This practical resource is brimming with ideas and guidance for using simple ideas from speech and language pathology and occupational therapy to boost communication, sensory integration, and coordination skills in children on the autism spectrum. Suitable for use in the classroom, at home, and in community settings, it is packed with easy-to-follow, goal-oriented activities and lesson plans centering around arts and crafts, music-making, cookery, sensory activities, and skills for daily living. The activities all use materials and objects which are readily available in the home or classroom, and can easily be adapted to suit children of different abilities, including those who are non-verbal. This book is perfect for teachers, speech and language pathologists, and occupational therapists who need fresh and effective activity ideas for the classroom or therapy room, as well as for parents and other caregivers who want to help their child on the autism spectrum to speak, move, play...and learn!

The aim of this book is to make sure all students on the Autistic Spectrum are given the opportunity to engage in appropriate teaching and learning experiences. It considers the individual with autism, and offers tried and tested approaches that have worked, giving background information on autism and its impact on the learner. In this new edition, the author has added: - more information on sensory issues - an increasingly holistic view of the student with autism - new ideas for curriculum planning in mainstream settings - advice on multi-professional working - guidance on developing positive working relationships with parents and carers There is a wealth of new electronic material available to download from the SAGE website, including photocopiable materials, PowerPoint presentations and checklists. A must-have resource for all practitioners working with children and young people on the autistic spectrum, this book will improve your inclusive practice and ensure positive outcomes for these children.

Children need effective communication skills as a foundation for successful participation in activities at home, school and in the community. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are often unable to learn social skills from environmental cues and require direct teaching and lots of practice. This collection of social communication cues will enable parents and professionals to help children with social development difficulties navigate their social world and enjoy interacting with their peers. Each section begins with a simple social rule; the reason why the child may be having difficulty in this area is explained; and easy communication prompts and practice ideas are provided. The younger these skills are practiced, the happier and more self-confident the child. This program is ideal for early intervention as it can be used with children aged 2 and up. This practical guide will be an essential resource for parents, teachers, speech-language pathologists, psychologists and therapists looking for a simple program for teaching social skills to young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Parents and teachers of children with Asperger's know only too well the feeling that they are not quite reaching the child, not quite hearing or getting it, not communicating just right, or at all. Offering rich insights into what Asperger's is like for the child himself or herself, this compassionate book will empower parents and teachers, enabling them to nurture the child's strengths and work towards a happy and promising future. The book is packed with strategies, insights, and points to remember in order to address common areas of difficulty, including creating a safe space, quieting sensory overload, quelling anxiety, connecting to feelings, promoting friendship, and feeding creativity. A chapter devoted to girls with Asperger's describes how to see and connect with the child more deeply in order to better meet her needs, and the author also considers the ways in which other children might view and treat the child with Asperger's, with tried and tested advice on how a positive difference can be made, and what really works. This original and perceptive book offers rich insights into what Asperger's means in the real world, for real children, and is essential reading for parents, teachers, and other professionals.

Drama therapy provides valuable opportunities for children on the autism spectrum to interact and connect with others in a fun, supportive environment. The innovative model of drama therapy described in this book is rooted in neuroscience, and designed specifically to develop social, emotional and expressive language skills in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Lee R. Chasen provides an accessible explanation of the theoretical foundations, concepts and techniques that make up the approach, and describes in detail a thirty-session drama therapy program which uses creative and playful tools such as guided play, sociometry, puppetry, role-play, video modeling and improvisation. Scenarios drawn from his own practice provide useful insights into the practicalities of setting up and running such a program, as well as into how children's social, emotional and expressive language skills deepen through their immersion in this unique approach. This book will be of interest to drama and creative arts therapists, as well as teachers, school psychologists, counsellors and other professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders.

Young people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often feel uncomfortable and anxious in social situations, but socializing with classmates and colleagues can be made easier - and more enjoyable - with Guiding Toward Growth group sessions. John Merges' simple yet effective program for teaching social enjoyment skills is based on the concept that there are ten hurdles that make it challenging for people with ASD to enjoy social interaction. This book guides the reader through planning, running, and assessing group sessions that have been designed to help participants overcome these hurdles, interact with confidence, and ultimately enjoy more independent and fulfilling lives. As social interaction is a vital element of any work environment, this book also teaches young adults with ASD an important employment skill. This adaptable book can be used with a wide range of ages and communicative abilities, and will be an invaluable resource for all professionals working with groups of children and young people with ASD.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a highly effective, rigorously researched intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders--but most teachers don't get the training they need to put it to work in their inclusive classroom. That's why every K-12 educator needs this practical guidebook, packed with teaching plans and plain-English guidance on using ABA to improve outcomes for students with autism and behavior challenges.

