Blog B

Autism Podcast

This podcast was an interview with a pediatrician about autism. He talked about how children are diagnosed and also what to look for as far as signs for autism. He also responded to some important questions surrounding autism and what the cause of autism really is. One of the questions that was asked was addressing the mercury issue. Does this play a role with a child becoming autistic? The pediatrician stated that most shots now are mercury free since 2001, but if that is the case then how come children are still being diagnosed with autism? He also explained the genetics aspect of autism. He stated that identical twins have 96% chance of one developing autism if the other twin has it. However, if one fraternal twin develops autism, there is only a 30% chance that the other one will as well. This shows that there is a chance for autism to be genetic, but at this point it is unclear. This pediatrician did a great job addressing some of the signs for autism such as communication as well as social interaction and what age to be aware of these signs. This will directly impact the child's ability in school.

Does autism contribute to violent behavior? This podcast mentioned how the shooter at Virginia Tech had been diagnosed with autism at an earlier age. The reporters brought up an interesting point though. How would we even find this information out because this is a medical condition that should not be released to the public. So when we hear reports blaming such a horrific event on a medical reason they aren't even sure of, it made me wonder what autism really is and how can important is this for educators to be aware of it?

Although autism is hard to define and also hard to diagnose, there are signs that teachers should be aware of. While listening to this podcast I learned that communication and social interaction are the biggest signs to watch for. Out of the two, communication is the easiest one to define. This may be apparent by the age of four or five so this is something that kindergarten teachers should keep an eye on. I also learned that it is tough to separate who really has it and who just hasn't developed fully yet. For the most part, I learned that if they are able to express ideas that others can understand then chances are they won't be diagnosed with autism right away.

While I was listening to this podcast, they were talking about ways to have a quicker diagnosis. The problem with this is that some children take longer to develop than others. There are also differences in gender. If we began to over diagnose there would not be enough professionals to deal with the children who actually need the care and are not just a concern because of developmental issues. Another great point that was brought up was the fact that we need more people to pursue a profession dealing with autism. The pediatrician who was interviewed during this podcast was confident when saying that more people will become interested in autism the more it is talked about and this is a great thing. That is one thing that will help with future students and teachers dealing with the gap in communication because of autism. One thing that stuck out in my mind was that early intervention is key when dealing with autism. If a child is believed to have autism and results show that they are in fact fine, this is only going to benefit the child in the long run.

As a future educator, there are many things I hope to learn about before I begin my career. Autism has always been one. The reason for this is because no two students are alike and no two autistic children are alike. It is very hard to define and I know I will see many different cases before I even get my degree. Podcasts like this are very important for educators to listen to because it gives them a sense of what to look for no matter the age they are working with. Also, even if a child has already been diagnosed, it is important to know some of the reasons they have this diagnosis. If I had not listened to this podcast I wouldn't have known that social interactions and communication are two large factors with autism. As a teacher these are both huge aspects in a child's participation in a classroom and to fully understand your students you must understand who they are no matter their diagnosis. I feel that autism is a current issue in schools around the nation and will continue to be so it is important for educators to be aware of the capabilities and challenges these kids face on a daily basis. This one podcast has really sparked my interest and I know I will continue to listen to these podcasts about autism.

Podcasts can be a great tool to add to a classroom. They will provide not only information to the teacher, but also information to the students on topics that may not have been addressed already. I feel that even a podcast about autism may not be a bad way to help other students understand what their peers may be going through and help them understand the signs for autism. I would of course find one not as dense as this podcast. I am sure that there is one that children will be apt to relate to.

I feel that while listening to a podcast it is a different way of learning. While I was listening to my first podcast it was a completely different feel than picking up and reading a book on the same topic. The issues are brought to life and the children are able to work on their comprehensions skills as well. A podcast dealing with autism would probably be used for comprehension, but if I were to use podcasts for other lessons, it would help students read and write as well as speak.

How would I use podcasts in my practicum classroom?

1. This would be a good way for the students to read their butterfly books aloud and post them online for their parents to view.
2. I would also have them use podcasts for other activities such as reading groups so they would be able to listen to themselves reading and see how far they have come.
3. This would also be a way for me to let the parents know how I am teaching certain lessons. They would be able to listen to instructions to help clarify confusion at home.
4. Since the students all know the ABC's in sign language, I would have them put words to the pictures of their hands making the correct signs.
5. I would also post tips online for parents on how they can keep learning fun at home and some activities they can do during vacations and snow days!