When your child has just been diagnosed with autism, questions and concerns immediately flood your mind. What do I need to know first? What do I need to do first? What program is right for my child? This book discusses the components of a perfect program for young children with autism, including a variety of proven techniques, and gives parents tools to assess whether or not they fit their child and their family. It also includes a how-to-guide for setting up an effective Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and transitioning a child with autism into a public school program.

* Best-selling authors who run hugely popular training sessions * Follows the worldwide focus on social and emotional wellbeing * The market for easy to use, relevant programmes to develop social-emotional-behavioural skills is growing rapidly * Will also be of interest to those working with autistic children * International appeal

The Identiplay intervention helps children on the autistic spectrum, and those with specific communication disorders, learn to play. Through the use of play scripts the approach promotes the development of social skills, understanding, imagination and exploration. By learning these skills the young person can enjoy reciprocal play with an adult or peer. Supported by case studies the theory behind the approach is fully outlined and scripts are provided for instant use in a number of settings.

The new edition of this popular book includes:

- More on developing your own scripts

- How to assess the child's current play skills

- The adult's role in play

-The use of visual/verbal support

-New case studies

-New scripts

-Advice on taking learning outdoors

-Links to resources and useful websites

A supporting CD ROM contains video clips of the intervention in practice, printable scripts and a PowerPoint presentation to facilitate professional training making this a vital resource for anyone working with young children on the autistic spectrum or with communication difficulties.

The ASD Feel Better Book is designed to help children on the autism spectrum develop insight into what can upset them and make them feel bad and then increase their awareness of how to make themselves feel good again. With visual maps and icons, the book proceeds through various components of the body and mind to isolate many of the things that can go wrong and explores how children can try to set them right. Designed to be read with an adult, there are problem-solving exercises and skills practice in the form of activities, games and worksheets.

This invaluable resource offers a wealth of strategies enabling you to support children with autism in the mainstream classroom. Cutting through the jargon and recognising the huge variety of ways in which children's perceptions, feelings and behaviours may be affected by autism, the text is packed with practical advice to help you create a classroom environment which will meet the needs of the individual child. Each chapter in the book addresses some of the most common social, practical and behavioural difficulties that a child with autism may face at school, and details tried and tested approaches for improving their experiences and outcomes in your classroom. Topics discussed include: classroom layout, timetables and rules effective communication supporting learning and setting targets breaks, unstructured times and school trips challenging behaviours Supporting Children with Autism in the Primary Classroom - A Practical Approach is a highly accessible resource which will give primary teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs, and parents, the confidence and knowledge they need to support young children with autism.

Jenny Clark Brack is back with a new book! Following the same structure and philosophy as her first book, Learn to Move, Move to Learn: Sensorimotor Early Childhood Activity Themes, her latest, Learn to Move, Moving Up! focuses on elementary-school age students with sensory processing disorders.

In a comprehensive introduction that covers current trends in education and occupational therapy, the book overviews many evidence-based practices as well as yoga, music, and Speed Stacks. Throughout, the emphasis is on involving the child's team for the best possible outcomes.

The centerpiece of the book consists of 30 sensorimotor, theme-based lesson plans that include literacy and curriculum suggestions for teachers, and suggests ways that they can be incorporated into busy elementary school schedules and environments. As in Brack's first book, the carefully developed lesson plans offer activities structured around seven elements designed for both learning and fun: Warm-Up, Vestibula

This book presents original, empirical research that reframes how educators should consider autism and educational inclusion. Rebecca Wood carefully unpicks common misapprehensions about autism and how autistic children learn, and reconsiders what inclusion can and should mean for autistic learners in school settings. Drawing on research and interwoven with comments from autistic child and adult contributors throughout, the book argues that inclusion will only work if the ways in which autistic children think, learn, communicate and exhibit their understanding are valued and supported. Such an approach will benefit both the learner and the whole classroom. Considering topics such as the sensory environment, support, learning and cognition, school curriculums, communication and socialisation, this much needed book offers ideas and insight that reflect the practical side of day-to-day teaching and learning, and shows how thinking differently about autism and inclusion will equip teachers to effectively improve teaching conditions for the whole school.

In conversation, children on the autism spectrum often struggle to select topics of interest to others. Many have strong, narrow interests and feel compelled to introduce these subjects when they talk. This book provides a simple visual model to help children experience more success in finding common ground in conversation. The "Green Zone" is a visual representation of finding common ground between one person (blue) and another person (yellow) to create a "green zone" that represents the pair's shared interests. The book, illustrated with hundreds of photographs representing the range of other people's interests, clearly explains what the "Green Zone" is and how to find it, and contains many photocopiable conversation practice activities and reinforcement worksheets based on this simple visual. Ideal for use in classroom settings or at home, this attractive, full colour book is suitable for children on the autism spectrum aged 7 and up.

