Visual representations and verbal schemas: a case study of one student with high‐functioning autism

Abstract

The researchers conducted an exploratory, qualitative case study to describe a combination of mathematics teaching strategies for a sixth‐grade student with high‐functioning autism spectrum disorder as he engaged with sixth‐grade level mathematics. The interventions utilised in this study combined the use of visual representations with a variation in schema‐based strategy instruction in which the schemas were presented verbally rather than visually. Doug tended to benefit from visual representations (e.g., gestures, manipulatives and mathematical notation on paper), and he was also quick to engage in mathematical conversations: yet, he often needed some support during these conversations to organise his thinking processes. The tutor was often able to supplement her conversations with Doug about mathematics with visual representations while using verbal schemas to help Doug productively structure his thinking processes.