Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Tables
- Figures
- Preface
- Foreword
- Abbreviations
- Contributors
- Chapter 1 An Afrocentric perspective on Inclusive Education and Ubuntu
- Chapter 2 Framing Autism
- Chapter 3 Early Identification and Curriculum Differentiation for Learners with Autism
- Chapter 4 Religion and Autism: Integrating the Person with Autism into a Community
- Chapter 5 Voices and Views of Senior Students with ASD
- Chapter 6 Learners with ASD in a Rural Context
- Chapter 7 Technology Opening New Worlds for those with Autism – an Overview
- Chapter 8 Partnerships for Autism in the Zimbabwean Inclusive Education System
- Chapter 9 Parents and community partnerships in educating children with ASD as an Inclusive Education strategy
- Chapter 10 ASD: Adolescents and Sexual Experiences in Rural Mpumalanga
- Chapter 11 Classroom Assessment of Learners with Autism – Implications for Educators
- Chapter 12 Autism and inclusion
- Chapter 13 Autism and the Law
- A Preliminary Conclusion: Trends in ASD Research in South(ern) Africa
- Appendix: Autism-related organisations in South Africa
- Index
Chapter 11 - Classroom Assessment of Learners with Autism – Implications for Educators
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Tables
- Figures
- Preface
- Foreword
- Abbreviations
- Contributors
- Chapter 1 An Afrocentric perspective on Inclusive Education and Ubuntu
- Chapter 2 Framing Autism
- Chapter 3 Early Identification and Curriculum Differentiation for Learners with Autism
- Chapter 4 Religion and Autism: Integrating the Person with Autism into a Community
- Chapter 5 Voices and Views of Senior Students with ASD
- Chapter 6 Learners with ASD in a Rural Context
- Chapter 7 Technology Opening New Worlds for those with Autism – an Overview
- Chapter 8 Partnerships for Autism in the Zimbabwean Inclusive Education System
- Chapter 9 Parents and community partnerships in educating children with ASD as an Inclusive Education strategy
- Chapter 10 ASD: Adolescents and Sexual Experiences in Rural Mpumalanga
- Chapter 11 Classroom Assessment of Learners with Autism – Implications for Educators
- Chapter 12 Autism and inclusion
- Chapter 13 Autism and the Law
- A Preliminary Conclusion: Trends in ASD Research in South(ern) Africa
- Appendix: Autism-related organisations in South Africa
- Index
Summary
Abstract
In the age of outcome-based reforms, where accountability and high-stakes testing are at the core of educational practices, it is important that ALL learners including those with ASD benefit from educational assessment in the general education classroom. Underlying such inclusion is a three-pronged practice that is critical for learners with autism to benefit from classroom assessment; the teachers should (i) believe in diversity, (ii) provide academic supports, and (iii) ensure continued behavioural supports. Because of the predominant use of pen and paperassessments in education, this chapter aims to empower teachers in Inclusive Educational settings to understand that learners with autism though non-verbal or minimally verbal, can access conventional educational assessments with appropriate supports. However, some learners with autism may require alternate assessments. This chapter therefore recommends that teachers should adopt tiers for assessment of learners falling within the autism spectrum within inclusive classrooms so that the learning products and assessment tasks are fair and appropriate for their abilities. Such inclusive assessments should be varied and inclusive to accommodate the diverse and highly individual needs of learners with autism. Moreover, assessments should include portfolios, reports, presentations, practical tasks, created products, performances, non-verbal assessments, as well as written and oral tests. To ensure that alternate assessment practices are credible and effective, classroom teaching needs to become more innovative by employing approaches such as universal design for learning (UDL) that accommodates diverse learning needs and styles.
Introduction
Accountability in education is critical and teachers need to be accountable for all learners including those with autism. This particular group of learners present with challenges in some core areas like social, communication and behavioural (Abubakar, Ssewanyana, & Newton, 2016; Wong et al., 2015). A large number of non-verbal autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) children (50−71%) and over 60% comorbid intellectual disability is reported among African children (Abubakar et al., 2016). Nevertheless, in some African countries such as in South Africa, successful teaching and learning in schools is influenced by too many factors including the distinctive social, economic, political and educational spaces within which the young African learner grows and develops (Molosiwa & Monyatsi, 2016). Such factors may interfere with providing adequate support for inclusion of young children with autism and may as a result compromise teacher-accountability.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- AutismPerspectives from Africa Volume 1, pp. 146 - 161Publisher: University of South AfricaPrint publication year: 2020