Science and autism spectrum disorder at P level 6

P Level 6 requires greater language development to understand and apply concepts. It builds on observation skills. The pupil will need a clear understanding of cause and effect to make links with what they see.

Also read about the main challenges for children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome across subject areas and suggestions for inclusion.

You can

• Encourage understanding of cause and effect using everyday examples, which ask the question ‘why’:
• Why do we have to push the car to make it move?
• Why is this wet?
• Why do we wear shoes?
• Help the child to become aware of themself in a scientific way through experiencing contrasts such as hot and cold materials, wet and dry substances, rough and smooth surfaces, light and dark.
• Get them thinking about the need for electricity for appliances to work: "What happens if we pull the plug from the plug socket?"
• Give additional support to pupils with sensory processing disorder as they will find contrasting sensations hard to compare. Gradually introduce more examples.
• Support the vocabulary needed to observe change. Work from everyday examples:
• Making toast – what has happened to the bread?
• Making ice-cubes – what happens to them in the classroom?
• Cooking an egg
• Adding food colouring to water