Common learning strengths in people with autism
In my experience, people with autism have strengths in at least three main areas of learning:
Visual
People with autism are usually visual thinkers. They understand and remember things they can see. Visual details and images are much easier for remember (compared to things they just hear). I’ve known people with autism who can re-watch entire videos in their minds.
Musical/Rhythmic
Lots of people with autism enjoy and respond to music and rhythm. They remember things that have a rhythm or are set to a melody. Some autistic people can remember entire songs after hearing them just one time.
Body/Movement
People with autism learn well when they have hands-on experiences. Moving and using their bodies makes a difference to what they learn and remember.
Autism is a different way of experiencing and understanding the world. Each person has challenges. But each person also has learning preferences and strengths.
Common learning strengths in people with autism
In my experience, people with autism have strengths in at least three main areas of learning:
Visual
People with autism are usually visual thinkers. They understand and remember things they can see. Visual details and images are much easier for remember (compared to things they just hear). I’ve known people with autism who can re-watch entire videos in their minds.
Musical/Rhythmic
Lots of people with autism enjoy and respond to music and rhythm. They remember things that have a rhythm or are set to a melody. Some autistic people can remember entire songs after hearing them just one time.
Body/Movement
People with autism learn well when they have hands-on experiences. Moving and using their bodies makes a difference to what they learn and remember.
Autism is a different way of experiencing and understanding the world. Each person has challenges. But each person also has learning preferences and strengths.
Introduction to Self-Regulation
Self-regulation - development
Highlights & critical information
Self-regulation takes time to develop
© E. H. MacKenzie 2018
Look at the time-line above. You can follow the changes in self-regulation (SR) over the years. The changes we see reflect changes in brain development.
Babies learn that sucking their fingers, thumb, or ‘blankie’ can help them soothe themselves – this is beginning self-regulation.
Self-regulation doesn’t occur over night. It starts early in life and continues into the adult years.
Through the preschool years, children make big strides in controlling their bodies. They also learn more about how to control their hands (and busy fingers) – you'll likely find fewer surprises in your grocery cart when you go shopping with your child. Children learn how and when they should use a quieter voice but they often forget.
They learn to manage their thinking more and more. Attention spans get longer and patience grows - waiting longer for things they want. They learn to ignore things that aren't important. Planning ahead gets stronger as does checking their own progress.
Children become a bit more flexible in their thinking. For example, they cope more easily with being told they can't wear their favorite rain boots on a sunny day. This also marks improvements in dealing with frustration and disappointment.
Children start thinking about their thinking. That's metacognitive awareness. They figure out what helps them remember, what helps them pay attention, etc.
Developing self-regulation takes time - more than 20 years for most people!
Learning these skills takes support of parents and other adults in the child's life. If you start early, children can go on to refine and build on these skills in the years to come.
Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
When working on self-regulation skills, always keep in mind that self-regulation develops over a long time. In some children (e.g. those with autism, ADHD), it'll take a little longer. A lot depends on the kind of teaching and support children get. The more self-regulation we can teach them the better they'll get. Then we can stand back and let them be more independent.
© 2020 by Dr. Heather MacKenzie