Neuroscience-Based Approaches to Teaching Students on the Autism Spectrum

Abstract. An understanding of the relationship between emotions, cognition, and learning can provide insight into learning needs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article discusses current research and new theories on ASD from three different perspectives: the behavioral sciences, neuroscience, and education. The rapid increase of ASD diagnoses in children worldwide, and an understanding of autism as one of the developmental disorders affecting a spectrum of neural networks in a growing brain, indicates that educational implications from the combined insights may strengthen the development of strategies and interventions not only for ASD individuals, but for neurotypical children as well.