Contributors to this volume bring decades of classroom experience to bear on questions such as: How do we design assignments that encourage students with ASD to play to their strengths as they work to improve their writing?; how can administrators support students with ASD in writing classes?; and how should composition instructors interpret reports of research on ASD and writing? The overarching theme of the essays is that ASD extends an invitation to college composition instructors to craft a learning environment that better serves all students.

Children with autism spectrum disorders are increasingly being educated in inclusive general education classrooms. For optimal results, teachers need to know as much as possible about autism and the teaching methods and modifications that work best for these students. This is a huge undertaking for time-crunched general education teachers, many of whom may never have had a student with autism before. Now teachers can turn to "Autism in Your Classroom" for the information and guidance they need. Written by two neuropsychologists with extensive clinical and classroom experience, this new book is a concise, easy-to-read guide developed for primary school teachers. Part I provides a complete overview of the types, causes, characteristics, and treatments of autism spectrum disorders. It also explains various secondary characteristics of autism that create challenges for students, such as sensory abnormalities, behavioural issues, and limited social skills and peer interaction. Part II focuses on the student in the classroom: It covers a variety of strategies to manage learning and behaviour, such as: Modifying classwork and homework; Helping with language difficulties; Using visual strategies; Keeping students focused and organised; Teaching reading and math; Using positive reinforcement and rewards; Handling challenging behaviour; Explaining autism to other students; Teaching social skills in the classroom; Balancing the needs of typical and special students. Part III features two useful case studies. Both stem from the authors' hands-on work and consultation with teachers, students, and parents. The book concludes with an appendix of frequently asked questions about children with autism asked by educators.

When it comes to academic work, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have the required knowledge but struggle to get their thoughts down in writing. This is a practical guide to teaching and improving writing skills in students with ASD to meet academic writing standards and prepare for the increased expectations of higher education. The book covers key considerations for all educators teaching writing skills to high school and college students with ASD including how to address difficulties with comprehension, executive functioning, and motor skills, how to structure ideas into a coherent argument, and how to develop creativity and expression in writing, as well as how to successfully adapt these skills to meet university expectations. Each chapter includes teaching tips, insightful student perspectives, and ready-to-use writing exercises.

With 1 in 59 children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), odds are that students on the spectrum will be in many classrooms across every subject area.Seeing the Spectrum argues that secondary English teachers are uniquely equipped to prepare students with autism for future success, both in school and in life. Writing for preservice and current English language arts teachers, Robert Rozema offers practical, evidenced-based strategies for teaching literature, informational texts, writing, and communication to students on the spectrum. These strategies are appropriate for inclusive classrooms with both neurotypical students and students with autism. The final chapter includes a complete unit plan on Of Mice and Men, illustrating how curriculum focused on commonly taught literary works can be reimagined to accommodate the needs and draw on the strengths of students on the spectrum. “I appreciate this book. I appreciate the gift Robert Rozema has given me. My thinking and teaching will now be more diverse, more consciously competent, more compassionate, and therefore more vital.” —From the Foreword by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, distinguished professor of English Education, Boise State University, and author of “You Gotta BE the Book” “Seeing the Spectrum examines real young people and daily classroom interactions to help teachers better understand the mental and emotional processing of their autistic spectrum students and devise assignments to scaffold their success. Rozema knows what matters in English: reading literature, developing empathy, understanding complex ideas and interpersonal relationships, writing to express complicated ideas. The diverse tools, strategies, and ideas he describes foster inclusiveness, compassion, and success for all students.” —Allen Webb, professor of English, Western Michigan University

Thousands of edcuators have turned to You're Going to Love This Kid! for fresh ways to welcome and teach students with autism; and now the book teachers trust is fully revised and more practical than ever. Gathering feedback from teachers across the US during her popular workshops, autism expert Paula Kluth targeted this second edition to the specific needs of today's primary- and secondary-school educators. Still packed with the ready-to-use tips and strategies that teachers are looking for, the new edition gives readers: dozens of NEW reproducible forms, checklists, and planning tools; photos of curricular adaptations, sensory supports and classroom scenes; throughly revised and updated chapters on today's hottest topics; a study guide with challenging discussion questions for each chapter; and new ideas throughout the book based on the latest reasearch on autism, inclusion, literacy, and behaviour. Readers will also get updates on all of the other topics covered in the first edition, including fostering friendships, building communication skills, planning challenging and multidimensional lessons, and adapting the curriculum and the physical environment. And with the new first-person stories from people with autism and their teachers and parents, readers will have a better understanding of students on the spectrum and how to include them successfully.

This book provides an extensive overview of curricula and instructional strategies for teaching children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It offers an empirically solid framework for designing and developing interventions for learners along the autism spectrum by reducing skill deficits and enhancing learner strengths while being flexible enough to allow for individual differences. The book discusses key concepts in educating individuals with ASD as they impact the processes of syllabus building, from planning goals and objectives to generating content choosing appropriate teaching strategies, and assessing progress. Chapters detail curriculum designs in academic areas such as language skills, science, and social studies, as well as functional skills, including independent living, career development, and preventing social victimization. The book concludes with recommendations for future interventions and curricula-building. Among the topics covered: Communication and autism spectrum disorder. Mathematical problem-solving instruction for students with ASD. Visual arts curriculum for students with ASD. How to build programs focused on daily living and adult independence. Sexuality education for students with ASD. Curricula for Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, graduate students, and clinicians and related therapists and professionals in clinical child and school psychology, childhood/special education, social work, developmental psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, and child and adolescent psychiatry.

A parent-friendly book, made especially so because it is written by parents who also are autism professionals, that takes the fear and mystery out of the college experience.