It is one of very few true success stories told by a woman who lives with Asperger’s syndrome. She became an animal scientist and a professor at the university. The protagonist, Temple Grandin, was able to explain and describe very skillfully how a person with this condition feels, hears, sees, perceives and thinks. She helps people … Read more
There is a way to go into the mind of kids with poor verbal skills and check their understanding of language. This activity engages several senses along with the thinking process. The kids usually like it because it appears to them as a game. I like doing this activity especially in the afternoon when the … Read more
Consistency plays a key role in any success. Applying rules consistently takes determination and effort, but it pays off in the long term. It helps the child form and build her own learning schemes in a structured way. Consistency doesn’t leave room for confusion. It is an excellent way to model conformity and discipline. If a … Read more
People tend to perceive noncompliance as stubbornness or misbehavior. Autistic kids do not always perceive our directions the way neurotypical kids do. Why? Because of their sensory integration issues or their condition in general. They see, hear, smell, feel and process (think) differently. When the child doesn’t comply or conform, she/he is trying to communicate … Read more
The following are books that I have read and learned a lot from. They helped me in my job working with autistic kids. Non-fiction: Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin – An autistic adult telling her own struggling and suffering with her condition as an Asperger, and how she became a huge success 10 Things … Read more
Here are 31 tips for teachers, aides and instructional assistants to work more effectively with autistic children. General tips Think SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY! This is the number one priority when working with children, especially special education kids. Greet the student by saying her/his name first when she/he comes in. “Johnny! Good morning!” instead of just … Read more
We all need some organization and planning to be efficient, productive and relaxed throughout the day. Autistic children, in particular, need a daily schedule in order to picture in their mind how the day will go for them. Their notion of time is different, what appears for “normal” people to be slow might appear to … Read more
Autistic children often have poor handwriting. Here are 5 tips to help improve their handwriting. Poor handwriting can be attributed to one of the following reasons or a combination thereof: Lack of eye-hand coordination (very common in kids on the autism spectrum, including the highest functioning with Asperger) Poor peripheral vision Poor fine motor skills … Read more
Humans are social beings. We need to communicate in order to function as a society. Without communication we cannot have peace, harmony and support for each other. Parents of children with special needs are particularly required to be active and proactive communicators. Why? From my experience, parents who lock themselves up in their shells tend to aggravate … Read more
Here is a practical tip for both educators and parents, which can be used both at school and at home everyday. This tip will help autistic kids with poor verbal skills develop their communication abilities. This practice, if done on regular basis, can jump-start their communication. I have seen this work in several cases. It works … Read more
