Digital Learning for Children with Autism
To understand how a child learns best, it helps to understand what type of learning environment a child responds to.
Children learn best when they are exposed to various learning styles and teaching methods. Studies have shown that uncovering and supporting children’s favored learning styles can improve performance in all areas.
The three primary learning types for both children on the autism spectrum and their neurotypical peers
- Visual style learning
- Auditory Style
- Tactile or Kinesthetic in nature
A product like the Active Game Pad that uses an Interactive Game Touch Screen can combine these learning types into one digital product.
Learn more about our Fun Table, Fun Board, and Interactive Touch Panels.
First, there is visual style learning. In this category, children rely on their sense of sight, and best learn from books, videos, charts, pictures and color coding methods. Children in this learning category also benefit greatly from visual aids, such as visual schedules in the classroom or at home. Labeling is also a great way to assist in care of articles at home, as well as in school.
A second type of learning is Auditory Style.
Children who fall in this realm of learning method benefit greatly from listening or speaking activities, such as talking, audiotapes, role playing, and saying things out loud, or repeating. These children are relying on their sense of hearing and nonvisual stimulation to learn from their environment. This style of learning often gets misunderstood in the classroom, because the child often appears not to be paying attention in the classroom, due to lack of eye contact or taking of notes, e.g. Children who learn best from auditory means do not necessarily require other methods of learning a task and are simply able to take in information from auditory means.
The third type of learning is considered Tactile or Kinesthetic in nature. Children who fall into this category of learning style benefit greatly from doing projects, working with objects, and moving around. Examples of these strategies include playing games, building models, conducting experiments, and moving while doing. This type of learning can be incorporated into curriculum by having instructions and hands on stations. All children can really benefit from hands on activities during instruction to make more abstract ideas appear more tangible in nature.
https://autismnow.org/
The software solution best suited for these learning styles is a product like Weco Play.
Weco Play is a collection of learning games and activities for large interactive screens. Since using a shared device can motivate learning and facilitate communication and collaboration, the games are designed to enable several children to play and learn together. The Weco Play platform includes a range of learning games: From math races and creating books to drawing through block programming and many other activities.
”I have worked with Weco Play for 4-5 years and use it daily in class. The children love to play with the software and always want to return to it as it is such a motivating way for them to learn. They do not see Weco Play as schoolwork, they see it like playing, but they are still learning at the same time, so it is a win-win for us. After the implementation of Weco Play, the students have become more patient, have better collaboration skills and can solve tasks in class with more ease than before.”
Katja Andersen, Teacher – Special Education
- Tags: Active Game Pad
- Edwin Kasanders