Drawing on theories about and previous research on second language (L2) motivation and   students with special needs, the present study adopts a content analysis approach to examine how L2 English teachers, in Swedish secondary schools, motivate students within Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to develop their English language. This topic was investigated by interviewing three teachers at different schools with experience of working with ASD students. A semi-structured interview format was used. The findings revealed that the teachers used many different methods in order to motivate their students. They deliberately planned for their students to feel included in the plan for their respective education in English and often connected assignments to individual students’ interests. Further, they praised their students’ positive qualities and tried to work so that the students saw that there was a ‘profit’ from completing each assignment. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that different study materials could be useful for students within ASD. One of the teachers had received advice from The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools to apply to the teaching of students in special needs education; she found the suggested advice complex.

High school administrators in a rural school district were providing transition planning to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to meet postschool transition goals. Despite these efforts, few students with ASD were employed or enrolled in postsecondary training, and parents reported that they were dissatisfied with the postschool transition process. The purpose of this collective case study was to explore parental and staff perceptions of the postschool transition processes of students with ASD to increase the understanding of the practice related to postschool transitions. Guided by Tinto and Pusser's institutional framework, research questions were focused on the experiences of parents and staff, including teachers and support personnel, with the postschool transition process of students with ASD. A purposeful sample of 25 participants, including the first 10 parents of students with ASD who applied and the staff who supported them, were interviewed. Teachers were also observed during the postschool transition process. Archival postschool transition survey data were also analyzed. Themes were identified through application of open coding and thematic analysis to interviews, observations, and survey data and included: parents and teachers need support [reference guide and professional development (PD)] and stakeholder collaboration is crucial to success even though time is a constraint and skills prioritization is evident in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Teachers used IEPs to guide the postschool transition process, but parental concerns remained. Therefore, a PD for teachers and reference guide for parents were created for the local site to improve parental trust of the postschool transition process for students with ASD.

The thesis deals with the issue of a teaching assistant aiding pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder. The aim is to uncover the specifics of teaching assistant's role in aiding pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder and enumerate the important aspects of their profession. The thesis is divided into a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical parts summarise the findings regarding the discussed topic. The teaching assistant's institution is introduced here as it is included in the Czech school counselling system. After that, the autistic spectrum disorder is discussed. The attention is focused on the exhibition of this disorder within everyday schooling and the possibilities to eliminate its negative influence. The developmental milestones of pupils attending the elementary school are theoretically enumerated as well as the characteristics of each developmental period. The practical part introduces the reader to the experience of chosen teaching assistant aiding pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder. The methodology of the research is mentioned here. The research approach is qualitative. The data is picked employing partially structured interviews with five respondents. The analysis and the interpretation of the data are done via the grounded theory method. The characteristic...

Bakgrund: Autismspektrumtillstånd (AST) är en funktionsnedsättning som påverkar social interaktion, kommunikation och beteende. Arbetsterapeutiska interventioner kan hjälpa barn och unga med AST att förbättra sin förmåga att delta i dagliga aktiviteter. Trots denna viktiga funktion, saknas fortfarande en sammanställning av forskning gällande vilka arbetsterapeutiska interventioner erbjuds i dagsläget för barn och unga med AST. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att sammanställa och beskriva arbetsterapeutiska interventioner för barn och unga med AST. Metod: Denna studie är genomförd som en litteraturöversikt. En systematisk sökning genomfördes i databaser PubMed, CINAHL och AMED för att hitta relevanta studier. Endast kvantitativa studier inkluderades, där interventionerna utfördes av arbetsterapeuter. Dataanalysen för de 10 artiklarna i denna studie genomfördes i enlighet med Friberg (2022) och baserades på OTIPM:s (Fisher &Marterella, 2019) fyra interventionsmodeller som ett ramverk för att strukturera informationen. Resultat: Resultaten visade tre modeller av arbetsterapeutiska interventioner: pedagogisk modell, modell för aktivitetsträning och kompensatorisk modell. Pedagogisk modell inkluderade social färdighetsträning, coaching för aktivitetsutförande (OPC) och I-ADL träning med hjälp av teknik. Modellen för aktivitetsträning inkluderade sensorisk integrationsterapi med eller utan hjälpmedel och intervention med användning av ett robottdjur. Kompensatorisk modell inkluderade användning av teknik, anpassningar av miljön och användning av hjälpmedel. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visade att det finns en betydande inriktning mot föräldrar och anhöriga i de beskrivna interventionerna, vilket betonar deras viktiga roll. Möjligheten att kombinera olika interventionsmodeller och använda arbetsterapeutiska praxismodeller som stöd i interventionens planering och utförande har också identifierats. Dessa interventioner bör vara individanpassade och syftar till att skapa optimala förutsättningar för att uppnå önskade mål och förbättra livskvalitén för barn och unga med AST. / Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disability that affects social interaction, communication and behavior. Occupational therapy interventions can help children and adolescents with ASD to improve their ability to participate in daily activities. Despite this important function, there is still a lack of compiled research on which occupational therapy interventions are currently offered to children and adolescents with ASD. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compile and describe occupational therapy interventions for children and adolescents with ASD. Method: This study was conducted as a literature review. A systematic search was performed in databases PubMed, CINAHL and AMED to find relevant studies. Only quantitative studies were included, where the interventions were carried out by occupational therapists. The data analysis of the 10 articles in this study was conducted in accordance with Friberg (2022) and based on OTIPM's (Fisher & Marterella, 2019) four intervention models as a structure for organizing the information. Results: The results revealed three models of occupational therapy interventions: education and teaching model, acquisitional model for occupational skills training and compensatory model. Education and teaching model included social skills training, Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) and technology-assisted I-ADL training. Acquisitional model for occupational skills training included sensory integration therapy with or without assistive devices and intervention utilizing a robotic animal. Compensatory model included the use of assistive technology, environmental adaptations, and assistive devices. Conclusion: The results of the study showed a significant focus on parents and caregivers in the described interventions, emphasizing their important role. The possibility of combining different intervention models and using occupational therapy practice models as support in the planning and carrying out of the intervention was also identified. These interventions should be individualized and aim to create optimal conditions for children and youth with ASD to achieve desired goals and improve quality of life.

