Zysk Veronica - 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

1001Great Ideasfor Teaching & Raising Children withAutism orAspergersEllen Notbohm | VeronicaZysk1001 Great Ideasfor Teaching & Raising Children with Autism orAspergers All marketing and publishing rights guaranteed to and reserved by: 721 W. Abram Street Arlington, Texas 76013 800-489-0727 817-277-0727 817-277-2270 (fax) E-mail: info@FHautism.comwww.FHautism.com Copyright entire contents Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk, 2004, 2010 Book design TLC Graphics, www.TLCGraphics.com Cover by: Monica Thomas; Interior by: Erin Stark All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Future Horizons, Inc., except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. The information presented in this book is educational and should not be construed as offering diagnostic, treatment, or legal advice or consultation. If professional assistance in any of these areas is needed, the services of a competent autism professional should be sough Visit the authors websites; comments and new ideas always welcomed! www.ellennotbohm.com, emailme@ellennotbohm.com, www.AutismDigest.com, editor@autismdigest.com Previous edition published as: 1001 great ideas for teaching and raising children with autism spectrum disorders.

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN for E-book Version: 978-1935274-26-1 ISBN for Print Version: 978-1-935274-06-3 1. Autistic childrenPopular works. 2. AutismPopular works. 3.

Aspergers syndrome in childrenPopular works. 4. Aspergers syndromePopular works. I. Zysk, Veronica. Title. III. III.

Title: One thousand one great ideas for teaching and raising children with autism or Aspergers IV Title: One thousand and one great ideas for teaching & raising children with autism or Aspergers RJ506.A9 N68 2010 618.9289 What readers had tosay about the firstedition! Destined to become a staple for those who love, live or work with children with autism. The authors voices are authoritative and comforting. Perhaps most importantly, they are spot on with the issues. A toolkit packed with ideas, resources, suggestions, and a good dose of encouragement, validation and yes: redemption. JENNIFER MCCAMMON, former publisher,Portland Family Magazine A friendly voice offering parents and teachers immediately usable ideas that emphasize the practical rather than the technical. Well organized for quick reading, with major ideas preceded by helpful introductory text.

A great resource that parents and teachers should keep readily available. CHRISTINE HUNT, MS, special educationand resource teacher 1001 Great Ideas goes beyond a list of things to do with your child who has autism. The thoughtful comments about why these suggestions are purposeful and valuable as teaching tools make this a must have for families, childcare providers and special education professionals. The insights the authors share throughout the book put the activities into a real life focus for working with children on the autism spectrum. NANCY SELLER, ED. , Vice PresidentEarlyChildhoodServices,UpstateCerebral Palsy Great bookcouldnt put it down. , Vice PresidentEarlyChildhoodServices,UpstateCerebral Palsy Great bookcouldnt put it down.

So many creative ideas, and all of them detailed and easy to follow. I like reaching children through fun, so I appreciated the suggestions for games, activities and specific reading titles that we can go right to. The IEP suggestions are helpful for both parents and school staff, the authors sidenotes about their own experiences are insightful. KARLA MAYER, MS, CCC-SLP 1001 Great Ideas is just that, a treasure trove of wonderful ideas and activities! This hope-filled book not only connects the reader to the world of Autism Spectrum Disorders but also provides a multitude of practical solutions to the broad range of challenges that parents and professional face each and every day. 1001 Great Ideas is a resource that both parents and professionals will continually turn to. SCOTT TANNER, School PsychologistAcknowledgementsANY AUTHOR WHO ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE of putting forth a book of 1001 ideas (or in this edition, nearly 2000 and all of them good, of course) knows it has to be an ensemble piece.

We are indebted to the community of outstanding individuals who have enhanced our lives and our book with their expertise, their can-do, will-do attitude, and their devotion to children with autism and the broader world we all share. Through this book, we are but funnels for their collective wisdom and years of effort on behalf of countless children with autism spectrum disorders. The fingerprints of so many exceptional educators, therapists, parents and friends are all over this book. To name only a few: Greg Jones, Mary Schunk, Julianne Barker, Veda Nomura, Nola Shirley, Lucy Courtney, Diane Larson, Sharon Martine, Marcia Wirsig, Jackie Druck, Terry Clifford, Annie Westfall, Sarah Spella, Robin Jensen, Jean Motley, Arielle Bernstein, Emily Polanshek, and Lacee Jones. We send heartfelt thanks to the many autism professionals whose work awakened in us reservoirs of ideas we didnt even know existed. Thanks go to Temple Grandin, David Freschi, Michelle Garcia Winner, Marge Blanc, Jim Ball, Linda Hodgdon, and Lindsey Biel for sharing their knowledge and expertise in ways they might not even have imagined.

