Children with Autism

Your assignment is to prepare and submit a paper on children with autism and effects it has on families. It will also enhance the children’s ability of the children to be tested and to excel academically alongside other mainstream pupils. The systems in the mainstream schools however need to be reviewed to suit the needs of the children with autism. The critical evaluation, therefore, concerns Wilkinson & Twist (2010), in consideration for inclusion for children with autism and its effects on families.The research conducted by Wilkinson and Twist indicates that autism in young people and children in the UK is viewed to have increased over the years with studies indicating that one percent of the population are affected. The researchers base their argument on a report by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), which has indicated that around 51000 of pupils with autism are being taught in mainstream schools. They have also considered the statement of the Department for Education and Skills that autism has ceased to be viewed as a rare disorder due to the increased awareness of the needs of the children with autism. The need for meeting the educational needs for children with this condition has increased following the finding that these children are in many times more likely than their peers without this condition, to be excluded from schools (Wilkinson & Twist 2010). This finding is consistent with a statement by Hesmondhalgh & Breakey (2001), that the support of children with autism in mainstream schools is minimal. The teachers in the mainstream schools lack the required training to deal with these children and therefore the relevant support is needed for the students to be able to discover their personalities and better performance in their education. The inclusion, therefore, subjects the students to firm rules in the classroom, excellent adherence to instructions and guidelines given in times of partaking a given test or assignment.