Temple Grandin offers the world yet another great work, an inspiring and informative book that offers both hope and encouragement. In these pages, Temple presents the personal success stories of fourteen unique individuals that illustrate the extraordinary potential of those on the autism spectrum. One of Temple's primary missions is to help people with autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and ADHD tap into their hidden abilities. Temple chose these contributors from a wide variety of different skill sets to show how it can be done. Each individual tells their own story in their own words about their lives, relationships, and eventual careers. The contributors also share how they dealt with issues they confronted while growing up, such as bullying, making eye contact, and honing social skills. Different...Not Less shows how, with work, each of the contributors: Found invaluable mentors Learned skills necessary for employment when young Became successfully employed Developed self-confidence Faced the challenges of forming and maintaining relationships (and sometimes) Raised families

Introducing a Social Theatre (TM), this book provides guidance on how to deliver fun and transformative activities to develop social skills in teenagers and children. Drawing on ideas from Social Thinking (R), CBT, mindfulness and assertiveness training this book develops games, skits and short plays which can be adapted to suit children and teenagers including those who are gifted, typical, and those with mild to moderate cognitive abilities. These activities will help participants become more assertive and flexible as well as improving confidence, focus and self-esteem. Social Theatre (TM) can be used in small groups, in class or throughout the school, as well as in group therapy sessions. It provides a new and inclusive way to teach social skills and collaborative learning and is especially useful for those with anxiety, ADHD and ASD.

Do you want to help your child on the autism spectrum to verbally communicate with you and others? You've picked up the right book. The Autism Language Launcher gives you something totally new: a step-by-step guide that ignites language lift-off by using methods such as tapping into your child's innate intelligence, going with your child instead of against your child and providing techniques that work with adults on the spectrum. Written for parents, relatives, professionals, educators, or caregivers of a child or adult who is not yet verbal, making some sounds, using some words, speaking in single words, or using two-word phrases, this book uses the author's decades of experience with children and adults on the spectrum. Kate also demonstrates how to effectively address your child's echolalia, repetitious language, and repetitive questions in a way that your child will find supportive, bonding, and even joyful. Ultimately, this book shows you how to make language happen.

Using creativity as a lens to explore the meaningful learning experiences of autistic youth, Carrie Snow evaluates and challenges common conceptions about autism and offers a strengths-based demonstration of the many ways that autistic people express creativity and imagination. She then identifies key qualities of education that are commonly cited by autistic people to be significant to the development of fulfilling lives, healthy identities, promising careers and vocations, and creativity in general. This important resource shows how educators can support autistic K-12 students in public, private, inclusive as well as specialized schools. Creativity and the Autistic Student forwards the idea that autistic people offer valuable skills and abilities that can strengthen communities, within school and beyond.

No matter what you teach, there is a 100 Ideas title for you! The 100 Ideas series offers teachers practical, easy-to-implement strategies and activities for the classroom. Each author is an expert in their field and is passionate about sharing best practice with their peers. Each title includes at least ten additional extra-creative Bonus Ideas that won't fail to inspire and engage all learners. This is a must-have book for all teachers wanting to understand sensory processing differences, identify them in the primary classroom and implement effective strategies to support their pupils. With 100 ideas for recognising common sensory differences, using sensory equipment, aiding pupils' learning and involving parents, this is the perfect book for primary teachers looking for strategies to create a fully inclusive learning environment for all. Occupational therapist Kim Griffin imparts her expertise with 100 informative, easy-to-use ideas to help improve learning experiences for both pupils and teachers. Between five and 16 per cent of the population is believed to be affected by sensory processing differences, and they are often linked to autism, ADHD, dyspraxia and other special educational needs. Ideal for teachers, teaching assistants and SENDCos in both mainstream and special schools, this book offers ideas such as how to use multi-sensory approaches to improve handwriting and how to use specific sensory equipment such as wobble cushions, chew toys and ear defenders. Written by experts in their field, 100 Ideas books offer practical ideas for busy teachers. They include step-by-step instructions, teaching tips, taking it further ideas and online resources. Follow the conversation on Twitter using #100Ideas

An essential guide for any professionals working with autistic children and young adults, this book provides expert insights which need to be considered by professionals, parents and autistic people alike. It covers key themes such as anxiety and wellbeing, transition into adulthood, sexuality, intersectionality, and many more. A unique blend of first-hand experience, parental guidance and professional advice is provided from prominent figures in the autism field to offer you an overview of the important issues of today, to help you understand and better support autistic young people.