The diploma thesis aims to map the lived reality of adult intact siblings of people with autism spectrum disorders in the Czech Republic. The theoretical part provides an insight into the current knowledge in the field of autism spectrum disorders and the manifestations thereof, sibling relationships and the impact of autism spectrum disorders on the family in general, and with respect to intact siblings, in particular. In the empirical part I focus on the description and analysis of qualitative research involving five intact siblings of people with autism spectrum disorders aged 28-29. For the purposes of the research, a semi-structured interview had been chosen, subsequently analyzed and interpreted. The interview topics concerned the past and present relationship of the informants to their siblings with ASD, ideas about their common future, the personality of an intact sibling or certain life choices of the informants. The results of the diploma thesis showed an interesting picture of the development of the sibling relationships with people with ASD, which are strongly affected by the nature of the disorder. The research confirmed a severe amount of stress in intact siblings of people with ASD, which stems from many different areas of their living together. It also turned out that living with...

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The author examined current literature supporting the use of innovative, music-based interventions to support young children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities engage in the things that they want, need, and desire to do. The author introduced Song-based Interventions for Navigating Gains in Occupational Therapy (SING-OT), as an innovative, music-based educational intervention program designed to support the engagement, participation, and performance needs of young children with disabilities. SING-OT uses an evidenced-supported, client-centered, and interests and strengths-driven approach. This proposed multi-phase program focuses on improving knowledge on the literature connecting evidence to song-based interventions and providing access to uniquely composed, occupation-inspired songs, that support children’s performance and participation needs. Additionally, conducting an initial feasibility study that assesses the effectiveness of task completion in a common personal hygiene and grooming task within the preschool setting was recommended. Future developments extend to improving caregiver health and wellness outcomes through training opportunities. The author provided a comprehensive program evaluation plan that highlights key stakeholders, a proposal for a single-subject study design, and implications of the program. The SING-OT program can be utilized as (1) an additional intervention tool for practicing occupational therapy practitioners and other professionals, (2) an avenue for interprofessional collaboration, and (3) a vehicle for improving the occupational performance outcomes among young children with disabilities.

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The purpose of this essay is to examine the way the flouting of the Gricean maxims is used to portray a fictional character with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study analyzes a character named Sam Gardner from the television series Atypical. The study is based on written transcripts from six episodes of the TV series and was carried out qualitatively and quantitatively. The methodology of the study involved transcribing, counting, and analyzing the flouts used by Sam in these six episodes. The results suggest that Sam flouts all the maxims but flouts the maxim of relation most, with a total of 22 flouts, which can cause a problem in communication. Sam does not follow the maxim of relation as he tends to abruptly change the conversational topic to something else. In many cases, he changes the topic to something he is interested in, which is Antarctica and penguins. The second most dominant maxim in all six episodes to be flouted was the maxim of quantity, with a total of 15 flouts, as he gave either too much or too little information to the listener. The results of Sam’s limited pragmatic abilities fall into agreement with Fein’s (2010) claim that ASD individuals have pragmatic language deficits as they struggle to stay on topic and incorporate irrelevant details in conversations. This study further discusses how analyzing neurodivergent characters’ speech patterns can benefit teachers and students in a pedagogical setting.

The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent teachers in Swedish EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms need to adapt their teaching methods and strategies to best handle students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to Skolverket (2020), a lot of students diagnosed with ASD fail to reach the knowledge requirements for a pass in their English classes in school. The paper presents relevant research retrieved from databases ERIC and EBSCO and discusses the findings in relation to the research questions and the Swedish curriculum. The research presented show students with ASD often struggle with attention, anxiety, and primarily listening comprehension in the classroom.  Methods researchers argue counteracts the obstacles for the autistic students aim to reduce anxiety, enhance communication, and complement verbal instructions with visual support.