FAQautism

Sometimes a teacher will say that a child never follows directions. If we keep track, we discover that the youngster actually follows directions all day long except when heading for lunch or when doing math papers. A student may follow all directions spoken directly to him, but not those addressed to the group. His autism may be standing in the way of his being able to quickly process the words and translate them into action. Or he may be focused on an object in his hand or a song in his head so intently that he does not even hear the words spoken by the teacher. It may be that he is mischievous or that he is being purposefully and willfully defiant. Or, maybe he just isn’t paying attention. There are many reasons why a teacher reports that a student never follows directions. It is up to us to take a close look at all the circumstances surrounding a challenging behavior in order to pinpoint the exact problem.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcast [5:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Individuals with autism often appear to be inattentive since eye contact and social interaction are not their strong suits. A high school friend diagnosed with autism tells me that for years her teachers and her parents have been saying things like “You never listen to me” and “You need to start paying attention.” She feels like she is as attentive as other teens, maybe even more so since she really likes school. But she realizes that she doesn’t look as if she is paying attention. So, eye contact with the speaker may not be a valid criteria for determining if a person with autism is paying attention.

Language processing is another challenge for many individuals with autism. An adult friend with autism commented on the barrage of words that we encounter every day. Many people just tune out all the sounds around them – televisions blaring, people talking, phones ringing, music playing. My friend tells me that he can’t help but pay attention to and try to process all those sounds. As a result, he doesn’t always hear important conversations and specific instructions.

In classrooms, I’ve noticed that teachers give an instruction, then often repeat it if youngsters don’t respond immediately. Students with autism can get caught in a cycle of listening, processing the language, deciding what action to take, then beginning to take that action only to be interrupted by another instruction or comment from the teacher. Or a classroom aid who is trying to be helpful jumps in to help the youngster before he has had time to initiate action himself.

All of this is to say that there are many different reasons why an individual with autism might appear uncooperative and inattentive in a classroom. All of us need to avoid jumping to conclusions and take time to scout out the situation in order to pinpoint the problem and the cause.

We welcome your input. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Automatically generated related posts:

1. Unwilling or Unable? “My daughter rarely follow directions,” commented the dad of a...
2. Never Pays Attention It is certainly a rare parent or teacher who has...
3. Say What you Mean “Our son seems to always do the opposite of what...
4. Say What You Mean “Our son seems to always do the opposite of what...
5. Detective Work When a person diagnosed with autism is having a problem...