Guidelines for Academic Staff

• Include a statement in your course syllabus regarding accommodation issues for students with autism. Acknowledging that you have training and an understanding of autism could make a huge difference to the student’s confidence.

• Provide clear, detailed information (oral and written) about the structure of the course, practical arrangements, assessment requirements and deadlines. This makes the class more predictable and reduces anxiety.

• Be aware that teaching strategies useful for students with Asperger's syndrome/ASD may be useful for everyone.
  
  

• Try to get to know the student's particular needs in advance. If possible, meet them early in the first term to discuss their needs. Knowing that you are aware of potential challenges and willing to work with them could make a huge difference to the student.

• Respect any need for routine, e.g., the student may wish to sit in the same seat at every lecture.

• Allow regular, predictable breaks in class so students can move around and refocus themselves.

• Give clear advance notice of unusual events such as field trips, room changes or exams. Change is often hard to deal with.

• Present course materials and instructions in a structured way using literal language. Show how components fit together as a whole. Provide subject lists, glossaries of terms and acronyms.

• Use clear, unambiguous language (spoken and written) and avoid or explain metaphors, irony etc and interpret what others say. Give explicit instructions and check that students are clear about what they have to complete.
  
  

• Be very explicit about the purpose of a task. For example, what knowledge should a reader have after they have read the completed assignment?
  
  

• For coursework, clearly define what is required, when and in what format.

Pause periodically to ensure that instructions have been comprehended. This benefits all students and leaves room for critical thinking.

• Avoid metaphors, sarcasm or irony (which may be taken literally)

• Give concrete, real-world examples so that the student can relate to the information that is being provided.
  
  

• Write down key points. Chunking information into bullet points makes it easier to follow new information without being overwhelmed.

• The writing assignments of individuals with AS may sometimes miss information that links topics, or they may go straight to very detailed information, without introductory or background information. This is because it can be hard for students to distinguish between general knowledge and their personal knowledge, which means that they may struggle to establish what information should be included.  They may assume that only information that is new to them should be included. Setting clear outcomes for assignments can help with this. Students can link in with Student Support & Development to get help with assignment writing.

• When assigning timed units of work, make sure the student's slower writing speed is taken into account.

• Provide clear, step-by-step instructions for submitting coursework. Ideally give students a checklist that they work through to make a submission. If assignments have to be dropped into a specific box, provide clear instructions as to its location, and provide a photo of the box so students can be sure they’re submitting in the right place. If possible, put the submission checklist on the submission box, so students can make a final check that they have completed everything.

• If giving an oral presentation is not a course requirement and is causing difficulty, please consider an alternative activity. Can a presentation be videotaped without an audience?
  
  

• Avoid asking a direct question in front of others while someone is presenting. This can be distracting for all students, but for an autistic student, who is already anxious and may be less resilient; it may be very difficult to get back on track.

• Please be aware that group work may be very stressful, either initially or in the long term. Do not ask students to form their own groups. For new students and first years, please place students in a group.
  
  

• Suggest that the group makes clear rules e.g. regarding punctuality, identifying roles and allowing each group member to express an opinion.
  
  

• Check that the student understands what he or she has to do in the group work task.
  
  

• If the student is unable to manage group work please consult the Disability & Learning Support Service to discuss an alternative form of learning or assessment. It may be easier to complete paired-work tasks.
  
  

• Be aware of the need for extra support and take this into account in assessments — or devise an alternative assessment method to group work.

• Provide previous examples of exams to allow students to feel familiar with the structure of the exam and what is expected
  
  

• For small exams, can students see the layout of the exam room and location of their seat to alleviate anxiety?
  
  

• Understanding the exam process can alleviate anxiety – who will invigilate, what instructions will be given, when can students talk/not talk, can students eat or drink during exams, can the student use the bathroom during the exam.
  
  

• Poor fine-motor coordination may result in handwriting that is very difficult to read. Use of a laptop or tablet in lectures and exams may be beneficial.
  
  

• Be present for questions at the beginning of exams so students can clarify the meaning of questions if they are ambiguous. If the exam is taking place in a large space, walk around as a student may be uncomfortable drawing attention to themselves.