Teaching Math Vocabulary in Small Groups to Youth With Autism

Teaching students with autism mathematical vocabulary provides them with foundational knowledge for future application in mathematics while also increasing overall vocabulary; thereby, supporting true application to word problem-solving. By using the fundamentals of direct instruction, students with autism are provided with meaningful instruction to attain information that other students may easily acquire through incidental learning or exposure. When teachers are given the tools to effectively teach young children, they can consistently apply explicit instruction in small groups to maximize learning. This article describes how small-group learning using the fundamentals of direct instruction (i.e., choral responding, use of examples and non-examples, specific immediate feedback) was effective for two students with autism to understand grade-aligned mathematical vocabulary.