People First Education ASD, ADHD and Dyslexia Updates

Correct Date For Cheltenham Dyslexia Training

2012-02-21T09:58:00.002Z

Please note the correct date for Dyslexia Training at the Big Sleep in Cheltenham is:

Wednesday 25th April

Thank you

The Dyslexia Team

Teaching Young People to Understand and Respond to Feelings

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000Z

Young people often struggle not only with understanding their feelings, but also relating to other people’s feelings. These skills are critical for personal well being and building relationships. This post includes steps for teaching children to understand and manage their feelings as well as identify and respond to other people’s feelings.

1. Identifying Feelings – Teach children to recognise when they have a specific feeling. Whether happy, sad, or angry the first step in coping with a feeling is identifying it. Help children identify feelings by discussing emotions when they occur. If a child is angry say, “I see you are angry. You have your arms crossed and are stamping your feet.” Another tool is to role play times when specific emotions surface. Use novel examples as well as recent experiences for the child. Discuss and write about different feelings in a feelings journal. Use the journal to write about events and the emotions, responses, and consequences the events elicited.

2. Planning for Strong Feelings – Help children cope with intense feelings by creating coping strategies. Have a quiet place for children to take a break when angry or sad. Give children tools and teach them how and when to use them such as a stress ball or a trampoline. These tools help children release energy in a positive way. Encourage children to use words or write about their feelings. Establish a phrase the child can use to remove themselves from stressful or upsetting situations. The phrase gives children a way to politely excuse themselves, regain control, and then return to the situation. Select a short phrase that can be used in a variety of situations such as, “Excuse me. I need a minute to think.”

3. Recognising Other People’s Feelings – Learning to empathize with other people and respond appropriately to another person’s feelings, is an important skill for building relationships. Show pictures and drawings or role play situations to discuss the words, body language, and experiences that indicate a person’s feelings. When discussing a child’s own feelings, incorporate the concept that peers and adults have similar feelings in the same situation. This helps children develop empathy. Read stories where characters experience events that are happy, sad, surprising, or frustrating. Discuss why the characters felt the way they did and what they said or did to indicate their feelings.

4. Responding to Other People’s Feelings – Not only do children have to identify other people’s feelings, but they also need to learn how to respond when someone is angry, sad, or excited. Teach children appropriate responses through role play and reviewing past events. Discuss how different people in the role play feel, how their body language and words show their feelings, and the best response for the situation. Also discuss how the child would feel if this happened to them and how they would like other people to respond. This helps children learn to empathise with other people.

Teaching Young People to Practice Acts of Kindness

2012-01-25T07:54:00.000Z

Being kind to other people and yourself is important for being a good friend and being happy. Modeling kindness, reflecting on kind actions, and practicing acts of kindness can help children develop this skill. This article includes strategies for helping children learn to be kind to other people and to themselves.

1. Be a Role Model – When adults say unkind things about other people or themselves, children learn this is acceptable behavior. Be a role model and say kind things about co-workers, neighbours, people in the community, and yourself.

2. Use Lists – Have children write lists or make collages representing what they like about their friends, family members, and people in the school. Hang the lists or art projects where classmates and friends can see them. Have a separate activity where children make a parallel list or art project that includes things they do well and why they are a good person.

3. Read and Write Stories – Read stories about kindness and respect in school and at home. Discuss how being kind makes the characters feel. Ask children to share times when they were kind and times when people were nice to them. Also encourage children to write stories about being kind to other people.

4. Practice and Discuss Small Acts of Kindness – In addition to having children write and say things that are kind, have them practice little acts of kindness. Teach children to help other people in day to day situations such as when someone needs help carrying an item, they can’t reach something, or they drop an item. Create a set of pictures or make short stories with opportunities for small acts of kindness. Encourage children to role play what they would do to be helpful in these situations.

5. Learning to Do Kind Things for Yourself – encourage children to write or create a collage about things they like to do or activities that make them feel good about themselves. Discuss how taking time to participate in these activities can make them feel better and decrease stress.

6. Pick a Cause or Charity – A long term investment in a volunteer or charity activity teaches children that even a small amount of time and energy makes a big difference. First create a list of volunteer opportunities then let the class or family select an activity to join. Whether it is collecting food for a food bank, donating toys, or cleaning up a community area, these activities demonstrate how working collaboratively with other people can make a big difference. Discuss or have children keep a journal about the experience. Ask them to include how they felt and how they think the people benefitting from their time and effort felt.

