Visual Strategies for pupils with High Functioning Autism in Mainstream Education

Visual Strategies for Students with High Functioning Autism in Mainstream Education
This course will provide participants with information and practical strategies in the functional use of visual supports.  The focus of this course is in understanding the learning style and needs of the young person with High Functioning Autism and how these can be facilitated via the use of adapted visual strategies. This will assist those working with the young person in the teaching of everyday skills, and to support the transfer of these to increase opportunities for independence.

Participants will:
• Gain an understanding of how High Functioning Autism can affect everyday routines and experiences.
• Develop skills in assessment and prioritisation of strategies for young people with High Functioning Autism, • Reinforcement of the individual’s preference for “visual teaching”.
• Reinforcement and discussion of overload of auditory stimuli including verbal commands.
• Gain an understanding of how to choose what is to be taught via visual strategies and then how to teach that skill in a one to one setting with a view to generalisation.
• Discuss how to assess and develop the use of visual strategies in their own organisation.
• Observe a range of video footage, practical examples and reading material in the use of visual strategies for teaching individuals with High Functioning Autism.

Course Overview
This course will emphasise the importance of understanding the cores issues with autism and their influence on the child or young person.  It will reinforce the need for reduction of verbal commands and the increase of an individualised visual approach via assessment and one to one skill development. Specific detail will be given on the development and implementation of visual strategies within the teaching role and in specific areas to include social communication and functional living.