The additional qualification course, Teaching Children with Communication Needs (autism spectrum disorders), focuses on the development and the implementation of program design for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

This course provides a detailed look at the characteristics associated with ASD. You will explore research-based approaches to instruction and ways to negotiate challenging behaviour. This course looks at the significance of working with school-based teams and community personnel. Creating a positive learning environment that reflects care, diversity, and equity is the foundation of this course.

This course enhances professional knowledge (through lived experience, inquiry, and reflection), ethical practice, and leadership. This course is aligned with the Ontario curriculum, legislation, government policies, frameworks, strategies, and resources.

Course Learning Expectations

In this course you will:

• analyze, interpret, and implement Ontario’s curriculum, district school board polices, frameworks, strategies, and guidelines
• apply background information regarding the characteristics of ASD
• explore theories that attempt to understand the triad of impairments
• generate ways to create a positive learning environment conducive to the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, cultural, spiritual, and moral development of students with ASD and design ways to develop their social skills
• develop awareness of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit perspectives and ways of knowing
• incorporate various types of programming and therapies such as applied behavioural analysis into classroom practice
• access and explore a variety of resources, including technology
• discover a variety of positive behavioural supports including reinforcement schedules
• collect information about sensory needs and ways to deal with sensory defensiveness
• develop an understanding of how to create and sustain professional learning communities
• develop lessons which show an understanding how to create and sustain safe, healthy, equitable, and inclusive learning environments that honour and respect diversity
• model and adapt expectations, strategies and assessment practices in response to the individual needs of students
• facilitate the creation of learning environments conducive to the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, environmental, linguistic, cultural, spiritual, and moral development of the student
• identify ways to collaborate with in-school personnel, parents/guardians, and the community
• refine professional practice through ongoing inquiry, dialogue, and reflection
• support and model ethical practices
• illustrate the need to respect and conserve resources in the environment
• integrate environmentally respectful perspectives and practices