This week’s pick is the delightful Shopping List Memory Game. The goal of the game is to fill your cart with all of the items on your shopping list. The fun is twofold as the classic memory game also develops personal and social skills.
Today through February 15, visit our site at https://www.difflearn.com to save 15% on the Shopping List game by entering the Promo Code SLDRTL2 at checkout.
*Offer expires on February 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer.
There is no one piece of advice that I offer more than “Prepare your child.” We all know that children with autism tend to be inflexible in their adherence to routine. Any unexpected change in their daily schedule can present emotional and behavioral difficulties for all involved. That is why it is important to prepare your child for any potential disruptions. This includes fire safety and it just so happens that the National Fire Protection Association has created some great resources to help you. Check out the social story that can be customized to include your child’s personal information below!
I am always moved to learn about inventive developments in the fields of education and intervention for children with autism. But how often do you hear about interventions being designed for children BY children? Well that is exactly what Zak Kukoff did when he developed Autism Ambassadors. Zak, a typically developing 15-year old, created a curriculum that “will engage typical children and children with ASD’s in a mutually beneficial relationship.” There is research that supports the efficacy of using peer models to facilitate observational learning with children with autism but how often have you seen examples where it has been successfully implemented? We would love for you to share your stories regarding peer modeling or your experience with Autism Ambassadors!
I am a HUGE fan of the Radiolab program on National Public Radio (NPR) and just had to share this one. I’ll admit that the Radiolab podcasts are usually my escape from work and a time to think about something different. However, the podcast ‘Words’ focuses on the role language plays in our thinking. It offers several interesting perspectives on language development and non-verbal individuals that really moved me. There is no mention of autism but so much of what is discussed felt relevant to this population. I hope you will listen in…
Many children look forward to Halloween with the costumes, candy, parties and being with friends. However, for parents of children with autism the approach of October 31 and the extra challenges might bring about stress and anxiety. Here are some tips to help it go more smoothly.
Check out our new YouTube page, it’s a work in progress but we hope to do all the work for you in finding relevant clips for teaching and reinforcement.
This is an interesting article about a school district in Ohio that is using Ipads with students with developmental disabilities. We were particularly struck by the way they’re using it to appeal to students by engaging all of their senses and providing reinforcement.
The MotivAider is consistently one of our top sellers here at Different Roads to Learning. It’s a versatile and helpful tool that can be used for anything from prompting a child to engage in play to toilet training. The MotivAider vibrates at timed intervals to prompt an individual to engage in a specific behavior. This is an interesting article about how it is specifically used with children with ADD. Have any of you used the MotivAider as a way to teach or change certain behaviors? How have you used it and for what? We’d love to hear your experiences.
This week’s free autism tip covers an important topic that helps enable your child to adapt to his/her daily surroundings. One of Rethink Autism’s special education professionals guides you through teaching your child how to apply what he/she has learned in a classroom setting to necessary skills utilized in everyday life. This tip is an effective tool to help your child develop these transferable skills.
As a home-based Early Intervention provider traveling to various locations throughout New York City each day, I find my iPhone to be invaluable. It is quite possibly the best “business” expense of my career. It lurks in my bag as a secret weapon of motivation and reinforcement where once a gaggle of heavy and semi-effective toys resided.
With the huge presence that technology has in our lives today it is only inevitable that some gadgets make their way into therapeutic endeavors. While there are negative effects to being plugged in all of the time, it’s hard for me to ignore those moments where technology allows a child to learn something that had been previously difficult or the amazing instances of joint attention that can be facilitated by using these apps. Without a doubt, I’m sold on the fact that the new gadgets with touch screens will continue to be an invaluable tool moving forward in my work with children. However, I can’t silence the little contradictory voice in my head telling me that teaching happens in real life, not on a screen.
Therefore, I use my iPhone in therapy sessions with children sparingly. I am the one setting limits on usage and modeling durations of time that are reasonable and appropriate. Approximately 90% of the apps I use are educational and present great opportunities for the generalization of skills taught using DTT or NET methods. I have also downloaded social skills training videos that have facilitated preparation for things like going to get a haircut. Even though that tiny voice still lurks in the back of my head, the more I read and hear, I am beginning to think that the consensus of people in this community is mainly positive.
I am most excited about programs such as Proloquo2Go, which use the iPad as a more portable and user-friendly augmentative communication device. Not unlike the endless list of apps, the uses are never-ending as well, as outlined in a great article in the SF weekly from August 11, 2010. The iPad and various apps are helping therapists and parents teach children how to draw, write, communicate, read, spell, count, and increase independence through visual schedules.
Using technology hasn’t compromised what or how much I am able to teach. It has enhanced my sessions. How do you feel about it?
Discrete trial teaching and a home-based ABA program, without a doubt, play an integral part in a child’s ongoing progress. However, during the summer months here in New York City all I can think about is PLAY. The sun is shining, playgrounds are full of children and there are child friendly events for free all over the city. I can’t help but seize these summer moments and optimize the huge array of incidental teaching opportunities they provide. The playground is the perfect place to start to generalize all of the play skills that the child has mastered with you during the year and facilitate them with novel peers. The headache of trying to schedule play dates during the winter months fades, there are children everywhere you turn, and kids outside ready to make new friends.
The novelty of an outdoor children’s concert playground or sprinklers can be motivating enough to get the child in the mix with other kids. I find that having the child I am working with take a popular item on the outing can serve as a really powerful icebreaker and readily grab the attention of all the kids there. Items to consider include; sidewalk chalk, bubbles, water balloons, a foam rocket launcher or a bug kit. It is easy to rehearse possible scenarios the child might encounter with one of these items in hand and the rehearsal can lead to greater success and less prompting once you are at the playground.
Another programmatic shift that happens for me during the summer is to take time to help the child see the bigger picture. Many children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder understand the parts of things but may have difficulty conceptualizing ‘the whole’. For example, if the child is showing an interest in airplanes take some time before heading out to expand on this interest. I like to sit down with a child and draw out what I call a “Play Map.” It is a flow chart of all of the things connected to an airplane, drawing arrows to show how all of the parts connect together. This is a great way to flesh out a larger play schema and rehearse possible play scenarios other children might generate at the playground in relation to the toy airplane. All of this preparation will ultimately lead to better outcomes at the playground and more fun had by all!