What's the difference? : building on autism strengths, skills, and talents in your classroom

Summary: "What's the difference between teaching our students and our autistic students? Not much. This practical book argues that all students are unique. It focuses on integrating teaching autistic students into the teaching practice of the whole class. Based on extensive classroom experience, this highly readable book is full of anecdotes about engaged students growing in their learning. Lesson plans and checklists throughout the book help teachers get to know autistic students and help them with school work, emotional regulation, communication, socializing, and staying safe. This timely book champions getting rid of labels so teachers can know every student as an individual."--

Record details

ISBN: 9781551383484 (softcover)
Physical Description: print
124 pages ; 28 cm
Publisher: Markham, Ontario : Pembroke Publishers, [2021]
Copyright: ©2021

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographic references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Introduction -- 1. Preparing for Autistic Students. Autism as a Way of Being -- Your Autism Vocabulary List -- Neurodiversity Is Cool! -- One for All and All for One -- The Physical Classroom -- Schoolwork -- The Teacher -- What Do I Do on the First Day? -- Parents as Partners -- Lesson Plan: Introduction to Autism -- Introductory Activity: KWL Chart -- Empathy Activity: Experiencing -- Information Activity: Book Discussion -- Sharing Activity: Revisiting KWL -- 2. Getting to Know Autistic Students. When You've Met One Autistic Person, You've Met One Autistic Person -- There's Only One Way to Tie Shoes -- My Clothes are Too Itchy -- Seeing -- Hearing -- Touch -- Smelling and Tasting -- Unidentified or Combined Sensory Issues -- There's Too Much or Too Little Going On -- Overstimulation -- Understimulation -- Lesson Plan: Getting to Know Your Students -- I Like... Activity -- I Like... Art Activity -- 3. Helping Autistic Students Do Schoolwork. Unlocking the Walls -- Follow the IEP -- Individualized Modifications -- Everything About Penguins -- But I Don't Need a Calculator -- Pink Polka-Dot Wallpaper in My Virtual Classroom -- Please, Just Read for Five Minutes! -- I Don't Like Looking at Myself on the Screen -- Lesson Plan: Getting Homework Done -- Brainstorming Activity -- Sharing Strategies -- Practicing Strategies -- 4. Helping Autistic Students with Emotional Regulation. But I Wasn't Finished! -- Triggers -- I Just Can't Handle My Life! -- That's Not Rebellion, It's Anxiety -- Breathe In 1-2-3, Breathe Out 1-2-3 -- Calming Activities -- You're Important! -- Lesson Plan: Practicing Emotional Regulation -- Review Emotional Regulation Strategies -- Role Play -- 5. Helping Autistic Students with Communication. Communication Detectives -- Problems with Communication -- Who Needs Words? -- Going Low-Tech -- Sign Language -- Using Pictures -- First/Then Board -- Going High-Tech -- That's Funny Because... -- Lesson Plan: Different Ways of Communicating -- Charades -- Pictionary -- Sign Language -- Discuss Nonverbal Communication -- 6. Helping Autistic Students Socialize. Hey, This is Not the Autism Class! -- No, a Social Story is Not About Dating (Although it Could Be) -- Let's Be Friends! -- Taking Turns -- Conversation -- Fostering Friendship -- Peer Groups Are Great! -- Peer Groups of Autistic Students -- Mixed Peer Groups -- What About Eye Contact? -- Field Trips to the Grocery Store -- I Want to Be an Astronaut -- Lesson Plan: Friends -- How to Be a Friend -- 7. Helping Autistic Students Stay Safe. Help! She's Running Away! -- Bullying Is So Old! -- The Bullied -- The Bully -- Things They Don't Teach You in Teachers' College -- Students Who Self-Harm -- Students Who Harm Others -- Students Who Engage in Sexual Touching -- Autistic Burnout Is a Thing -- Lesson Plan: Calming Challenging Behaviors -- Learn to Defuse -- Make Tableaux -- Last Words: Worth It All -- Acknowledgments -- Professional Resources -- References -- Recommended Resources -- Children's Books -- Novels -- Biographies/Autobiographies -- Nonfiction -- Online Resources -- Organizations.