Classroom Strategies Which Support a Student’s Happiness and Access to Learning:

Although each student with autism will have their own unique needs and preferences, below is a list of general classroom strategies which may support a student’s ability to access their calm and alert state to learn and therefore feel more content in the classroom.

Common Issues which may impact on a student’s happiness	Classroom Strategy
Understanding what is expected and accepting change	Priming, Preparation and Practicing: There are a range of tools available for ‘priming’ such as using visuals; watching video’s (e.g. searching for topic under study using www.youtube.com or www.videojug.com) social stories; the list is endless (Brenda Myles Simple Strategies). Planning and preparation are key. Visual supports e.g. timetables, to do lists, reminders, alarms and timers can all help students become aware of what is happening and when. This can reduce anxiety around unpredictability and allow the student to focus on learning. Practising using skills and strategies (Brenda Myles Keynote). Prepare the student to accept change to routines as soon as possible. Have a ‘back up plan’ and teach the student what to do when changes occur to their routine. Link back to Step 3 Having a Back up Plan. Reducing communication and allowing extra processing time… This is actually a lot harder than it first seems. Brenda Myles refers to this as ‘Autism time’ link out to Building Independence section on Operating on Autism Time.
Classroom/ Learning environment too overwhelming	Structure the environment, see Best Practice Resource (TEACCH) Ensure the student is seated within a calm or quieter area of the classroom away from distracting classmates. Use visuals or have written directions in the classroom. Give a signal before giving important instructions. Emotional regulation strategies such as the ‘zones of regulation’ or ‘the incredible ‘5-point scale’ help the individual monitor their emotions and employ calming strategies when they notice their happiness reducing and anxieties escalating.  Discrete coping strategies that can be used in school such as using “time out” cards or “stress scales” might be helpful. Consider the environment and the sensory issues within the environment for the student. Could access to sensory strategies or reduction to sensory stimuli help the student focus?; To read more on Neural Noise click here The source causing the anxiety, stress or unhappiness in certain environments could be removed e.g. fluorescent lighting (the hum/flickering is upsetting for some students), the smell of an air freshener in the school toilets, the noise of the school bell.
The student has difficulty participating in class	Try to identify the student’s strengths with responding; do they do better with ‘yes/no questions’ or with opinion questions? Create a signal to let the student know his or her turn for answering a question is coming. (see Zones of Regulation video). For presentations of work, the student could present to the teacher only or record their presentation for the class. Could notes / handouts / homework be emailed to the student? Can classroom activity demands be reduced? Teach autism awareness and acceptance (see the National Autistic Society website for more information. Incorporate the student’s area of interest into lessons / special interest groups / activities. Establish a good relationship between home and school and other support agencies to share and communicate goals and best practice.
They don’t appear to pay attention when you are talking to them	Use the students name before you say something, so that they know you are talking to them. Make sure they are paying attention before you ask a question or give an instruction. Remember eye contact can be difficult. The students preferred interests or activities could be used to engage them.
The student has difficulty processing information	Reduce the amount of communication that you use (including non-verbal: eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, body language etc). Anxiety can trigger the flight or fight survival response, therefore processing information may be very difficult during these episodes. Use visual supports to help them to process the information more easily. Try using a social story or technology to get the information across in a more manageable form. If speaking, speak clearly and precisely using short sentences. A child with autism can find it difficult to filter out the less important information. If there is too much information, it can lead to ‘overload’, where no further information can be processed. Don’t use too many questions. A child or young person with autism may find ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘who’ and ‘why’ questions difficult. Be aware of the environment (noisy/crowded etc) that you are in. It may be affecting how much they can process. Wait…. give the student ample time to process information before repeating the instruction.
They struggle during unstructured times (e.g. lunch / break / recess/ study classes)	Consider introducing the ‘buddy system’ or designating a more structured area with specific games, rules etc. Support the development of friendships – Social skills groups or special interest groups can help individuals forge friendships with others who share interests and strengths. To find out more about friendship skills strategies: click here Limit the amount of time the student has to stay in the playground and then allow them time inside engaged in a quieter activity Give the students activity options for unstructured times, this could be visuals of preferred activities attached to a keyring. The student could be reminded to check their keyring for idea’s.
The student becomes anxious in certain subjects	Differentiate the work expected in the trigger subject to reduce the demands placed on the student The student may be able to have a differentiated timetable in which they are excused from subjects which increase anxiety. The student then attends a different class or goes to the library. It may be beneficial for the student to discuss his or her feelings at the end of each school day. A teacher or support assistant could go through the timetable with the student and discuss giving a mark out of ten for each lesson. For those lessons that score low, ask why. Employ and teach anxiety relieving techniques such as: Developing a sensory toolbox (filled with stress relieving objects/ smells/ pictures). – Provide access to a ‘calm area’ / ‘calm room’ – Regular access to preferred or needed sensory experiences – Employ the ‘zones of regulation’ (link to Zones of Regulation video) – Try mindfulness or guided imagery – Try breathing techniques – Regular exercise can help relieve stress – Dedicate time to talk/think/write/draw about the anxiety source and if possible discuss and plan ways to tackle anxiety source: A worry book or journal so the student can record anxiety during the school day might help. Alternatively, a Happiness Diary, may help focus on more positive aspects of the school day (there are a wide range of happiness diary’s available from www.amazon.co.uk). Cognitive Re – Appraisal is a term to describe how a person can change one or more elements of a memory about a particular situation or experience to alter the emotional significance of that situation or experience. Cognitive re-appraisal involves: – Changing how a person thinks either about the situation itself or – How they could have reacted better to manage the demands that situation posed. Research suggests that compared to students without autism, students with autism use cognitive reappraisal less frequently, which was associated with increased negative emotion experience, which in turn was related to greater levels of challenging behaviours (Samson, Hardan, Lee, Phillips, & Gross, 2015).
