ABSTRACT
Literature is particularly difficult for pupils with Asperger Syndrome (AS) because of their lack of social awareness and inability to place themselves in another person's shoes. They are often visual learners; some have excellent memories for dialogue and can quote large chunks of films they have seen. Pupils with AS are visual learners. It is, therefore very helpful to have visual references relating to the text. Alternatively, we can illustrate a text by drawing a scene, using stick figures. Visual references are very helpful in establishing the context, be it historical, geographical or social. A glossary of relevant terms and dictionary can also be incorporated as notes into the booklet for immediate reference and provide a strong scaffold to support learning and understanding. Poetry presents particular challenges for the pupil with AS because it is a highly sophisticated use of language both in the grammatical and creative sense.
