The document provides guidance for teachers on understanding and assisting students with Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder affecting social skills, communication, and behaviors. It describes common signs of Asperger's including difficulties with social cues, communication, and sensory processing, and offers strategies for teachers to help students improve skills in these key areas through structured routines, clear explanations, social support, and accommodation of sensory sensitivities. Resources for further information on Asperger's syndrome are also listed.

1. Be
et ho
ven John Denver
Cha
rles
n Ay kroyd Dick
o ns on
Al Gore Da Jim
s Hin
a te son
il lG
B Charles Schulz
Albert Einstein
Ro
bin Bob Dylan
Wil
liam
s Thomas Edison
Emily Dickinson
Mark Twain

2. A Teacher’s Guide to
Asperger’s
Syndrome

3. What is Asperger’s Syndrome?
 An autism spectrum disorder that effects language and
communication skills
 Children with AS have trouble reading facial
expressions and peoples’ gestures
 They find it difficult to identify and express their
feelings
 They may also have a hard time connecting to other
people, such as classmates

4. Whom does
Asperger’s Syndrome affect?
 Over 400,000 families are affected by Asperger’s
Syndrome
 It is estimated that 1 out of every 88 children
will be diagnosed with the disorder
 Asperger’s Syndrome affects boys more often
than girls -1/54 boys 1/252 girls
 AS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 5
and 9 however early detection is the goal (age 2)

5. Common Signs of
Asperger’s Syndrome
 Peculiar mannerisms such as odd speech patterns
(they may sound like “little professors”)
 Few facial expressions and difficulty reading others’
body language
 Unusual sensitivity to light, sound, smell, taste & touch
 Obsessions with a single topic such as music, dinosaurs,
cars or the mechanics of a toaster
 A need for routines, rituals and consistency
(such as a familiar morning routine)
 Lack of “common sense” and an inability to identify
social cues

6. Don’t try this at home (or school)!
 Don’t use humor, sarcasm or idioms without
explaining what you mean
 Don’t ignore the student’s complaints, no matter
how menial they seem to you
 Don’t randomly change the child’s schedule,
routine or rituals without warning the child
 Don’t confront the child in a public setting
 Don’t ignore or minimize the signs and
symptoms … Ignoring negative behavior
doesn’t make it go away! It escalates the
situation.

7. How do I help my students?
There are 5 domains that need to be
addressed. They include
communication skills, social
interaction skills, sensory skills,
behavior skills and academic skills

8. Communication Skills
 What does the problem look like?
 Difficulty asking for help or figuring out what the
task entails
 Easily confused by complex directions
 Talking at the same time as others
 Making statements that seem “out of the blue”
 Saying things that seem disrespectful, inappropriate
or argumentative

9. Communication Skills
 How do I help?
 Break complex directions down into “smaller pieces”
 Repeat instructions, being careful not to rephrase
because the student may still be processing your first
set of instructions
 Make clear, precise statements
 Physically SHOW them where they are supposed to be
in their work or reading when they have “fazed out”
 Explain sarcasm, metaphors, and idioms as words with
a double meaning
 Help the student find a phrase or signal for when he or
she does not understand directions

10. Social Interaction Skills
 What does the problem look like?
 Inability to read facial cues or body language
 Unable pick up on verbal and non-verbal social cues
 Difficulty making small talk or conversation
 Trouble understanding emotions of themselves and
others
 Clumsy, not coordinated

11. Social Interaction Skills
 How do I help?
 Protect the student from bullying and teasing
 Pair the student with a buddy who can act as a
“social mentor”
 Know the difference when he is isolated by choice
and when he is isolated because peers won’t include
him
 Explain Asperger’s Syndrome to classmates
 Help the student understand the use of humor

12. Sensory Skills
 What does the problem look like?
 Increased sensitivity to sound, light, taste, touch and
smell (to the point of having a meltdown)
 A student with AS is prone to notice the tapping of a
pencil or the humming of the overhead fluorescent
light (IT WILL DRIVE THEM CRAZY)
 Sensitivities may make him anxious, stressed or
over-react
 Difficulty staying focused because of sensitivities
 The need to deal with the sensitivity quickly because
he may get overwhelmed and over-react

13. Sensory Skills
 How do I help?
 Predict sensory/environmental changes and make
the student aware of them before they occur, giving
him or her a chance to prepare and adjust
 Provide a personal, quiet space for the student to
relax and collect his or her thoughts
 Allow the student to have a calming item to use
when experiencing sensory issues (i.e. a stress ball,
worry rock, etc)

14. Behavior Skills
 What does the problem look like?
 Seemingly Egocentric
 Easily annoyed, agitated and impatient
 Tendency to state exactly what is on his mind
 Mood swings – withdrawn and unable to engage at
times, and hyper at other times
 A perfectionist – really hard on himself or others
when a mistake is made
 Inclination to get “stuck” thinking about a problem
or special interest

15. Behavior Skills
 How do I help?
 Model acceptance of the student for her peers
 Don’t take the student’s comments personally
 Use the student’s special interest to engage her in
conversation or class discussion
 Be consistent and clear in your expectations
 Teach the student replacement behaviors for when
she is frustrated, angry or anxious

16. Academic Skills
 What does the problem look like?
 Strong in concrete subjects such as math and
science, while weak in abstract areas such as
language arts
 Unable to find the “main idea”, because everything
or nothing is important to him
 Avoiding a certain subject he is uncomfortable with
or uncertain of
 Over-stimulated by lengthy activities

17. Academic Skills
 How do I help?
 Be calm, matter-of-fact and predictable when
teaching
 Give materials/directions orally and visually
 Use concrete examples when teaching
 Use predictable classroom routines, rules and
expectations
 Provide frequent, positive feedback

18. As a teacher…….
 Try not to take it personally, it is not meant
personally
 Look beyond the SYNDROME to the CHILD
 Remember that allowing a student to “level the
playing field” does not take away an opportunity
from other children or give the AS child an
advantage

19. Where can I find more information?
www.autismspeaks.org
www.autismhelp.info
www.aspergertips.com
www.aspergersyndrome.org
www.autism.org
www.specialfamilies.com
www.kidshealth.org