Understanding Autism in an Educational Context

Many teachers in Bangladesh teach autistic learners every day without realising it. Autism is not rare, and it does not belong only to specialist schools or high-income countries. It exists in government schools, English-medium schools, madrasas, NGO schools, rural classrooms, and urban classrooms.

At the same time, many children who struggle in class are not autistic. They may be anxious, tired, under pressure, under-taught, or coping with challenges at home. This guide is therefore not a way to “spot autism” or “decide who is autistic.” It is a guide to help teachers:

• understand common autistic differences,
• recognise when classroom demands might clash with a child’s way of thinking, and
• adjust teaching so learning is more accessible for all students.

It is about better practice, not diagnosis. For an overview of the national picture, you can return to Autism in the Bangladesh Context.

Important Reminder Before We Begin

Throughout this chapter you will see examples such as:

• a child who avoids eye contact
• a child who repeats phrases
• a child who cannot cope with change

These are illustrative scenarios. They are designed to help you imagine what autistic traits can look like in Bangladeshi classrooms.

They are not checklists. A child who does one (or even several) of these things is not automatically autistic. Students may:
– show these behaviours and be autistic
– show these behaviours and not be autistic
– be autistic and show none of these behaviours in obvious ways

Your role is not to label. Your role is to understand, adapt, and support.

What Autism Is

Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference in how a person:

• processes information
• communicates
• understands and navigates social situations
• experiences sensory input
• plans, organises, and shifts between tasks

Autistic learners do not choose these differences. Their brain processes the world differently, which can make typical classroom expectations confusing, overwhelming, or unpredictable.

However, some non-autistic students may also have difficulties in these areas for other reasons. The teaching strategies in this guide will help them too.

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative, Not Diagnostic)

Class 4, government school, 52 students.
The teacher gives instructions verbally:

“Open your books, go to page 27, copy the first paragraph, then complete the exercise.”

Most students begin. One child sits still, not moving. Another flips pages erratically. A third begins copying the wrong section.

What the teacher sees: “They are not listening.”

What may actually be happening:

• The instructions contained multiple steps.
• The child couldn’t process them fast enough.
• The classroom noise blocked the information.
• The child is unsure and afraid to get it wrong.

This pattern is common for autistic learners, but it can also occur in students with language difficulties, anxiety, or limited prior knowledge.

What matters is not “Is this child autistic?”
What matters is “How can I make my instructions clearer and more manageable for everyone?”

What Autism Is NOT

Misunderstandings lead to stigma and to punishment that harms children unintentionally. Autism is not:

• naughtiness or deliberate defiance
• rudeness or “bad attitude”
• the result of “poor parenting”
• caused by screen time, diet, or vaccines
• something that can be confirmed or ruled out by a teacher’s observation

Autistic learners are not trying to be difficult. Many are trying very hard to cope in environments not designed for them.

At the same time, not every child who struggles is autistic. We must avoid two errors:

• assuming “it’s just behaviour” and ignoring underlying needs
• assuming “this must be autism” and labelling the child informally

Our job is to understand and adjust, not diagnose.

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

A Class 2 student repeatedly leaves his seat, wanders, and touches objects on shelves.

Common interpretation:
“He is being naughty.”
“His parents don’t discipline him.”

Possible underlying reasons (autism or not):

• Movement helps him regulate sensory overwhelm.
• Sitting still makes him anxious or physically uncomfortable.
• He is bored or confused and doesn’t know how to ask for help.

Whether or not he is autistic, he needs support, not just sanctions.

Four Areas of Difference (With Bangladeshi Classroom Scenarios)

Autism is often described through four broad areas of difference. These areas are not exclusive to autism, but they tend to be consistently present in autistic learners.

Use these areas to guide your understanding and your teaching—not to form a diagnosis.

The four areas are:

• Communication
• Social interaction
• Sensory processing
• Executive functioning

1. Communication Differences

Autistic students may:

• take language very literally
• need more time to process questions
• struggle to find words when stressed
• rely on repeating phrases (echolalia)
• use gesture or action rather than speech

Non-autistic students can also show these behaviours, especially if they are learning in an additional language, anxious, or shy. The strategies that help one group will usually help the other.

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

Teacher: “Why didn’t you bring your homework?”
Student: silent, staring at the floor

Quick misinterpretation: disobedient, disrespectful.

Possible meanings (autistic or not):

• needs more processing time
• feels ashamed and “frozen”
• doesn’t know what answer is safe

Teaching-practice response:

“Take a moment. I’ll ask you again after I check the other table.”

You have not diagnosed anything. You have simply given space and preserved dignity.

2. Social Interaction Differences

Autistic learners often:

• find group work confusing or exhausting
• struggle to read facial expressions or tone of voice
• misjudge personal space
• speak very directly, without “softening” language
• want friends but don’t know how to make or keep them

Again, some non-autistic students show similar behaviours due to personality, language barriers, or previous social experiences.

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

During group work, a student says loudly:
“You’re doing it wrong! Give it to me.”

The group complain: “Sir, he’s being rude!”

Common reading: rude, bossy.

Possible meanings:

• strong need for clarity and control
• fear of making mistakes if others lead
• difficulty understanding how tone affects others

Whether or not this student is autistic, they benefit from:

• explicit teaching of group roles
• sentence stems for polite suggestions
• teacher modelling (“Let’s try saying: ‘Can I show you another way?’”).

