Tag Archives: Different Roads to Learning

Holiday Gift Guide

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At this time of year, it can be a challenge to find an appropriate gift for the child with autism in your life. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, and family friends often call us inquiring about what a good present would be for the child with special needs in their lives. This year, we’ve put together a holiday gift guide with some suggestions for children on the spectrum. All of the items are educational while being fun and engaging. Hopefully, this will make your search a bit easier and you’ll be able to cross someone off your list!

And to sweeten things, we’re offering 15% off on these products through December 19. Just enter the Promo Code GIFTS11 at checkout to redeem your savings.

We wish all of you a very happy and healthy holiday season!

 

            Stocking Stuffers  

 

Hooray for Play– $12.95

Get everyone involved and pretend to be a firefighter, pirate, chef and more! These cards lead learners on the path to play.

 

Token Board– $5.95

Are all of those holiday cookies proving too tempting for your child? Use a token board to reinforce them for work accomplished with the reward of a holiday treat.

 

Go Talk Button– $11.95

Record a 10 second message and attach these small, handy buttons anywhere in the house. These are great for children with limited language and can keep them engaged in all the holiday cheer.

 

On the Road Toob– $9.95

Miniature vehicles provide fun opportunities for imaginative play as they VROOOM around the holiday table.

 

Presents

 

Wedgits Blocks and Design Cards- $23.99

Nest, stack, and link these blocks together to create endless shapes. The Wedgits are fun and challenging for the whole family.

 

Scents Sort Match-Up Kit- $39.95

Who can identify the smell of honey? What about the cantaloupe? Guessing each scent inevitably leads to laughter.

 

Wiggle and Giggle- $24.95

This board game is great for getting everyone active as players have to balance and move around according to what the spinner lands on.

 

Winomino-$29.95

With over 900 puzzle combinations possible, this game is ideal for students of all ages and levels. The geometrical puzzle develops fine motor, visual spatial and problem solving skills.

 

S’Match- $19.95

A fun SPIN on the classic Memory Game, S’Match requires players to find matches based on color, number or category.

 

Pick of the Week: Time Tracker Mini

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We love this small, easy to program Time Tracker Mini! It’s a simple visual and auditory timer that has 360 degree viewing so it’s great for anywhere, in the classroom or at home. There are two simple dials: one for a total alarm time and one for the amount of warning time you’d like given before time is up. The timer turns green, yellow, then red as it counts down. The total alarm time can be set anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours in 5-minute increments.

Save 15% on the Time Tracker Mini this week only by entering the Promo Code BLOGTTM2 at checkout.

*Offer expires on December 6, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: Learn to Respond Appropriately

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With the holidays coming up and socializing in full swing, Learn to Respond Appropriately flahcards offer children the skills to be successful in their interactions in various situations. There are 32 photographic images of social situations and the back of each card has the appropriate response. Examples include what to say on the phone, asking for a turn, expressing affection, commenting on events and more.

Save 15% this week only on the Learn to Respond Appropriately cards by entering the Promo Code BLOGLRA11 at checkout.

*Offer expires on November 29, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Building Language for Your Child with Autism, Part 4: Building Expressive Vocabulary

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This is the step where your child learns to actually say the words out loud. All of the tasks described in previous posts come into play when building your child’s expressive vocabulary. Picture cards are a useful tool again, because it just isn’t feasible to bring every object directly to your child. We certainly want them to learn the words bus and airplane, but it’s difficult to get those items into your living room!

The basic idea for building expressive vocabulary using picture cards is just to hold the card up and ask your child “what is it?” The intricacy comes in knowing how to prompt your child and how to fade that prompt. We talked previously about the importance of your child being able to imitate the words that you say. Imitation is the basis for the prompts you will use to build your child’s expressive vocabulary.

