Amos is given the opportunity to participate with his class. If he refuses to participate, or if he becomes silly, he will be removed from the circle. Amos and the classroom aide might use the "study buddy," a large cardboard box that was once used to ship a refrigerator.
If Amos has spent too much time at the circle area, he becomes restless and it is even more difficult than normal for him to pay attention. He may be silly, but then get angry when the teacher or paraprofessional tries to redirect him. He might try to hit or kick, or sometimes he just goes limp in his chair or on the floor. It often helps if Amos can take a few minutes away from the group and eat a few pretzel sticks. The salty taste and the crunch provide mild sensory stimulus that can help him refocus.
Guided practice: students say addition equations when called upon in response to magnetic maniupulatives the teacher puts on the board.
Amos is non-verbal.
Amos can use manipulatives to respond to written or oral addition equations to solve.
See Recommendations #4 and #5.
Since Amos does not speak, he can represent his answers visually. Like most students with autism, Amos is very visual and demonstrating his knowledge for his teacher also helps reinforce his learning.
Independent practice: worksheet. Students solve problems on a page from the commercially-prepared math workbook.
Amos loves to draw; given pencil and paper, he might very well insist on drawing Star Wars characters and refuse to attempt addition problems.
The aide can show Amos how to draw some very simplified versions of some of his favorite Star Wars characters...
He could then render these simple drawings to show the additional problems. The teacher could also let Amos use rubber-stamped images so he does not draw at all.
Amos can be very detail-oriented in his drawings and can spend an hour on a single one, if allowed to do so. If asked to draw objects to demonstrate an addition problem, he may become so involved in each drawing that the point of the lesson is lost. A very simplified drawing will help Amos focus on the point of the math lesson, not the drawing. Using rubber stamps removes the temptations associated with pencils and drawing paper. Rubber stamps are quick and easy to use.
Reference
K-12 California's Common Core Content Standards for Mathematics. (2010). Retrieved
from http://www.scoe.net/castandards/agenda/2010/math_ccs_
recommendations.pdf
Recommendation #1
Freedom Concepts' Chill-out Chair ($810.00) has a number of uses, some of which were designed for children using wheelchairs. In the case of Amos, the chair provides a comfortable, supportive place where he can sit, particularly when he is agitated. The chair is soft, but structured; Amos can sink into the chair and feel cocooned but not trapped. The chair can rock, providing a soothing motion for Amos when he is agitated; the repetitive movement of the chair can help refocus his attention. The optional ottoman provides stability for the chair when the rocking motion is not desired (Freedom Concepts, 2011). The chair can be used to help Amos refocus, and it can also be used as a reward.
The chair is made of foam, so it is lightweight and portable. Amos's classroom is somewhat small,
