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55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum is the culmination of 10 years of research and development at the Neuro-Linguistic Learning Center in Northern California.
Neuro-Linguistic Learning Center was founded in 2006 by Gerald Hughes with the single mission, to help students, teens, and adults in overcoming the effects of Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
Out of this mission a number of programs were developed including the 55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum.
These skills and strategies are founded upon the natural abilities and sensory profiles of students who are or may be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
This guide is NOT designed for “normal” or neurotypical students. It is specifically designed to address the unique Sensory Perception and Processing issues common to ADHD/ASD students.
THE 55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum are easily self-administered by teens and adults.
Younger students are easily coached through the program by a parent or teacher.
In working with ADHD/ASD students and adults for the past 15 years, it became clear that, as a group, ADHD/ASD students tend to perceive and process sensory information very differently than neurotypical students.
As a group, ADHD/ASD students tend to have different strengths and weakness than neurotypical students.
It follows that many ADHD/ASD students require a different approach to learning.
Unfortunately, virtually all textbooks and curriculum are designed for neurotypical students.
Further complicating the issue is that in a typical classroom with a heterogenous population, it is highly unlikely that ADHD/ASD students will receive instruction appropriate to their specific sensory needs.
Neither are they likely to be taught skills and strategies appropriate to their sensory profiles and natural abilities.
Experience has shown us that the lack of these essential skills is the source of many ASD struggles.
Conversely, when these essential skills are provided, most struggles are resolved and replaced with success.
55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum is designed to address the struggles commonly experienced by many ADHD/ASD students.
It is important to note that 55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum is NOT a medical text. There is NOTHING in this text that is intended to diagnose or fix or cure any medical issue.
There is nothing within this text that would take the place of competent medical advice. If you suspect a medical, psychological, or neurological issue, you should see a licensed professional.
55 Essential Skills for Students on the Autism Spectrum has one purpose and one purpose only—to provide struggling students with the basic skills to make learning easier, faster, and more fun.
Understand that most of these strategies are NOT about spoon-feeding students, modifying the curriculum or providing any special accommodations.
Unlike tutoring programs that rely on the skills of the teacher or tutor (or parent), these skills and strategies are designed to put the power of learning in the hands of students.
Relax and allow the exercises to create a new relationship to education and learning.
Let go, have fun, and trust the process.
As always, we at the NLC are always happy to answer any questions and offer our assistance when requested.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF 55 ESSENTIAL SKILLS (ebook) today and we'll include a Sensory Evaluation and email consultation ($69.95 value) at no additional cost!
55 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 7
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 9
- BEDTIME & SLEEP 11
Sympathetic Breathing 12
Music & White Noise 12
Audio Books 13
Nutritional Supplements 13
Valerian, Lavender and Other Essential Oils 13
Directed Dreaming 13
Diet & Exercise 14
TV & Video Games 14
- STRESS REDUCTION 15
Autonomic Nervous System 15
Fear & Stress 17
Anxiety & Trauma 18
Parent Observations 18
Consistent Boundaries 18
Sympathetic Breathing 19
Rhythm and routine 19
Morning Routine 20
Homework Routine 20
Acknowledge Success!!!! 21
Parents Make Mistakes 21
Timeouts 22
“Do Over’s” 22
Do as I Do not as I say 22
- SENSORY INTEGRATION 23
Sensory Dominance 23
Bilateral Crawl (age 2 and up) 25
Peas Porridge Hot (age 2 and up) 25
Balloon Juggling (age 2 and up) 26
Sensory Hook up (age 2 and up) 26
March in Place (age 3 and up) 27
LADDER CLIMB (AGE 3 AND UP) 27
Sensory Walking (age 5 and up) 27
Eye-tracking (age 6 and up) 28
Juggling (advanced, ages 12 and up) 28
Sensory Summary 29
- FOCUS & ATTENTION 30
Visual Learning State 30
Eidetic Focus 30
Visual Listening 31
“Relax and Focus” APP 31
- SELF-AWARENESS 33
Sensory Awareness 33
Emotional Awareness 33
Physical Awareness 34
- SELF-REGULATION 37
Proactive Stimming 37
- CURIOSITY 38
