| A common trait for children and adults with | | | | picture. They are usually also good at finding |
| Aspergers Syndrome is that they tend to get caught | | | | embedded figures in complex geometric patterns. |
| up and lost in the details of tasks or situations and | | | | Unfortunately this can mean that children with |
| the environments around them. This affects all | | | | Asperger's can have poor categorisation abilities, |
| cognitive ability such as reading ability - words are | | | | because instead of recognising similarities they see |
| reduced to letters or sounds in isolation - and maths | | | | differences. They can also have great difficulty |
| ability - equations become single numbers or number | | | | distinguishing foreground from background. A practical |
| patterns. They don't see the "larger" or whole | | | | solution that works in helping increase Asperger |
| picture, so often they're not even aware of other | | | | children's cognitive acuity is using visual prompts such |
| people within a scenario; consequently the other | | | | as flash cards and times tables where the |
| persons emotions and feelings don't register with the | | | | background is black and the text is white. This |
| Aspergers Syndrome child. Neurotypicals process | | | | strategy can also be utilised for art lessons, where |
| information from both internal and external sources, | | | | students can use white chalk on black paper - you'll |
| but because of the Aspergers Syndrome child's focus | | | | be amazed at the increased artistic ability of children |
| on detail they see things very differently and process | | | | with AS using this medium. For reading support, try |
| information from that singularly alternate point of | | | | "framing" where a piece of cardboard with a small |
| view. This means that not only is emotional | | | | hole cut out is used to "frame" each word as the |
| information coming from someone else invisible, but | | | | child reads, or try covering all text on the page |
| also should it happen to be noticed at all it is usually | | | | except the sentence being read. Also, try turning the |
| incorrectly interpreted. Therefore social situations are | | | | page upside down - you'll be impressed with the |
| usually solved by intellect and not intuition. Children | | | | readers' improvement! AS children will naturally love |
| with Aspergers Syndrome have a distinctive, albeit | | | | 'compound' words - two words joined together to |
| uneven, profile of cognitive abilities - they understand | | | | make a new word, such as blackboard. When |
| the logical and physical world and easily grasp facts | | | | working on spelling point out any words within words |
| arranged systematically. IQ is formally measured | | | | as a memory aid e.g. 'together' is to + get + her. |
| across four areas:- verbal comprehension, perceptual | | | | Children with Aspergers Syndrome have a unique |
| reasoning, working memory and processing speed. | | | | perspective that needs to be accommodated and |
| Children with Asperger's Syndrome usually have a | | | | understood in all aspects of school life. ©Nelle |
| higher verbal IQ than performance IQ, however this | | | | Frances |
| discrepancy usually diminishes with age. Asperger's | | | | Nelle Frances is the mother of a 16 year old with |
| Syndrome children have a tendency toward | | | | Asperger's Syndrome, a Special Needs Educator and |
| fragmented perception and are known to have an | | | | Author of the Ben and His Helmet series of books |
| atypical visual perspective. This means they are often | | | | for Asperger children. Her site offers resources, |
| good at copying abstract patterns or reproducing | | | | strategies, and articles on Aspergers Syndrome for |
| Lego models accurately after briefly looking at a | | | | parents and teachers. |