Forest School's innovative outdoor approach offers specific benefits to learners with autism, including increased social skills, raised self-esteem and improved sensory function. This guide raises autism awareness amongst practitioners by providing practical and easy-to-follow advice for adapting Forest School activities for those with autism. For those coming from a mainstream Forest School background, the author offers an introduction to autism and shows what Forest School can offer people with autism – both children and adults – with first-person accounts that highlight its success with this group. The guide gives advice on the social and sensory benefits, offers practical advice on safety and on how to set up a Forest School and finally presents specific activities to be incorporated into practitioners' routines.
Finalist in the Professional Books category of the 2018 Nursery World Awards. This accessible guide shows early years professionals how to create safe, supportive environments for young children who have encountered adverse childhood experiences. Explaining the impact of trauma on young brains, it gives practical instructions on how to recognise and respond to abuse. These instructions are supported by exercises, case studies, and reflection points that help you identify and improve your methods. Current legislation, policy and procedure are clarified in clear, concise language, providing you with everything you'll need to work with your team towards a happier, safer future for the children in your care.
If a grownup you love has bipolar disorder, what does that mean? In this friendly guide, 11-year-old Josh tells all about his dad's bipolar, including what mental illness is, and how it can affect patients and their families. The guide explains in child-friendly terms how different types of bipolar affect people's feelings and behaviour. It is a comforting book that prepares young readers for the hard parts of knowing someone with bipolar, while communicating that bipolar is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Providing an excellent starting point for discussion both at home and in the classroom, it also includes a helpful list of recommended sources for additional support.
People with autism are at a higher risk of having additional medical conditions, so increased care should be taken to ensure any other needs are detected early and effectively managed. This book is the perfect aid for doing so, providing detailed information on the range of possible further conditions, including epilepsy, eating disorders or genetic conditions. Written for both parents and practitioners, including students, it shows how these medical conditions can be identified, and explains the range of possible treatments that are available that may improve the quality of life of the affected person.
When a practitioner can tell and read stories well, it is proven to significantly improve young children's early communication and literacy. In this easy-to-read and essential guide, storytelling trainer Mary Medlicott gives professionals the tools to get the best out of oral storytelling and story-reading sessions, with management, performance and language techniques. Included are examples of stories and post-story activities that are most successful with children of ages 2 to 5. Medlicott shows how to prepare for the session, spark children's imagination with props, voices and facial expressions, and encourage empathy with thoughtful use of language and variety. Importantly, she gives practical advice on how to cater for all learning needs, such as children with hearing impairment or learning difficulties, and children who are learning English as a second language.
College students with autism can face many difficulties during the transition from high school to further education and beyond. Highlighting the various everyday issues that may arise, this book shares practical advice for supporting students on the autism spectrum and helping them to succeed not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. From supporting students with their relationships, to dealing with anxiety and managing independent living, this book covers a breadth of topics. It considers the impact of teaching expectations in higher learning on general adult life, and how to counsel students with autism on academic issues. The author also examines his many years of experience as a community college counselor, sharing the mistakes he has made and the lessons learned, to outline what makes a good counselor and how to take specific steps to ensure success for students with autism in all aspects of college life.
Introducing a Social Theatre™, this book provides guidance on how to deliver fun and transformative activities to develop social skills in teenagers and children. Drawing on ideas from Social Thinking®, CBT, mindfulness and assertiveness training this book develops games, skits and short plays which can be adapted to suit children and teenagers including those who are gifted, typical, and those with mild to moderate cognitive abilities. These activities will help participants become more assertive and flexible as well as improving confidence, focus and self-esteem. Social Theatre™ can be used in small groups, in class or throughout the school, as well as in group therapy sessions. It provides a new and inclusive way to teach social skills and collaborative learning and is especially useful for those with anxiety, ADHD and ASD.
Dyslexic learner and teacher Alais Winton shows the positives of being dyslexic, and makes learning (and even spelling!) fun, with games and activities to make school learning simple. An inventive and practical book for children aged 7 to 13 who have been identified as having dyslexic tendencies, this book contains practical and creative activities for kids and teens to use, such as Spelling Sculptures and Hear it, Sing it, Beat it! The games and activities use the four different learning styles that work best with dyslexics – thinking in pictures, in movement, in music or socially. With funny cartoons, which appeal to visual thinkers, and a section with advice on how parents and guardians can aid learning, this is an essential toolkit for any dyslexic child.
For professionals who work with students on the autism spectrum in inclusive classroom settings, supporting emotional regulation is key. This practical guide outlines cognitive and language strategies that support emotional regulation, which the authors have found successful with their students with autism, supported by research that shows why they work. The focus in this book is on the emotional state of the child as opposed to controlling behaviours. The guidelines and strategies provided help students with prediction and make the expectations of them clear, empowering children by giving them choices. Examples of how to use each strategy are given, alongside tips for application. The book also includes sample goals for regulation, information on therapy techniques that work and a 'cheat sheet' overview of the strategies, creating a clear and concise guide to engaging and enhancing learning in the classroom.
Helping young people with anxiety learn to recognise and manage their symptoms, this anxiety survival guide teaches young people aged 10+ how they can overcome their biggest worries. Showing that anxiety is a normal human emotion that many people face, this book helps young people understand the ins and outs of their own anxiety and helps them to challenge the difficult patterns they may get into. Co-written with a college student who has experienced anxiety herself, it is a relatable and straightforward guide. As well as providing tried-and-tested advice and exercises that are proven to reduce feelings of anxiety, it includes recovery stories from young people who have managed their symptoms successfully. With practical chapters on sleep, exam stress, transitions, and seeking extra help, this is a go-to guide for any tween, teen or young person living with anxiety.