February Positively Autism Newsletter

February Newsletter Topic: Transitioning to New Places

Last month, Positively Autism focused on helping children with autism transition more easily between activities. This month, we are continuing to focus on transition, but with a slightly different topic. We'll be sharing tips and resources to help your child or students with autism to transition to new places, such as:

• A new school,  
• A new classroom,
• A new church or place of worship,
• Places in the community (such as stores, libraries, and movie theaters)
• Etc.

Articles and Tips

Planning for Successful Transitions Across Grade Levels - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/planning-for-successful-transitions.html

A Transitions Box for a Child with Autism - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-transitions-box-for-child-with-autism.html

Preparing a Child with Autism for Attending or Hosting a Birthday Party - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/preparing-child-with-autism-for.html

How to Prepare Your Autistic Child for a Change in Routine - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-to-prepare-your-autistic-child-for.html

Tips for Transition Between Schools - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/tips-for-transition-between-schools.html


Social Stories to Help Transitions

"Let's Go Grocery Shopping" Social Story - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/lets-go-grocery-shopping-social-story.html

Social Story for Preparing for a Doctor Visit - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/social-story-for-preparing-for-doctor.html

Going to the Library Resource Kit - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/going-to-library-resource-kit.html

"Going to a Movie Theater" Social Story - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2014/02/going-to-movie-theater-social-story.html

February 2014 Positive Autism Media Stories

Autism: A New Cultural Competency
February 11, 2014
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-stillman/autism-a-new-cultural-com_b_4761697.html

Autistic Twins Take to the Court, and Lead Team to Win
February 13, 2014
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fifteen-year-old-twins-with-autism-take-to-the-court-and-lead-team-to-win/

Start-up Opens Digital Door for Students with Autism
February 17, 2014
http://articles.philly.com/2014-02-17/news/47382285_1_life-skills-students-digital-skills

Necklaces Inspired by Boy with Autism Go Worldwide
February 23, 2014
http://www.ktvb.com/on-tv/sevens-hero/Necklaces-inspired-by-autistic-boy-go-worldwide-246811011.html

Thrift Store's Success Creates Jobs for Those with Autism
February 24, 2014
http://www.wral.com/new-thrift-store-employs-those-with-autism/13422777/

Ex-MSU Hoops Player Talks About Overcoming Autism, Bullies
February 24, 2014
http://www.macombdaily.com/social-affairs/20140224/ex-msu-hoops-player-talks-about-overcoming-autism-bullies

"Going to a Movie Theater" Social Story

A short story with words and pictures and what to expect when seeing a movie at a theater. http://www.pathfindersforautism.org/docs/Theater_SOCIAL_STORY.pdf

Going to the Library Resource Kit

Includes a Social Story, library vocabulary flash cards, and a library visual schedule. Use these resources to prepare for a library visit to check out books or library activities, such as story time. 

http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/LibraryResourceKit.pdf

Tips for Transition Between Schools

Tips from parents and the Ambitions About Autism website: http://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/page/about_autism/support/transition/between_schools/tips.cfm

Going to the Library Resource Kit

Includes a Social Story, library vocabulary flash cards, and a library visual schedule. Use these resources to prepare for a library visit to check out books or library activities, such as story time.

http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/LibraryResourceKit.pdf

Social Story for Preparing for a Doctor Visit

Helping a child know what to expect in a new location, such as doctor's office, may help ease anxiety about the new place. Reading a story about visiting the doctor, such as the free story from Positively Autism, can give a child an idea of what will happen.

"Going to the Doctor" Story - http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/DoctorVisit_Story.pdf

More doctor books and activities - http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/unit_doctordentist.html

"Let's Go Grocery Shopping" Social Story

This story can be used to preview what will happen on a grocery shopping trip. Students review it before going out. The story can be printed, so that students can also refer to it in other places away from the computer. The book is also an example of using local photos to prepare a student for an outing.

You can cut and paste to add your own pictures and remove pictures you don't need.

http://www.setbc.org/pictureset/resource.aspx?id=263

How to Prepare Your Autistic Child for a Change in Routine

Children with autism appreciate sameness and routine so going someplace new is not only scary, but also traumatic to them. How can you ease your child into going to a new place? I have a few solutions to this issue that comes up often as your child with autism grows. Over time, autistic children do better with this but you will find those early years, your child with autism may have a hard time going to new places.

Read more: http://voices.yahoo.com/how-prepare-autistic-child-change-in-3334928.html?cat=25

Preparing a Child with Autism for Attending or Hosting a Birthday Party

Help a child with autism know what to expect at birthday parties with this visual schedule and social stories. Reviewing a schedule and reading stories can help a child know what behaviors are expected and what may take place at these events.

 Available in PDF and PowerPoint.

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdaySocialStory1.pdf

 

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdaySocialStory3.pdf

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdaySocialStory2.pdf

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdayVocabulary.pdf

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdayVerbs.pdf

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdayPinata.pdf

http://www.positivelyautism.com/free/BirthdayPinTail.pdf

A Transitions Box for a Child with Autism

 

A clever strategy for making a child with autism feel comfortable in a new Sunday school. Could easily be adapted for use in classrooms and other settings.

 

http://theinclusivechurch.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/creating-a-transitions-box-for-a-child-with-special-needs/

 

Planning for Successful Transitions Across Grade Levels

Transition is a natural part of all educational programs. Students with and without disabilities must adjust to changes in teachers, classmates, schedules, buildings and routines. The transition from one grade to the next can be especially challenging for a student on the autism spectrum (ASD). However, these students can make this shift more easily with careful planning and preparation.

http://support.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/Transition_Across_Grade_Levels.pdf?docID=10621

February Newsletter Topic: Transitioning to New Places

Last month, Positively Autism focused on helping children with autism transition more easily between activities. This month, we are continuing to focus on transition, but with a slightly different topic. We'll be sharing tips and resources to help your child or students with autism to transition to new places, such as:

• A new school,
• A new house,
• A new classroom,
• A new church or place of worship,
• Etc.

Make sure you've sign-up for our free monthly newsletter to get all the info! http://www.positivelyautism.com/signup/