A practical guide to the innovative Autism Movement Therapy (R) (AMT) approach - structured movement and music classes designed to stimulate the brain, aid sensory processing and decrease problem behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorders. Reflecting a growing interest in the body-brain connection, and incorporating the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis, the AMT approach uses music and movement to develop audio, visual, gross motor and spatial awareness skills in children with autism. The book breaks down the components of the typical 45 minute session, from circle games to story dances, and explains how the reader can create their own AMT program. This exciting new approach will complement other therapeutic techniques for children on the autism spectrum and can be used by a wide range of professionals, such as teachers, arts therapists and dance instructors, as well as parents and carers.

Interventions and educational approaches for children with autism spectrum disorders have developed in response to the different models for how autism has been constructed and understood. This book explores the evolving theories on autism and how these have impacted the interventions and outcomes in education. Drawing on 30 years of professional experience and detailed research, Harvey exposes the myths around autism, advocates for understanding autism as difference rather than impairment, and provides practical guidance on teaching and learning, behaviour management, addressing sensory and physical needs of children with ASD. This accessible overview shows how to put autism research into practice, learn from historic mistakes and create the most supportive environment for children on the autism spectrum.

The second edition of Using Drama with Children on the Autism Spectrum takes the perspective that support for the learning and development of children should have the purpose of giving them the freedom to be more fully who they are and able to function more effectively as themselves in a wider range of contexts. The focus of this new edition is on learning outcomes as expressed by autistic people, for example, to develop better understandings about the social world and to know how to manage everyday situations more successfully. This practical resource book contains more than 150 activities for use with children aged 5-11 years old. Written for mainstream and special education teachers, speech and language therapists, drama teachers, play workers and creative arts therapists, the book shows how using drama with children across the autism spectrum can provide valuable experiences in being with others and communicating with them in enjoyable ways that support the development of well-being and confidence. In addition, drama is presented as a rich medium for reflecting on everyday social situations and developing children's understandings about the social world. Complete with case studies, photocopiable resources and step-by-step guidance on how to facilitate drama activities that all children can enjoy, this practical resource will be invaluable for those who are looking for new ways of engaging children on the autism spectrum and their peers. The second edition of this practical resource has been extensively revised, updated and re-focused in line with current practice and thinking.

Stuff You Need to Know is a guide to help young adults with autism learn the skills needed to become more independent. Finding suitable materials for young adults with autism can be difficult since most books available are written for the younger age group. Books written for older individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can contain too much text, which can be visual text overload. Stuff You Need to Know is created and designed for young adults, written by a mom and proven to have helped hundreds of young adults at her youth center. This guide helps young ASD adults learn: Healthy habits The best personal presentation Safety Technology basics Simple cooking basics How to handle emergencies How to manage time and money And much more!

For children, adolescents, and adults with autism, AAC can have a tremendous positive impact on communication, social skills, and behavior. Now there's a comprehensive, up-to-date research volume that shows professionals what today's most effective AAC methods are - and why they're a perfect fit with a variety of learning approaches that work for people with autism. Pat Mirenda - a leading authority on AAC and autism - and Teresa Iacono partner with more than 30 other experts to give readers the most current, in-depth information on a wide range of AAC methods and technologies. Through clear and compelling examinations of the latest research studies, professionals supporting people with autism will discover how these evidence-based AAC interventions can be used to promote children's natural speech and language development expand literacy skills modify challenging behavior build young children's social interaction skills encourage students' full membership and participation in inclusive classrooms give children socially appropriate ways to express needs and preferences replace unconventional communicative acts with more conventional ones help adolescents and adults develop strong social networks within their community Readers will also get clarification of the common characteristics of effective AAC interventions and insight into the future research required to make AAC technologies more meaningful and motivating. Essential for educators, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other direct service providers, this new addition to the renowned Augmentative and Alternative Communication series will give readers a complete understanding of today's diverse AAC options - knowledge they'll use to help people with autism develop the communication and social skills they need to succeed. Help people with autism benefit from speech generating devices visual schedules and other types of visual supports peer-mediated interventions manual signing and gestures graphic symbols written supports and more!

