April

For this group project, my group did on the topic, Autism. I was interested in doing this topic because I have a cousin, 9 years old who suffers from autism. Therefore, I thought that it will help me better understand the struggles and challenges that children like him go through, together with their families.

Based on my research, I realised that it is indeed not easy to include children with autism into the mainstream classroom. This is because they portray behaviours that are not socially acceptable in our society. Characteristics such as flapping, usage of idiosyncratic language and impaired social skills can cause the child to stick out and not fit in. Therefore, it is crucial to accept them and include them even in mainstream classrooms. Using methods such as structured teaching, where the teacher has to put in a lot of effort to systematically organize materials are highly effective but it requires much thought and effort. However, because it is an effective strategy, I definitely would want to do it, if I have children with autism in my classroom in the future.

I believe it is also important to give children with autism explicit instructions so that they are able to follow instructions. I realized that it is an effective way of communicating with them. As a typical individual, I cannot expect children with special needs to communicate and understand my way of communication. Rather, I need to know and find out what works best for them and communicate with them in ways and methods which they receive best. Learning about autism has definitely put a new perspective on me. When I was young, I used to think that people with autism were weird and ‘living in their own world’ Now, I see them as beautiful, special individuals just like you and me.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." 
Henry David Thoreau