You are probably familiar with the idea of intense interests. Whether it be weather or automobiles, your child with high-functioning autism/Asperger’s Syndrome has had an intense interest in some kind of subject. This behavior is natural because I too have had and still have intense interests in certain things.

Sam building a computer For example, when I was young, I was fascinated by trains. My parents would take me to train museums, and you’d have my full attention if you mentioned anything about trains. Then the interest shifted to tornadoes. I had a couple of VHS tapes about tornadoes and I would watch them repeatedly.

My interest then shifted to airplanes. I had Flight Simulator 2004 and Flight Simulator X. In fact, I would love to hear flight stories from my grandfather because he used to be a Cessna pilot years ago.

Currently, my interest is Mechanical Engineering. I took an advanced engineering class during high school, and I was given an award for that class that is only given to one person in the class. I was lucky to be picked for the honor.

It’s normal for your child’s interest to shift as time goes on. If they like trains like I did, then take them to a train museum or a train station. If they like automobiles, take them to a car show. Let them get involved with whatever their interests are!

By Sam Allen

The Autistic Mind is different in both function and anatomy.

Understanding the function of the Autistic Brain may help you understand, or explain, the different behaviors exhibited by someone with Aspergers Syndrome. In this edition of Top of The Spectrum News doctors reveal studies proving the importance of therapy, explaining that the autistic brain is different in both function and anatomy from a neuro-typical brain. In other words. . . it’s not bad behavior; Aspies are coming from a place of neurological difference. This is a great video clip to show to friends or family members who do not understand your Asperger childs ‘differences’.

The above is an excerpt from the documentary “Coping to Excelling: Solutions for School-Age Children Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome”

Medical Overview of HF Autism or Asperger Syndrome

If you have never created a movie, the sheer technology of it might seem overwhelming. You might be surprised how simple it can be if you know just a few key features. If you have access to Movie Maker on a PC, then here is some information that will help you through.

How to Make a Video

Make a movie in four simple steps:

  • Step 1: Get video, digital photos, and music into Windows Movie Maker
  • Step 2: Start editing
  • Step 3: Add titles, transitions, and effects
  • Step 4: Publish your movie and share it with other people

With Windows Movie Maker in Windows Vista, you can quickly go from just watching movies to making your own great-looking home movies and sharing them with your family and friends.

LR1
Continue Reading

The following is a list of tips to create and use your own video modeling tool.

  • Videos are short, usually 2-5 minutes, or even shorter
  • The student will typically watch the video 3-5 times at one session
  • The student will then practice the skill/behavior targeted in the video. The teacher might say, “Now it’s your turn, just like the video” and support the student as they attempt the skill/behavior
  • Continue to create opportunities to practice the new skill at natural and planned times throughout the day

LRvideomodeling

Ways to highlight important information:

  • Slow motion
  • Up Close- zoom in
  • Highlight single words
  • Use text
  • Use symbols
  • Use magnetic letters for titles

Remember to:

  • Title your video
  • Limit distractions
  • Highlight relevant information
  • Incorporate student drawings
  • Secure photo/video releases from parents
  • Don’t over think it…get started and then revise as needed

LRvideomodeling2

By Lisa Rogers

Click HERE to help support Lisa Rogers’ video modeling project, “The Orion Files.”

Learning with Less Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety create a negative situation, which makes learning difficult. In a traditional teaching situation the need for person-to-person interaction can be a cause of stress and anxiety. A child is unnecessarily burdened by the need to overcome this stress and anxiety before they can focus on what is being taught. Learning either suffers, or does not happen.

LRvideomodel

Video modeling changes all that. An important benefit of video modeling is that it removes the necessity of person-to-person interaction from the learning process. Removing this interaction takes pressure off the child and allows the child to concentrate on the video. Attending to video only, a learner concentrates and is less distracted.Continue Reading

puzzleppiece

The focus of our last blog was the use of mnemonic devices to support academic success. This week we will expand on this concept with the introduction of anchor charts. I love that anchor charts are considered a general education strategy to support typical learners. As we have discussed before, most individuals benefit from visual supports. Individuals with an autism spectrum are especially responsive to visual strategies as indicated by studies on the brain.

aspergers1aspergers2

Continue Reading

Maximizing Mini-Maps

In our last blog, we reviewed the strategy of a mini-map to reduce work avoidance behaviors and increase student success.  For some students, a simple checklist is all they need to get them started and keep them moving through academic activities.  However, other students may need a bit more to be successful.  Here are some considerations if the

Continue Reading

Welcome to this week’s blog.  I look forward to your comments and feedback to help shape the future of this blog site.  I am a small part of a greater effort that is creating a forum and resource for educators and families working and living with individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome.  The three branches of this effort include medical, family and education.  I have been honored to be the spokesperson for the education component.Continue Reading

Daily stressors and becoming overwhelmed Welcome to my first venture into the blogging world.  I look forward to your comments and feedback to help shape the future of this blog site.  I am a small part of a greater effort that is creating a forum and resource for educators and families working and living with individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome.  The three branches of this effort include medical, family and education.  I have been honored to be the spokesperson for the education component.  So let’s begin . . . I would like to start with two main thoughts that will permeate many, if not all, future blogs.  The first is that persons with Asperger’s Syndrome are often dealing with many hidden stressors.  Sensory differences, anxiety associated with academic expectations, difficulty with organizational skills and more build upon each other in such a way that each day becomes overwhelming.  When one is overwhelmed, it is difficult to engage in typical social exchanges.  For those with a typical brain, this is so very difficult to process and understand fully.  Chatting over a meal or while passing a colleague in the hall all seem to be simple tasks, perhaps even enjoyable.  For those with a brain that is wired differently, as in the case of persons with Asperger’s, the cumulative toll that the daily stressors can take prevent them from having anything left for social exchanges. Think of one of your worst days.  You lost your keys for an hour, you were late for work, your car broke down on the way home.  Do you feel like going to meet friends for dinner or would you rather take a walk, then a long hot bath and go to sleep to recover for another day?  Most neurotypical persons are lucky to have these worst days every now and then.  Persons with Asperger’s live with the stressors that come from a neurological origin every day. As an educational consultant, I have often been called upon to provide support for both classrooms and individual students.  When working with a student with Asperger’s Syndrome, I always interview the staff as part of my assessment and recommendations.  I am often told that the student seems to be doing fine.  This might be true on the surface, but I almost always find a very different picture once I gather more information from all stakeholders, especially the student.  Since the student is often very bright and articulate, these attributes can almost serve as a mask for the underlying struggles.  However, that same bright and articulate individual that seems to be O.K. at school punches a hole in the wall when asked to finish his homework at home.  He kept it together all day, but at what expense? So my second thought is that if we want to promote social skill development in persons with Asperger’s Syndrome, parents and educators need to identify strategies that will help to prevent and decrease neurological stress.   Strategies to accomplish this may be different for each person based on their own strengths, needs and interests.  I have learned much from persons with Asperger’s about the many creative coping strategies that might be effective.  I hope that you share your stories so that we can all broaden our array of possibilities.