Teaching English Online to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome During the COVID-19 Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.ikala.v26n3a13Keywords:
Autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, special educational needs, English teaching, ICT, COVID-19Abstract
The unprecedented reality of the covid-19 pandemic has led students and teachers to adapt to new routines and technological resources so that they can meet the pedagogical requirements generated by this world sanitary emergency. This case study explored a methodological intervention with students from an English school for special needs students in Manizales (Colombia). Our team of two university professors and seven pre-service teachers provided online English lessons to 17 students with autism spectrum disorder (asd) and 13 with Down syndrome (ds). To do it, we used the principles of universal design for learning (udl) and an eclectic method which combines strategies from thre specific approaches: The Presentation, Practice, and Production approach (ppp), the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children (teacch) approach and a behavioral management approach. The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of the implementation of such strategies on the English Language Learning (ell) process of the asd and ds learners. Three data collection techniques, including two surveys to parents and a researcher journal, were used. Findings indicated that: (a) the combination of various stimuli and methodological strategies from a variety of approaches enhanced learning, (b) the use of images and pictograms fostered memory, (c) setting clear routines promoted self-regulation skills, and (d) the families and students’ challenges were turned into opportunities. It was concluded that teaching English online to asd and ds students requires knowledge of their conditions and suitable strategies from an eclectic instructional approach.
Downloads
References
Amjad, H. & Muhammad, Y. (2019). Teaching students with Down Syndrome: Perspectives of special school teachers and psychologists. Journal of Inclusive Education, 3(1), 127–143.
Autism Speaks (2013). Autism Diagnosis Criteria —dms-5 [html page]. https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-diagnosis-criteria-dsm-5
Burkhart, L. (n. d.). isaac – What is aac?. https://isaac-online.org/english/what-is-aac.
cast (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Cioè-Peña, M. (2015), Translanguaging within the monolingual special education classroom. CUNY Academic
Colombia, Congreso de la República. (2013). Ley estatutaria 1618 de 2013. Author. http://www.discapacidadcolombia.com/index.php/component/phocadownload/category/2-publicaciones-legislacion?download=6:ley-estatutaria-1618-de-2013
Crowe, S., Cresswell, K., Robertson, A., Huby, G., Avery, A. & Sheikh, A. (2011). The case study approach. bmc Medical Research Methodology, 11(100). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-11-100
Cuadrado, T. (2006). Método teacch [Power Point Slides]. ceip fogar. https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/ceipfogarcarballo/system/files/TEACCH.pdf
Dzulkifli, M. A. & Muhammad, F. M. (2013). The influence of colour on memory performance: A review. Malays J Med Sci, 20(2), 3–9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743993/
Hart. A. (2015). Ancient forms of communication in the spanish immersion classroom: The use of pictograms and rebuses to promote the development of spanish language literacy [pdf]. cti Fellow Collinswood Language Academy. https://charlotteteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Adriana-Hart-_Origins-of-Language_2-11-16.pdf
Lashno, M. (n. d.). Sensory integration: Observations of children with Down syndrome and autistic spectrum disorders. https://www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/sensory-integration-observations-children-down-syndrome-and-autistic-spectrum-disorders
Lindsay, S., Proulx, M., Scott, H., & Thomson, N. (2014). Exploring teachers’ strategies for including children with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream classrooms. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18, 101-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2012.758320
Lybarger, K. (2017). Effective teaching strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. https://www.vcccd.edu/sites/default/files/departments/human-resources/sabbaticals/2017-2018/lybarger-monson-final_report.pdf
Migliaresi, G. (2018). Technology For Students With Special Educational Needs (SEN). https://www.primotoys.com/technology-for-students-with-special-educational-needs-sen/
Moreno, R., & Durán, R. (2004). Do Multiple Representations Need Explanations? The Role of Verbal Guidance and Individual Differences in Multimedia Mathematics Learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(3), 492–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.96.3.492
Moreno, R. & Tejada, A. (2018). Atención a la diversidad e inclusión educativa: implicaciones didácticas. Colección iAccessibility. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. https://sid.usal.es/idocs/F8/FDO27377/iAccessibility_15.pdf
Mulas, F., Ros, G., Millá, M., Etchepareborda, M., Abad, L., & Téllez, M. (2010). Models of intervention for children with autism. Neurology Magazine, 50(S03), 77–84. https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.50S03.2009767
National Autistic Society. (n. d.). Strategies and interventions – teacch. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/strategies-and-interventions/strategies-and-interventions/teacch#:~:text=The%20TEACCH%20approach%20tries%20to,be%20used%20alongside%20other%20approaches
Pan, Y. (2009). Research on content-based working memory-driven capture of visual attention and its automaticity (in Chinese) [Doctoral dissertation]. Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Pan, Y. (2010). Attentional Capture by Working Memory Contents. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64(2), 124–128. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019109
Pimentel, E., Castillo, M., & Cuéllar, G. (2014). The gift of learning to teach. https://sites.google.com/site/teachingtoteenangers/
Raising children.net.au. (n.d.). Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communications Handicapped Children (teacch). https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/therapies-guide/teacch
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. (2019). Augmentative and alternative communication. https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-language-therapy/clinical-information/augmentative-and-alternative-communication/
Ruiz, R. (2009). Síndrome de Down y logopedia. Cultiva Comunicación.
Shamir, A., & Margalit, M. (2011). Technology and students with special educational needs: new opportunities and future directions. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26(3), 279–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2011.593816
Sparapani, N., Morgan, L., Reinhardt, V. P., Schatschneider, C. & Wetherby, A. M. (2016). Evaluation of classroom active engagement in elementary students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 782–796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2615-2
Spaulding, L., Mostert, M., & Beam, A. (2010). Is Brain Gym® an effective educational intervention? Exceptionality, 18(1), 18–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362830903462508
Taylor, K. & Preece, D. (2010). Using aspects of the teacch structured teaching approach with students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment: Reflections on practice. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 28, 244-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/0264619610374682
Steffie, V. D. S., Geveke, C. H., Steenbakkers, A. T. & Steenbee, H. W. (2020). Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders: What are the needs of educational professionals? Teaching and Teacher Education, 90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2020.103036
Vázquez, A. (2 de mayo de 2020). Gimnasia cerebral para problemas de aprendizaje [blog post]. https://educpreescolar.blogspot.com/2020/05/gimnasia-cerebral-para-problemas-de.html
Weller, D. (2019). Lesson planning for language teachers: Evidence-based techniques for busy teachers. Author.
Will, E., Fidler, D. J., Daunhauer, L., & Gerlach-McDonald, B. (2016). Executive function and academic achievement in primary-grade students with Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 61(2), 181–195. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12313
World Health Organization. (2011). World report on disability. who. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241564182
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Íkala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
