Respond to FASD impacts on the brain
A key to supporting students with FASD is understanding the impact on the brain. Recognising the effects of FASD allows teachers to respond to students with compassion and informed understanding.
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Reframe won’t to can’t … yet
Reframe won’t to can’t … yet
FASD is a lifelong brain injury. The impacts are unique to each individual.
Consider approaches to:
- recognise and respond to unique needs
- prevent problems rather than applying consequences
- create a toolkit of individualised strategies
- develop effective strategies and change environments.
Understand the “cloak of competence”
Understand the “cloak of competence”
Students with FASD may develop skills and competencies unevenly. Good verbal language skills can act as a “cloak of competency” that leads people to overestimate their abilities in other areas.
Take time to learn about the unique strengths and needs of each learner.
Concept source: What works in schools for tamariki and rangatahi Māori with FASD, FASD-CAN webinar
Design for variability across days and times
Design for variability across days and times
Think ‘gravel roads not highways’. Damage to the brain means that students with FASD may need to work harder than their peers to complete every task required of them. This in turn leads to fatigue, and overload if the demands placed on them are too high.
- Design the day with several brain breaks and quiet times.
- Have low sensory zones available to students at all times.
- Give students more time to process, understand and complete tasks.
- Prepare a routine for break times, and make sure the student knows where to eat, where to play, and so on.
- Teach and use sensory regulation strategies such as wearing noise cancelling headphones and calming strategies.
- Keep instructions and tasks simple using step by step approaches.
- Recap and consolidate previous learning before moving on to new learning.
- Extend learning opportunities with repetition, games and a variety of activities.
- Anticipate difficult times and design strategies to minimise distress.
- Check in on students regularly and intervene early when issues arise.
Give ākonga more processing time
Give ākonga more processing time
Accommodations do not have to be complicated — give more listen time, create space for more think time, write it down to help with processing, and give your child permission upfront to take the time they need.
Check your assumptions
Check your assumptions
By understanding the range of impacts on the brain, teachers can read behaviours as indicators of a need and respond by adapting their expectations and teaching and learning strategies.
Here are some examples of understanding and reframing behaviours.
Noncompliance and wilful misconduct may be needs associated with:
- understanding verbal instructions
- processing information
- impulse control
- knowing how to act or what to do next.
Repeatedly making the same mistake may be needs associated with:
- linking cause to effect
- seeing similarities in situations
- generalising from one event to another.
Not sitting still, attention seeking and bothering others may be needs associated with:
- a need to move while learning
- sensory or cognitive overload
- not understanding personal space, needing barriers to define appropriate distance.
Lying or deliberate dishonesty may be needs associated with:
- trying to please by telling you what they think you want to hear
- problems with memory or sequencing
- inability to accurately recall events.
Keep interactions positive and upbeat
Keep interactions positive and upbeat
It is easy for people with FASD to feel rejected. In this video, people with FASD talk about how they would like others to treat them.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Key areas to support”:
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: FASD and learning
Understand:
- Understanding FASD
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Teach students about alcohol harm during pregnancyShow suggestions for Teach students about alcohol harm during pregnancy
Strategies for action:
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Identify needs and how to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify needs and how to provide support
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Key areas to supportShow suggestions for Key areas to support
- Respond to FASD impacts on the brain
- Reduce overload and sensory challenges
- Support skill and concept development
- Support social and emotional learning
- Support wellbeing and minimise distress
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Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8
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Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13