This is explored more in Classroom Strategies → Social & Peer Interaction.

3. Sensory Processing Differences

Many autistic learners experience sights, sounds, smells, textures, and movement more intensely (or less intensely) than others. Some non-autistic learners do too.

What this may look like:

• covering ears during noisy transitions
• refusing to sit near windows, fans, or speakers
• avoiding certain fabrics or shoes
• flinching when touched unexpectedly
• finding assemblies or busy corridors very stressful

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

Assembly time. The microphone screeches. Students chatter.

One child starts crying and covering their ears.

Quick misinterpretation: overreacting, attention-seeking.

Possible meanings (autistic or not):

• sound is physically painful
• the mix of noise, crowd, and echo is overwhelming

You do not need to decide “autism or not” to respond helpfully. You can:

• let the child stand near the exit
• quietly reduce noise where possible
• plan ahead for big sensory events (exams, celebrations)

Small environmental changes, explored further in Structured Teaching & Sensory Supports, can dramatically reduce distress.

4. Executive Functioning Differences

Executive functioning supports tasks like planning, organising, starting work, and switching between activities. Many autistic learners struggle here—as do many non-autistic learners with ADHD, anxiety, or other challenges.

What this may look like:

• forgetting homework regularly despite good intentions
• freezing at the start of a writing task
• falling behind when copying from the board
• reacting badly when asked to switch quickly between subjects

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

Teacher: “Everyone, quickly put away your maths books and take out your English books.”

Most students move. One child stays still, staring at the desk.

Quick misinterpretation: stubborn, slow, “dreaming.”

Possible meanings:

• difficulty shifting attention
• feeling mentally “stuck” in the previous task
• overwhelmed by the speed of change

Supportive teaching response:

“First, close your maths book. Then put it in your bag. Then take out your English book.”

This step-by-step guidance helps all learners, not just those who are autistic.

Behaviour as Communication, Not Proof

A crucial idea in this guide is:

Every behaviour is communication,
but no single behaviour is proof of autism.

A meltdown, shutdown, laugh, refusal, or “overreaction” always tells you something — about the task, the environment, the child’s emotional state, or their past experiences. But it does not tell you, on its own, that the child is autistic.

Why Understanding Reduces Punishment

Classroom Scenario (Illustrative)

A Class 5 child pushes a desk loudly and refuses to write.

Traditional reaction: “He’s lazy and misbehaving.”

Alternative understanding (autistic or not):

• writing feels overwhelming
• the classroom is noisy and distracting
• the instructions weren’t clear enough
• the child is afraid of failing again

Punishing the behaviour without exploring the cause often increases distress and repeats the pattern. Understanding the communication underneath allows you to adjust the task, the environment, or your support.

How Teachers Interpret Behaviour Without Diagnosing

Your job is to notice patterns and remove barriers, not to decide who is autistic.

Helpful questions for teachers

When a behaviour concerns you, ask:

• When does this behaviour usually happen?
• What is happening just before it?
• Is the student confused, overloaded, anxious, or bored?
• Is there a social or sensory trigger (noise, crowd, teasing)?
• Have I made expectations clear and predictable?
• Have I given enough processing time?
• Would a small change (seat, routine, wording) help?

If a pattern continues and significantly affects learning or wellbeing, you can:

• record observations factually (what you see, not what you assume)
• discuss with school leadership
• later, when appropriate, share observations not labels with parents (see Working with Parents and Families)

Compassionate Teacher Language Examples

These examples support understanding without implying diagnosis.

Instead of:
“Why are you not listening?”

Try:
“I think that was a lot of information. Let me repeat it in smaller steps.”

Instead of:
“Stop overreacting!”

Try:
“The noise feels too much, doesn’t it? Let’s see where you can sit more comfortably.”

Instead of:
“You should know this by now.”

Try:
“Let’s break this into smaller parts and do the first step together.”

These phrases work whether or not a student is autistic. They are simply good teaching.

Scenario-Based Explanations: Quick Reference (Not a Checklist)

Use this as a thinking tool, not a diagnosis chart.

• “He never looks at me when I talk.”
  – May be processing difference, shyness, cultural habit, or autism.
• “She copies everything I say.”
  – May be echolalia (often seen in autism), language learning, or anxiety.
• “He memorises everything but can’t answer simple questions.”
  – May be retrieval difficulty, performance anxiety, or mismatch between test and teaching.
• “She shouts when the bell rings.”
  – May be sensory sensitivity, past experience, or fear.
• “He throws his pencil when the writing task starts.”
  – May be executive function challenge, perfectionism, or previous humiliation around writing.

In every case, the question is:
“What could this behaviour be telling me — and what small change can I make to help?”

Closing Message for Teachers

You will see many of these patterns in your classroom. Some of the students who show them will be autistic. Some will not.

You do not need to decide which is which in order to teach inclusively.

Your role is to:

• understand that some learners experience the classroom very differently
• avoid quick judgements about character or parenting
• use structure, clarity, and predictable routines
• interpret behaviour as communication
• work with families using observations, not labels

The rest of this guide will show, step by step, how to adapt teaching, routines, and school culture so that autistic learners — and all learners — can feel safe, understood, and able to learn.