Preschool education has become increasingly important, as kindergarten programs everywhere have become more academic. Kindergartners are expected to understand the school routine and environment upon entering class in the fall. My students are 3 and 4 years old, and attend a special needs preschool. All of my students have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They are eager to learn and please, but have difficulty communicating and functioning in a regular preschool setting. In my room, they learn to communicate through picture prompts and schedules. We learn through play and artwork. We work on transitioning from one activity to another, practice expressive and receptive language skills and try to make sense of the social rules around us. Almost all early learners have difficulty in self regulation, but children with ASD have an increased difficulty managing their emotions. Teaching children with limited verbal skills, how to manage their emotions, is a vital part of preparing them for kindergarten.
My Project
Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are fascinated by water. The number of stimuli associated with water play activates all the senses! The feel of water, the sounds of splashes, the visuals of light reflecting off the surface, and even the smell can all be so captivating.
Children with autism have difficulties connecting different stimuli to the same experience, which makes water play very exciting and intriguing.
There are so many switches in the brain being activated simultaneously, that it’s no wonder children with autism are fascinated.
A water table in my classroom will allow the children to have the opportunity to play with water in a safe environment. The water table has different sections, so four of my students can work at the water table at the same time. Lids will allow us to use the water on multiple days and will be easy to close and clean up. The water investigation kit will give my young students many opportunities to experiment with the different properties of water, and learn how different objects relate with water.
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