2 Tips for Teaching Online
Many students with ASD enjoy the opportunity for online or hybrid learning opportunities as they can help reduce stress from face-to-face interactions, activity and noises in the classroom, and other distractions that challenge the ability to focus on the content of lessons. However, it can also become more challenging for the staff to misinterpret student performance and progress.
It is essential to provide sufficient training and support to all staff involved in teaching and/or supporting students with any level of online learning.
Considerations:
- Ensure that online multimedia is not an overwhelming and providing distracting sensory input (sounds, flashing, movement) that may have a negative impact on student learning
- Provide sufficient support (i.e., cues, reminders, added optional materials/guides) to direct or redirect attention to the most salient aspects of the content that you are teaching
- Support students during social times, like during group discussions, social groups and opportunities, or other times for interaction
- Create a clear structure as well as tools to prompt and support learning of relevant activities such as where to go to get and submit assignments, how to determine the assigned schedule of activities, how to be effective with online communications, etc.
Copy Google slides with interactive visual supports
- Help teach and set expectations for good study habits (e.g., regular times and location for study, regular location for materials, distraction free environment)
EXAMPLE: Netiquette
- Use learning management systems (LMS) like Google Classroom, Moodle, and others if accessible to you/your district as a means for supporting needed structure
- Provide clear communication by providing brief statements, pre-teaching needed skills, and supporting instruction with visual supports (i.e., for such aspects as duration, behavioral expectations, sequence, incentives)
- Provide alternative ways to complete assignments (e.g., while with the group online, alone in own workspace, caregiver typing in responses) as also acceptable within the face to face classroom.