The 5 Best Free Online Autism Courses for Teaching Assistants in 2023 A common question I am asked on our Facebook page is “What are the Best Free Autism Courses for Teaching Assistants?” I will share the professional development courses our TA’s have been accessing this year. There is a lot of evidence about effective … Read more
Linking Sensory Ideas to Learning Intentions for Autistic Children We love sensory ideas, play based learning and developing engaging activities. The importance of sensory experiences in a child’s development is well-known. Engaging in sensory activities helps children build essential skills, including fine and gross motor skills, self-regulation, and emotional regulation. While vestibular activities, which stimulate the sense of balance and spatial … Read more
The Impact of Lockdown on Autistic Children The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have had a profound impact on’s lives, including children and adolescents. At the time of writing this article, June 2023, we are seeing the challenges and outcomes of this upheaval including much-reduced attendance. It feels like there has been a subtle shift … Read more
Evidence Informed Parenting: The Experiences of Children with ADHD Using Weighted Blankets Weighted blankets have been proposed as an intervention for children with ADHD and sleeping difficulties to improve sleep. Commonly used in many schools as well as at home. As they become more affordable, less than £20 on Amazon* or Temu* However, research on … Read more
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental difference that is characterised by a spectrum, or fruit salad of different elements. These can include difficulty with social interaction and communication as well as a monotropic focus on specific interests. Increasingly this is looked at through the lens of “Double Empathy”. You can read more about this in Pia … Read more
Pre-Verbal Children: What Might Their Behaviour Be Telling Us? I am using the term pre-verbal to encompass pupils who may be described as non-verbal. Any child who does not have a communication system that is easily interpreted by others. Understanding the behaviour, or actions, of pre-verbal children can be a challenging yet rewarding experience for … Read more
Enhancing Joy and Wellbeing: The School of Joy! Education is the foundation of personal and societal growth. As teachers, it is crucial to ensure that every child, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities, feels included and happy in the school environment. Pupils with special educational needs, often face challenges that can affect their overall wellbeing. … Read more
Micro Transitions and Support Strategies for Autistic Students For pupils with special educational needs (SEN), who benefit from structure and routine, especially autistic students, the numerous small or micro-transitions that happen throughout the school day can be particularly challenging to navigate. These micro-transitions involve changes in activity, environment, physical state, emotion, companionship and more. The … Read more
The Case Against Restraint and Seclusion Restraint and seclusion are controversial practices in the field of behaviour support. Historically, these tactics have been employed as last-resort measures to manage challenging behaviours in individuals with disabilities, mental health issues, or neurodivergent conditions. There is growing opposition to restraint and seclusion. Based on the point that these … Read more
Metacognition, or the ability to think about one’s own thinking, holds immense potential in supporting Autistic individuals as they navigate the complexities of our education system. By understanding cognitive load theory and the role of metacognition in managing cognitive load, educators and therapists can harness the power of the EEF favourite – metacognitive strategies to help their pupils overcome … Read more
Many children with autism struggle with executive functioning. For these children, initiating tasks and sustaining attention, especially for non-preferred tasks, can be nearly impossible. Many children I have worked with appear to “freeze” and have trouble taking the first step (Mazefsky et al., 2013). Yet once initiated, they are often able to complete tasks or … Read more
What is Joint Attention? Joint attention, the ability to share attention with another person towards an object, activity or event, is a crucial skill for social development and learning. For the pupilI work with it is a crucial skill to teach. For some joint attention skills do not develop naturally and needs to be taught … Read more
The Use of Psychological Restraint with People With Learning Difficulties In recent years, we have seen growing awareness regarding the importance of mental health and its impact on overall well-being. As a result, there is an increasing emphasis on understanding the ethical implications of various psychological interventions. One such area of concern is the use … Read more
The letter below was written by a parent of an autistic child who read one of our recent posts on the importance of co-regulation. Too often our schools can be aversive places for children. As parents and teachers, as humans, we want our children to be happy and fulfilled at school. It should be a … Read more
The Impact of Dual Coding for Autistic Pupils Any new special education teacher faces the unique challenge of catering to the diverse needs of your students. I have spent my career supporting Autistic pupils who will require specialised approaches to learning. One of the most important tasks, and one that is often overlooked in ITT … Read more
Best Practices for Communicating with Autistic Children for ECTS When it comes to education and early years development for children who have a diagnosis of autism, simple techniques and strategies can be the most effective. In fact, we often overlook the basics because we tend to overcomplicate things when communicating with autistic children. In this … Read more
Sound and Play Sensory Sound Buttons are a type of sensory toy designed to provide children with a fun and interactive way to explore sounds and textures. These buttons are typically made of durable materials and feature a variety of textures, colours, and shapes that are designed to engage the senses and encourage exploration. When … Read more
What is Flow State? Flow state, as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is a mental state of operation where a person is fully immersed in an activity, characterised by a feeling of energised focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. During the state of flow, individuals experience a sense of control over … Read more
The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autistic Children. Kids ear protection is vital. This post is a follow-up to our main post on Noise Sensitivity. I work with many children with noise sensitivity who use some sort of ear defenders to reduce the noise in the school environment. There are two types of noise-cancelling earplugs: … Read more
What is Noise Sensitivity? Noise sensitivity is a common issue for many people. Studies suggest that anywhere from 30% to more than 90% of individuals with autism experience some form of sensory hypersensitivity or under-responsiveness, with sound sensitivity being one of the most prevalent. One of the most commonly reported sensory sensitivities is sensitivity to sounds … Read more
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