair chance at life after school, and this is the subject of this research paper. The research discusses in depth different aspects of autism in children in school and is divided into different sections for comprehensiveness. First, it discusses the legal definition of special education needs. The second section talks about the role of the learning support worker/ teaching assistant regarding supporting an autistic child in school. Third, Workplace behaviour policy and procedure in schools that will ensure creation of quality environment for supporting children with autism in schools is discussed. ... Special Education Needs Special Needs Education refers to the process of providing education to students with special needs in the best possible way that recognizes and addresses the individual needs and differences of the students. The achievement of the objectives of this delicate task requires planning of individual and carefully monitored teaching procedures, carefully designed teaching materials and equipment, well thought out settings and any other measures that will help children with special needs to achieve the required level of confidence and self esteem to succeed in school work (Haddon, 2004). There is general agreement between professionals and parents that it takes a lot of hard work to help children with autism get the best out of the classroom. This is because every child with an autism spectrum disorder is unique, with various characteristics and styles of learning. This therefore requires an education curriculum that is wide enough to accommodate the whole spectrum. Effort must therefore be made to create these conditions that are not available in ordinary classrooms. Students with ASD will benefit more in an environment with additional educational services like use of unconventional teaching methodologies; use of technology developed for their aid and auxiliary facilities such resource centers. These measures are what set special education apart from general education, which is the type of learning in education centers for normal children. Special education has in the past been used to refer to a special instruction set or approach meant to enhance the learning process of special need children who are slow learners. Children with autism have however shown a high level of intellectual giftedness that usually surpasses that of ordinary