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Asperger Syndrome Research Paper

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Assisting People with Asperger Syndrome Develop Social Skills

For most people, an ordinary day consists of numerous subconscious decisions relating to behaviour in specific and immediate social interactions. Although everybody, from time to time, struggles with being “socially awkward”, few people struggle as much those with Asperger Syndrome. Even though they may be intellectually advanced, these people constantly battle with the lack of comprehension and awareness for commonly understood socials skills. Although this lack of awareness can be hard to overcome due in part to a complex system of social expectations, when given opportunity to learn through focused training, people with Asperger Syndrome can learn appropriate social behaviours. …show more content…
In her book, Children and Youth with Asperger Syndrome, author Brenda Smith Myles cites a list of unspoken rules. Some examples include such things as “adjust your voice level to an ‘inside’ voice in the classroom”, “always keep your hands and feet to yourself”, and “you will probably be teased if somebody sees you tasting glue at school” (Myles and Trautman, qtd. in Myles 77-78). People who struggle with social awareness will naturally become confused with the numerous unspoken expectations that parents, teachers, and peers place on them every …show more content…
Although I hope to never have to experience it, I am grateful to have some background information on how to handle it if the need does arise. The methods that I read about, though, seem extreme. Would a child with Asperger Syndrome not find it somewhat awkward to sit down with the teacher to discuss social situations and how they should respond? Maybe this method yields the best results, though?
As I read the book, Children and Youth with Asperger Syndrome, I had to wonder: “How many of the students in my classroom could use some training in social manners?” Even those that do not struggle, or at least not diagnosed with a disability, could benefit from the training. This got me thinking about having a class once a week or so that focuses on social expectations such as common manners, developing relationships, and other common behaviours. Maybe I am just being a little idealistic, but I think it could be a positive thing to attempt because it would help reach the struggling child without making them feel different or

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