Teaching Mathematics to autistic children during the pandemic: a case study

Abstract

This article deals with the teaching of mathematics to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We report here the experience lived by a teacher of Specialized Educational Service (SES), in a public school in the interior of Ceará during this period of remote classes. Therefore, a qualitative research was carried out focused on a case study, whose objective was to find out how the teaching of numbers and quantities to students with ASD happened during this remote class period in a public school in the interior of Ceará. The theoretical basis used for the discussions was anchored in the definitions and characteristics of the ASD, in Mathematical Education for an inclusive system, in remote education and in the teaching of Mathematics for students with ASD. Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews with the SES teacher and observation of classes. When answering the questions, the teacher explained that the digital tools used to teach the classes were: WhatsApp and Google meet and that the strategies for carrying out the activities were developed with the help of family members. A point that deserved to be highlighted was the family’s partnership and dedication so that this teaching could happen and the children could participate in the classes. It is concluded that, in general, teaching was only possible due to the effective and significant partnership between the teacher of the SES and the family.