Good Books to hep you Autistic Child at Home

I'm always in the look for new books to help me at home. More and more I go to workshops or talk with parents I see there is a huge lack of education from the parents understanding not just the way Autistic kids learn but also understanding what ABA is, what Speech therapy is, how to deal with behavior and so on.
Something that many parents don't get is that kids with Autism learn different and have different approach to learning.

So with that in mind when we see books is not one fit all because of course even Autistic kids have different personalities. But the more  we can educate ourselves more we can help our children to succeed in their own way.

A good way to start is making a checking list of what your child knows and what he doesn't know.






To some people visuals are hard but there are books that help a lot with that with cds with  ready made materials for you. Specially to help getting reading started a topic that is really hard to autistic kids.




I read many books about ABA but this is a really good one that explains the steps of ABA easier than other ones.



I spend a lot of money on books but much of what I know is in part from these books. I think they are a  investment  not just for parents but for the child as well.


I also have a new file at Teachers Pay Teachers: Learning the Alphabet Basic Level Vol 1

Check it out HERE.

Thanks

Jana

FREE File Learning to Count Objects Basic

I did another free file on the series of learning to count objects. This is one is more basic level and more ABA style a better approach, is specially good for lower functioning kids.
There are many objects that can help us with that many that we have at home already.
The file come also with 2 pictures and some tutorial how can you use the file.

Some toys that are great for this,

Wood Blocks,

There are many option to vary the technique you don't want to use the same thing over and over they will get tired of the activity.

DOWNLOAD HERE 

Enjoy !

Road to Learn numbers with Number Sequence

 Something that is easy for kids to learn is to count, is pretty much a memorization thing. My son is doing a pretty good job at saying the numbers he got the memorization down, but once that part is done I think than starts the hard job, knowing the sequence of numbers and understanding numbers value.
I started to shop and create files to help to introduce him that concept. This goal by the way is on his EIP. EIP goals pretty much just talk about saying numbers but is equally important to make sure that your child understand the numbers.

So I created this file

Which is Vol 2 and you can see the Vol. 1 HERE. Which will be 28% off for two days with code TAD13 starting tomorrow.

I got this cookie jar very cute. You can find  many cookie jars toys but this one I liked for several reasons: it has 2 games and counts the cookies also the actual cookies has a number printed on one side and the other side the quantity. So it's a toy that can start with the basic level and last for more.

Counting bears is great for that as well and also working on matching colors with the 5 cups that come with it.

I hope that gives you some ideas.
Jana

Teaching the meaning of Numbers

We all want our kids to count with Autistic kids something they grab really fast is the memorization of speaking number sequence like 1,2,3...
But the real work is making them understand the value of numbers and also put the numbers in the correct order by themselves.
So many times they know how to count, but if you scramble numbers do they know to put the numbers in order?
I started to think about things we could do at home.
So I did 2 files and one of them free which is a great companion.
The first one is Learning Numbers 1-2 Basic Level vol 1 which first is matching numbers, matching the values of the numbers and more advanced the child creates the value herself.

You can check more samples  HERE.

I did a FREE File Learning to count Mats vol 1 FREE which is a great companion.
It's basically mats that you can use objects like buttons, beads, anything for the child to put the right
amount on the mats and as a bonus I've included 2 color match sorting mat.

I did as vol 1 because I hope to do some more. Download FREE HERE.

Play Sequence and FREE file

 I 've discovered this new blog from a SLP browsing podcasts at iTunes. Her podcasts are short but very informative and one of the episodes caught my attention because is about the stuff I love to research and strive for my son which is: play. This particular one was about play sequence which is very important for kids with Autism. Play skills is something in the field I like to research it never really crossed my mind how imagination, curiosity are things so normal for us but it's such a struggle for kids with autism. And many people have no idea including parents that things have to be really laid out in step by step sequences, it makes them to understand better and it's close to the way they think no matter what age they are. So I decided to start with play-dough play sequence mats. Sometimes people want to start right away with all this play-dough kits and gadgets but the kids have no idea how to use them and end up using play-dough in their mouth or other things.
So I decided to start a collection of play-dough sequence mat and this my first one.

There are about 9 pages and it's FREE. You can download here.

Soon I will see if I start to recording a video on how to use those. 

Thanks

Autism Acceptance Month

    April is here and every April  a lot of talk about Autism Awareness is going on, I myself have a Autism Awareness magnet on my car. But I think people are really more aware of Autism than ever before what I think we have to start to work on is ACCEPTANCE.
The society need to accept and parents need to accept. Acceptance is not a easy path in any side of our life no matter what is you have to accept. Acceptance means sometimes acknowledge that things will go against our plans and against what we think is right. As parents we like to think we have everything under control and everything specially related to our children if we think there is a problem than we will take care of it we will "fix it".
    Doesn't mean we don't have frustrations, doesn't mean we can not get tired but it means that we find new ways to deal with it and accept Autism is not a disease  being so there is not a cure no matter how some people and the "youtube " doctors like to say.
Society and parents have to stop to spend so much time and energy in trying to find just how this happens and how can we ever prevent it from happening and instead how they can help and give more chances to those families that can't afford basic therapy for the kids. More work training for Autistic Adults more ABA therapy at schools and so on. This is what we need today.