Restoring Curiosity 38
- PHONICS & SPEECH 39
Non-Verbal Communication 39
Kinesthetic Speech 39
Stuttering 41
Echolalia 41
- THE ALPHABET 42
Building the Alphabet 42
Catch the letters 43
Before and After 43
Disappearing Letters 43
The Backwards Alphabet 43
Upper Case Letters 44
Lower Case Letters 44
- HANDWRITING 45
Handwriting Made Easy 45
Finger-Knitting 47
Finger-Weaving 47
Knitting & Crocheting 48
Pencil Grip 48
String Games (Cat’s Cradle) 48
- SPELLING & VOCABULARY 49
Perfect Spelling 49
Vocabulary Memorization 50
- READING 51
Visual Reading 51
speed Reading 52
- ESSAY & COMPOSITION 53
Writing a Sentence 53
Writing a Paragraph 54
Essay Construction 55
The Writing Process 56
- NUMBERS & COUNTING 61
- ADDITION/SUBTRACTION 62
- MULTIPLICATION / DIVISION 66
Speed Math 69
- CONCEPTS AND FORMULAE 70
Girls and Math 71
- Fractions 72
- ALGEBRA 75
Algebra II 76
The Quadratic Formula 77
Solving Math Struggles 77
- GEOMETRY 78
Pythagoras 78
Area Formulas 80
Unified Formula for Areas 81
Unified Formulae for Volume 82
Volume of Pyramids and Cones 83
Volume of a Sphere 83
Understanding pi 84
- WORD PROBLEMS and COMMON CORE 85
Word Problems 87
- TELLING TIME 88
- COUNTING MONEY 89
- SCIENCE 90
- LANGUAGE ARTS 91
Second Language 91
- HISTORY / HUMANITIES 92
- MUSIC, ART & DRAMA 93
- NOTE-TAKING 94
Structured Note-Taking 95
MIND-MAPPING 96
- MEMORIZATION 97
Abstract information 97
- TEST PREPARATION 100
Review What You’ve Learned 100
- TEST ANXIETY 101
Studying is NOT enough 101
Knowing that you Know 101
Test Visualization 102
Visualize Success 102
Anchoring 102
Relax and Focus 102
- TEST-TAKING 103
- CRITICAL THINKING 105
- PROBLEM SOLVING 109
- DECISION-MAKING 110
Synesthesia and Learning 110
- CREATIVITY 112
Children are NOT a Blank Slate 112
Self-Expression 113
360-Degree Thinking 113
- ORGANIZATION 114
Chronological 114
Sequential 114
Spatial 115
Compare and Contrast 115
Advantages and Disadvantages 115
Cause and Effect 115
Problems and Solutions 116
Topical 116
Patterns and Applications 116
- PROJECT MANAGEMENT 118
Clean Your Room 118
Top-down Project Breakdown 119
Flow-Chart 119
- TIME MANAGEMENT 121
Managing our Energy 121
Goals and Values 121
Organization and Planning 122
Accepting Support 122
- GOAL SETTING 123
SMART Goal Visualization 124
- SELF-REFLECTION 126
- SELF-CONFIDENCE 127
12 Ways to Builds Self-Confidence 127
- SELF-MOTIVATION 129
Procrastination 129
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) 130
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) 131
- FLEXIBILITY & ADAPABILITY 132
What You Don’t Know That You Don’t Know 133
The Other Side of the Mountain 134
- CHANGES AND TRANSITIONS 135
Life in the 21st Century 135
Family Calendar 136
The Two-Minute Warning 137
Vacations and Special Events 137
Creating Multiple Futures 138
- COMMUNICATION 139
Communication Styles 139
Visual Communication 141
Visual Speaking 141
Visual Listening 141
What Women Want 142
Non-verbal Communication 142
Eye Contact 143
- CONVERSATION 145
GREETINGS 145
GOOD-BYES 145
SMALLTALK 146
- EMPATHY AND RAPPORT 147
Match & Mirror: Posture 148
Match & Mirror: Gestures 148
Match & Mirror: Breathing 149
Matching Language Patterns 149
- RELATIONSHIPS 151
Focus and Attention 151
Energy Drain 151
Setting Boundaries 152
Respect for All 152
- CLASS PARTICIPATION 153
- PUBLIC SPEAKING 154
BE PREPARED 154
EMBRACE THE EVENT 154
FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING 154
Rapport in Speaking 155
Bring Your Audience to You 155
- COLLABORATION 157
Self-Expression 157
Respectful Listening 158
Critical Thinking 158
Problem Solving (Synergy) 158
Record-Keeping 158
- LEADERSHIP 160
- ON THE PLAYGROUND 161
LACK OF STRUCTURE 161
LACK OF SUPERVISION 161
COMPETITION 161
AGGRESSION 161
- CITIZENSHIP 163
APENDIX A: EIGHT PROFILES OF THE ADHD/AUTISM
SPECTRUM 164
Type-1: ADHD-Impulsive 167
Type-2: ADHD-Inattentive 168
Type-3: PDD-NOS (Reactive) 168
Type-4: Sensory Processing Disorder (Sensory-Avoider) 169
Type-5: PDD-NOS (Responsive) 170
Type-6: Sensory Processing Disorder (Sensory-Seeker) 170
Type-7: Aspergers Syndrome 171
Type-8: Autism (classic) 172
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) 173
Summary of Sensory Profiles 174
APENDIX B: MELTDOWNS & SHUTDOWNS 175
Prevention 175
Intervention 176
Interruption 177
APENDIX C: APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 180
SUMMARY 182
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 183
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 185
INDEX 188
55 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM is your complete guide to assisting students on the Autism Spectrum.
55 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM not only helps prepare your student for the classroom but for life.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF 55 ESSENTIAL SKILLS (ebook) today and we'll include a Sensory Evaluation and email consultation ($69.95 value) at no additional cost!