On Monday I awoke to read on Twitter that a letter had been published in a UK newspaper The Guardian. It came from two autism charities who argued including the National Autistic Society.
“With more than one in 100 children on the autism spectrum in England, every teacher will have autistic students in their class throughout their careers. The lifelong condition can present serious difficulties, but children who are understood and supported appropriately at school can make excellent progress.
Yet training for teachers in special educational needs, and autism in particular, is patchy. Some teachers have received none. Teachers deserve to be better equipped, with a Nasuwt survey in 2013 finding that 60% believe they haven’t had the training they need to teach autistic students.
The government is currently reviewing the initial teacher training framework in England and we want it to include autism. We and more than 7,000 supporters have signed a letter to the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, calling on her to make this a reality.
The right training will help give every autistic child a teacher who understands them, enabling them to succeed at school and beyond.”
You can read the whole article here.
A few weeks ago we ran a poll on a similar subject but this time about the police and autism training. The results were, to say the least , conclusive.
So we thought it would be of use and interest to run another poll on the subject of autism and teachers. So please do share any thoughts and ideas you have in the comments box below!
Many thanks in advance!
| FranJacobs | I think teachers should be taught but also the children throughout the schools should be taught about excepting and celebrating differences. I’ve noticed a strong link between how a teacher treats a child and how the rest of the class treat them. My son was actually asked why he decided to be good one year by a child and actually the only thing that had changed was the teacher! |
| DonnaMarieHicks | yes as i have been failed with school teachers shouting at my son making his condition worse int he past labelled a bad mother beaten in playgrounds stares rudenss and my sons school is absolutely hopeless i cant move him to a special needs as i dont have the statement as it takes too long they need to bring in screening for autism earl intervention and support for parents and children |
| patienttalk patienttalk.org |
wmdonado Thanks – how should it best be delivered? |
| wmdonado | Yes it is so important! Not just in public schools! Also charter and privates schools! I had a bad experience with a charter school, due to ignorance, that if they would have been taught to how to work with the kids, their EC dept and teachers wouldn’t have been such a mess. That is why this cause alot of parents to take out their kids and put them in another school. So I truly believe that it is necessary to educate the teachers and all other staff about Autism. |
| LorileiDreibelbis | strategies used to help spectrum children thrive are effective and helpful for ALL children in the classroom (and out). This from 10 years of classroom experience, 9 years of challenge course experience, 8 years of swim lesson experience, and 11 years of parenting a spectrum child experience. teachers need to be armed with strategies that help them honor student differences – and EMOTIONAL PERMISSION TO USE THEM. |
| FrancescaHansen | patienttalk FrancescaHansen I did tell my sisters my thoughts on how it should go. ResourceBase is the way to go. When special needs students have an opportunity to exercise their growth, all they have to do is walk down a hall or pathway and if they have issues they can have their original classroom for support. The stigma of a totally separate building would hinder integration and growth of the actual student. I also feel that “systems” underutilize and possibly minimize the fact that at this time, there is huge need for special needs teachers and to slow down and do this properly. Just like anything there are varying degrees on the spectrum and doing ResourceBase is practically the only way. |
| patienttalk patienttalk.org |
Migmad How long ago was the diagnosis? Is the ASD class in the same school? |
| Migmad | Having a foster child on the spectrum and fighting the Simcoe B of Ed has been a circus. My son is in a “resource room ” with a teacher that has NO idea how to deal with my ASD son. The school has been lacking when it comes to support and have now told us he will go to the ASD class this September. Mean while the teacher has no credentials in helping my son reach his educational goals. All teachers need to be educated. Frustrating!!!! |
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FrancescaHansen What do you think about the idea of a ResourceBase like this one https://patienttalk.org/autism-and-education-part-two-compromise-or-half-way-house-our-autistic-sons-educational-journey-explained/ |
| FrancescaHansen | Having sisters who teach, one teaches a “regular” class and the other has been highly involved in special needs. The first sister, is not equipped through her education to handle high spectrum autism. We need to uplift and utilize the special needs teachers or mandate special needs training if the system is going to integrate. There is nothing wrong with any of the children, it’s the teachers and what they come out of university with and who they are expecting to teach. The second sister specifically chose special needs..it’s a SPECIALTY. You can’t have it both ways, integration and unequipped teachers who have obviously chosen not to work specifically in special needs. |
