Areas for staff Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Teachers to consider their knowledge in relation to the following to identify areas for continuing professional development:
- The impact which unmet social communication needs may have on young people’s emotional wellbeing and learning
- How to differentiate positive reinforcement to take into account the young person’s social communication needs
- Understanding that young people with autism often have an uneven profile of abilities and that their performance can vary depending on the context
- Knowledge that autism can vary in its presentation and awareness that some young people, particularly girls, may mask their difficulties in some environments
- Knowledge of other conditions which often co-occur with social communication difficulties and autism and awareness of the impact that these conditions may have on young people
- Understanding that social communication needs can be associated with high levels of stress and anxiety, identification of the early signs of this occurring, and the likely triggers
- Knowledge that young people with autism often have disturbed and erratic eating, sleeping and toileting routines which have significant effects on their physical well-being and may affect their actions and learning
- Having a broad perspective on autism e.g. by reading or listening to accounts from people with autism and parents and other family members
- Listening to the voice of the young person, and their family, and identifying strategies to ensure that communication systems are not just used to inform and instruct
- Knowing that young people with autism are much more likely to be teased and bullied and take steps to prevent and manage bullying ( see AET, core competencies)
- Knowledge of who is the named member of staff (autism champion/ SENCO) responsible for providing general information about social communication needs and information about specific young people.
- Awareness of the importance of building on strengths and interests to motivate and encourage young people with social communication difficulties (including Autism) in their learning
- Knowledge of alternative forms of communication, other than speech (e.g. objects, photos, symbols, pictures) and how a young person may benefit from being taught to use them
- Understanding of reasonable adjustments as a statutory obligation in disability law
Knowledge and understanding about Autism can be further explored using the AET Autism Competency Framework.