General Education Teachers' Perceptions of Autism, Inclusive Practices, and Relationship Building Strategies.
Yasamin Bolourian, Ainsley Losh, Narmene Hamsho and 2 others
PMID 34546512WHAT IT FOUND
Eighteen early elementary teachers described autistic students mainly by observable social and behavioral traits.
They most often named classroom jobs, showcasing strengths, visual aids, partner work, and relationships as inclusion supports. For relationships, they prioritized interest in students' interests.
Key findings
01Teachers' descriptions of autistic students were not predominantly negative; the most common themes were observable social, sensory, emotional, and behavioral traits.
02For inclusion, the most prominent strategies teachers reported were assigning job responsibilities, showcasing special talents and strengths, using visual aids, partner or group activities, and building classroom relationships.
03For relationship building, the most prominent strategy was taking an interest in student interests, followed by one-on-one time, providing safety, being patient, and positive feedback or compliments.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Only teachers from two U.S. regions volunteered, so their views may not represent other early elementary teachers. Participants were volunteers and may have been more interested in autism than average teachers. The study reports teachers' perceptions and reported practices, not direct observation of classrooms or student outcomes. The ranking scores show which themes teachers chose, not whether the strategies help students.
Declared interests
The larger project was funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. No other conflicts of interest are stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that the strategies improve inclusion or student outcomes. The study reports teachers' perceptions and reported practices, not tested effects.