Special thanks, as always, to our publisher and friend, Wayne Gilpin, and to our editorial director Kelly Gilpin. We appreciate your unfailing enthusiasm for all our projects. To our adored parents, whether they are with us in body or in spirit, your presence is the safe haven that gives us courage to venture forth, discover the adventures that lie beyond the edge of our comfort zone, and set that example for others. Your influence is felt daily and only intensifies as time passes. The significant others in our lives be they husband, children or friends have been 150% supportive of our efforts to produce all our books. There is a squirm factor in putting your own experiences and mistakes under a microscope, and theyve been there for us as cheerleaders, confidants, sounding boards, and critics.

You render us speechlesswe who are word-smiths in expressing how important you are to us. We celebrate every person with autism or Aspergers who has entered our lives, furthering our understanding and our appreciation of their courage, their unique abilities, and their individuality. ELLEN NOTBOHM VERONICA ZYSK Contents Foreword by Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Preface Sensory Integration Choosing the right sensory activities Twelve warning signs of sensory overload To activity and beyond! Fifty ways to get them moving Learning to enjoy the outdoors Outdoor bracelet Summer fun, winter fun Bring in the great outdoors Sand table Sand table activities The not-so itsy-bitsy spider A dozen things to do with a refrigerator box Bathroom sensory activities Water, water everywhere (they wish!) Finger painting Tactile food fun Bite me: Recipes for edible clay Child on a roll! Swinging or spinning Gross motor activities Simon-says games Kid-friendly contact games Fine motor activities So all can color Fidget toys basket Homemade fidget toys Hair bbb-rr-uu-sss-hhh? That sucks! Oral-motor development activities Balloonarama Fun with bubbles The floor is so hard! Vision and seeing Larger than life Figure-ground processing Sensory survival kits Teaching self-regulation Coping with painful sounds Headphones and earbuds, pro and con Toe walking Whats that funky smell? Do you smell what I smell? Thats heavy! The human hamburger Its a wrap Hideout Bean bags Comfort first when it comes to clothes Clothing preferencesboth sides now More on clothes Sleep on it Sleep tips for road trips Pre-event strategy Sensory diet for low arousal levels Distinguishing between needs and rewards Hands-on learning Deep pressure inputs for desk time Please remain seated You are now free to move about the classroom Dealing with stims in the classroom Sensory goals on the IEP That back to school smell Your childs other classrooms Unsafe, inappropriate, or just annoying? Communication and Language Inquiring minds ask Ask in reverse Five important words: I am here for you. Does he hear what you hear? First things first: Get his attention Jump right in Feed language in When speech gets stuck Beyond single words Dont sweat temporary lapses Visual strategies Before using that visual schedule When do we use a visual schedule? Visual crutches? Fit the language support to the childs learning style Tips for using your visual schedule Expressive or receptive? Assistive technology (AT) is more than a keyboard Environment impacts speech development Maintaining a language-rich environment The two-minute rule for conversations The two-second pause for responses Snack time: Its not just about the food Time to say goodbye Wordless books Jump-start literacy for concrete thinkers Repetitive-language stories Make reading fun Raise a reader: What parents can do at home Say what you mean, mean what you say You loved the movienow read the book Beware of idioms Go fish for idioms Phrasal verbs Homophones Flash cards: Pros and cons Not just for tiggers: Trampoline fun Profanity Almost as easy as 1-2-3 Blueprint his work Crossword fun When out of reach is a good thing The talking stick I spy a conversation game Language in motion At the movies Night and day Communication objectives for an IEP Reduce your students performance anxiety Help peers understand language difficulties Why we talk Asking questions and making comments With my compliments The four steps of communication Behavior Strengths and weaknesses Dont ask why What we miss in misbehavior Behavior and personality: Consider both Collaborative discipline Consequential learning Im angry! Sign language: Not just for baseball Accentuate the positive Construct a visual barrier Two-step redirect Fear of bathroom = Fear of the dark Resistant/avoidant behaviors Hostile or aggressive behavior Game plan for meltdowns From bad to worse: How to avoid escalating a skirmish Peer power and the two-minute warning Flexibility required Fun tips to encourage flexible thinking Beyond the mirror: Memory books and photo travelogues Helping a self-biter Please remain seated The gentle way to criticize This argument is over I hear yaand this argument is over A token system Deals and contracts Watch what you reinforce Proximity praise Seasonal