Teenagers and older children on the autistic spectrum are, like the rest of us, surrounded by complex social codes and rules that govern everyday interaction. Interpreting these and reading social cues such as sarcasm, idioms and body language often presents a real challenge, but this book of realistic and thought-provoking stories can help. Designed with both parent and child in mind, every story outlines a real-life situation that young people on the spectrum are likely to encounter. Each of these is followed with questions such as 'what else might he have done?', 'how do you think she felt?' and 'why do you think they were upset?', along with practical tips for parents on how to facilitate constructive discussions. As children consider these questions with adults, they begin to put themselves into someone else's shoes and are encouraged to think about how their actions and behaviour may affect those around them, gaining invaluable skills and understanding that will be transferable to everyday life situations. Packed with 60 stories exploring real-life situations, this book will be an essential tool for parents, caregivers, teachers, and anyone else wishing to enable young people on the autistic spectrum to improve their social skills.

Presents storys outlining real-life situations that young people on the autism spectrum may encounter and provides tips for parents on initiating the discussions.

Making new friends at work can be tricky - it's tough to predict how people will react to certain situations. This 'choose your own response' book can show you how these situations could potentially play out. Some endings are positive and some less so, and the book includes explanations about why particular outcomes may have occurred, so you can learn to avoid those situations. The best part is you can go back and see how a different choice can change the outcome of the story!

This book provides an overview of systematic instructional strategies and is written in a format so that teachers and other service providers can immediately put the information to use. It specifically focuses upon systematic instruction for individuals with disabilities (school age and adults) and is generic across age groups as well as disability labels. The book focuses on improving instructional practices for students and adults with disabilities. Practitioners may understand the importance of placing individuals in different settings (e.g., inclusive classrooms, supported employment sites) but not understand how to improve their skills once they are in that setting. This book is intended to give teachers and other service providers the instructional skills for improving the skills of the individuals that they are serving. The most unique feature of the text is that it is written specifically for practitioners in the field (teachers and adult service providers) as well as those in training rather than being written for other academics. An advantage of this book is that those preparing teachers and others can easily use it in methods courses as it covers instructional methodology that is seldom covered in detail in most texts. College instructors will find the book a good choice for their classes based upon: the consistent format throughout the book; the “readability” of the book for students; the comprehensive coverage of systematic instruction; and the direct applicability to applied settings. Others providing instruction, supervision, and training to direct service providers will find this book useful, such as those working in schools as well as those in transition and adult service settings.

Containing life-changing strategies and solutions, this book will enable everyone who knows, lives with or works with an individual with autism to achieve a positive relationship that fosters cooperation and mutual respect. The author has dedicated over 20 years to studying, observing and implementing communication strategies that help him, his wife, their three children and his clients experience positive relationships. His immediate family are all on the autism spectrum and they work together to understand one another, resolve misunderstandings, and help each other feel important, loved and respected. Sharing their inspirational personal experiences and interweaving every chapter with practical hints and tips, the book looks at how to get communication working for everyone and emphasizes the importance of laying down ground rules and building confidence. This book will be essential reading for family, friends and professionals who wish to communicate more effectively with those on the autism spectrum.

Encouraging people on the autism spectrum to foster positive emotions and character traits can dramatically improve their lives in every way, and help to strengthen their ability to cope with everyday challenges and setbacks. Drawing on the key concepts of positive psychology, this book looks in detail at five positive character traits - resilience, optimism, humor, kindness, and self-efficacy - and offer tried and tested strategies for bolstering each strength in individuals with ASD. The authors provide rich and varied lesson plans which contain a multitude of activities designed to build on the five areas identified, and which can be easily implemented at home, at school, or in the community. This complete "toolkit" provides parents, educators and other professionals with everything they need to know to use positive psychology strategies to support people of all ages and abilities on the autism spectrum.

If your child finds talking to people a struggle, this is the book to get the conversation started. In this hands-on guide, Heather Jones offers practical advice, born of experience with her own son, which will help you teach your child the principles of communication. Full of strategies and examples, it shows how you can allay fears, build confidence and teach your child to enjoy conversation. Once a child gets used to talking with other people, many life skills can develop more easily as they grow up – from making friends and shopping for themselves, to being interviewed and eventually getting a job. This handy book provides guidance and inspiration to parents, teachers and anyone else who cares for a child who finds language and comprehension difficult.