The acclaimed approach to helping children with autism, profiled in the award-winning documentary "Autism: The Musical"

This groundbreaking book outlines seven integrated keys for educators and parents to make meaningful connections with children on the autism spectrum. The book is based on the unique approach used by Elaine Hall and Diane Isaacs of The Miracle Project, a musical theater program for children with autism and their peers and siblings. The Miracle Project integrates traditional and creative therapies in an interactive, social dynamic. The book shows how to apply these effective strategies at school and at home to nurture kids' self-expression and social skills.Elaine Hall and The Miracle Project were profiled in the two-time Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary, "Autism: The Musical""Seven Keys" reveals the seven-step program that has proven so successful for children in the Miracle ProjectAfter reading "Seven Keys" teachers and parents will better understand this puzzling disorder and be able to help children with autism draw connections and form more meaningful relationships

"Seven Keys to Unlock Autism" offers readers strategies for creating a personal skill set to make their encounters with autistic children as successful and rewarding as possible.

Not everyone with autism is the same. This workbook will help teenagers recognise their own individual spectrum of autistic behaviours, and reflect on the specific challenges they face, their own strengths and how they relate to other people. Using creative writing activities, this book helps teenagers to identify connections between events and their emotions - which can be difficult for people with autism - while improving their writing skills through fun activities. A range of examples of poetry and short stories are included to make each activity accessible to all levels and to show how writing narrative and poems can help support personal reflection. The book encourages the reader to explore the core aspects of autism including social communication, executive function, and sensory processing, and then allows the teen to create a template of their own spectrum of abilities within autism. This unique understanding of autism can then be used to develop individual strategies and encourage self-advocacy. Using this book collaboratively with teachers or parents means the teen can be supported in a way that is specific to them.

"We each have Skype accounts and use them to discuss [Moby-Dick] face to face. Once a week, we spread the worded whale out in front of us; we dissect its head, eyes, and bones, careful not to hurt or kill it. The Professor and I are not whale hunters. We are not letting the whale die. We are shaping it, letting it swim through the Web with a new and polished look."-Tito Mukhopadhyay Since the 1940s researchers have been repeating claims about autistic people's limited ability to understand language, to partake in imaginative play, and to generate the complex theory of mind necessary to appreciate literature. In See It Feelingly Ralph James Savarese, an English professor whose son is one of the first nonspeaking autistics to graduate from college, challenges this view. Discussing fictional works over a period of years with readers from across the autism spectrum, Savarese was stunned by the readers' ability to expand his understanding of texts he knew intimately. Their startling insights emerged not only from the way their different bodies and brains lined up with a story but also from their experiences of stigma and exclusion. For Mukhopadhyay Moby-Dick is an allegory of revenge against autism, the frantic quest for a cure. The white whale represents the autist's baffling, because wordless, immersion in the sensory. Computer programmer and cyberpunk author Dora Raymaker skewers the empathetic failings of the bounty hunters in Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Autistics, some studies suggest, offer instruction in embracing the nonhuman. Encountering a short story about a lonely marine biologist in Antarctica, Temple Grandin remembers her past with an uncharacteristic emotional intensity, and she reminds the reader of the myriad ways in which people can relate to fiction. Why must there be a norm? Mixing memoir with current research in autism and cognitive literary studies, Savarese celebrates how literature springs to life through the contrasting responses of unique individuals, while helping people both on and off the spectrum to engage more richly with the world.

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be very challenging, particularly for parents who do not have easy access to psychological treatment. This book presents parent training as a unique approach that is not only more accessible but is also one of the most promising methods for promoting long-term behavioral improvements in children with ASD. Backed by decades of research, parent training is a psychotherapeutic technique in which parents are main drivers of change for their children. The clinician passes knowledge to the parents and teaches them more effective parenting skills and behaviors. This clinical guide shows practitioners how to apply this approach with families of children with ASD. Readers will learn strategies for implementing various assessment and intervention techniques, and for maintaining parental engagement throughout treatment. Individual chapters focus on the most common issues that parents of children with ASD struggle with, including social and communication deficits; disruptive behaviors; sleep disturbances; tendencies to wander off; and key life skills, like feeding and toileting. Vivid case examples demonstrate this clinical guidance being applied in realistic scenarios.

