Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Characteristics：

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) results from neuropsychological developmental differences and is characterized by marked difficulties in social communication and interaction, along with restricted and repeated patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, and sensitive to excessive or insufficient sensory stimulation.
2. Students with ASD often find it challenging to infer implied meanings in others’ speech.
3. Students with ASD may have difficulty interpreting facial expressions or body language.
4. Students with ASD may struggle to initiate or sustain reciprocal social interactions and may find it difficult to share emotions, interests, or thoughts with others.
5. Building and maintaining positive social relationships can be difficult.
6. Students with ASD may make comments that appear off-topic or contextually inappropriate, which may be perceived as self-centered.
7. Difficulty in recognizing appropriate interpersonal boundaries or respecting others’ privacy.
8. ASD students often display behavioral rigidity or insistence on routines. Even minor changes can trigger significant anxiety or distress due to inflexible thinking patterns.
9. Students with ASD frequently demonstrate strong passion and exceptional focus in areas of interest, often achieving outstanding performance when tasks align with those interests.
10. Some ASD students possess exceptional rote memory or remarkable attention to detail.
11. Some ASD students excessively focus on details may sometimes prevent them from grasping the broader context.

Peer Support：

1. Approach ASD students with empathy, acceptance, and appreciation. Understand their direct communication style, respect their need for structure, and acknowledge their strengths and contributions.
2. Use explicit and clear language. Avoid figurative expressions, idioms, or ambiguous phrasing that may lead to confusion.
3. Accept social challenges of ASD students and proactively help them engage in group activities such as discussions, presentations, or note-sharing. Recognize that their limited participation stems from social-communication difficulties is not unwillingness.

Recommendations in Teaching：

1. Provide a structured and predictable classroom environment to help ASD students filter distractions and organize information effectively.
2. Students with ASD often need additional time for adaptation to new settings or classroom routines.
3. Reinforce learning through concrete examples and repetition. Use visual aids such as slides, handouts, briefing materials and pictures to enhance comprehension.
4. ASD Students may overly focus on details while missing the main idea; guide them gently toward the key learning points.
5. Emotional outbursts often indicate stress or discomfort. Teachers should respond calmly and, when possible, address the situation privately to help the student regain composure.
6. When ASD students fixate on a specific topic, gently redirect the discussion and model appropriate turn-taking.
7. As ASD students may struggle to interpret tone or metaphorical language, communicate in clear, literal, and straightforward terms.
8. Provide advance notice of schedule or classroom changes to reduce anxiety and help the student prepare mentally.
9. For ASD students exhibiting obsessive or perseverative thought patterns, consider extended exam time or flexible assessment formats.
10. If students experience anxiety about public presentations, allow alternative formats such as recorded videos, audio submissions, or written reports.

**Video Source: Tofu TV | NKNU Resource Classroom – Special Education Fun Film Gallery – “Autism” https://spe.idv.tw/Ming_Fu_TV/MovieView.aspx?Mid=1275