Using Signing For Communication With Autistic Children One of the common elements of autism is difficulty with communication, including delayed or limited speech, and expressive and receptive language impairments. Many parents of autistic children wonder if teaching their child sign language might help improve their ability to communicate. This comprehensive guide covers everything parents need…
Understanding the Causes: Why Do Children Ask Repetitive Questions? Repetitive questioning is a common challenge faced by many parents of children. It can be common in autistic children or those with communication difficulties. While frustrating for the adult, it is likely more frustrating and distressing for the child. It’s important to understand the potential reasons…
Pre-Verbal Children: What Might Their Behaviour Be Telling Us? I am using the term pre-verbal to encompass pupils who have may be described as non-verbal. Really 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…
Using Immersive Games to Enhance Literacy I was recently talking to our speech therapist about a project I was involved with in 2011. This was with Tim Ryland who has sadly passed away. The Nurturing narrative event was held in partnership with the Kent CAT (Communication and Assistive Technology Team). I looked it up to…
Easter Activities for SEND Children Easter games and resources are great for use in a number of SEND focused activities. I would use this with a wider age range than they are designed for. This raises questions about how age appropriate each resource an I discuss this issue in this blog. Context in choosing resources…
Why Developing Communication is a Safeguarding Priority it is essential you ensure developing child voice for non-verbal pupils is a top safeguarding priority. You cannot overstate the importance of providing children with opportunities to demonstrate choices throughout their education. In early years education, this is acknowledged through EYFS documents (Early Years Foundation Stage). If you…
The Mr Potato Head scavenger hunt is a great accessible activity that can be set up for AAC (Augmentative and assertive communication). There are many other activities you can use Mr Potato Head for: Following Instructions Developing Fine Motor Skills Team work and interaction Emotions Playing with food Problem Solving Sequencing Senses (Worksheet available below)…
I teach in a autism specific classroom. The majority of the group are non-verbal and use a range of AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication resources). A common learning objective that links to a child’s EHCP targets is social interaction. This requires a commonly understood communication method. The key to this is using simple symbol/images which…
This will be an ongoing post where I upload the scavenger hunt AAC communication boards and other activity sheets I make. I hope you find these useful and please share if you like them. We also have a post outlining 150 sensory learning activities you may be interested in. All the boards are fully editable…
Using Snack time to enhance communication. Snack time can be a great opportunity to develop a number of key skills for our pupils. Given the regular nature of mealtimes in school settings and the inherent positive nature of mealtimes for most children, this activity is an outstanding context for social communication intervention (Gauverou 2017). Primarily…
Frustration is a classic game that one of my classes chose to buy with their pocket money (Residential school). The one we have is the slamtastic version. It is brilliant for developing a range of skills. The flip paddles add a brilliant tactile element to the game. The class was a mixed group of 6…
AAC Games for Communication Our next review for a game suitable for AAC users is Shark Bite. I bought this reduced at a supermarket. Shark does does tick the boxes for being suitable for use in communication and interaction sessions. It has a surprise movement to make you jump. The game has multicoloured accessories and…
I couldn’t resist this for £7 at Wilko. A fun little AAC game especially for children that find anything to do with Poo hilarious. This requires 2 aaa batteries for the moo or fart noises. The premise of the game is that each player chooses a boot colour. You then spin the spinner to decide…
This winter themed Sensory Story has been written for our “Time” topic where we are exploring the seasons. Snow Bear provides plenty of opportunities for exploring the cold of the Arctic. I have included a subtle message about climate change which depending on the age group you use it with may be useful to tie…
AAC and Interaction Games There are many ways to inspire and motivate children to communicate. One way I have found effective is structuring a game/play session. It is important to enable reluctant communicators or those who rely on AAC to fully engage with their peers. AAC means Augmentative and Alternative Communication and can range from…
Don’t Waste Time Commuting. I have recently gone from a commute of less than 20 minutes walk to over an hour’s drive each way. That has led to me wanting to find ways to make use of that time. Here are 7 suggestions to use the time you spend commuting more productively. Turn Netflix into…
Seeing as my most popular post is Star Wars quotes I thought why not tap into the force and write a post on Using star wars toys, games and lightsabers in the classroom. All these have links to the products but my favourite way to gather resources is to ask fellow Jedi teachers/friends to remember my little rebel alliance when having a pre-Christmas clear out.
Improved Communication Through Alternative Behaviours Many young people I have taught have found efficient and effective ways of communicating a need or a want at some point in the past. That then becomes their primary way of communicating. Unfortunately, as they grow and develop into young adults, this communicative behavior becomes a barrier to so…
I have gained so much from following the #teacher5aday initiatives. I thought I should give something back. So below is my very short video outlining some key Makaton signs you can use with or teach your class. The benefits of using Makaton with SEN learners: Makaton is a language programme designed to provide communication skills…
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