A range of free printable SEN teaching resources used with Autistic pupils aged 4-18, literacy, numeracy, topic and themed resources.
32 Sensory Play Activities For Kids With Autism. Sensory Play helps all children learn, but for kids on the autism spectrum, it can
For all you moms and dads playing dual roles as parent and teacher during this period of social isolation, this is a great time to provide your children with fun, hands on activities to learn about the world around them. With these free coloring pages, your children will have
26 reading and autism ideas to help you figure out how to teach an autistic child to read and how to improve reading comprehension in a stress-free way.
Read about activities, lessons, and centers you can implement to help teach numbers. Download 6 free activities for your students.
Overwhelmed and understaffed my first year as a special education teacher in the self-contained classroom, I discovered that implementing an effective independent workstation helped my students become more successful and independent. Click to learn how I got control using task boxes and independent workstations in my special education classroom. My students loved the differentiated math, language arts, science, and social studies curriculum with age appropriate clip art and real photographs.
Pathological demand avoidance is part of the autism spectrum.Parents must learn the right strategies for reducing avoidance behaviors and anxiety in PDA ...
ABA therapy is Applied Behavioral Analysis.It is a type of therapy that helps Autistic children and adults in some cases learn appropriate behaviors and life skills.
If you are looking for some high interest activities to enhance your perspective lessons, try using animated shorts to teach reading skills.
A take on why generalization should be avoided when dealing with water preferences and/or other preferences of autistic individuals.
Want the best methods for teaching a nonverbal autistic student? Here are 15 neurodiversity-affirming strategies for non-speaking kids.
The goal of the Nest Support Project is to partner with public schools to establish inclusive cultures and advance the development and implementation of educational practices for autistic learners.
Does your child have high-functioning autism? Here are 15 signs of level one or high-functioning autism I've noticed in my children.
Red, orange, red, orange...what comes next? Learn how to teach patterning with these simple and fun pattern activities and pattern examples.
It can be very overwhelming, especially for my struggling readers, to focus on using multiple reading comprehension strategies with a piece of text. For this reason, I always take time in at least the first
Great ideas from an librarian, SLP, and PK teacher!
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How do we distinguish Asperger's from Austism? And how does it affect the learning experience of students? Learn from this infographic the basic characteristics/behavior of students with Asperger's.
If you’ve had the joy of teaching an Autistic child, you’ll know just how critical a supportive environment can be. But sadly, for so many Autistic kids, the right environment and support measures aren’t in place. And the impact of this is profound - as we know, a child’s experience at school can shape their self-identity in real and lasting ways. So BFFs, today I’m sharing five ways to support Autistic kids in your classroom. I’m sharing some of the resources, experts and questions you can draw upon to build a neurodivergent affirmative classroom. 1. Be Guided by the Experts Who are the greatest experts when it comes to Autism? Autistic people! Listening to the lived experience of Autistic people is paramount. The Autistic voice needs to inform any work to implement accommodations or supportive practices. So, to kick us off, I reached out to Cherie Clonan - a proud AUDHD’er (that’s Autism + ADHD) and Mum to an amazing Autistic son. She explained, “The biggest thing is that every Autistic experience is different. And therefore, learning experiences will be affected differently. Every single day an Autistic child goes to school they are heading into an environment not really set up to include their neurotype, no matter how inclusive the school is.” “The environment alone isn't designed for neurodistinct individuals, like the sensory overwhelm of a classroom or playground. The changing rules and expectations. The social communication challenges. Autistic children are impacted from a mental health and wellbeing perspective, and many have to ‘mask’ in order to survive.” There are so many wonderful Autistic folk online who are proud and keen to be advocates in this space. Never underestimate the value of a simple convo when it comes to understanding others’ lived experiences. Reach out to your Autistic mates and ask their thoughts on school, you’ll learn so much. The importance of a personalised approach and understanding was backed up for me, as I chatted to Support Education Consultant, Jenni Heffernan. She said, “The biggest trap for teachers is to generalise their understanding of Autism, instead of understanding the individual. You can’t just plonk Autistic kids into an artificial classroom and expect them to be motivated. The more you know the individual the more you can support them.” 2. Seek Trusted Professionals In addition to the expertise of everyday Autistic people, there are some fantastic professionals who work in this space. And when it comes to building safe and supportive classrooms, engaging professional support is so important. One Autistic person who does incredible work in this field is Sonny Jane Wise, aka livedexperienceeducator. BFFs, I can’t recommend their work enough - take some time to check out, support and engage their offerings. It’ll be a game-changer for you, no doubt about it! Another powerhouse is Sandhya Menon. She’s a Neurodivergent Paediatric Psychologist, and much like Sonny, she has online resources, workshops and services that are just groundbreakingly good. If you’re looking for fantastic professionals in your local area, my hot tip is this: pay close attention to the language they use. Do they talk about Autistic traits or challenges as deficits? Do they use problematic and outdated terms like ‘Aspergers’ or ‘high-functioning?’ These are red flags, my friends! Neurodivergent affirmative practitioners will be deeply conscious of the language they use and will advocate for others to do the same. Sandhya Menon, @onwardsandupwardspsych. 3. Consider Sensory Needs and Dysfunction Thankfully, the awareness that Autistic kids have specialised sensory needs is growing each year. And every day I see your gorgeous classrooms fill my feed with breakout spaces, sensory play stations and sensory tools like the ones Sonny describes below. Sonny Jane Wise, @livedexperienceeducator But there’s more we can do! After thirty years in Support Education, Consultant Jenni Heffernan shared some simple accommodations that made the world of difference for her students. She said: Ask your student and their parents to send you an introduction letter outlining the ways they like to be supported. Provide prompts like ‘I learn best when…’ or ‘You’ll notice I’m stressed by…’ or ‘My current passion is….’ Invite your students to visit the classroom before they settle into it. Ask their feedback on air conditioning, light, seats, visual clutter and more. Similarly, for older students, invite them to choose the ideal spot in an exam room. Speak with examiners to advocate for your students. For some students, the middle of the room is hell! The right space will make all the difference to their performance. Provide a green card or a symbol that signals, for example, that the student needs to walk outside around the building twice. Wordless aides can help when a meltdown or overwhelm is building. Above all else, build strong relationships with students with Autism, and keep an open door for them to pop in as needed. They can often feel so trapped in an environment that’s a poor fit. From my own resources, I’ve found that the Home Routine and Daily Schedule Cards, and the Visual Timetable Displays can be really useful for Autistic students. Planned, controlled and consistent environments can often be super helpful for kids with Autism. Image via @learningwithmiss_campbell, featuring the Spotty Brights product range. Similarly, the Voice Level Displays and Hand Signals can help with the management of noise, which is so important for an Austistic-friendly classroom. Hand Signals and Voice Level Displays can help cut through the noise that can be truly unsettling for some Autistic kiddos. Images via @misslass_class and @thanyoungeducator, using Spotty Neutrals and Boho Rainbow ranges. For many Autistic kids, routine, predictability and clarity are essential for their happiness, security and success in the classroom. These visual displays can play a small but mighty part in that! 4. Educate Yourself about Differences In addition to sensory needs, there’s a range of experiences that Autistic people can face, and knowing how to support these experiences will make a major impact. I’ve popped together a little list of these differences, linking to some amazing content from people with lived experience or specialised expertise. So, here are some common Autistic differences and traits to learn about, via the amazing @onwardsandupwardspsych and @livedexperienceeducator: Interoception and the tendency to be undersensitive to hunger, thirst or tiredness cues Hyposensitivity and hypersensitivity to sensory input and how to manage them The triggers and causes of meltdowns Emotion coaching to recognise that neurotypical and autistic children display emotions differently How to recognise meltdowns vs tantrums Monotropism, a processing style of hyperfocus which makes switching focus tricky Now, of course, it bears repeating that none of these experiences or strategies will fit all Autistic kids. And there are so many more differences to learn about. Like… *checks notes*... absolutely-every-human-ever, we all take time to learn who we are, how we thrive and what we need. Ms Chyna has such a gorgeous IG account sharing the ways she supports primary kids in support education. Source: @especiallysped When I think back (with horror!) at how little time my uni degree devoted to neurodiversity, it really drives home the need for self-led education. There’s so much we can learn from each other too. I reached out via IG stories recently to ask you guys about your approaches, and your responses were fantastic. I’ll share one below. I always love hearing your approach, and the lovely Ami from @mumma_makeup_and_me shared some of her thoughts over on IG. 5. Celebrate Neurodiversity Every human is completely unique - irrespective of where they lie with neurodiversity. But as I chatted to parents, teachers and Autistic folk, there were some descriptive words that just came up again and again - passionate, loyal, empathetic, detailed, and funny. There is so much to celebrate when it comes to neurodistinct kids - whether it’s their creativity, enthusiasm, analytic thinking, tangential thinking - the list is endless. Cherie put it best when she said “Autistic children have intense special interests, which can positively impact not only their own learning experiences ... but that of their peers as well. If you've ever wanted a classmate to go on an incredible adventure to deeply unpack the educational curriculum? Buddy them up with an Autistic child who has an intense special interest within that area.” I have to say, throughout writing this blog post, there was one thing that kept coming to mind - and that was elephants. (Bear with me on this one BFFs!) I kept coming back to the thought that you can tether a circus elephant - capable of clearing trees in the wild - to a thin pole if they’re conditioned the right way. They can go their whole lives not knowing the power they have. And I see our classrooms as having that same kind of potential. The wrong environment tethers kids to the belief that there’s something ‘wrong’ with them or that they’re inherently flawed. But with the right support and neurodiversity affirming practices, we rip those thin poles out. We help kids unleash their true potential.After all, helping students see their strengths clearly and their differences without judgement is my favourite teaching superpower. Another must-follow and a beautiful note to end on. Source: The amazing Esther at @gatherandplayau.
