Many college students with Asperger’s need assistance with writing assignments. Whether it is for a writing intensive course or for an essay in a basic undergraduate class, the following often occurs:

Student doing the notes

  1. Students write too little. Students often presume professors will infer from their most basic of communications what the student intends and, as a result, leave out details.
    • These details, of course, are what professors want to read.
  1. Students write too much. Students are sometimes uncertain what professors want to read and end up throwing everything – including the kitchen sink – into the document. This especially happens when students are writing about a topic that has personal interest to them.
  1. Students with Asperger’s Disorder sometimes cannot predict what professors want to read in a writing assignment. This creates difficulties with emotional regulation, during which students may avoid the assignment or have an emotional meltdown.

Students can more easily complete writing assignments when provided clear instructions about the structure of an assignment and relevant examples. A template is often helpful. The following is such a template, used to help a student assigned with writing a paper for a History class.

Please note: The examples provided were not related to the assignment. They were merely examples.Continue Reading

Child, Graphic Organizer

Continuing with instructional supports, this week’s blog will focus on a simple, yet powerful strategy: graphic organizers.

“Graphic organizers are tools that help your brain think.”

– Kylene Beers

Most teachers use graphic organizers but might not be fully aware of the comprehensive benefits of this visual support. Graphic organizers can accomplish the following key elements toward instructional success:

Child, Graphic Organizer

  • understand important data with very little reading involved
  • think logically
  • identify main concepts
  • assign specific labels to concepts
  • sort relevant and non-relevant details
  • make predictions
  • identify cause and effect
  • identify and understand consequences
  • organize and sequence data
  • understand time lines
  • visualize and understand abstract content

Researchers found that when content is illustrated with diagrams, the information can be maintained by students over a longer period of time.

Graphic organizers portray knowledge in a meaningful way which helps bring clarity to ideas as connections are made.

Continue Reading