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National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Protecting children and families by fighting the leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects
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“I used cocaine and I drank my whole nine months of pregnancy with my 7-year-old son. I am here today to get help for my son.”
Sydney Birch

Twelve Steps to Success with Students with FASD

by Deb Evensen-Hill

Believe that, as caring professionals, we have the ability and wisdom to promote success in students with FASD.

Face our own personal issues regarding alcohol to avoid creating emotional barriers to helping students

Realize that children, like adults do the best they can with the understanding they have; and if they repeatedly make the same mistakes, they need more help.

Understand the role that memory plays in a student’s ability to learn and sustain a consistent level of performance.

Understand the importance of brain function, specifically information processing skills, in a student’s ability to learn academic and social performance.

Understand how sensory input and processing affect a student’s ability to be successful in the school environment.

When an academic or behavior support is not working with a student with FASD, stop and use S.O.A.P.

Learn how to observe carefully to see what may be contributing to the student’s struggle.

Be willing to view common misbehaviors in students with FASD as coming from lack of understanding, rather than noncompliance.

Talk to students with FASD in the language they understand: the Language of Concrete.

Structuralize for success, and teach habit patterns as the pathway to understanding.

Recognize and applaud every success, in both our students and ourselves.

Copyright 2001-2004 National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome