Yet another winning idea from Paula Kluth's Differentiation Daily and Funky in First blog:
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Story Map Anchor Chart
Yet another winning idea from Paula Kluth's Differentiation Daily and Funky in First blog:
Learning To Love, And Be Loved, With Autism
I have been meaning to post this piece featured on NPR, that you may have already heard/read featuring two teenagers with Asperger's talking about their experience of pursuing a romantic relationship with each other.
Story Synopsis:
It is taking a huge risk to let the New York Times reveal in its pages the minute and most personal details of your love life. And the reason the Times even cares to write about the relationship you're in, it's not because you're running for office or because you're a movie star. It's because you are a teenager who has Asperger's syndrome. And by the way, the other person in your relationship is also a teenager with Asperger's syndrome.
Teenagers Jack Robison, who is 19, and Kirsten Lindsmith, who is 18, took that risk. They told their story to writer Amy Harmon of the New York Times, and the risk was worth taking.
"Inside voice, Outside Voice"...
Big thanks as always to Paula Kluth's awesome blog: Differentiation Daily; chock full of ideas, strategies, materials and more for inclusion of the wide variety of learners we know!
I posted the link to this idea (and thanks to Mrs. Johnson's post with the idea and image) for a visual to pair with what is oh so often heard in the halls of our schools; whether its "Use an indoor voice" or "You can use a 1 voice when writing..."
Enjoy.
Monday, February 20, 2012
From Another's Perspective
Although this story is not about a person with Autism, it caught my interest and I'm sharing it here as it is about a person who discusses what it is like to be expected to have the same interests as those that he is not part of the community of with in a candid way that deepened my understanding of assumptions that are made about what is important to know about.
Canadian author and English professor who started going blind in his late teens about what it's like to lose one of your senses.
Guest: Ryan Knighton
Guest: Ryan Knighton
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Early diagnosis of autism - New brain research
Recently, in the Cell Press journal Current Biology, researchers presented preliminary evidence that suggests that direct brain measures might help to predict the future development of autism symptoms in infants as young as six months. This research team looked at 6-10 month old babies at risk of developing autism because they had an older sibling with autism. Using passive sensors placed on the scalp, they measured brain activity while the babies viewed faces that switched from looking at them to looking away. Researchers suggest that "the brains of babies of infants who will go on to develop autism already process social information in a different way". Read more about this research study here.
Squag: Social Media Space for ASD Tweens & Teens
Squag is a new social media space with a difference, developed for tweens and younger teens with autism. The user, called a Squagger, begins using Squag by interacting with his or hew own "Squagspace" (designed to look like a room) with content -- photos, videos, and messages. Eventually, when a particular Squagger is ready, as determined by their parent or adult caregiver, one Squagger is matched with another, and they can interact. It's like having an electronic pen pal. Squaggers only interact with other squaggers, and since the platform is currently in beta testing, the ability to match Squaggers currently is not available. Want to find out more information about this new social media space? Read an interview with Sara Winter, Squag's founder, here.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Preparing for Adulthood
Prolific writer, Michelle Garcia Winner, is at it again!
Last week, Michelle posted an article on her website focused on our older students. The title of her article is, "Adults: Becoming Directors of Their Own Treatment Teams and Treatment Plans - Evolving ideas for working with adults and high school teams helping to prepare students for adulthood".
Ever the helpful person, Michelle's article includes tools that teams can use to move in the direction of having adults and older students more actively direct their treatment teams and plans. I have always been a big proponent of self-directed IEPs for ALL STUDENTS. The tools in Michelle's article will assist in accomplishing this goal. You may also use access the article and its tools through PDF format (more printer friendly), which is linked at the end of the document.
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