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. _______________ For students at secondary school, each day brings a different set of challenges to be faced - especially for the increasing number of young people diagnosed with autism. Not only do secondary students have to contend with the anxieties that come with adolescence, but they also have to learn to cope with increasingly difficult work across numerous subject areas, and the added pressure of exams. This book helps teachers develop subtle learning strategies that will help create an inclusive, quality teaching environment where pupils with autism can be supported during this time of change. It breaks down the key areas of potential difficulty and offers step-by-step strategies, ideas, case studies and links to resources in a style that is easy and accessible. Key topics include transition, assessment, anxiety support, behaviour, social skills and communication, and teasing and bullying. This is the ultimate troubleshooting guide that every secondary school teacher should have to hand.

How an understanding of intellectual disability transforms the pleasures of reading Narrative informs everything we think, do, plan, remember, and imagine. We tell stories and we listen to stories, gauging their "well-formedness" within a couple of years of learning to walk and talk. Some argue that the capacity to understand narrative is innate to our species; others claim that while that might be so, the invention of writing then re-wired our brains. In The Secret Life of Stories, Michael Berube tells a dramatically different tale, in a compelling account of how an understanding of intellectual disability can transform our understanding of narrative. Instead of focusing on characters with disabilities, he shows how ideas about intellectual disability inform an astonishingly wide array of narrative strategies, providing a new and startling way of thinking through questions of time, self-reflexivity, and motive in the experience of reading. Interweaving his own stories with readings of such texts as Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Kingston's The Woman Warrior, and Philip K. Dick's Martian Time-Slip, Berube puts his theory into practice, stretching the purview of the study of literature and the role of disability studies within it. Armed only with the tools of close reading, Berube demonstrates the immensely generative possibilities in the ways disability is deployed within fiction, finding in them powerful meditations on what it means to be a social being, a sentient creature with an awareness of mortality and causality-and sentience itself. Persuasive and witty, Michael Berube engages Harry Potter fans and scholars of literature alike. For all readers, The Secret Life of Stories will fundamentally change the way we think about the way we read.

Sometimes, all a student needs to succeed is a friend. Every day, thousands of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle to stay afloat at school-sometimes bullied, often ostracized. Mastering academics can be hard enough without the added challenge of navigating social situations that neurotypical kids take for granted. If students with ASD had a peer to model and reinforce socially appropriate behavior and coach them through schoolwork, it could help them feel at home in the student population. This inspirational new book describes how to set up just such a peer-mentoring organization in your school or community. With a clear understanding of the needs of students with ASD and the kids who will be their guides, Kukoff provides: Steps for organizing and implementing your own Autism Ambassadors program Clear-cut guidelines on the responsibilities of student "ambassadors," plus peer-support strategies to improve the ambassador experience More than a hundred specific interventions any student can employ with students with ASD A path for students with ASD to become Autism Ambassadors themselves Based on the methodology of Applied Behavior Analysis-the gold standard in autism intervention-but created and led by students, the Autism Ambassadors curriculum will promote leadership and improve the school experience for all students.

Technology holds great promise for helping students with autism learn, communicate, and function effectively in the modern world. Start leveraging that power today with this forward-thinking book, your in-depth guided tour of technologies that support learners with autism and help them fully participate in their classroom and community. You'll learn about readily available technologies you can use right now-from apps to video modeling-and explore next-wave innovations that will help shape the future of autism intervention, such as therapeutic robots and advanced virtual reality technologies. You'll also get critical guidance on how to select the appropriate technology for your needs, weave technology into a universal design for learning framework, and conduct effective professional development so teachers make the most of new tools and strategies. Discover technologies that help support the overall learning of children on the autism spectrum teach social skills and support emotion regulation through independent data collection develop executive function strategies and improve flexibility, memory, and transitions boost literacy and language skills support young adults' transition to the workplace make data collection and program evaluation more effective and efficient strengthen teacher training programs enhance use of evidence-based practices Explore the benefits of technologies like apps for education, communication, behavior regulation, and more video modeling language processing software customized digital stories and book creator apps element cue supports emotional regulation and sensing technologies interactive learning software to improve feedback and metacognition visualization and mind mapping apps text-to-speech and speech to text software e-readers and tablets with integrated multimedia (e.g., cameras, microphones, etc.) electronic data collection forms for use with handheld devices and more

