Completing homework is often one of the most frustrating activities for students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) and their parents. In the eyes of many students with HF-ASD, homework adds insult to injury. From their perspective it is bad enough that school subjects them to hours of meaningless tasks when that time could be devoted to things of interest. Why would one want to continue with similar activities when the school day has ended?
Parental viewpoints on homework for their child with ASD range from feeling that it is yet another battle to fight, to wishing their child would develop some effective study skills. Without question, many of the homework challenges for families of students with are the result of: (a) the cognitive style of people with ASD, and (b) executive functioning deficits.
For the student with ASD who plans to go on to college, developing study skills is important. The following are suggestions for establishing effective homework routines and laying the groundwork for the development of study skills.
Establish a specific place and time for studying.
Consider your child’s preferred sensory environment and be willing to think “out of the box”. Although traditionally, we have students work at a desk or table, some students may prefer to lie on the floor or work on the bed. Some may work effectively with music, and others may need a quiet, distraction-free environment. Lighting preferences may also need to be considered. Have essential study materials organized and in close proximity to the study area. This may include pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, scissors, erasers, paper clips, index cards and other supplies.
In the event that your schedule does not permit a consistent time for homework, be sure to block out homework time and indicate it on the schedule.
Help your child prioritize assignments.
It is often helpful to write the order down for review throughout the homework period. You may also want to include a space for a check mark, so assignments can be checked off as they are completed, but this doesn’t mean you have to micromanage each moment. Assess what part(s) of the assignment your child should be able to do alone and begin to have him complete some work when you are not in close proximity.
Help your child plan which items will be needed to complete the assignment.
Assist your child in gathering these items. For example, this may be as simple as getting out the math book from one’s backpack in order to complete a math assignment, or more complex, such as gathering a variety of art supplies to complete a “save the environment’ poster for a science class. The process of helping your child learn to think about the requirements beyond what is written in a homework planner will help him develop planning skills that he will need in many aspects of his life as he matures.
Help your child to estimate the time it will take to complete an assignment.
Compare the estimated time with the actual time it takes. Most of us assume a task will take us less time than it actually takes. Learning to plan for adequate time to complete a task is an important skill. Some students find the use of the Time Timer (www.timetimer.com) helpful, as it provides visual feedback as to how much time has passed.
Use positive reinforcement.
Try to remember that raising one’s voice and threatening withdrawal of privileges are rarely effective in improving the child’s ability to complete homework. In most instances, homework involves the use of organizational skills that are often an area of weakness for children with HF-ASD, in spite of their overall cognitive ability. Improvement in completing homework is much more likely if our behavior management system is based on the careful use of positive reinforcement.
Remember small improvements in the skills you are trying to teach, are big wins for your child. For example, “I noticed you completed all of your math worksheet. You took your time to carefully look over each answer and corrected a few that you had miscalculated. I’m proud of the way you carefully reviewed your work. That’s the kind of schoolwork that gets good grades”.
Build in mini-breaks for your child.
In building healthy homework routines, it is much better to reinforce small, concentrated periods of time to complete an assignment or parts of a long assignment, than to push the study time beyond what the child can successfully manage.
Combine verbal reinforcement with concrete secondary reinforcement.
Many of the privileges or things we provide for our children can be used as additional reinforcement for improvement in desired study habits. Try to find ways of spontaneously providing reinforcement for small improvements in study skills. For example, “You wrote out the answers for all five questions without any complaining. I am really proud of you. You can read for an extra ten minutes tonight at bedtime”.
Talk with your child’s team. The role of homework in the lives of children is to provide practice to move a child into becoming fluent, it isn’t to make them miserable. Ask if it is possible for your child to test out of homework, or have the homework directed at skills that require additional practice. Homework, like all other tasks assigned to students, should benefit them.
Dr. Diane Adreon is an internationally recognized autism expert, award-winning author, and public speaker. For more information on her consulting services, contact her at 929.249.1960.