/ 3 October 2024

Teachers want inclusive classes but struggle to assist children with autism

Schoolchildren With Mental Disabilities Such As Autism Or
Schoolchildren with mental disabilities such as autism or mental retardation are helped by their teachers in a classroom with social distancing during the closure of schools imposed by the COVID19 emergency. (Photo by Salvatore Laporta/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)

World Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on 5 October to honour teachers for the crucial role they play in shaping the future of our children by nurturing their potential and enriching their educational experiences. They persist in this role amid the increasingly diverse and complex needs of learners. 

The global emphasis on inclusive education is in pursuit of creating a more equal and just society. Internationally this has resulted in an increase in the number of children with learning difficulties entering the mainstream classroom. Studies have shown a growth in the number of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in schools. In the South African education system, most of these children are taught in special schools that have the resources to address their high-level support needs. But about 10% of children with ASD are in mainstream schools. 

Research shows that most teachers believe all children are entitled to be taught in classes along with their non-autistic peers. It also indicates that a significant number of teachers experience several difficulties because they lack training on how to support learners with ASD inclusively in mainstream schools. 

ASD is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders and affects children’s social interaction, communication and behaviour in the classroom. As the name indicates, ASD exists on a spectrum, so each learner with the disorder exhibits unique characteristics, even though there will be strong similarities among learners.  

They may experience difficulties forming and maintaining relationships with their peers. They may also show a reduced interest in socialising and may struggle with reciprocal social interactions. Furthermore, they often show difficulty in understanding social cues, such as nonverbal communication.

Learners with ASD have difficulty recognising faces, imitating others, making eye contact, and participating in pretend play. They may further display delayed spoken language and experience difficulty in initiating and sustaining conversations. They also tend to interpret language literally and may struggle to understand abstract concepts.

These learners may have repetitive behaviours, insist on “sameness” in the classroom, be obsessed with strange objects or have intense preoccupations with a certain topic. They become anxious when things change in the classroom.

They may struggle with transitions between tasks or classes, social engagement and processing information. These difficulties are often met with anxiety and as a result teachers need to be cognisant of these difficulties and how to manage them.

Teachers have pointed out that learners with ASD have difficulties with concentration and attention, completing tasks on time, and experiencing sensory overload. They also struggle to be active participants in lessons, engaging with their peers and taking part in group work. 

Another problem is that many of these learners experience executive functioning difficulties which affect their planning and organisation of school tasks. These difficulties may cause issues with impulsivity and emotional regulation.

Even though there is no known cure for ASD, according to the American Psychiatric Association, early intervention can minimise the difficulties faced by these learners.

In a recent study teachers expressed feeling overwhelmed because they do not always understand which teaching practices should be implemented when teaching children with ASD. Teachers also struggle to keep up with the curriculum as a result of the diverse educational needs of their learners. They further reported problems with maintaining the standards required by the school. This seems to exacerbate their sense of self-perceived incompetence. 

It also does not help that there is no educational rulebook to guide them on how to manage inclusion. Unsurprisingly, meeting the needs of these learners is particularly challenging for teachers because no one teaching method or adaptation will work for all learners with ASD. Given the complexities concomitant with the condition, teachers may find it demanding to cope with the diverse needs of all the learners in an inclusive classroom.  

These problems necessitate teachers to be innovative to address the educational needs of learners with ASD while ensuring the fulfilment of the needs of the non-autistic children in the classroom. 

Our teachers are crying out for training in relation to teaching practices, differentiation and providing accommodations such as additional time, a separate venue, a prompter, a reader, a scribe and so on. They need additional professional support to implement inclusive education in the classroom. In recent research, participants indicated the need for assistance from professionals such as a psychologist to guide them on best practices for working with learners with ASD.

As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, we need to listen to the voices of those charged with shaping our children’s future. We want to laud those people who, despite encountering various problems, still express the need to teach learners with ASD alongside their non-autistic peers in pursuit of social justice and human dignity for all. 

Lorna Dreyer is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Stellenbosch University. Sharon Pienaar is an educational psychologist in private practice.