Teachers will start with a systematic, start-to-finish guide that demystifies the entire ABA process, from assessment and goal setting to data collection and analysis. Then they'll get fifty sample teaching plans that clearly demonstrate how to use ABA to support students across social, communication, behavioral, academic, and independent functioning domains. Ready to adapt to the needs of individual students, these concise sample plans give teachers specific ideas for helping children develop critical skills such as

• participating in cooperative learning activities with peers
• transitioning from class to class independently
• responding positively to peer initiations
• using simple sentences to make requests
• raising their hand to answer a question
• waiting for a turn during structured activities
• protesting appropriately using a calm voice and positive language
• communicating needs using augmentative communication
• staying in line and remaining quiet
• using the restroom without adult support

Using concrete examples every teacher can relate to, the teaching plans show how to get results using a combination of effective ABA strategies, such as explicit instruction, positive reinforcement, prompting and fading procedures, video modeling, peer-mediated interventions, social stories, and self-monitoring tools. Teachers will also get helpful guidance on developing their own ABA teaching plans to resolve their students' classroom challenges.

With this much-needed blueprint for "quick and painless" ABA, teachers will have research-proven strategies for effectively meeting the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders--and ensuring the best possible learning environment for all their students.

Children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders present many challenges to the people who care for them. 'Difficult' or challenging behaviour is often encountered on a daily basis, and it is easy for both parents and professionals to feel completely overwhelmed by its sheer range and complexity. Where do you start? What happens when, in managing one set of problems, another gets worse? Is there some way to tackle difficulties before they get out of hand, or even before they arise? Practical Behaviour Management Solutions for Children and Teens with Autism answers these questions and provides practical solutions that really work. It offers a complete framework for behaviour intervention which has its roots in prevention and good practice, with an emphasis on promoting and encouraging the development of skills and independence, through Profiling, Prioritizing, Problem analysis, Problem solving and Planning. From identifying behaviour and understanding the root causes, through to planning and implementing a comprehensive intervention programme, this book is packed with practical strategies and expert guidance. While clearly defining the steps you need to take, it also allows for flexibility according to need and individual contexts. Designed specifically for parents and teachers, and complete with photocopiable tools, this book will provide structured yet flexible guidance for all parents and professionals supporting a child or young person on the autism spectrum.

Given the significant core deficits in social interaction and communication that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate, it is critical to understand and develop interventions which directly address these needs. This book considers the theoretical and practical implications of developing and implementing peer-based, group-focused therapeutic approaches with children on the autism spectrum. Albert Cotugno describes the theoretical underpinnings of an intervention model based on cognitive developmental principles, and explains why a group approach is best suited to address and remediate an ASD child's social deficiencies. Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders shows how to implement skill-based instructional approaches and presents strategies to assess the short- and long-term effectiveness of this type of therapy, both within the group and in external settings. The book is intended for school, clinic, and general practitioners involved in group work with special needs children, professionals working with ASD children, and anyone interested in using group interventions as a means to treat social competency and social skills deficits.

A special-needs guide that ?comes to the rescue?( Carol Stock Kranowitz, author of "The Out-of-Sync Child") of those who struggle with an increasingly common condition.
Millions of children suffer from Nonverbal Learning Disorder, a neurological deficit that prevents them from understanding nonverbal cues like tone of voice and facial expressions. Though they can be exceptionally bright and articulate, these children often have difficulty in social situations, and can become depressed, withdrawn, or anxious.
In this revised edition, Rondalyn Varney Whitney? a pediatric occupational therapist and the parent of a child with NLD?offers practical solutions, the latest information, and all-new activities that will help parents put their child on the path to a happy, fulfilling life.
Topics include:
? Getting a diagnosis
? Developing a treatment plan
? Helping your child make friends
? Dealing with setbacks

Playfulness is important; it creates an alternative space where emotional, cognitive and social dimensions can be explored and tested. This highly practical book explores the endless possibilities of using playful, creative and interactive activities to meaningfully engage with children with multiple learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders. The author presents playfulness as 'an experimental frame of mind', and encourages practitioners to play with roles, ideas, words, concepts and objects in order to enhance relationships and interventions. By providing accessible steps to playfulness, this text explores some of the contemporary issues surrounding the education of children with severe learning needs, in particular the use of 'intensive interaction'. This text considers different areas of creative interactive work for practitioners to draw inspiration from, including: Music Interactive Musical Movement Finger Dance Story and Drama Artwork Reflective Circle. The varied array of tried and tested original activities have been devised to encourage the development of social interaction, cognition, play, experimentation and creativity, in particular but not exclusively, for children whose learning needs are more complex. The author also invites teachers working in mainstream, particularly early years and primary education, to investigate the creative possibilities inherent in playfulness and to use the activities in this book to enhance the learning environment. This text offers an abundance of advice, practical strategies and tips for teachers working in special and mainstream early years and primary education. Practitioners such as therapists, care workers, community musicians and creative arts specialists will also find this book useful.