Teaching resources for World Autism Day

Assortment of coloured pencils with shadow on white background — To celebrate World Autism Day, we have put together our top resources to help you teach a child on the autistic spectrum. Photograph: Alamy

Today is World Autism Day, a day when autism organisations get involved in events to raise awareness of autism.

But what does this really mean for teachers? Well, all of us will have taught students on the autistic spectrum and will have some knowledge of autism and its effect on the pupil and their environment. I remember my second ever interview for a post at primary school as a very green behind the ears NQT and how when teaching my interview lesson I became rapidly aware of the child at the back of the room who had opted to take part from the vantage point of a book shelf. Luckily the shelf was low to the ground and after checking with him that he was happy there, with his TA by his side, I carried on the lesson. He was the first child I taught with autism and from there on in there was at least one child with ASD in every class I taught.

But I had been lucky on that interview day. Although my GTP training had given me some exposure to the needs of students with autism it had been my own personal experience of having a family friend with autism that helped me most. I knew to keep calm, ordered and measured. Not to make sudden loud noises, to use literal language. But as this child was now to be in my class I knew I needed to step up my knowledge and my approach and I read everything I could lay my hands on to help me. I entered into a world of social stories, visual timetables and a very calm, ordered classroom.

So in honour of it being World Autism Day here's a bucket of resources from the GTN and links from the web for anyone who would like to learn a little more about teaching children with autism or is just looking for a different approach to try in class next term. And if you have created any resources that worked really well for you and your students please do share them on the GTN for others to benefit from.