The teenage years are associated with high levels of uncertainty and anxiety, compounded by academic and social demands, and physical and emotional changes. They can be especially tough for teenagers who learn differently. This workbook contains a host of practical activities for teachers and other adults supporting young people with learning differences, whether at home or in the classroom. Drawing on their years of first hand experience, and up to the minute research, the authors outline a trans-diagnostic framework for identifying what might be behind a student's behaviour. They show how the first crucial step all practitioners must take is to work out what could be causing a teen's feelings of anxiety or uncertainty, and how this can be addressed. The activities in this workbook are organised into three sections, each addressing one of the three key areas where anxiety or uncertainty can be found: the structural, sensory and social domains. The tried-and-tested worksheets and activities present a much-needed alternative to a diagnosis-led approach. They can be used with any teenager, with or without a diagnosis, in classroom settings, intervention groups, or one to one work. The Anxiety Workbook will help you to really understand and address the needs of the SEN students you support, thereby improving their well-being, confidence and self-esteem and empowering them to get the most out of their education.

This easy-to-use resource is a compilation of theoretical background and concrete approaches designed to increase understanding and outline strategies to support autistic children and young people who experience anxiety in the school environment. This resource also has practical application for parents, carers and professionals across a range of educational and community-based settings. Using real life examples and case studies, the book explains and explores the different forms of anxiety and their impact across the school environment. Each chapter offers practical information and strategies that may help reduce the negative symptoms of anxiety and help support emotional resilience across home and school environments. Key features of this book include: Chapters aimed at enhancing the understanding of anxiety in autism, considering potential triggers of anxiety, discussion on cognitive theories, social communication and means of assessing anxiety. A wealth of downloadable anxiety management strategies and resources that can be adapted and used by a teacher, parent or other professional. This resource has been developed by the multidisciplinary team at Middletown Centre for Autism, and is a useful resource for the busy parent, teacher and other professionals who wish to provide individualised support strategies for anxiety across a range of settings.

This book is for parents and professionals who are guiding adolescents and young adult children with high functioning autism or Asperger's toward employment and independence. Employers are looking for employees who are positive. Employers may list specific "hard" or technical skills that they want an employee to have for a particular job, but surveys show that employers most want to hire people who have positive "soft skills." Employers want to hire someone who can work in harmony with others, someone who can communicate and respond socially to customers, coworkers, and supervisors with positivity. Unfortunately for young people with autism/Asperger's, hard skills may come easily but soft skills are much more difficult to learn and use. This book will help you focus on your child's positivity in their interactions with others, and will help you guide him or her to respond positively to the many challenges he or she faces every day.

Pediatrician Jeanie McAfee originally created this user-friendly social curriculum for her daughter Rachel, who was diagnosed with Asperger's at age ten. Since then, it has become a staple for parents and educators. It addresses the most urgent problems facing those with Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning autism, and related disorders. Dr. McAfee covers how to: increase communication skills recognize and cope with emotions recognize and prevent stress develop abstract thinking skills address behavioral problems Tasks are broken down into small steps, repeated until they are mastered, then generalized. Helpful handouts, templates, and forms will help keep teachers and learners on track. Helpful sections include: Recognizing and Coping with One's Own Emotions Communication and Social Skills Abstract Thinking Skills Behavioral IssuesThis title comes with a CD-Rom of printable worksheets for your convenience.

In All My Stripes, Zane the zebra feels different from the rest of his classmates. He worries that all they notice about him is his "autism stripe." With the help of his Mama, Zane comes to appreciate all his stripes - the unique strengths that make him who he is! Includes a Reading Guide with additional background information about autism spectrum disorders and a Note to parents and caregivers with tips for finding support. Foreword by Alison Singer, president Autism Science Foundation

This book takes a fresh look at approaches to teaching reading, writing and communication skills. It presents a wealth of innovative ideas specifically designed to support visual learners, including those with autism spectrum conditions and special educational needs. Some children are more responsive to visual stimulation than spoken words, and this book shows how to engage these children in literacy lessons by using strategies that cover everything from the latest assistive technology to getting creative on a limited budget. There are tips for sharing stories with children who find it hard to sit still, supporting reluctant writers, enabling the pre-verbal child to answer questions and helping the child who never stops talking to develop listening skills. The strategies are supported by practical resources, examples and case studies, to show how to instil in children the confidence to create and share their thoughts. This is a must-have resource for special education teachers and coordinators, as well as speech and language therapists, looking for new strategies for teaching literacy.