|
|
 |
Improving Communication for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Individuals with Autism, Asperger Syndrome and related learning needs can experience significant difficulty developing effective communication skills. Their communication challenges affect both understanding and expression. The behavior and social skill difficulties these students can have are very often related to their communication challenges. The goal of this department is to present effective strategies for improving communication.
|
Social Challenges for Individuals with Autism
Paula Kluth
For many with autism, engaging in a social interaction is like playing a game without knowing the rules. Some individuals report that the social demands of making small talk or walking into a party can create stress, anxiety, and panic; they may feel as if everyone else knows the secrets necessary for success and they do not. Liane Holliday Willey (1999), a woman with Asperger's Syndrome, illustrates how stressful it can be when one does not understand certain social requirements: "The most simple-sounding duties blew me away. For example, what exactly did it mean to plan a child's class party? With no precise guidelines or definition of terms in tow, I had no answer but plenty of questions. . . . keep reading
|
Honoring and Including Students with Communication Differences
Paula Kluth
"I have a new student coming to my sixth-grade classroom and I am stumped. Ben does not speak very much but he sometimes uses an electronic device to make choices and greet people. He also knows some sign language. I am not sure how to include him in the class or how to build a relationship with him. HELP! " This note came to me in the form of an e-mail. It was sent by a fourth-grade teacher who has never had a student . . . keep reading
|
Creating Personal Portfolios for Students: Tools for Transition, Communication & Inclusion
Paula Kluth
One day when I was working in a middle school, a music teacher approached me excitedly to share that Lizzy, a student with Down syndrome in her class, was a pianist. She told me that she had been teaching a lesson on jazz when Lizzy approached the piano and began to play a Thelonious Monk tune. The teacher was absolutely giddy about her discovery and wondered if Lizzy's parents knew about her "hidden ability". This educator was so enthusiastic that I didn't have the heart to tell her that Lizzy had been practicing piano for years and many of her teachers knew about her talent and some had even seen her perform. It is no wonder why many educators do not have this type of important personal information about learners in our schools today. When most teachers get a student with disabilities in their classroom, they are given very little information on the learner's needs, gifts, abilities, strengths. . . . keep reading
|
Understanding and Decreasing Repeated Questions in Children with Autism
QUESTION: How can I use visual strategies to decrease the amount of repeated questions from students. ANSWER: This is a common question and a great one. Think of it like this. When a student is repeating a question over and over he is driving us nuts. But he is also expressing important information to us. So ask yourself. . ."What is his purpose? Why is he talking? Is he repeating because he is anxious about something? Is he asking about something that is going to happen? What is he trying to communicate?" . . . keep reading
|
How to Integrate Visual Strategies into Daily Communication
QUESTION: How can I integrate visual strategies into my everyday thinking so that I do it automatically? ANSWER: Great question! If you do manage to integrate this concept into your everyday thinking you will become a master communicator. Here is what I suggest to people sometimes. Imagine that the student you are working with is deaf. In your brain, pretend that his ears don't work. Now. . .how would you communicate with him? If you imagine he can't hear, you will naturally use more visual ways to communicate. Here is what you will do. . .. . . . keep reading
|
Using Various Representational Levels in Visual Aids
QUESTION: The therapists in my office have disagreements regarding the hierarchy of representational levels. Some think color line drawings are higher than black and white line drawings. Others feel the black and white should be higher, right below photos. What is your recommendation? ANSWER: This is a commonly asked question and a very important one. People are trying to determine what form of visuals to use to create visual supports for students. The answer from MY OWN personal experience is IT ALL DEPENDS. . . . keep reading
|
How to Use Visual Strategies During Story Time with Children with Special Needs
QUESTION: I teach in a room of 13 students, ages 5-6, with many exceptionalities. What have you found is the best strategy for using with a large group during story time? ANSWER: That sounds like a challenging group to work with! Just off hand, I would guess that a group like that would not be really good at sitting passively, listening to a long story. Therefore, your first challenge is to structure the activity so the students can become actively engaged for the right length of time. . . . keep reading
|
Using Visual Strategies to Help Children Understand Life Events
Linda Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP
Life is full of events and circumstances that are difficult for children to understand. How do you explain? And explaining doesn't mean that they comprehend. And what happens when children don't understand? Emotional outbursts? Difficult behaviors? Problems can occur for good events as well as bad ones. Writing down information can provide a way to help understanding. Here is an example of how it can work. . . . keep reading
|
How Educators Can Change Their Mindsets to Increase the Use of Visual Strategies
QUESTION: What are some of the most beneficial mindsets or ways of thinking about teaching for teachers to keep in the front of their minds if we really want to incorporate more of a visual style into our daily routines? How should we be thinking in order to consistently and constantly be using visual strategies so that we can teach to the strengths of our student? ANSWER: This is one of the most important questions you can ask. And you are right. You do have to change the way you think. If you change how you think, your actions will change. First, it is important to understand WHY visual strategies help students. My books explain that. Then there are two ways of thinking that can help. . . . keep reading
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Click Here
to take
Social
Media Survey
Social media has
become a huge part of the
“new social world.”
We are exploring ways to meet your
needs. Your survey answer will
help. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Here's what our members are saying ...
I love the video you play on your site. God bless you for the hope you shared!
Debby L.
Jacksonville, OR
"The first item I found made my membership worthwhile. I'm definitely renewing!"
John A.
Kerrville, TX
"Your site saved the day for me. The information helped me quickly and solve a problem I've been struggling with for a year.
Roberta K.
London, UK
"I can't say enough about how valuable your site has been. The articles and other information are really great."
Vickie O.
Seattle, WA |
|
|
About this Site