A specific activity seems to cause unhappiness (e.g. Assembly, the playground),	Limit the amount of time the student is expected to participate in the trigger activity and gradually increase the time over a number of weeks. Provide supports if the trigger is sensory  e.g. noise. See Sensory Resource. Try cognitive re-appraisal techniques.
Social interactions are a source of anxiety for the student	Limit the amount of paired and group work in which the student is expected to participate. 1-2 paired/group tasks each day may be adequate for this student. Remember that if the student has participated in group work in class, he/she may need quiet alone time at Break or Lunch to calm down. Avoid using irony, sarcasm, figurative language, rhetorical questions, idioms etc. If you do use them, explain what you have said and be clear about what you really mean to say. Consider ways to learn about the ‘hidden curriculum’ (see Social Communication section). Reward and praise any spontaneous communication or appropriate behaviours e.g. “Good sharing”. Use role play. Role play can be a great way of showing appropriate frameworks for social interaction and exploring how things can go wrong/what to avoid. See here for Social Skills & Peer Mediated Strategies: Brenda Myles Keynote – Training the Peer.
The student has difficulty with homework or exams	Reduce the expectations or demands (a test could be completed in a quiet distraction free room with little or no other students). Increase time or ensure deadlines are spread over a reasonable time. The use of word banks or equations sheets can also cue the student. Give the class or student an estimate of how much time each homework assignment or question will take – create rules about leaving blanks, moving on from mistakes. Allow alternative methods for answering in lieu of written responses. Consider using visuals or technology supports. Could certain school demands be alleviated? Is homework necessary? Could the ‘slate be wiped clean’ to avoid the pressure of ‘catching up’?
Student is unsure about disclosing their diagnosis	Disclosing Diagnosis: Many students with autism fully appreciate that they are different from their peers, but many are unhappy about being different and do not want others to know. They see their autism as a negative and may not fully appreciate the positives that they experience because they have autism.
Student has difficulty understanding feelings and emotions or is unsure what ‘happy’ feels like	Emotional Regulation: Emotional regulation involves being able to select and present the appropriate emotions to the demands of everyday life. There are a range of possible reasons why students with autism can find emotional regulation difficult and also a range of practical strategies to encourage the development of emotional regulation skills. Understanding Feelings: Some children and young people with autism show unusual responses to sensory experiences, compared to the responses presented by neurotypical children and young people with the same chronological age (Cheung and Siu, 2009; Wiggins et al., 2009; Watts et al., 2016; Little et al., 2017).  Difficulties with sensory processing can make organising information from the senses and selecting the appropriate behavioural response difficult. What is Interoception? Interoception helps you understand and feel what’s going on inside your body. For instance, you know if your heart is beating fast or if you need to use the bathroom. Sensory receptors inside your organs, including your skin, send information about the inside of your body to your brain. This helps regulate our vital functions like body temperature, hunger, digestion and heart rate. Students who find it difficult to understand what is going on inside their body may misinterpret feelings and therefore find interpreting and distinguishing between their own emotions difficult.  The development of Interoception skills can be facilitated through:  – A Specific Learning Curriculum  – Mindfulness Exercises  – Yoga can help students become more aware of their body, breathing and feelings – Progressive muscle relaxation techniques For further information on Interoception: click here.
Student unable to ask for help	The ability to get assistance when it is needed, is an essential skill for life, however, it’s something that many students with autism find difficult to do. Social stories, Social autopsies and roleplays can help students learn: – When they need help (i.e. if you don’t know how to fix something, can’t do it alone or you’ve tried, and your solution didn’t work.) – The difference between having a problem and actually needing help – The difference between needing and wanting help  Practice asking for help in a safe, encouraging and positive environment can help build the student’s skills in each of the help steps: – Identifying whether they have a problem – Describing what it is – Assessing whether they need help – Knowing who can help them – Communicating with that person to ask for help – Role play different scenarios, both real and imaginary, to help build up their library of problems and possible solutions. – Work with the student to identify who can help them in different situations. – Try using visuals or help cards. The student could leave one on their desk or the teachers’ desk to identify when they need help. – Make getting help a positive experience for the person. – Reward attempts to recognise and solve problems. If you can build up their memory bank of positive help-getting experiences, they will hopefully feel more likely to ask for help in the future. – Emotional Regulation – 5 Point Scale Asking for Help