Recently, someone posted about the lovely way that they administer the construction task. They asked about how I do it. I said, “I don’t do anything particularly interesting.” That is not a criticism of myself, it’s a truism but it … Read More
The ADOS is more than an assessment, it’s a rich source of information that can help plan and provide support for autistic individuals. To use the ADOS or not? The ADOS has come under increasing scrutiny as we learn more … Read More
Reasons why transitions are so hard for autistic young people & what helps: What is a Transition? A transition is a change from one state, situation, place, etc., to another. Transitions often involve uncertainty, e.g., not knowing exactly what will … Read More
Autism and school attendance: Case Study Situation: Jack is in Year 5 and his school attendance is 50%. When his parents bring him in, he is crying, he won’t let go of them, they have to carry him in, he … Read More
Things to Consider Before Referral: It is not a small or an easy decision to refer your child for autism assessment, and if parents decide to get their child formally assessed, this is one of many choices they face. For … Read More
Assessing Autistic Girls: A Common Situation Many parents contact me to find out more about assessment for their daughters and they express concerns that professionals will not recognise masking, that they will not see any differences because their daughters are … Read More
Self-harm is an extremely difficult, emotive topic, that is very distressing for parents. It is also a topic that is unfortunately quite common working with autistic young people. Autistica estimate that up to 50% of autistic people have self-harmed. (https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/anxiety-and-autism-hub/self-harm-and-autism) … Read More
Simple classroom adaptations to support autistic young people and their attention & listening and to help finish curriculum tasks. Seating: talk to the student to find the best place for them to sit in lessons, this might be at the … Read More
Simple adaptations for young people who might be autistic but don’t have a formal diagnosis in the classroom to support attention & listening and to help finish curriculum tasks. Give students enough time to process and understand what you said. … Read More
Tips to help support students who might be autistic but do not have a formal diagnosis. Simple adaptations in the classroom to support accessing whole class, group, and partner work. 1. Partner work: Craig Goodall (2018) researched autistic young people’s … Read More