I will post this here too...Here is a tiny excerpt from my book "How to Set Up a Work Area at Home for a Child with Autism." Sorry, it is not yet available in paperback until late June. I will post it when it is available. The idea behind the book is to give parents tools and strategies for teaching basic skills. It is very much a book to use at the beginning stages. I tried to include many of the teaching techniques that I learned and incorporated in the classroom 1:1 time, when I was in the classroom. Let me know what you think.
TEACHING WRITING SKILLS

AutismList.com, new directory for autism related websites, is looking for people to list their favorite sites. Anyone can list a site, product, magazine, blog or item related to helping individuals with autism. Go to www.autismlist.com to add a website.

Teachers, making a schedule that helps each day run as smoothly as possible is often a tough thing to do. If your current scheduls is just not working, it may be time to rethink and readjust. Here are some tips for creating a weekly class schedule.

Here is an idea to build communication in your child or students. Make Items Inaccessible- Place items in a spot where the child can see the items, but cannot obtain the item, without the assistance from the adult. This can be done in a number of ways. First, highly motivating items can be placed behind the adult, but in clear view. Since the child cannot go through the adult, he or she must communicate with the adult to receive the item.

I work with teachers to set up classroom all the time. I find these items helpful when setting up a classroom.
• 2 boxes of sandwich size zipper baggies
• 2 boxes of gallon zipper baggies
• permanent markers
• Velcro ™ dots (pre-cut) or Velcro strips
• cardstock paper
• foam board --this can make an instant choice board or communcaiton board and it is sturdy
• two 1/2 inch binders for each student
• 2 2-pocket folders for each student
• dividers for binders --or use construction paper of different colors
• a 3 hole punch device

Challenging Behaviors are in the for-front of many teachers and parents minds this time of year. New students sw up in classrooms or your child is adjusing to a new teacher, etc. When this is the case an FBA is needed. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a process in which you observe the individual and take data in order to find out why the person is engaging in the behavior. Many people skip this step and go straight to the solutions.