Some links that inspire me:

Autism Acceptance Month - A web page done by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network formed by Autistic Adults to fight for rights for Adults in the work force.

I'm not waiting my son to grow out of Autism - this great post from Autism mom blogger Autism Wonderland.

And a collection of other great posts from her. HERE

And my favorite movie Loving Lampposts.


I just wish more acceptance in the world.

Jana

BAsic Pattern Book 1

I did a new pattern book basic level to work with my son and decided to put out on TpT this is basic level  of ABAB pattern Book 1 more levels to come and increase difficulty but if the child does not yet know any pattern this is the way to start to teach them.
You can check it out HERE.
Thanks
Jana

Blocks Video Modeling 1

Video modeling using Larsen Toylab Shape Match Blocks

LarsenToy Lab BlocksReview

Shape Match Puzzle by Larsen Toy Labs

Mega Bloks Learn and Build + Free Sequence Cards

I saw this on sale at Target and could not resist. I think it's a great way to start using sequence blocks and also for the kids that are on the first stages of knowing words and spelling. 

Of course with Autistic kids that have low play skills I think is good to start with blocks that are straight forward with directions and play, what I mean is that with this toy there is not a lot of pretend involved but rather is about getting used to letters and words.

But even better is to have sequence cards specially to low level play skills kids like my son.

Once they learn to use the sequence cards that can be one activity they can use on their independent activity schedule.

The only bad thing is that I wish we have enough blocks to not use two letters in one block and two designs together that can be confusing but I guess you can buy two sets. (I didn't know that would be that way).

I did sequence for all the 3 letter worlds: cat,dog,car,bus

Once you print them I used a simple picture album for target less than $2 

the important thing is when the word changes from cat to dog for example let a blank space between them to make it clear the activity stop and other start.

- At put just the letters you are using. Very simple than as the child gets better start putting together with other letter so the child can look for the correct ones.

- You have to use the same colors as in the pictures.

You can get all the pictures to do the sequence for cat, dog, car and bus HERE.

More to come later.

Thanks

Potato Head Video Modeling 1

Independent Activity Schedule

It's  a fact that independent activity schedule works for any kid, but specially for kids with Autism. As soon the child is in a program is the first thing they start to set up so the child can learn to do independent tasks and learn to play by themselves.
I believe a lot in this system even for typical children how often children get so dependent on us to play. Also for older kids you can include harder tasks that will help their concentration. I would start small here I started with 4 bins although in school he does more at home is always a  different scenario. Also
in the case of Autistic kids takes them off of that doing nothing because they don't know how to play.

There are many resources that can help I think the first and very detailed one on how to set up and use is

I think is great for you to set up the whole thing.
After that we need ideas on what kind of activities, I try to put activities that will improve all areas, so I use activities for fine motor skills, gross motor skills visual perception and so on.. We can talk more about this. But there is books that also have great ideas.

Another name people call activity schedule is shoe box activities because this containers kind of are the size of a shoe box

Many activities we can do ourselves doing file folder style activities

That we can laminate and do ourselves. Here is a great post with some ideas.

Activities:
Lacing beads. matching, color matching, pop beads, fine motor skills activities, puzzles, sequence, patterns and goes on depends on the level of the child more they learn more you can make it harder.

Here is another website with tons of ideas.
I think what I 've noticed is that more you have experience more you know what types of toys or activities work for IAS.


Jana

Tea Pot Video Modeling

Block Pattern Cards 1 and Freebie

I got a lot of  lego blocks on Ebay and they are great to use in the independent activity schedule to start to teach patterns and so much more can be done later.
So I decided to start creating files to help. This is the first set  comes with 4 pages total the freebie page is included in the file. This one starts very basic with abab pattern to get the child used to it. Just laminate the page and cut the cards I will be showing how to use these later.

This is one of the pages for Free.

DOWNLOAD HERE.

If  you would like to buy the file is $2 delivered to your email and you can see on my Printables tab.

BUY HERE.

Thanks

Jana

Video Modeling 2 Building Thomas and Diesel

Video modeling is essential for Visual Autistic kids to learn how to play, play skills is very important for social learning and even is so hard for them to want to doesn't mean they can't. They have to be thought to play the same way we are trying to teach other things for them, but if we want them to interact with people and learn social rules and how to deal with life we have to try to teach play skills and video modeling for sure has it way to improve that.
I hope these series help the parents to know how to do that with the toys you have at home.

Jana

Dr. Seus Fun Game ipad companion Video Review

thanks

Video Modeling 1 Blocks Farm

Video Modeling is something we are starting to do for my son, it's my try to help him to learn how to play and acquire play skills, in his case I think we have a good shot because he is so visual and really like videos.
Many published articles have been written about some studies with video modeling with many successful stories. The research is not in grand scale yet but I think this technique is really valid and it doesn't cost anything to try. Video Modeling is used a lot to teach also social skills.
I have a professional ABA and PHD in Special Needs help me with it.  I can't wait to do more and start using them.

At first I'm using blocks my son has a really hard time using them, no wonder, blocks are fun but you have to have pretend play skills and imagination to use it. So to even get he started I'm starting with this great set from Lego which I did a review before.

I did a video modeling for the book but I won't show because copyright issues with the book, I'm really not sure if you can show contents of a book in the internet. But later I will show how you can record that.

Jana