Raising awareness and developing acceptance of difference and social justice within the Prep learning environment can be shaped by the teacher’s words and actions. Students often copy and adopt the language, actions and intentions modelled and reinforced by significant adults in their lives. A teacher has the capacity to encourage the development of peer skills so that peers may become the supporter, champion, friend, model, and skill builder or information provider for the student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The following tips may be useful in encouraging acceptance of difference and concepts of social justice:
· Use concrete examples of ‘same and different’ to develop the concept that all people have similarities and differences and that this is okay. For example, focusing on what is the same about how we look on the outside, what is different (hair/eye colour), what pets/foods/TV shows do we like.
· Teach and reinforce specific examples of being a ‘good friend’ or ‘good helper’, such as what it looks like, phrases to use and how to help a peer by letting them have a chance to have a go before helping. Remind students of the small things they may do with peers, such as letting them sit next to them, inviting them to play and helping them with tasks.
· Identify peers who have a common interest with the student with ASD and support the friendship through providing specific information to encourage success, for example “[name of student with ASD] can be frightened by big groups or noise but will talk to you about [interest area] in a quiet area”. Providing the scaffolding to peers to support interactions helps to develop and sustain a circle of friends for the student with ASD.
· Peers can be provided with a concrete task or job to complete, such as being assigned to the student with ASD as a helper or buddy in a range of tasks. Buddy roles may include scribe or writer, partners for moving between activities or environments, play time buddies for the day/week, or assistants for completing preferred tasks such as tidying the home corner area.
· Remember that peers may also need to know that it is okay for the student with ASD to say no to their offers of support and friendship and provide suggestions of what else they may do or say.
· Sharing information with peers regarding the student’s ASD diagnosis must be discussed with parents first. Sometimes it can be helpful to outline a student’s strengths and some areas in which peers may help throughout the day-to-day routine.
· Find more information about talking to parents and peers regarding the student’s diagnosis in Tips for talking to other parents and children.