Keep people with dementia fully engaged in daily life and help them maximise remaining functional skills by tapping into their innate abilities and interests. Engaging and Communicating with People Who Have Dementia is a trove of advice on how to identify people's strengths and preferences and then use this knowledge to improve activity programming, communication, and functional independence. Individualising activities, interactions, or interventions at any moment of the day is made easy with the many helpful suggestions offered throughout the pages of this innovative guide. Here are keys to successfully choosing leisure activities for individuals that emphasise their previous interests and talents as well as current capabilities. Based on the principles of multiple intelligences, this resource provides handy assessment forms and instructive explanations and examples to help uncover and then build on each person's unique abilities. Abundant activity ideas are showcased for each type of intelligence - linguistic, logical, visual, tactile, auditory, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic - plus strategies for adapting them as a person's abilities decline. Features that make this resource especially useful for enriching person-centered programming, include: * Advice on available technologies that enhance communication, promote independence, and stimulate cognition. * Guidelines for matching activities to early, middle and late stages of dementia. * Valuable assessment tools for use by staff, family, and the individual. * Downloadable, reusable forms. Activity professionals, nursing staff, speech-language pathologists, and even family caregivers can help maintain meaningful and enjoyable interactions with an adult diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease using this strength-based approach. 2014 National Mature Media Award (Bronze Award Winner)

This hands-on, practical, teacher-friendly approach to preventing as well as responding to the acting-out behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) includes detailed procedures for general and special education teachers. It is based on the model described in Colvin's bestselling book, Managing the Cycle of Acting Out Behavior in the Classroom, which presents a 7-step model for confronting challenging behavior in the classroom, from the calm phase to the agitation phase to the deescalation phase. Of special importance in this book is the attention paid to how challenging behaviors of students with ASD are related to the disability, specifically the role of sensory and medical issues. Based on a well-researched model, the methods in this book have been field-tested.

As prevalence rates and awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) increase, there is a need for all educators to have a basic understanding of the disorder and how to teach affected children. Understanding Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Educators Partnering with Families introduces, in an accessible manner, the significant body of research and theory in the field of autism within the larger context of understanding the unique socio-cultural dimensions of individuals with ASD and their families. Engaging and user-friendly, Michelle Haney's text provides future educators insight into the complexity and diversity of children with ASD, the wide range of interventions and processes for making decisions about choosing interventions (teaming with parents to provide optimal educational opportunities), and the personal/professional growth that is likely to take place during such a journey.

This book offers general education teachers a wide variety of cutting edge, research-tested strategies and tool for supporting middle and secondary students with autism in the classroom while meeting the challenges of each school day. The text blends personal anecdotes with research-based strategies and is filled with hundreds of valuable ideas to help teachers with everything from understanding autism and special education policy to becoming an effective team member, supporting students with diverse needs, developing peer friendships, and solving behavior challenges. In addition, the book includes a resource guide that teachers can use to prepare and train instructional assistants to work with students who have autism.

Children with pervasive developmental disorders often do not learn from conventional methods, which can result in social isolation, behavior problems, limitations in communication, and slow academic growth. Greater integration into home and school activities, improved behavior and academic success can be achieved using alternative-augmentative communication (AAC), and this book explains exactly how to make it happen. Exploring the various communication and intervention options available and offering straightforward techniques and strategies for using them effectively, this book clearly explains everything families, teachers, therapists and other professionals need to know in order to improve a child's communication, behavior, social and academic skills. Chapters follow a consistent, user-friendly format, answering the questions Who, What, Why, How, Where and When about every technique. This book will be essential reading for anyone looking to improve social interaction between children with pervasive developmental disorders and those around them.

