27 Dec 2016, 11:06 pm
If you ever feel a sense of panic when given verbal instructions, you're not alone! Whenever I'm asked to "will you please get whatever from the closet on the middle shelf to the right of whatever", my immediate reaction is like a robot twirling around saying "Panic Alert!"
I started working as a substitute teacher's aide two years ago. I often often find myself frustrated when given verbal instructions by teachers or other aides and I didn't know why until I was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS).
This diagnosis prompted me to wonder if my long-held habit of asking for a repeat of what someone has said to me, particularly instructions, is related to my syndrome. Since my diagnosis, I have been doing research on AS and learned verbal instruction is one of the things those with AS struggle with. I don't think it is so much of a lack of hearing that I ask for a repeat, but a need to be given more seconds to process what I am hearing.
An example of my trouble with verbal instruction was when subbing for a kindergarten class. While doing circle time, the teacher asked me to "get the phone". I interpreted that to mean to go over to her landline phone at her desk and answer it. I was bewildered since I hadn't heard the phone ring, but I thought, "Oh, well, my hearing isn't what it used to be." All I got was a dial tone.
I looked back at the teacher who pointed at her cell phone. I took that to mean it was her cell phone that needed answering. Again, I was puzzled since it wasn't ringing either. I should have acted on my bewilderment and asked for clarity, but I was in panic mode. I picked it up and heard nothing.
That's when the teacher told me her instruction of "getting the phone" was to simply go over to her cell phone, pick it up and hand it to her. Now if she had said, "hand me the cell phone", I would have understood what she wanted.
I was humiliated! I wondered what the teacher, 30 years shy of me, must have thought. At least, what had happened went over the kinders' heads. She probably would have received her cell phone sooner if she had asked one of them to "get the phone" since the children are probably more familiar with cell than landline phones.
My diagnosis has explained so much of how I think, feel, and act. Now when I think of that moment in the kinder class, I don't feel so BAD!" 
28 Dec 2016, 12:38 am
28 Dec 2016, 11:04 am
28 Dec 2016, 11:42 am
I started working as a substitute teacher's aide two years ago. I often often find myself frustrated when given verbal instructions by teachers or other aides and I didn't know why until I was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS).
This diagnosis prompted me to wonder if my long-held habit of asking for a repeat of what someone has said to me, particularly instructions, is related to my syndrome. Since my diagnosis, I have been doing research on AS and learned verbal instruction is one of the things those with AS struggle with. I don't think it is so much of a lack of hearing that I ask for a repeat, but a need to be given more seconds to process what I am hearing.
An example of my trouble with verbal instruction was when subbing for a kindergarten class. While doing circle time, the teacher asked me to "get the phone". I interpreted that to mean to go over to her landline phone at her desk and answer it. I was bewildered since I hadn't heard the phone ring, but I thought, "Oh, well, my hearing isn't what it used to be." All I got was a dial tone.
I looked back at the teacher who pointed at her cell phone. I took that to mean it was her cell phone that needed answering. Again, I was puzzled since it wasn't ringing either. I should have acted on my bewilderment and asked for clarity, but I was in panic mode. I picked it up and heard nothing.
That's when the teacher told me her instruction of "getting the phone" was to simply go over to her cell phone, pick it up and hand it to her. Now if she had said, "hand me the cell phone", I would have understood what she wanted.
I was humiliated! I wondered what the teacher, 30 years shy of me, must have thought. At least, what had happened went over the kinders' heads. She probably would have received her cell phone sooner if she had asked one of them to "get the phone" since the children are probably more familiar with cell than landline phones.
My diagnosis has explained so much of how I think, feel, and act. Now when I think of that moment in the kinder class, I don't feel so BAD!"
I'm glad you're not feeling so bad about it now. I think what you describe is really typical of AS and not something you could help. I've been through many similar and embarrasing experiences myself, while working in schools.
To manage this sort of thing now I tend to ask a lot of follow-up questions to everything that's asked of me until it's clear in my mind. (It can of course be clear in my mind and I've still not understood it, but I can't do anything about that. I just take my best guess.) I think doing this helps but it also sometimes gives me the apperance of someone who's not very bright and really timid and unsure of herself which is not true.
Another thing I've started trying very recently is telling the people I work closely with that I have high functioning autism. I tell them it shouldn't affect me in the classroom at all but that if there's anything they need me to do please just ask in a clear and concrete way because I'm not good at picking up hints. This seems a lot more helpful generally than asking a thousand questions all the time because if they feel that I'm not doing what was asked they remember and make an effort to be explicit which is very helpful for me. Then they see that it works really well and things go on better afterwards. It was a bit awkward telling them though.
When I was diagnosed the clinicians suggested that I always ask for written instructions, as I'm much better at that than with verbal instructions. I can't always do that in a busy school - so I make very brief notes and lists to help me get things clear. It's kind of odd because, after I've made the notes / lists, I don't need them anymore. Somehow writing things down gets them into my mind in a clear way which doesn't work with verbal instructions.
All the best,
Jo
