DISABILITIES:
ASPERGER'S SYNDROME

ASPERGER'S SYNDROME LESSON

Directions:

Print the Asperger's Syndrome reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

Asperger's Syndrome is a disorder in which people have extreme difficulty with social interaction.  There is much more to it than just being shy around other people.  This disorder is severe to the point that it causes major problems socially, at work, and in other areas of life.  Many cases of Asperger's Syndrome go undetected.   It was not even recognized as a disorder until 1994.

There are many symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome.  A person may have difficulty using nonverbal gestures like eye contact, facial expression, and body posture.  There may be difficulty in developing relationships with peers.  A person may not seek to enjoy things with other people.  He/she may be socially or emotionally unresponsive.

People with Asperger's Syndrome will also exhibit abnormal behavior.  A person may have an ongoing obsession with parts of objects.  They may have routines or rituals that they have to follow all of the time.  He/she might perform mannerisms such as hand twisting or whole-body movements over and over again.  A person may become obsessed with something that is abnormal because of the degree of the obsession or because of what it is.

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