A step-by-step approach to managing your challenging students! An effective classroom management plan will help teachers engage most of their students, but every classroom has one or two students with more challenging behavioural issues that often require a significant amount of an educator's time. This jargon-free, easy-to-read book guides teachers through the process of helping these students become positive, contributing learners. Based on sound psychological principles and more than 10 years of empirical evidence, this resource provides general and special education teachers with an eight-step plan for responding to challenging behaviours, including: - Giving simple instructions - Using appropriate warnings - Handling tantrums - Creating behavioural contracts - Managing transitions - Preventing disruptions - Improving behaviour outside the classroom - Developing effective homework routines Filled with suggestions for adapting each of the steps and practical examples that illustrate potential problems that may arise during the interventions, 8 Steps to Classroom Management Success offers a coherent system for creating a positive learning environment for all students.

This compelling choose your own adventure story and accompanying teacher resource have been created to develop the social skills of autistic children aged 8-12. The reader takes on the role of the main character who finds themselves trapped in Tudor England and, confronted by challenging social situations and decisions that could help or hinder the narrative, must solve a mystery to get home. Circumstances throughout the narrative are linked to accompanying worksheets in the teacher resource that explore topics such as wellbeing, teamwork, managing conflict and processing information. Suitable for use in small groups or 1:1, the programme is flexible in design, allowing the facilitator to respond to the needs of each child. Key features of this set include: An engaging illustrated interactive story that places the reader at the heart of the narrative, encouraging discussion and creating moments for deeper thinking and self-reflection Photocopiable and downloadable worksheets divided into sections focused on 'Making Sense of my World' and 'Connecting with Others' A gentle and fun approach to social skills development, this is an invaluable resource for anybody looking to support students aged 8-12 as they build an understanding of the complexities of social dynamics. Although created with autistic girls in mind, it can be used with students of different genders and adapted for their needs.

Teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to develop the 'inner voice' needed to solve problems, this book's innovative approach will help children reach logical and appropriate solutions to everyday problems. This book shows students and professionals how to formally teach key skills for reasoning and problem-solving that aren't usually explicitly taught, such as planning, pausing and reflecting and increasing emotional regulation. Focusing on the 'inner voice' - the dialogue that goes on inside our heads during every day routines - the authors explain how to help children with ASD solve problems independently. The book also shows how children can learn to cope with feelings of stress when confronted with difficult situations, whether getting stuck on homework, making mistakes, choosing options, following procedures that are perceived to be arbitrary, or everyday social situations. Examples of implementing this new approach in different situations are given to show the many ways of teaching these cognitive skills to children with autism.

Based on the findings of a five year longitudinal study into the experiences of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this book provides tertiary educators and support staff with practical support for addressing the challenges associated with ASD as they manifest in college and university environments. It explores issues such as: * Interpreting assignment tasks * Unwritten expectations and codes of conduct * Rigidity of thinking * Project planning * Self-monitoring * Multi-tasking and central coherence The authors suggest practical strategies for better accommodating students with ASD in the inclusive classroom. Chapters include case studies of individual students, which provide real world examples of possible issues and successful interventions, making this an essential resource for all those involved in supporting students with ASD in tertiary education settings.

Social Narratives are a simple, evidence-based intervention to help children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental delays to understand appropriate social behaviours and overcome the anxiety associated with social situations. This practical guide explains how to create and use personalised Social Narratives with children aged 4+. Drawing on the latest autism theory and findings from research, the author provides step-by- step guidelines for writing and using Social Narratives at home or in the classroom. She describes clearly the key components of the approach, including incorporating the interests of the child, using literal and positive language and including visuals and comprehension questions to support learning. 27 sample Social Narratives are also included, to provide inspiration and useful examples of how Social Narratives can be used in practice. Perfect for improving social behaviour in children with ASD, this book will be a valuable resource for teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists, as well as parents.

