Autism and Coding
A recent discussion in the autism community is the benefit of learning to code. Autism and coding go well together. Anyone with a child who has autism knows they possess special skills and talents, and many of these are highly encouraged in coding. In fact, there are many reasons children with autism excel in coding.
Here are just a few of the many reasons to consider involving your child with autism in a coding program today.
Employment
An easy statistic to remember: around 10-20% of adults with autism find employment for themselves. One way to find their way in the professional world is with coding. Plus, of the projected new job openings in STEM, over 60% will be computer related and computer engineering jobs make for some of the highest-paying for new college graduates. All around, coding skills developed at an early age will pay off if they choose to follow that career path.
Problem Solving and Creativity
Computer coding fundamentally encourages problem solving and creativity. Children with autism have long shown aptitude for logical thinking, a skill necessary in problem solving. Adding in the creative aspects of coding can show them a new world of abilities.
Group Work and Interpersonal Skills
Particularly important for children with autism are the opportunities to work as a team and develop their interpersonal skills. With the group work, mentoring and collaboration often involved with learning how to code, children on the autism spectrum will gain valuable experience interacting with others in a variety of capacities.
Autism and Coding – Predictable Routines and Structure with Fast Results and Frequent Feedback
A common thought held about children with autism is that they thrive on routine and consistent feedback. This makes coding an ideal practice for those students on the spectrum. Computer programming involves consistent outcomes and logical routines. Encouraging that innate desire children with autism have will help to build their functioning abilities. Along with that, coding provides them with immediate feedback they can count one. When paired with a teacher or mentor also giving feedback, it helps them to develop the ability to take feedback in a constructive way, like they would have to in the workforce or other social interactions.
Building Self Confidence and Overcome Failure
Above all, we want our children to feel confident and be able to overcome failures. This is especially true for children on the autism spectrum. Society can often be harsh, telling our children they shouldn’t be proud of themselves and that they should expect failure. We know this isn’t true. Coding plays into the natural gifts a child with autism has and builds on those, giving them something they can use to build their confidence. Plus, coding teaches them how to appropriately react when something doesn’t work out. Every programmer will at some point write code that doesn’t work for one reason or another. Instead of teaching a child with autism that failure is a reason to give up, it teaches them to find a solution to the problem and keep going.
For many of us, e-learning is part of life right now, and your child’s coding education doesn’t have to be any different. Koderon, an online coding education platform, offers one-on-one classes with your child. It brings coding education to anyone with an internet connection. You can schedule a consultation for you and your child to learn more about what programs are available. If you have a child with autism, look to enroll them in a coding program today with Koderon and you’ll soon see the benefits.