When teaching neurodiverse students (especially autism), it’s important to remember that they take things literally. You also need to be as visual and hands-on as possible. This means using real objects, pictures, or anything else that will make your instructions clear. To help you get started, here are some ideas for teaching neurodiverse students who take instructions literally.
Be as Visual as Possible
Seeing a demonstration, looking at a task list, and being able to hold the objects give neurodiverse students a deeper understanding of the task and expectations. Commonly, they are visual learners and thrive on using their visual sense to learn, show their understanding, and succeed. As teachers and parents, we need to be aware of how much we talk, how our voices sound, and what words we use as these can be overwhelming our students’ auditory systems, causing them to be overstimulated. Think of it this way. You are in a quiet focused place, and are concentrating deeply on what you are doing. Someone comes up next to you and starts talking loudly, incessantly, and is speaking with excitement distracting, all while asking you questions. Frustrating and overwhelming right? This is how it can FEEL to our students. Their ears commonly have heightened sensitivity to sounds and voices in the environment. It’s as if our students have “super powers”, they hear and see things at a super power level compared to their classmates. When a well intentioned adult is giving verbal directions (at times repetitively to make sure the student is following them), this is perceived as overwhelming auditory stimulation. This confuses and distracts the student from the task he or she is attempting to do. No one wins. Instead, MAKE IT VISUAL. Write a task list, use pictures of the direction or task, or put a few steps down on a post it note and leave it next to the student (then STOP TALKING and move away).
Give Simple Instructions
When verbal directions are needed, keep them simple. Speak in short sentences without the use of figurative language, sarcasm or humor. Use “First…. Then…” language to make the steps in the direction clear. Download this First Then Visual to use with your students. Literal thinkers need simple concrete directions, those that they can picture doing. Avoid rewording the directions (unless you know that your student is able to comprehend rewording), as rewording interrupts their concentration. They are focusing on understanding the first set of directions and rewording causes them to start over (they don’t understand it being helpful, it’s viewed as a completely new set of instructions).
Use Touch Cues
Point to the written down direction, to the physical object, or to the area that the student needs to go for added reinforcement. Avoid overcrowding or invading personal space. Avoid touching the student’s shoulder or arm (even if with positive intent), as that may be distracting or physically overwhelming.
Correcting and Redirecting Literal Interpretation
When the student misinterprets a direction literally and incorrectly, refrain from getting upset, laughing, or taking it personally. If it’s done wrong, be an observer to understand the student’s perspective. Think about the words you used, and try again. Restate the direction adding specific concrete details. For example: (original direction) “Open the bag of chips” (Note: The direction didn’t give details about how to open it. Student rips it open, chips flying everywhere). Instead, add details to make the direction more clear. “Open the bag of chips by cutting a line across the top of the bag.”
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Stay well, Stacy