Montessori Pedagogy for a High-Functioning Autistic Child

In order for autistic children to function meaningfully and independently in the community, they need to develop social and life skills. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether placement in a Montessori classroom is effective in helping a high-functioning autistic child to develop social and life skills to his fullest potential. A four-year-old high-functioning autistic boy showed improvement in his social and life skills after his placement in an inclusive Montessori setting. The successes in the Montessori classroom suggest several avenues for additional research. However, the result of this study indicates that Montessori environment can be a viable option for high-functioning autistic child.