Written by Riley Andrews and Audrey Champelli
Hello fellow tutors here at the University Center for Writing-based Learning (UCWbL)! We are here to talk about strategies for tutoring writer’s with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is super important to our writing center work because as of 2015, 1 in 68 American children are diagnosed with an ASD. Early diagnosis and treatment has led to an increase in students with ASDs pursuing post-secondary education, and therefore, utilizing university writing center services (Barton 2015). We’ve done some research about how to adapt our services to accommodate this population within our own writing center!
Some Background
So what is Autism Spectrum Disorder? The National Institute of Mental Health defines ASD as “a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior… it is said to be a ‘developmental disorder’ because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life” (2018). Common symptoms and behaviors can include difficulty understanding abstract language, sensory issues, difficulty with social interactions, repetitive behaviors, inconsistent eye contact, and longer response times (Barton, 2015). However, these symptoms are not universal and can vary from person to person, meaning there is no ‘one’ way to have ASD.
As with any writer who comes through our doors (or across our Zoom screens), our job as tutors is to adapt to their needs as an individual first. Making assumptions about a writer’s abilities can result in over-compensation, which can lead to the writer feeling discouraged or inadequate (Babcock et al., 2015). Basically, we’re not here to diagnose or to ask anybody to self-diagnose, we’re here to help.
Broader Tutoring Strategies
The strategies we list below are more tools for your tutoring toolbox. If a writer doesn’t seem to be responding to your regular strategies, you might ask yourself if their behaviors align with the ones we’ve described. If they do, you can try some of these methods, regardless of whether or not if you are aware if the writer has ASD.
Avoid Abstract Language:
Be as direct as possible with your comments and questions. Try to focus on simple yes or no questions, and avoid using metaphors and figures of speech.
This can mean being as literal as possible, or simply explaining metaphors when you use them. By doing this, you can avoid possible miscommunications and make sure that your ideas are communicated as explicitly and as clearly as possible.
Accommodate Unconventional Responses
Try not to take offense to lack of eye contact, blunt responses, or longer response time. Though these behaviors may seem uncomfortable, they usually don’t come from negative intentions.
Instead, consider what your writer is telling you directly, what they seem to focus on in their writing, and what they communicate to you. Know that various people communicate in different ways and that the expectations you may hold of your writers may be based on your own mode of communication.
Ask yourself what other ways you can appreciate your writer’s communication styles and how you can adjust your expectations to match them.
Present Information in Multiple Ways
Provide audible or visual cues throughout your appointment, whichever seems to be most effective for the writer. Take notes on what the writer is saying, allowing the writer to place their focus on speech only so as not to overwhelm them.
According to an anonymous person with ASD, they thought that “the most important part is to value all types of brains. […] that could mean explaining things in different ways, allowing more movement, and explaining and accepting things like stimming rather than discouraging it” (Gardiner, 2017, p. 3).
Knowing this, allow your writer to express themselves without judging them and in turn, be mindful and respectful of how you can accommodate their methods of thinking, communicating, or simply existing.
Responding Directly to ASD Needs
If a writer does disclose an ASD either verbally or in their appointment form you may be able to respond more directly to their needs. Consider the following:
Adapt the Physical Environment:
Maintain a consistent meeting place that meets the writer’s sensory needs. Changes to routine can be jarring to people with ASDs, regulating the meeting environment can help combat that.
To do so, you may ask your writer directly what noises, visuals, or surroundings are best for their learning environment and do you best to accommodate their preferences. If this during an in-person appointment, this may mean moving to a quieter location to focus on some work, or finding a chair which allows them to more easily maintain concentration on their work.
Whatever your writer requests, do your best to accommodate them within the bounds of the UCWbL and considering the UCWbL’s core values.
Anticipate Sensory Complications:
Provide additional stimulation, or remove over-stimulating elements of an environment as necessary or possible. This includes adjusting the amount of light, removing uncomfortable textures, or regulating noise levels in a room.
Establish Meeting Routines:
Try sticking to a consistent agenda across appointments, too much change may prove to be difficult for the writer to process. Also, encourage the writer to make appointments with the same tutor for further meetings.
Moving Forward
Remember – inclusivity is essential to living up to our UCWbL core values. We need to adapt our strategies to fit writers with diverse backgrounds and abilities. According to Alice Batt with the University of Texas at Austin: “Because we appreciate individual differences, writing centers tend to be interested in promoting access” (2018, p. 3). However, it is also necessary to recognize that we are not experts. Educating yourself on tutoring strategies for writer’s with ASD both inside and outside of the writing center is an essential step toward the development of inclusivity.
References
Babcock, R., Daniels, D., & Daniels, S. (2015). Writing centers and disability: Enabling writers through an inclusive philosophy. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 13(1), 22, https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/62618/Daniels _Babcock_Daniels_%20praxis_13.1_final_whole%20issue-2.pdf?sequence=3.
Barton, R. (2015). Accommodating students with Autism Spectrum disorder in the writing center. Eastern Illinois University The Keep: Masters Theses. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2380.
Batt, A. (2018). Welcoming and managing neurodivergence in the writing center. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 15(2), 3, http://www.praxisuwc.com/325-batt.
Gardiner, F. (2017). First-hand perspectives on behavioral interventions for autistic people and people with other developmental disabilities. Office of Developmental Primary Care, Autism Self-Advocacy Network, 2-3, https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/ uploads/2017/07/First-Hand-Perspectives-on-Behavioral-Interventions-for-Autistic-People-and-People-with-other-Developmental-Disabilities.pdf
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018, March). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum- disorders-asd/index.shtml.