interests all year long Sibling secret knock I cant time capsule Proaction versus reaction More about reviewing behavior More about enabling behaviors Just the facts, please! It was a good day Daily Living Matters of choice Winning isnt everything? Just a minute? Skill development through childs play Go aheadscribble on the wall Ideas for easing separation anxiety Tips for happier haircuts Tips for reluctant shampooers Nail trimming Just take a bite Helpful eating adaptations Narrow food preferences Cooking co-ops for special diets Help for resistant tooth-brushers Your friend, the dentist Cuts, scrapes, and bruises Managing the hospital visit Help for a runny nose Potty training Using public restrooms Adaptive clothing fasteners Stepping out Snappy comeback Restaurant dining, autism-style Moving to a new environment When mom or dad is away Dress rehearsal for special occasions To hug or not to hug Shared sibling activities Equal sibling time The newspaper: Window on the world Happy birthdays start here A cake by any other name Uncommon gifts for uncommon kids Gift-getting etiquette Frame it Autism safety Safe in the yard Home safety for escape artists and acrobats When your child isnt sleeping Relax through breathing Explaining death to the child with autism Change only one thing at a time Help the medicine go down A little more help Spray vitamins Reduce allergens, prevent ear infections Medications: Be thorough Start an autism book circle So many books, so little time I can do it myselfthe preschool years I can do more myselfas children grow I can do a lot of stuff myself the older child You can do it yourselfthe reluctant child Guiding your child with autism to adulthood Thinking Social, Being Social Social referencing skills Joint referencing Social stories Ask him to teach you Relating to the outside world Friendships with younger children Guidelines for developing play skills Friend to friend Facilitate playground interaction First in linefor a reason Custom board game Board game adaptations Toy story Mine! Mine! Mine! Teach cooperation through play Teach cooperation through food Theory of mind skills Perspective taking Understanding emotions Identifying emotions Teach intensity of emotion Separate feelings from actions Understanding polite Anger management We can work it out Thats private I need a break When sorry seems to be the hardest word Alls fair? The appropriate protest I predict that Asking others for help Teaching honesty through example Everyone makes mistakes A word about normal Teachers and Learners Its good for all kids Respect the child Walk a mile in these shoes Probe beyond the obvious Avoid teaching compliance Designated teacher Small group versus large group Play to your childs interests Shreks social card Privacy screen helps focus Standing station Hand fatigue Body warm-up for classroom work Houston, we have no problem with transitions The bridge to circle time Tips for successful circle time Integrated play groups Ready or nothere I come? Off to kindergarten? Plan ahead Beginnings and endings The things-to-do-later bin Think cultural, think socio Partnership skills Choosing a clinician Choosing an educational program Review tests School-bus safety Auditory processing difficulties Fire drillsred alert Teach one skill at a time Reduce paper glare Eyes wide open Participation plans Teaching concentration skills Cueing or prompting? Effective prompting Is this a teaching moment? Moments of engagement Pause and plan Selecting a keyboard font What happened at school today? Introducing new subjects to the child with limited interests The learning triangle Bring the outdoors inside Love your classroom Reduce clutter Minimize fluorescent lighting The whole classroom Make wall displays meaningful First-then rather than if-then Teach fluency/precision Seeing time Program accommodations and modifications Homework homeostasis Appropriate IEP goals IEP jargon Paraeducator-pro Help for the substitute teacher Teachers rights in special education Appropriately trained staff Peer power Art therapy Beginning art for the photo oriented child Student teacher for a day Color walk Phonics hike Language yes/no game Name that classmate Photo reminders Pair a preferred item or task with something less-than desirable Concept formation A-hunting we will go Whats your name? Mirror, mirror Teach success Is it okay to visit? Designed with Aspergers in mind When, when, when? Practice makes perfect The right write stuff Easy sports and PE adaptations A tricycle by any other name Acclimating to group work A quick reference guide to successful inclusion Curbing perseveration Child on the run Take it apart Down with up Down with down Environmental learning preferences Bridge the gap between schoolwork and real life Use individual interests to promote math skills Teach math kinesthetically More math tricks Teach spelling kinesthetically My report card for teacher Summers over: Back-to-school strategies The effective advocate Mediation alert Ask these important questions Creating positive partnerships Endnotes Index About the Authors