Picture stories can play a vital role in helping parents negotiate challenging scenarios with kids with ASD. Yet no matter how many books and flashcards you have, they can't cover every eventuality. So, suppose you could draw the stories yourself... Brian Attwood took up pen and paper when his son John's meltdowns became harder to deal with. The effect was immediate and time and time again picture stories have bailed the family out of trouble and saved John from unhappiness and confusion. In this book, Brian describes step-by-step how to create simple yet effective picture stories using basic drawings and short lines of text, and provides examples based on real-life situations for you to adapt for your child. This book will give parents and carers the tools and confidence they need to create individualised picture stories to help their child with ASD cope with social situations, difficult emotions, transitions and other challenging situations.

How can you help children with moderate to severe autism become more effective communicators? Discover the Visual Immersion System (VIS), a practical, research-based intervention framework that taps into the strong visual processing skills many children on the spectrum have. You'll learn how to use readily available resources - from photos and symbols to apps and software - to create a customised system of visual supports that boost seven key communicative functions. For each of the functions, you'll get comprehensive how-to guidance on choosing tools and materials, conducting systematics instruction, collecting data, and assessing how well interventions are working. A must for SLPs, interventionists, and educators, the innovative VIS approach will ensure better communication and higher quality of life for children with autism. Why The VIS Works Uses visual supports, an approach that's proven successful for children with autism Strengthens communication skills needed for learning and meaningful human interaction Builds on evidence-based assessment and intervention procedures developed over decades at Boston Children's Hospital Incorporates a wide range of low-tech and higher-tech options Flexible - can be used in home, school, or community settings provides clear, easy-to-use instructions on conducting interventions Includes guidance on generalising new communication skills

Video modeling takes visual learning to the next level by using new technologies to create an effective teaching tool. This book explains how professionals and parents can use innovative video modeling techniques to support the development of young children with autism spectrum disorders in school, home or community settings. Offering practical step-by-step guidance, the book shows how to film and edit personalized videos that highlight the exact skill that is being taught. Whether the focus is increasing attention, peer interaction, getting dressed or creative play, these videos are easy to incorporate into daily routines. They allow the child to learn new skills quickly and with less hands-on adult support leading to greater independence. Three video modeling strategies are presented - Basic Video Modeling, Video Self-Modeling and Point-of-view Video Modeling - along with all the information needed for readers to start using the techniques for themselves. The research behind the approach is also discussed and each chapter includes detailed case studies that demonstrate the techniques in action.

This book will guide practitioners, early interventionists, teachers, counselors, and psychologists in identifying and implementing effective strategies that address the unique characteristics of children with autism and their families. The authors describe current research on the etiology of autism and outline a range of effective assessment procedures. Key topics include: - How to guide family participation and supports in developing goals and interventions - Procedures for intervention planning and implementation in natural settings - Methods for promoting generalization and maintenance of skills - Strategies to promote collaboration and problem-solving approaches across multiple disciplines Approaches for evaluating evidence based practices - Ways to foster awareness of recent developments related to evidence-based practices

Getting into the Game: Sports Programs for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder will help families, clinicians and coaches support children with autism in taking their first steps into sport and recreation. Participation in individual and team sports plays an important part in children's development and promotes growth in a number of areas. As well as the obvious health benefits, sport also provides the perfect backdrop to teach young people with autism about rules, strategy and teamwork - all invaluable lessons that can be applied to wider society. By detailing six of the most popular sports: cycling, ice skating, swimming, soccer, taekwondo and tennis and including the unique experiences of families of children with autism, it offers all the information, advice and support needed to help get kids with autism engaged in fun and positive sport environments. This book is an invaluable resource for parents, teachers, coaches and anyone supporting children with autism spectrum disorders in a sport or recreation environment.

If you have a child with Asperger's syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism, conventional parenting principles will often prove insufficient and unproductive. This intelligent companion has all the answers, explanations and advice to enable parents to feel confident in providing effective support for their child with AS or high-functioning autism. The author explains how to help develop social and communication skills, clarifies the type of assistance needed from outside the family (and where to find it), and includes suggestions on how to ensure that the needs of other siblings are also met. Written from the insightful perspective of a child psychiatrist, this very practical book will provide concrete help for parents and carers. The experience and expertise shared will also be useful for all professionals working with children with AS or high-functioning autism and their families.