Helping Children Develop Friendships

2012-01-11T10:26:00.000Z

Parents and professionals often struggle with helping children learn to be good friends or to understand the complexities of social interactions. Below are a number of strategies that can help children develop friendships.

1. Get Involved – Participate in community sports teams, art programs, and special events. These are wonderful opportunities for children to engage in structured activities with peers. For children with special needs, communities increasingly are offering camps and activities geared towards their specific needs. Ask professionals and support groups for information on these programs or check your community newspapers, centers, and websites. Another great activity, for children who benefit from very direct instruction, is social skills groups. These groups, which are offered in many communities, are a great way for children to develop their social skills in a fun yet structured environment.

2. Leverage the Child’s Interests – If the goal of enrolling a child in a program is to provide opportunities for making friends, look for activities the child enjoys. Some children like the arts while others enjoy sports. If a child is particularly shy, look for activities that initially have less direct contact. Tumbling and swimming are examples of individual sports while soccer and basketball involve more contact with peers. If children start in activities they enjoy, they are more likely to join other programs.

3. Role Play Difficult Skills – Practicing social skills is a way to work on specific aspects of social interactions. For example, if you notice your child stands too close to peers or repeatedly asks the same questions, help them learn about personal space or conversational skills through role play. By practicing these skills in the home, children can learn to improve their social skills and apply them outside the home.

4. Provide Examples – While reading books or watching television, explain social situations to children. Point out how helping others, using kind words, and listening when friends talk are ways to be a good friend. When characters are being hurtful or invading someone’s personal space, point these actions out and ask the child what the character could do differently to be a better friend.

5. Model Being Good to Others – Part of being well liked and being a good friend is being kind. Demonstrate kindness by saying nice things about and to others whether they are the grocery store employee or your neighbor. Point out when a co-worker does something thoughtful and how this makes you feel about them. If your child is sympathetic or says something complimentary, tell them their actions made you happy.

6. Do Not Force Friendships – Just like adults, children get along better with some peers than others. Teaching children to be kind and to include everyone in activities is important, but they do not have to be best friends with everyone.

Strategies for Returning to School after the Christmas Break

2012-01-06T08:17:00.000Z

The transition from a break back to school can be difficult for children. Professionals and parents can make the return easier with a few simple strategies.

1. Review Classroom Rules and School Policies - One of the first things to do when children return to school is to review all of the classroom and school rules. Time spent focusing on classroom structure and schedules can reduce problems later. Remind children of expectations for how to treat classmates, complete work, and follow schedules. Remind children of any reward system and let them know where rules are displayed and who to ask if there are questions about the rules.

2. Introduce Any Changes – Clearly explain any changes that have happened since the break. Examples are staff changes, schedule changes, or even room arrangements that may surprise children. Be sure to indicate how the change affects them. Introducing changes helps prepare children and reduce stress related to new situations.

3. Let Children Play a Role – Children can help review the rules by participating in activities. For example, they can help create a new rules poster by writing or drawing examples of how to follow the rules. Another activity is to assign a rule or school policy to small groups of students and have them write and perform a short play about it. By participating in the process children are reviewing and taking ownership in the rules.

4. Review and Reinforce Repeatedly – Children can be very excited to see friends and be back in school. Be sure to set time aside to review rules repeatedly the first few days back after a break. Children may need extra reminders in written or picture format if they have a hard time remembering specific rules. When children are doing a good job completing work, following a schedule, or acting appropriately, reinforce their behaviour. Clearly indicate what they did correctly so they can continue the behaviour. For example, “James, I like the way you remembered to raise your hand to get my attention.”

5. Keep Everyone Informed – Parents and professionals should make each other aware of changes in settings so children have consistent support and understanding across environments. Professionals should send a set of classroom and school rules home for parents to review with children and prepare them for returning from break. Parents also should be aware of any significant school policy changes or classroom changes. Parents should keep professionals informed of any significant changes at home such as health issues, sleeping changes, or family difficulties that may affect how the child performs in school. Information sharing can ensure children have the understanding and support they need between environments.

Strategies for Challenging Christmas Situations

2011-12-15T11:52:00.000Z

Christmas can be very difficult for children. This article focuses on three challenging areas families face during Christmas: giving and receiving gifts, managing Christmas excitement, and understanding routine changes.

1. Gift Giving and Receiving – The excitement of getting gifts can be overwhelming for children. Help them understand polite giving and receiving of gifts with these strategies.

Involve Children in Giving – Let children help pick out and wrap gifts. By participating in the gift giving process, children become interested in seeing other people’s reaction to the gift. Even young children can choose between two gifts, put a bow or tape on the wrapping paper, and decide where the gift should go under the tree.

