Asperger's

Brittany Ross

ED-205

2/14/11

Critical Analysis- Asperger Syndrome

I decided to study Asperger’s syndrome for my critical analysis paper. Asperger’s syndrome (AS) was first described by the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger. The syndrome is often mistakenly called “mild autism.” These individuals are high-functioning. It is a complex syndrome that exists within the spectrum of autistic disorders. According to the DSM-IV-TR, characteristics of Asperger’s include impairment in social interactions; restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. I chose to study Asperger’s syndrome because a dear childhood friend is affected by this disorder. My question relates to how teachers can facilitate a successful learning environment for every student with and without this disability in the classroom.

People that have Asperger’s generally have impairments including socialization, imagination and communication. Those with Asperger’s have a desire for social contact but have trouble with social interactional skills including eye contact, reading facial expressions, and understanding others emotions and feelings. The syndrome impairs neurological processes. These children become fixated on certain obsessional interests. This obsessional behavior becomes a pattern that works to protect the child from issues including anxiety. Children affected by Asperger’s syndrome attempt to go against their neurological discrepancies in order to live as normal a life as possible.

I think it is crucial that teachers are able to recognize someone with this syndrome and be able to help this student succeed through their difficulties. A person with Asperger’s has a harder time understanding certain interactions between the teacher and peers in the classroom. This is why the teacher must be able to accommodate to every student to guarantee a productive learning environment.

To begin, teachers must have a structured,...