Developing Excellence in Autism Practice: Making a Difference in Education

✍ Scribed by Karen Guldberg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 247
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This ground-breaking book gives an accessible overview and synthesis of current knowledge of relevance to the development of excellence in autism education. By situating understandings of autism within a ‘bio-psycho-social-insider’ framework, the book offers fresh insights and new ways of thinking that bring together global pedagogic practice, research, policy, and the insider perspective.

Guldberg critiques current notions of Evidence-Based Practice and suggests ways of bridging the research-practice gap. She explores the interrelationship between inclusive principles, distinctive group learning needs and the individual needs of the child or young person. Eight principles of good autism practice provide a helpful framework for how education settings and practitioners can adapt classroom environments and teaching so that autistic children and young people can thrive.

Written for anyone who wants to make a difference to the lives of autistic pupils, Developing Excellence in Autism Practice provides practitioners and students on education courses with tools for best practices, and shows how to draw on these to implement true positive change in the classroom.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
1 Introduction
Key question
Introduction
The key questions this book addresses
Summary
Recommended reading
Part I Current evidence and knowledge from different domains in autism studies
2 The bio-psycho-social-insider model
Key question
Introduction
Models of disability
The bio-psycho-social model
Summary
Recommended reading
3 Contributions from biology and the medical domain
Key questions
Introduction
Diagnostic criteria
Social communication difficulties
A different way of processing the world
Sensory processing
The diagnostic process
Broader health issues in autism
Co-morbidities
Sleep
Diet
Intellectual disability and autism
Mental health issues
Inter-professionalism
The strengths and positive aspects of autism
Summary
Recommended reading
4 Contributions from psychology
Key question
Introduction
Inter-subjectivity theories
Developmental psychology and psychosocial interventions
Psychosocial interventions
Behavioural psychology
Psychosocial interventions and practical approaches
Core components of effective interventions
Summary
Recommended reading
5 Learning from autistic perspectives
Key question
Introduction
The neurodiversity movement
Criticism of the neurodiversity movement
Implications for education
Summary
Recommended reading
6 Contributions from the social sciences
Key question
Introduction
The macrosystem
Policy shifts
Public awareness, attitudes and culture
Prevalence
Exclusion
Gender
Cultural and linguistic diversity
Intersectionality
The microsystem: the family, peers and school experiences
Summary
Recommended reading
7 Evidence-informed practice
Key questions
Introduction
The evidence base from research studies
The research–practice gap
Bridging the gap
From Evidence-Based to Evidence-Informed Practice
The need for new methodologies
A case study of practitioner-based research: the Early Years Autism Project
Summary
Recommended reading
Part II Inclusive practice and distinctive pedagogies for autistic pupils
8 Inclusion and inclusive pedagogy
Key questions
Inclusive education: more than a locational issue
What does inclusion mean in practice?
Pedagogy
Dimensions of pedagogy
Summary
Recommended reading
9 Inclusive pedagogy for autistic children and young people
Key questions
Introduction
Teaching as interconnection between curriculum (what), pedagogy (how) and rationale (why)
Current guidelines in autism education
The distinctive group differences of autistic children
Implications for the curriculum
Methods
Summary
Recommended reading
10 Eight principles of good autism practice in education
Key question
Introduction
Principle One: Understanding the strengths, interests and challenges of each individual
Principle Two: Enabling the voice of the pupil to contribute to and influence decisions
Principle Three: Collaboration with parents and caregivers
Principle Four: Workforce development
Principle Five: Leadership and management that promotes and embeds good autism practice
Principle Six: An ethos and environment that fosters social inclusion
Principle Seven: Targeted support and measuring progress
Principle Eight: Adapting the curriculum, teaching and learning to promote wellbeing and success
Summary
Recommended reading
11 Professional development
Key question
Introduction
The Autism Education Trust programme
Pedagogy
Bringing different elements of the community together
Outcomes
International implications: case studies from Greece and Italy
Summary
Recommended reading
12 The scholarly practitioner
Key question
Introduction
Community-engaged scholarship and research
The scholar-practitioner
What skills do scholar-practitioners need?
Towards communities of practice
How can we move forward?
References
Index