The Education (K-12) Blogs and Special Ed Q & A are written and maintained weekly by Lisa Rogers with Educating Diverse Learners. Lisa received her M.A. in Special Education with an endorsement in the area of individuals with severe disabilities. Mrs. Rogers has also created products that have been used throughout the state of Texas for training purposes. Through the Association for Texas Professional Educators [ATPE], Ms. Rogers has produced an online course that targets the importance of visual strategies for student with autism spectrum disorders and just released her highly anticipated book titled: Visual Supports for Visual Thinkers.
Depending on the grade level of your student or child, a math word problem may involve simple addition to complex rate problems, and everything in between. This week’s blog will explore as many different resources as possible to support word problems in a comprehensive way. We will begin with several instructional strategies that are relevant for any content area: ChunkingContinue Reading
There is nothing amusing about “the meltdown”. It is reflective of a complete loss of control of the person with an autism spectrum disorder. It is often loud, risky at times, frustrating, and exhausting. Here is a video that explains meltdowns from the perspective of someone living with autism. Feel free to share with others, as it is available throughContinue Reading
How do we decrease neurological stress? The following is an excerpt from my recent book titled Visual Supports for Visual Thinkers: Practical Ideas for Students with ASDs and Other Special Educational Needs. A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health (2006) found that, in people with autism, brain areas normally associated with visual tasks also appear to beContinue Reading
The topics discussed in this blog are often inspired by questions from readers. This week’s topic of developing social skills is in response to such a question from a parent. As you develop social skills, it would be helpful to identify the specific skill[s] that you and your child feels would be most beneficial. For instance, do they struggle in initiating conversations?Continue Reading
Although sensory differences are very real and must be recognized as such, narratives can help to deal with these differences. For instance, there was a high school student that was having significant difficulty with the hallway transition from class to class. Not only was there the loud bell that signals the transition, but then it was followed by a crowdedContinue Reading
In a previous post, we reviewed strategies for solving math word problems. One of the comprehensive strategies noted was priming. This week, we will take a closer look at this strategies in order to apply it across subject areas and grade levels. Priming is a method of preparing a student with ASD for an activity that he or she willContinue Reading
Q: Dear Lisa, My son has High functioning Autism and is in general education classes in public school. He will be going to Middle School next year and I was wondering how should I prepare the teachers for him, and him for the teachers? This will be different as he no longer has just one teacher but will haveContinue Reading
Q: “I’ve heard that if my son (who is on the autism spectrum) is having a problem staying on task while in school that he should use the “keychain rules”. Would you please explain this term to me?” – Curious in Nashville, Tenn A: Keychain rules are short statements or phrases of desired expectations that capitalize on the tendency towardContinue Reading
In a previous blog we discussed the need to support students in identifying and expressing their feelings through the use of a feelings chart. The feelings chart may be on a scale of “one to three” or “one to five” with level one indicating that the student is most calm. If possible, you can increase the effectiveness of this strategy by decoratingContinue Reading
Continuing with instructional supports, this week’s blog will focus on a simple, yet powerful strategy: graphic organizers. “Graphic organizers are tools that help your brain think.” – Kylene Beers Most teachers use graphic organizers but might not be fully aware of the comprehensive benefits of this visual support. Graphic organizers can accomplish the following key elements toward instructional success: understandContinue Reading
As with the senses of sight and hearing, sometimes one or more of the senses are either over- or under-reactive to stimulation. This is also true for the sense of touch. For some persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, certain textures feel uncomfortable or even painful. For these individuals, the idea of a hug or even accidentally brushing up against somethingContinue Reading
Halloween can be both a fun and nerve-wracking time for parents. Especially for children with ASD, there are many unknowns and events that could trigger a meltdown or even put your child in danger. But halloween can easily be safe and exciting experience if you plan in advance to prepare your child and help guide them. One great technique toContinue Reading
Notice: Aspergers101 is no longer being updated. The site will be maintained as a resource for those looking for more information. No new content will be published and comments will no longer be accepted. We hope this website continues to be a helpful resource!
