Utilizing Peers to Support Academic Learning for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder in academic settings is becoming more common. However, most practices focus on increasing social skills even though students also struggle in academic areas. There is a need for strategies that address both social and academic skill deficits, are evidence based, and are easy to implement in the classroom. Peermediated interventions have evidence supporting their use in promoting social and academic behavior change and are socially valid and cost-effective. The purpose of this paper is to present examples of how to implement 2 common peer-tutoring strategies: Classwide Peer Tutoring and Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies. Examples for implementing both strategies are provided using a hypothetical student in a general education setting, followed by a brief summary of evidence supporting the peer-mediated academic instruction.

Mobility, educational, and social performance of children with learning problems in Taiwan: A 3‐year follow‐up study

“…Hass et al suggested that peer-assisted learning strategies, peer-mediated instruction, and class-wide peer tutoring effectively support academic learning skills in children with autism. 44 Plavnick and Hume indicated that the incorporation of observational learning in intervention programmes with strategies such as live modelling, video modelling, and group and dyadic instruction are effective for teaching various skills to children with autism. 45 These findings can help in the development of effective intervention programmes for individuals with autism.…”

“…Likewise, multiple studies have reported that diverse intervention programmes can improve the academic and social performance of children with autism. Hass et al suggested that peer‐assisted learning strategies, peer‐mediated instruction, and class‐wide peer tutoring effectively support academic learning skills in children with autism 44 . Plavnick and Hume indicated that the incorporation of observational learning in intervention programmes with strategies such as live modelling, video modelling, and group and dyadic instruction are effective for teaching various skills to children with autism 45 .…”

Cooperative Learning Strategies for Building Relationship Skills in Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…Cooperative learning is one of the PMIs with efficacy for building relationship skills for students with EBD (Mitchell et al, 2003). PMIs are a research-based practice that have demonstrated positive effects across a number of academic and social variables (Dunn et al, 2017; Haas et al, 2019; Herpratiwi et al, 2018). PMIs are strategies that create opportunities for peers to promote social behaviors for all students, including children with disabilities (Haas et al, 2019; Ryan et al, 2008).…”

“…PMIs are a research-based practice that have demonstrated positive effects across a number of academic and social variables (Dunn et al, 2017; Haas et al, 2019; Herpratiwi et al, 2018). PMIs are strategies that create opportunities for peers to promote social behaviors for all students, including children with disabilities (Haas et al, 2019; Ryan et al, 2008). Some examples include peer modeling, peer monitoring, peer network strategies, peer tutoring, classwide peer tutoring (CWPT), peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS), classwide student tutoring teams, peer mentoring, and cooperative learning (Dunn et al, 2017; Ryan et al, 2004).…”

Estudiantes universitarios con trastornos del espectro del autismo: revisión de sus necesidades y notas para su atención

“…Estas experiencias se han desarrollado fundamentalmente en aulas no universitarias (Gardiner e Iarocci, 2014), siendo uno de los recursos educativos (Programas de Instrucción mediados por pares) más efectivos (Zeneli y Tymms, 2015). Existen algunas experiencias universitarias para estudiantes con grandes necesidades apoyo (Carter et al et al, 2005) y experiencias específicas para estudiantes universitarios con TEA (Haas et al et al, 2019) en las que se intenta extrapolar las experiencias no universitarias. En general, reconociendo las bondades de la instrucción mediada por pares, las dificultades de encontrar estudiantes universitarios en la misma aula hacen difícil la sistematización de este tipo de apoyo.…”