06-10.10.2008 at Aabenraa...practice

Everything can be possible!!!

Yes, it is true. I have got this positive attitude after I spent a week in Aabenraa at a special school, a school with autistic children in a level of lower function. These children don't have language and sometimes they are aggressive with themselves, they are able to spend a whole day crying and screaming. But in spite of these facts, I saw them working, and taking lessons. How could it be possible? If they can't talk to you. I spoke with the teacher and she told me that she and her colleagues have started to work with them in August when they were very "small", beginners in their development. She said that it was a hard work to get them in this situation when they are able to work and to keep their attention awake for more than 10 minutes. And than she started to explain to me the program which they use in order to teach these children. The name of the program is "Board marker" and it is very useful because this programme is based on pictures. The teachers use only pictures which describe all the activities like the action of feeding, of playing, of working, etc. The pictures are showed by the teachers to the children and in this way they know what they have to do. For example they know that first of all they have to work and after they get reward with games or sweets, mostly with things on which they are interested. Using pictures is more easier for the teachers and for the parents to figure out the needs of their pupils/children. The children have the possibility to express their desires only by showing the pictures which have those meanings. Also they don't need to keep the eye contact if this hurts them because they can understand things without having the eye contact with people who are in contact with them. And they are free to decide when they are prepared to look into your eyes. But the school prepare them in this way by introducing in their schedule swimming lessons, where they are more close to the teachers who hold them and teach them how to swim. And then the relationship between children and teachers becomes more and more close. During the time, they work (do some puzzle, learn the name of animals, etc,) and of course they work separatly, each one in his own corner, they are listening to relaxing music which calm them and can reduce their possible crises.

For me this practice was wery useful, I have learned many new things. I have got a background of working with autistic children but I worked in a different way. And I am very pleased that I could work and experience new things at Aabenraa Fjordskolen .
So this was my story about my practice! (it was a really nice time:)).