Asperger syndrome is a form of highly functioning autism that disrupts a child’s ability to recognize social cues, thereby causing social awkwardness. Other characteristics of autism may also be present, such as a lowered tolerance for new situations or sudden transitions, lack of organizational skills, inconsistent energy levels, and high distractibility. All of these can present challenges when attempting to complete homework.
Luckily, there are some basic strategies that parents can undertake to help prevent those dreaded evening meltdowns. The first step is to observe the child and see what hinders her from completing her work. This is paramount to planning homework sessions. During these observations, jot down answers to the following about the child:
- What is her best time of day?
- Is she easily distracted by noise or activity?
- Does she fatigue quickly?
- What frustrates or upsets her?
Establish Consistent Time and Place
After observing the child for a few days, establish a consistent time for homework, preferably when she is well fed and at her best. The amount of time she spends on homework nightly will vary by grade level. When homework length begins to increase, she may stay more focused with short breaks. Incorporate these into the schedule and make sure she has enough time to complete assignments without rushing.
It is beneficial to have a special homework location away from the TV, radio, or other distractions. Children with AS can also be frustrated by clutter, so make sure that the workspace is organized and that all necessary materials for homework are available and easy to find.
Break Down Large Assignments
Some homework assignments can be overwhelming for kids with AS. Parents will sometimes need to work closely with their child to help her get started. Providing one or two examples may be all that is required in some instances. For more complicated work, parents may want to demonstrate how to break it down into smaller steps. This added attention may be needed for each unfamiliar assignment.
Eliminate Vagueness
Sometimes assignments may be unclear, even to parents. If this happens often, it would be best for parents to communicate with the teacher about their child’s needs. Receiving more detailed instructions for upcoming assignments will go a long way to ensuring that homework gets done correctly and without tantrums. The key is to get the information ahead of time so that the child with AS can be prepared, not surprised with an unknown.
Incorporate Interests
A unique quality of children with Asperger syndrome is that they can develop abnormally intense interests in one or two subjects. Common ones may include weather, sports statistics, or computers. Using a little ingenuity, parents can persuade the child to do seemingly unrelated work by integrating her interests.
Children fascinated by computers may be encouraged to complete writing assignments using an online dictionary, for instance. Children who have nightly reading requirements could be allowed to choose books that are related to weather, dinosaurs, or other science topics of interest. If the child seems to dislike math, create word problems for practicing addition, subtraction, and multiplication using subjects such as baseball or cars.
Children with AS possess unique skills and can grow to be highly productive, thriving members of society. But, like everyone, they face their own set of challenges along the way. Homework may be one of those challenges. With careful planning however, parents can make this necessary and important chore less worrisome and help to pave their child’s way to success.
References
Myles, Brenda Smith and Southwick, Jack. Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments. KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2005.
Boyd, Brenda. Parenting a Child with Asperger Syndrome: 200 Tips and Strategies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004.
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