The first several times you ask your child the name of a new picture, you will likely have to model the word for him or her. For example, you ask your child “What is it?” If you do not get a response, you say “apple.” Ideally your child repeats the word “apple.” After a few tries, you can shorten your prompt to “app….” And then to “aaaa…….” And then perhaps to just opening your mouth as if to say “aaaa…” but not making a sound.

A Comprehensive Picture Card Library

It is a good idea to have a large selection of pictures ready to go when you start to teach the lessons we just described. Here are a few tips to help you choose or take appropriate pictures:

  1. Start with words that are familiar to your child. Words like apple, cup and cookies may be better than ­saxophone or stethoscope.
  2. Start with pictures on a plain white, or a distraction free background.
  3. Make sure to have duplicates available for the matching tasks when you first start out.
  4. Consider taking multiple pictures of the same item (6 different apples for example) to help your child generalize their newly learned words.
  5. As your child becomes more comfortable learning new words move to more natural settings for your pictures.
  6. Have a broad range of pictures, across multiple categories, ready for when your child is ready to move forward!
  7. If you take the pictures yourself, consider having them laminated for durability.If you don’t have the time to make your own pictures, a 350-Card Set of photo flash cards called the Language Builder Picture Card Set is avaibable and is specifically tailored to meet the needs of an early language vocabulary building program.

 

This is a part of a series of guest posts by Angela Nelson on building language in children with autism. As the creator of the acclaimed Language Builder Picture Noun Card Set, Angela received her BA and JD from UCLA where she studied and practiced behavior psychology under Dr. Ivar Lovaas. She has been creating autism and special needs curriculum products since 1997.

 

 

Pick of the Week: WEDGiTS Building Blocks and Design Cards

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We’ve been hearing rave reviews of the WEDGiTS for years but it wasn’t until we had them in hand that we realized how unbelievable these building sets are. The WEDGiTS can be nested, stacked, linked, and wedged together to create hundreds of different designs from just 15 pieces. Building with these develops dexterity, fine motor skills, sequencing and patterning abilities, as well as visual discrimination skills. You can build as far as your imagination takes you with the Starter Set or you can supplement it with the WEDGiTS Starter Set Design Cards to maximize the challenge. The cards are for users of all levels from 2-piece constructions to ones that utilize all the pieces in the set.

This week only, save 15% on the WEDGiTS Starter Set: 15 Pieces as well as the WEDGiTS Starter Set Design Cards by entering the promo code BLOGWEDG2 at checkout.

*Offer expires on November 22, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

 

Building Language for Your Child with Autism, Part 2: Matching Objects and Pictures as a Precursor to Language

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Developmental Psychologist, Jean Piaget, observed that a child first becomes aware of a concept and then acquires the words to convey that concept. Think about this for a moment: a child has to know that an apple is a distinct and separate item, before they know they should give it a name. They have to realize that the apple is different than, say, the cup. This is where matching comes in.

To help teach this concept using pictures of objects, place two pictures on the table in front of your child, one picture of an apple, and the other of a cup (or some non-apple picture). Hand your child an identical picture of an apple. Ask your child to “match” the apples, or to “put with same.”

When your child can consistently match the two cards, regardless of the position of the cards, they likely understand that the apple is a distinct object. Now we are one step closer to giving that object a name!

 

This is a part of a series of guest posts by Angela Nelson on building language in children with autism. As the creator of the acclaimed Language Builder Picture Noun Card Set, Angela received her BA and JD from UCLA where she studied and practiced behavior psychology under Dr. Ivar Lovaas. She has been creating autism and special needs curriculum products since 1997.

Building Language for Your Child with Autism: A Guest Series by Angela Nelson

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This week, we’re pleased to introduce a series of posts by Angela Nelson on building language in children with autism. As the creator of the acclaimed Language Builder Picture Noun Card Set, Angela received her BA and JD from UCLA where she studied and practiced behavior psychology under Dr. Ivar Lovaas. She has been creating autism and special needs curriculum products since 1997.

