Children With Autism Affect Childrens Educational and Learning Outcomes - Research Paper Example

The more children with autism enter schools, the more challenging the issue of educating such children grows. Teachers are not always able to help such children to meet their basic learning outcomes. The multitude of instructional approaches in ASD classes makes it difficult to choose the best and the most relevant instructional methodology. Given the growing number of children with autism, there is a need to explore the effectiveness of existing instructional strategies and their effects on children with autism.

However, none of the above-mentioned researchers has explored the relevance of teacher attitude variables in the context of teaching in ASD classes. Meanwhile, teacher attitudes play a significant role in how teachers treat such children and what instructional strategies they choose to support them in their way to meeting the basic learning objectives. Attitudes are influenced by popular images and stereotypes, and unfortunately, there is a stereotype that students with autism are unsociable, and even teachers may subconsciously fear to communicate with them.

Tucker et al. (2002) have shown that the stereotypes may be mollified by a ‘books-and-music’ approach that can assist the learning process. In such a way, teachers begin to consider students with autism not as students with disabilities, but as talented and open individuals. If stereotypes can be overcome, then teachers focus their attention on students’ interests and strengths. Despite the importance of special strategies involved in the learning process of students with autism, the personal attitudes of teachers to these students should be taken into account too.

In instances where there is an emotional or communication gap between a student with autism and his or her teacher, the learning process may cease.