Asperger Information: Targeting Information to Parents and Professionals

Educational Nuggets
Providing insights from teachers, paraprofessionals or other professionals (speech/language, occupational therapy, music therapy, etc.) related to education: sharing of experiences, struggles, or successful strategies…

It is fairly well accepted that children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) need direct social skills instruction to understand their world. Traditional and nontraditional curricula and lessons exist, developed especially for children with ASD, that teach common social behaviors in a very meaningful fashion (Faherty, 2000; McAfee, 2002; Myles, Trautman, & Schelvan, 2004; Winner, 2000). Despite the comprehensiveness of these curricula, many do not include the social items that others consider "common sense". Richard LaVoie (1994) calls these items the hidden curriculum - important social rules that everyone knows, but no one is taught. Adults usually understand that children and youth with ASD don't know a hidden curriculum rule after it has been broken or violated. In order to understand the hidden curriculum we need to look at situations from the child's perspective to understand what is potentially important. Listed below are some hidden curriculum items that may be important to the children you live with or teach.

When the teacher is scolding another student, it is not the right time to ask the teacher a question.

If one small thing occurs and a teacher corrects you, it does not mean that your entire day is bad.

During a fire drill go with your class to the nearest exit. This is not the time to go to the bathroom or to ask to go to the bathroom.

You should talk to teachers in a nice tone of voice because they will talk to you in a more positive manner. Teachers also like it if you smile every once in a while.

When your teacher gives you a warning about behavior and you continue the behavior, you are probably going to get in trouble. If you stop the behavior immediately after the first warning, you will probably not get in trouble.

If one of your classmates tells you to do something you think might get you in trouble, you should always stop and think before acting. Friends do not ask other friends to do things that will get them in trouble. Doing it will not make them think you are cool. Instead, they may think you are gullible and laugh behind your back. Tell them to do it themselves and see what they do.

Not all teachers have the same rules for their class. Some teachers do not allow any talking unless you raise your hand. Others may allow talking if you are not disruptive and annoying other students. It is important to know the rules different teachers have for their class. The rules will always change from teacher to teacher and it will not do any good to focus on the fact that it is not fair.

When a teacher tells another student to stop talking, it is not a good idea to start talking to your neighbor since the teacher has already expressed disapproval of that action.

This is just a sampling of hidden curriculum items. Unfortunately there are hundreds of others waiting to be discovered. Proactive understanding of the hidden curriculum will prevent children and youth with ASD from making social mistakes and help them better understand their world.

Faherty, C. (2000). What does it mean to me? A workbook explaining self awareness and life lessons to the child or youth with high functioning autism or Aspergers. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

LaVoie, R.D. (1994). Learning disabilities and social skills with Richard LaVoie: Last one picked… First one picked on: Parent's guide. Washington, DC: Public Broadcasting Service.

McAffee, J. (2002). Navigating the social world. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

Myles, B.S., Trautman, M.L., & Schelvan, R.L. (2004). The hidden curriculum: Practical solutions for understanding unstated rules in social situations. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Winner, M.G. (2000). Inside out: What makes the person with social-cognitive deficits tick? San Jose: CA: Author.

Brenda Smith Myles Ph.D., a consultant with the Ziggurat Group, is the recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America's Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award. She has written numerous articles and books on Asperger Syndrome and autism, including Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns (with Southwick) and Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success (with Adreon). The latter is the winner of the Autism Society of America's Outstanding Literary Work. Brenda has made over 500 presentations internationally, written more than 150 articles and books on autism and Asperger Syndrome, and served as the co-chair of the National ASD Teacher Standards Committee. She is on the National Institute of Mental Health's Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee's Strategic Planning Consortium and the Autism Society of America's Panel of Professional Advisors. Myles is also on the executive boards of several organizations, including the Organization for Autism Research. In addition, she was recently acknowledged as the second most productive applied researcher in ASD in the world from 1997 to 2004.

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