Today I'm excited to have Corrina from From Mrs. Allen's Teaching Files here to share a really fun and exciting activity to use when talking about self control. Self control is such a hard
No two autistic children are the same, and their autism manifests in different ways. Like every child, autistic children need to be treated as individuals. When it comes to teaching, there are ways to support a child with autism in the classroom #autismsupport #autismawareness #autismparenting #teaching
All long time ago and very, very far away from my current location, I got my first job as an SLP. In addition to many students in the general education setting, I served two severely impaired classrooms. In one class, the students spent much of the day on side liers being tube fed and given
Hi there, parents! Have an exciting treat in store for your young ones: free worksheets that make learning about day and night exciting! Dra...
Autism effects a wide spread demographic. One therapy that is often sought out to help those effected with Autism. ABA refers to Applied Behavior Analysis. It used to be referred to as behavior mod…
What vocational targets for students with Autism do you need to hit in your class to make them job ready? Read on… and FREE Materials to help!| NoodleNook
You know the lingo. 1 step 2 step Multi-step before after all but under neither Last year, I worked on following directions constantly. I would target the above vocabulary and usually students understood what to do after a few sessions. I found that my kiddos would do a great job following directions in my small […]
Books for teaching sequencing should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Here are 16 great books for kindergarten or first grade.
From developing fine motor skills, letter and number recognition, sight words, sorting, sequencing, reading, and math, these task boxes for autism tasks will help develop important life skills and beyond!
Teaching kids with autism may mean working with nonverbal students. Here are 9 strategies for effectively working with students with severe nonverbal autism.
Dr. Jean has four decades of experience making teaching and learning more FUN!
This activity is a great introduction to speed and motion. Students measure the time it takes to walk 5 meters and use this to calculate their average speed. They are then given the challenge to see if they can estimate an unknown distance using their average walking speed and the amount of time it takes to walk the unknown distance. Needed Materials: Meter sticks or metric measuring tape Timers/stop watches Sidewalk chalk, tape, cones, etc for marking start and ending calculators To do this activity, find a place outside with plenty of space. I use the blacktop at my school and have the students mark their distances on the ground using sidewalk chalk. You can also do the activity on the field and use cones or other markers. Measure and mark an unknown distance for the students to estimate in part 2. I do between 10 – 20 meters. In part 2 of the activity, students will measure the time it takes to walk this unknown distance and use this to estimate the distance. You can set up several different distances too. Students love being outside and gathering data. This is a great way to introduce calculating speed and the speed equation. It also shows students that the equation can be rearranged to calculate distance.
The signs of high functioning autism are more subtle than classic autism and may go unnoticed until your child is older and there are more social demands.
Check out this ultimate list of over 200 free speech therapy materials for all of your needs! Save your money for what really matters!
Put peacemaking skills at your students��� fingertips with Conflict Cubes they make themselves. This resource encourages collaborative efforts to develop creative and meaningful solutions to common conflicts. Includes directions and a reproducible.
5-15% of schooling children have difficulties in their sensory regulation to their environment. This means that some children may have more difficulties than others in processing the differences between emotional, motion and sensory stimulations that are required for their daily living.
7th graders started their quarter off with a project inspired by this Blick lesson as well as the work of Andrew McCormick's students. To introduce the idea of graffiti, we talked about street art (the ethics behind illegal and legal street art) as well as the idea of reverse graffiti and it's implications. We also used many resources from http://graffitidiplomacy.com/ to help up along in our name designs. Value shading with colored pencil and pattern design (with the metallic sticky paper in background) was a big focus of our work and reflected on our rubric. These were a great first project to begin with since students names were so obviously drawn into the work. Hopefully they help me learn names faster this quarter! Check out this graffiti generator for ideas on how to get started drawing names in graffiti styles. http://www.graffiticreator.net/ Very cool! Check out some of our finished work below...
Proprioceptive input activities throughout the day improves sensory integration, self-regulation, and also prevents inappropriate sensory seeking behaviors.
Do you have students who tattle? Students who are working on self-advocay or problem solving conflicts with peers? This product helps students identify what bothers them as well as how to address conflicts with peers. This resource includes: -a visual for "What to do when your friends are bugging you" -differentiated worksheets for student to identify what bothers them -differentiated worksheets for students to independently identify appropriate ways to problem solve peer conflicts For a blog post on how I used this visual in my classroom Click heret
Asperger's syndrome is a neurological disorder and is a form of autism spectrum disorder. Learn more about Asperger's syndrome in teenagers in this post.