Emerging Language and Building Vocabulary

Language development varies from child to child, and there are wide ranges of expected “normal” language development in young children. If you have specific concerns about the pace of your child’s language development, you should definitely discuss this with your health care professional. However, for reference sake, by the age of two a child is expected to be able to:

  • Follow simple commands or instructions
  • Point to an object or picture when it is named for him or her
  • Recognize names of familiar objects, body parts and familiar faces
  • Repeat words spoken by others
  • Use simple phrases and 2 – 4 word sentences by 18 – 24 months

As we all know, there is no “typical” child with autism. Children on the Autism Spectrum may meet some of these objectives, all of these objectives, or none of these objectives. The goal is to identify your child’s specific language deficits (the areas you see them falling behind) and takes steps to help them catch up.

The first stages of language development, as described above, involve listening to words, imitating words, and building a basic vocabulary. In your child’s education program you may have heard professionals use terms like Receptive Language, Echolalia, Modeling, Matching, or Expressive Language. Don’t let these terms of art intimidate you. Really, they still just mean… listening to words, imitating words, and building a basic vocabulary. 

Encouraging Emerging Language Skills

A most basic step in typical language development is imitation. Many parents are surprised to learn that the parent imitating the child is almost as important as the child imitating the parent! When a 12 month old child looks at his or her mother and says “mamamama,” the mother almost instinctively replies back, “that’s right ‘mama.’” This feedback reinforces the child’s vocalization and encourages them to keep on chatting. Although children with autism may have delayed onset of this type of behavior, or may have some setbacks along the way; it is important to remember to continue to imitate vocalizations with your child to encourage verbal behavior.

Imitation will also provide the first steps in the formation of words for your child. This time I mean your child imitating you! While you are hoping to hear your child imitating full words, remember, this starts with imitating vowels, consonants and syllables. If you say “aaaaa” and your child responds back with “aaaaa,” this is a cause for celebration. You are one step closer to your child saying “apple” than you were before they could (or would) imitate your vocalization. Eventually, modeling words will become the way you build your child’s expressive vocabulary!

Check back this week for from Angela on Matching Objects andPictures as a Precursor to Language.

Pick of the Week: Hooray for Play! Flashcards

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Hooray for Play! Leading Learners Along the Path to Play is literally fresh off the press and we couldn’t be more excited. Created by Stacy Asay, our brilliant behavioral consultant, we’re thrilled to offer this new tool for developing social and play skills.  Hooray for Play is a multi-use deck of 31 beautifully illustrated cards that offer children an opportunity for perspective taking, problem solving, cooperation, social emotional skill acquisition and language development.

The flashcards break down the components of the 31 individual play schema cards into three organized sections that provide a memorable framework for sociodramatic play. The Do! Section explains the various roles, Say!! outlines possible scripted statements by the involved actors and Play!!! offers suggestions for props and set-up. Have fun!

To save 15% this week only on Hooray for Play, simply enter the Promo Code BLOGHFP11 at checkout.

*Offer expires on November 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: Scents Sort Match-Up Kit

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The Scents Sort Match-Up Kit presents little jars filled with familiar scents – can you guess which one? 30 little cups contain the smell of spices, fruits, flowers and more. Students match the smell to a picture card with the image. This is a fantastic game for both the classroom and at home that will lead players to wonder and laughter.

Save 15% this week only on the Scents Sort Match-Up Kit by entering the Promo Code BLOGSSMK at checkout.

*Offer expires on November 8, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: Seasons Flashcards

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As Summer has turned into Fall, it’s important for children to understand the changes that come along with the shifting of the seasons. This deck of Seasons Flashcards shows the activities of each season and what clothes we wear so that children understand how the things we do both inside and outdoors are affected by the time of year. The included cards depict how we snuggle under the covers in the winter cold or splash in the pool in the summer heat. With Autumn in full swing, this is the perfect time to introduce this concept.

To save 15% this week only on the Seasons cards, enter the Promo Code BLOGSF11 at checkout.

*Offer expires on October 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.