Paying Attention in Class

My son used to always have a matchbox car with him when he went to school. It helped him focus and pay attention during class. While the teacher was doing her scheduled class, Dane would take out his matchbox car and spin the wheels.

We had a discussion about this at Danes Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting . His teacher said that having the little car was no trouble in class as long as he is paying attention and not playing with it.

To make sure he was paying attention and not spacing off was she would kneel down after she had her classroom talk and ask him what she was talking about. At this age he's learning mostly colors, numbers and letters in early education. He would tell her the letter she was talking about. Even though he wasn't watching her, he was listening intently. Spinning the wheels is his way of focusing on her words.

During nap-time, Dane would lay down and take out his car and spin the wheels while the other children napped. His mind is so over active that it is hard for him to relax and close his eyes.

From matchbox cars to pennies.  Dane needs exactly 3 pennies in his pocket before he goes to school. He doesn't take them out of his pocket like the matchbox car. Every so often he takes his hand and pats his pocket to hear them clink against each other. He still doesn't make much eye contact with his teacher but he is still focusing by patting his pocket. In time I am guessing he will get sick of the pennies and advert to something else.

An autistic child receives information differently then the normal mind. By looking like their not paying attention and listening to you, they are, in a different way. My son doesn't always understand what were saying to him. Showing him pictures and speaking slow has helped him understand better. As his brain grows I think he will be able to process information faster and not always need several explanations to explain something.

IN SIMPLE TERMS

How do you explain to a visual thinker on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) everything?  Long story short basically.  When it comes to a long explanation, narrow it down.  Then, narrow it down further.  Than it becomes, just because.

When the explanation is in progress of leaving your lips every word is blah blah blah.  Except the words that they can visualize.  Take for instance when you tell a visual thinker, "It's raining cats and dogs."  That person will actually visualize cats and dogs falling from the sky.

With all the pun in the english language, one thing can mean another.  Instead of telling the child about raining cats and dogs, they need to hear that it's raining hard outside.  That they can understand.

You can actually see the confusion on their faces while you explain.  Their minds are trying to piece that jigsaw puzzle together starting with the border.  After that, pieces start falling into place.  The more they hear and pictures to show, sentences become clearer.

Over time the more they picture words the easier it will become for my son to understand.  It's a matter of how fast the words can be processed visually in his mind.  For now, repeating sentences and shortening them up is helping him to learn faster.  It helps him pick out the words he knows so he can visualize what I'm saying.