Sue Larkey Podcast - Autism (ASD), ADHD, ODD and PDA education

When I worked as an outreach teacher supporting students in mainstream schools. I created some easy to use cheat sheets for the staff and the students I supported. The more information we share the more we can prepare! But I found sometimes there was too much information, and much of it was not actually read or used. THE MOST popular and useful documents are available at the podcast show notes page here: https://suelarkey.com.au/slp-010-transitioning-cheat-sheets/ To learn more about teaching or understanding ASD please visit my websites below. Australian residents: https://elearning.suelarkey.com.au/ Rest of the world: https://www.autismspectrumelearning.com/

Transition includes change in teacher, change in room, change in students in the class not just starting preschool, school, high school and beyond. The nature of ASD is such that transition can be extremely stressful, no matter what age or how BIG or SMALL the change maybe. Changing Teacher is like…. Moving to a Foreign Country For the child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) moving to a new teacher, classroom or campus is like moving to foreign country. There is a different language (eg one teacher says 'pack away', new teacher says 'clean up'). Teachers and other students have different facial expressions and body language to interpret, new rules, new schedules, new smells, different pencils just to mention a few changes. This new 'foreign country' causes the child to feel enormous anxiety and stress, which in turn can lead to behaviour. This anxiety and behaviour can be managed by effective planning and transition strategies. This article aims to give you ideas, strategies and solutions to managing transition and have in place strategies ready to make next year a Success! To learn more about teaching or understanding ASD please visit my websites below. Australian residents: https://elearning.suelarkey.com.au/ Rest of the world: https://www.autismspectrumelearning.com/

Managing meltdowns is very important. I believe the key is getting in early and putting in place strategies before the behaviour escalates. You will need a range of strategies to prevent the meltdown escalating. For some students strategies that may help include: ignoring, distracting, redirecting, send on an errand, and more. Understanding the Three Stages of a Meltdown will make it easier to identify and apply strategies to prevent. To learn more about teaching or understanding ASD please visit my websites below. Australian website: https://suelarkey.com.au Rest of the world: https://www.autismspectrumelearning.com/

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD Many people on the autism spectrum have difficulty with social skills as they are not logical – rules change, games change, people are your friend one day but not the next and children use language and phrases that can be confusing. In addition not being able to predict what people mean and understanding the context of a social situation can make social situations very frustrating. This is called 'Theory of Mind'. Most children can pass a Theory of Mind test by age three, whereas most people with ASD have an impaired Theory of Mind. To read my detailed blog post on this subject please go to https://suelarkey.com.au/theory-of-mind/

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD Exam time and tests are often a very difficult time for students with ASD. Their anxiety, fear of failure, perfectionism and learning style often makes this a highly stressful time for everyone. In my experience often their longer processing time makes it difficult to read a question and then figure out what it really means. They may also perseverate (become stuck and not move on) on a question that they don't know. Some students have difficulty explaining their 'thinking' and just put the answers rather than showing their 'working out'. It's important we put in place appropriate procedures /adjustments so that students can perform at their best in tests & exams.

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD The One Thing I Wish I knew YEARS ago was the IMPORTANCE of executive functioning and HOW to improve it as it underpins everything from behaviour to social to engagement. Executive functioning refers to the part of your brain that organises, prioritises and regulates emotions. However, I prefer to refer to it as the 'Air Traffic Control,' as just like air traffic control has to manage thousands of planes on countless runways with perfect timing, students have to manage information and distractions. Impaired Executive Function can impact significantly on children with autism spectrum disorder's ability to learn and engage in busy learning environments. To read the comprehensive blog post about Executive function please go here: https://suelarkey.com.au/the-one-thing-i-wish-i-knew-years-ago/

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD This podcast gives you some insight into how Sue got into the Autism Spectrum Disorder eduction in the first place, what motivates here and what to expect from this podcast. Sue Larkey enlightens, and entertains with valuable insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, ODD and PDA. Covering strategies from the Early Years to Teens Years and Beyond. Join Sue as she shares simple yet effective tips, supports and strategies on a range of topics including social skills, communication and positive behaviour support. Sue Larkey is uniquely positioned within the education system having taught both as a primary school teacher and a special education teacher. She combines this practical experience with extensive research, having completed a Masters in Special Education and currently undertaking a Doctorate of Education, focusing on inclusive education. Sue is unashamedly passionate about her mission – to inspire parents and educators and teach them how to Make it a Success.

Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD Friendship, play and social interaction are all two-way – and we need to support both the child with ASD and their peers to make social skills programmes work. Using social scripts to teach children with ASD, ADHD, ODD and PDA how to engage socially can be a great strategy to improve understanding of events and situations. Social scripts describe a social situation, skill or concept. The goal of a social script is to promote true social understanding. suelarkey.com.au/promoting-social-understanding-social-scripts

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD I've had a lot of questions in regards to eye contact and understandably so since eye contact is an important part of communication and socialisation. It demonstrates an awareness of and interest in the other people. However, for children with ASD it doesn't come naturally and has even been reported as 'painful' by people with ASD to look at people's eyes. In many cases when children are not looking at people's eyes /faces, people assume the child is not paying attention or listening. However, we must be cautious not to assume that not looking means not listening, in fact many children report listening best with their eyes closed or when they look away. Teaching eye contact is very difficult, as in society when we communicate we actually use an 'eye gaze' rather than eye contact (staring into eyes). I've had students who have been taught eye contact rather than eye gaze, they then tend to stare deep into your eyes, which people generally find very uncomfortable too. I prefer to teach Eye gaze through looking at people's faces rather than directly at the eyes. Some children are best if you choose a specific part of the face, like ears, eyebrows, mouth or nose. It is an important skill to teach students to look in the direction of the speaker and at their face if possible. For more information on this subject please checkout the comprehensive blog post about it at suelarkey.com.au/eye-contact-vs-eye-gaze

Download this podcast Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD I have had many parents and educators requesting resources and tips for teens and young adults. I agree it is hard to find information and resources for how to guide and support this age group. I am thrilled to find a resource whose aim is "to increase the odds that your child grows into an adult with a rewarding, meaningful life" (xiii). Dr Temple Grandin and Dr Debra Moore. Sue share her top 10 tips to increasing success for teens and adults. Find a mentor. Be your kid's couch or find one for them. Adults (parents and mentors) must take the lead or it will not just happen (this is everything from learning independent living skills to a career). Help to set realistic goals and provide support to figure out how to achieve those goals. Start small – slowly introduce new ideas and experiences. Give them clear start dates and deadlines to complete each step. Start early and build up skills that will endure. Just do it. Magic can happen when you introduce them to new things. Stretch them out of their comfort zones Stay strong – don't let your child's fears and setbacks detract from continuing to plan and take action. Read the extensive blog post about these tips and the Temple Grandin Movie here: suelarkey.com.au/teen-years-and-beyond