Chapter 3: Low-Incidence Disabilities

My only encounter with low-incidence disabilities was when I taught a student with autism.  This student was high-functioning and performed well in the classroom.  His greatest weakness was organization.  His desk was always a mess and he never had the materials he needed for the day.  To accommodate this problem, the resource teacher and I collaborated to develop a checklist of materials he needed for the day.  I laminated and posted the checklist on his desk and every morning he would come in and check off to make sure he had everything he needed for the day.  Social interaction was also difficult for him.  Many days he played just fine with the other kids.  Sometimes he would misinterpret social cues and get angry thinking other children were bullying him when they were not.

Helping this student with social interaction was probably the hardest part of teaching him.  How can I make him understand social cues that we developed at a very early age?  The other children were very good to not make fun and include him in social activities, but he still would have social miscommunications when working with others.  I would try to explain that the other kids were not picking on him, but he would remain angry and want to work independently.

If I could go back and teach this child again, I would work more on his social behaviors.  Although these occurrences were rare, when they did happen it practically ruined his day.  I think I allowed him to work independently too often, rather than pushing him a little to work with others and develop those social skills.  It's a delicate balance when working with autistic children, but it's worth it when you see how much they can grow.