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Preservice Teachers’ Learning Among Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 May 2014

Anne Power  and
Debra Costley
Anne Power*
Affiliation:
University of Western Sydney, Australia
Debra Costley
Affiliation:
University of Western Sydney, Australia
*
Correspondence: Anne Power, School of Education, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. E-mail: am.power@uws.edu.au
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Abstract

This article reports on a collaborative venture between Autism Spectrum Australia and the University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Social Club network was formed for children and adolescents to provide structured opportunities for positive peer interactions in safe, stimulating and nonjudgmental environments. The Social Clubs were run by expert facilitators with additional workers drawn from preservice teachers undertaking a service-learning unit of study within the Master of Teaching Secondary course at the University of Western Sydney. The research design included surveys and reflections. Data were drawn from 4 sources: 58 parent survey responses, 51 Social Club member survey responses, 9 facilitator survey responses and 9 preservice teachers’ reflections. Data analysis was framed by Bourdieu's work, which refers to the allocation of social power. After the experience, surveyed parents confirmed that their children were relaxed when changing topics in a conversation and working in groups. Members demonstrated that they engaged with other members and with preservice teachers. Club facilitators felt that the preservice teachers developed an understanding that students with autism spectrum disorder thrive in structured environments and that they would set up their own classrooms accordingly. For the future teachers, it was authentic learning that enriched their preparation for the classroom, however multilayered its student population might be.

Keywords

autism spectrum disorderpreservice teacherssocial skills training
Type
Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , July 2014 , pp. 34 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 

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