Specialized training programs that are given to teachers are seen to be helpful in assisting young students with autism condition to achieve big results, as per the observations made by researchers based out of Emory University and Florida State University.
In this new study young children, who underwent educational training under teachers who had received specialized training sessions, were observed. The students were seen to be better in activities involving group participation initiating conversations and responding to their teachers.
Amy Wetherby, director of FSU Autism institute and Morgan were principal investigators of the study. The authors highlight the importance of the study since it took place over 3-year duration involving students from 60 schools. The study aimed at measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum designed to take care of and educate students with autism condition.
This curriculum was designated the name SCERTS, which stands for SOCIAL, COMMUNICATION, EMOTIONAL REGULATION and TRANSACTIONAL SUPPORT.
Transactional support is seen to be an important highlight of this curriculum since it involved developing an innate partnership of individuals at home and at school who can quickly respond to an autistic child’s interests and needs that could enhance their learning abilities.
The research team made its results public during this month marking its observations.
Wetherby explains, “Today, we have a good amount of research information carried out for treatments that are meant to treat preschool kids with autism symptoms.” The researcher continues, “Nevertheless, this study demonstrates some important areas that need to be given prior importance for school going kids.”
The authors note, this study involving public school classrooms has set it apart from previous studies of a similar kind that were earlier carried out.
Autism condition is a developmental disorder involving neurodevelopmental complexities that are further characterized by difficulty in social communication, repetitive behavioral patterns and restrictive interactive capabilities.
Schools across 10 districts, 7 in Georgia and Florida followed with 1 in California were part of this study. The study team says, no sequence was followed while matching school pairs, rather they were randomly matched.
In each pair, one school was designated ATM model while the other was designated CSI model
ATM or Autism Training Module
In this module, students with autism condition got the regular school training sessions that were supplemented by a unique website that was designed to have training modules related to autism readily available to teachers at the click of a button.
CSI or Classroom SCERTS Intervention
This module involved three days of specialized training to teachers plus regular training sessions as well as access to reference material and videos to equip them with necessary training resources.
The authors highlight, they were surprised to see the CSI model outperforming ATM model and students were also able to cope up better with their educational curriculum.
The authors conclude, “There is a modern need to have the educational landscape of school going autistic student changed for the better. This model has the real potential to implement the required change through a comprehensive, feasible model of interventional programs that could be easily implemented in various educational settings.”