Empowering Minds: Navigating Addition with a Student on the Autism Spectrum

Today’s focus was on continuing our exploration of addition. With my student demonstrating a solid grasp of numbers from 1 to 9 and a budding number sense, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to introduce the concept of addition.

Navigating the Fundamentals of Addition in the World of Autism

In our first lesson, we began by familiarizing ourselves with the plus sign, an essential symbol in the world of addition. Through repetition and visual aids, my student began to recognize and name the symbol with increasing confidence.

Moving forward to our second lesson, we delved into reading the first half of addition equations. We practiced identifying the numbers involved in the addition process, such as in 3 + 4 or 7 + 2, laying a foundational understanding.

In lesson three, we introduced the concept of the equal sign, a pivotal step in comprehending the balance inherent in addition equations. After revisiting the skills learned in the previous lesson, we incorporated the equal sign into our equation readings, such as in 3 + 4 =.

During this journey, my student encountered challenges, as is common in the learning process. There were moments of difficulty differentiating between the plus and equal signs, leading to moments of frustration. However, through supportive guidance and reassurance, we navigated these obstacles together.

I vividly recall one such moment when my student looked at me with a mixture of determination and desperation, seeking assistance in remembering. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of personalized support and encouragement in the learning process.

Although we encountered setbacks along the way, we celebrated small victories, such as the one captured in the video from today’s session. Witnessing my student’s progress and sense of accomplishment serves as a testament to the effectiveness of breaking down concepts into manageable segments.

Teaching learners in small, digestible segments has proven to be an effective approach, allowing for incremental progress and meaningful engagement. As we continue our journey together, I am inspired by the resilience and determination demonstrated by my student, reinforcing my commitment to providing tailored support and fostering a love for learning.

Engaging my student with autism has been a rewarding journey of patience, understanding, and tailored instruction.

Today’s focus was on continuing our exploration of addition. With my student demonstrating a solid grasp of numbers from 1 to 9 and a budding number sense, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to introduce the concept of addition.

In our first lesson, we began by familiarizing ourselves with the plus sign, an essential symbol in the world of addition. Through repetition and visual aids, my student began to recognize and name the symbol with increasing confidence.

Moving forward to our second lesson, we delved into reading the first half of addition equations. We practiced identifying the numbers involved in the addition process, such as in 3 + 4 or 7 + 2, laying a foundational understanding.

In lesson three, we introduced the concept of the equal sign, a pivotal step in comprehending the balance inherent in addition equations. After revisiting the skills learned in the previous lesson, we incorporated the equal sign into our equation readings, such as in 3 + 4 =.

During this journey, my student encountered challenges, as is common in the learning process. There were moments of difficulty differentiating between the plus and equal signs, leading to moments of frustration. However, through supportive guidance and reassurance, we navigated these obstacles together.

I vividly recall one such moment when my student looked at me with a mixture of determination and desperation, seeking assistance in remembering. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of personalized support and encouragement in the learning process.

Although we encountered setbacks along the way, we celebrated small victories, such as the one captured in the video from today’s session. Witnessing my student’s progress and sense of accomplishment serves as a testament to the effectiveness of breaking down concepts into manageable segments.

Teaching learners in small, digestible segments has proven to be an effective approach, allowing for incremental progress and meaningful engagement. As we continue our journey together, I am inspired by the resilience and determination demonstrated by my student, reinforcing my commitment to providing tailored support and fostering a love for learning.

We are deliberate about Language Development

Language development is stressed in our Early Stimulation Unit.  At Jabneh Christian Academy, we believe that we must deliberately engage in this aspect of our icons’ development since it supports :

  • their ability to community,  express and understand feelings;
  • thinking and problem-solving;
  • the developing and maintaining of relationship;
  • the process of learning  and enjoying language which is a critical step towards literacy;

Three to four-year-old children usually can do the following:

  • understand most of what they hear
  • converse
  • have 900 to 1,000-word vocabularies, with verbs starting to predominate
  • usually talk without repeating syllables or words
  • use pronouns correctly
  • use three to six-word sentences
  • ask questions
  • relate experiences and activities
  • tell stories

Language skills usually blossom between four and five years of age. Children of this age can do the following:

  • verbalize extensively
  • communicate easily with other children and adults
  • articulate most English sounds correctly
  • know 1,500 to 2,500 words
  • use detailed six to eight-word sentences
  • can repeat four-syllable words
  • use at least four prepositions
  • tell stories that stay on topic
  • can answer questions about stories

Read more: http://www.healthofchildren.com/L/Language-Development.html#ixzz4Wpmn6JTm

we are encouraging you to be an active participant in the development of language by trying these few strategies:

  • talk with your child;
  • respond to your child;
  • engage in everyday talk ( talk about their day);
  • introduce new words.
  • have your child picture read to you.
  • read to and with your child.