Archive for August, 2010

Fidget toys-we love them. Fidget toys can help relieve stress and increase focus and attention. More and more teachers are reporting that learners focus better and retain more information if they have something to do with their hands. Good fidgets should feel interesting, provide movement for the fingers, be durable and not distract others. The following is a list of our five favorite fidget toys.

 The Tangle Relax

This is by far our favorite fidget toy.  The Tangle Relax features twistable rubberized Tangle pieces with a bumpy rubberized cover. It’s durable, quiet, and people love the way they feel. It’s big enough to break in half to make two smaller sized fidgets.  A larger size version of this is the Tangle Therapy; this fidget toy is a little more expensive but also fantastic.

Nubby Stretch & Bounce Ball

The Nubby Stretch and Bounce Ball has a bumpy soft cover and is filled with a foam putty a student can quietly stretch and shape. The unique texture is soft and stimulating. This fidget toy is particularly nice for kids who need to squeeze something. However, for someone who is particularly aggressive with their squeezing you may want to try an  Isoflex ball.

Large Porcupine Ball

The Large Porcupine Balls is about 3 1/4″ in diameter. These balls feel interesting, provide lots of movement and exploration for the fingers, are quiet, and the threads on these are thicker than a Koosh ball. They are very sturdy and as an added bonus they’re fun to throw and easy to catch!

The Tactile Atom Ball

The Tactile Atom Ball has long tentacle like arms that stick out from the center that are soft and squishy. The tentacles are bumpy and knobby making it very interesting to hold and touch. This fidget toy is fairly sturdy, but if you have a student who is particularly aggressive we would not recommend it.

Stretchy Frogs

What can we say; Stretchy Frogs have been around forever! They are small, stretchy, and very inexpensive making them a nice option for teachers.  They are great for students who move from class to class because you can easily put them in a pocket.

Did you know that you can set your autistic student up for success, just by making a few changes to your classroom or buying the right autism materials? We’ve put these tips together to help you start the school year off right.

Use Visual Supports

• Post a classroom schedule as well as an individual schedule that the student can refer to throughout the day. Knowing what to expect will decrease anxiety and increase independence.
• For the first day of school have a seating chart ready before the student with autism arrives. Have a plan in place to help them identify and find their seat.
• Often students with autism have a difficult time understanding personal space.  Define personal space by drawing masking tape outlines on the floor. Make sure there is plenty of room between desks.

Pay careful attention to where the child with autism is seated.

• If possible talk to last year’s teacher. What worked well for the child last year?  Was the child seated in front of the class, in the back, or side of the class?
• When deciding where your special student will sit be aware of noise.  Many students with autism process normal sound as too loud or quiet. It can be difficult for these students to filter out background noise. Have the autistic student sit away from the hallway, pencil sharpener or water fountain.  Have on hand ear muffs or ear plugs.
• Keep in mind who will sit next to the student with autism. Is there a child in your class who is especially helpful, kind, or compassionate? If so let them sit next to the student with autism.

Minimize Distractions

Children with autism pay attention to details and can miss the big picture.

• Wall charts and posters can distract from your teaching.
• While teaching, try to teach in front of a blank background (i.e. a chalkboard with with minimal writing).
• Minimize distractions by storing unnecessary or large equipment in closed cabinets.

Provide Calm Place

Change is difficult for people with autism. A new school year, new class, and a new teacher can be overwhelming for the child with autism. Try to create a quiet area for your autistic student to go for breaks. This could be a table with dividers or a small area in the corner of the classroom with a bean bag chair and some headphones. The area should be free of visual distractions and easily accessible. When you notice the child becoming agitated direct them to their quiet place. It’s better to let the child calm down when they begin to get frustrated instead of waiting for a full meltdown.

Pay Attention to Sensory Stimulation

Normal sensory experiences can seem overwhelming or even painful for the child with autism.

• Fluorescent lighting can be distracting or even give the child with autism headaches.  You may want to purchase some classroom light filters.
• Students with autism can be very sensitive to smells avoid air fresheners and perfume.
• If the child is especially sensitive to sound make sure to give them warnings before loud or unexpected sounds such as fire drills. Have a set of headphones available to help with noise.

We hope these tips will help you have a successful start to your school year.

For more helpful tips visit Autism 101 for Teachers.

It’s easy to drill academic information over and over again and “show” that a person is making “progress.” However, if a person can add and even balance a checkbook, but they can’t go shopping, how does this help in real life?

The truth is it’s much harder to teach individuals with autism how to access the community. It’s much harder to help them gain independence and make meaningful connections in society. As of yet there is no textbook that clearly teaches us how to do this.

It can be easy to get caught up in simple tasks and memorization. For example, when teaching an individual how to make their bed, why practice over and over again until they make a perfect hospital style bed? In real life do any of us really do that? Yes these skills are important, but they can’t be our only focus.

Autonomy, access to the community, the ability to follow one’s interests, these are things that enhance the quality of a person’s life. We need to look for ways to encourage these opportunities for people with autism.  Many people on the spectrum are capable of far more than they are allowed to experience.  Let’s help them find ways to make meaningful connections in their communities.  Let’s help them reach their full potential.

On August 2, 2010 Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and a world-renowned autism expert passed away. Dr. Lovaas devoted his career to improving the lives of children with autism.  During the 1960’s Dr. Lovaas began using principals of Applied Behavioral Analysis to teach children with autism.  Eventually he developed the Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis, a one-on-one intensive behavioral treatment program that is customized to meet the needs of each child and family served. 

His career is not without some controversy. He is widely criticized for his initial use of punishment or negative reinforcement. This practice did not last long since it soon became clear that positive reinforcement was more effective in treatment.  Initially in order to receive treatment children were removed from their homes and placed in institutions because at the time researchers believed poor parenting caused autism. However, with time it became apparent that treatment was much more effective in natural environments with parent participation.

Among the many methods available for treatment and education of people with autism, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become widely accepted as one of the most effective treatments. According to a 2006 report by the Surgeon General, “Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavioral methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing communication, learning, and appropriate social behaviors.”  The treatment of children with autism would not be nearly as effective today without Dr. Lovaas’ contributions. We will miss him.