Practice Receiving – Role play receiving a gift and thanking someone for it. Make writing thank you cards part of your family routine so children understand how to thank people politely for presents.

2. Christmas Energy – Christmas events often mean sweet foods and late bedtimes. Use the strategies below to manage energy levels and make bedtime successful.

Keep Children Active – Sledging, walking, and playing games outside during the day can help children use their energy in a healthy and positive way. Keep children active during the day so they will be tired at night making bedtime easier.

Limit Sweets – Sweet, biscuits and fizzy pop are prevalent during Christmas. These foods are high in sugar and caffeine. They cause children to be overly active and make falling asleep difficult. Set rules about how much and when these foods can be consumed and provide healthy alternatives.

Stay on a Sleep Routine – Even when children are not in school, a consistent sleep routine is important. Have children wake up and go to bed at a regular time. Plan morning events such as Christmas shopping to motivate children to wake up and get ready for the day.

3. Christmas Routine Changes – Many children benefit from consistent routines and have difficulty with change. Make Christmas routine changes less stressful with these simple tips.

Use Visuals – Have a Christmas calendar that lists events in writing, drawing, or picture format depending on the child’s level. Refer to the calendar to prepare children for the day’s events and help them understand what is going on and when.

Involve Children – Let children add new events to the calendar. If there are important events the family must attend, explain why attending is important. If there are events that are debatable, include children’s input in decisions about attending the event.

Data Protection? Child Protection?

2011-12-02T09:22:00.000Z

Please find below a real email conversation between a Parent and a Head Teacher. It begs the question; Where will it all end?

Please note, any personal data has been removed (irony discuss). We welcome your views.

> Good morning,
> I've just phoned asking if my children could have a class list each as they are planning a little party, also they will soon be writing Christmas cards. I was told that it couldn't be done due to data protection. What data? We know all this information anyway. We just don't want to miss anybody out. Obviously [child in reception] in particular is likely to forget quite a few.
>
> Please tell me this is a mistake. We ask every year and have never been refused before. As I said, there is no data required, just a list of names.
>
> Thank you
>
> Mr YYY

> Good morning Mr YYY,
>
> I am sorry however we will not be giving out class lists. We do not publish class lists in line with school policy which has been reviewed. Some parents do not want their child's information passed on and we also cannot guarantee how information will be used or disposed of.
>
> I am sure you will understand that we have to take every step to ensure the safety of our children and that information is held and used in line with data protection.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Mrs Xxx
>
Dear Mrs Xxx,
I'm sorry, I'm honestly not trying to be difficult, I just don't understand.

I understand that child protection and data protection issues are crucially important. I also understand that people do not like their private details being passed on, although I find it difficult to believe that parents do not want their children's names to be known. What I don't understand is that this is information we already have. All the children know each other's names. Indeed, as a parent of three children at Unnamed School, I know a large amount of children's names. In addition to this, a teacher will, as part of their twice daily routine and legal requirements take a register using the children's names. If we work hard enough on this at home we can compile a Christmas card list and party invitation list from our collective memories.

I'm not asking you to change your mind, we can manage party invitations and Christmas cards by ourselves. However, I would like to make it clear that we do not require any sensitive information, or indeed any information that isn't given out by teachers twice a day to the other children. In fact, we didn't even need surnames.

This is a ludicrously over protective policy which serves only to further the division between school and families and create a lack of community ethos. I have been into assemblies in your school and heard you refer to yourselves as a family. This policy is neither family or community friendly. One has to ask where will this end, should we remove names from coat pegs, perhaps we should blur out the faces on class photos and school website images, perhaps we could give the children numbers instead of names. I note with interest that the school newsletter now only uses first names and initial surname letter (unless of course it is the y4 boys). Perhaps, in line with what appears to be your school policy you could supply a list of names in this format so that children are not overlooked. Incidentally, the school newsletter lacks identity and has no feeling of personality.

My request was intended to save us a little time, ironically it has achieved the exact opposite. More importantly however, it was intended to ensure that we included all the children in our children's classes.

Wishing you very best wishes

Mr YYY

Effective Communication between Home and School: Ideas for Parents and Professionals

2011-11-23T08:36:00.000Z

Parents, teachers, and support staff all have the same goal, a child’s learning, but sometimes communication breakdowns cause inefficiency and disagreement in accomplishing this goal. This article includes ideas for establishing communication systems to make this the best and most effective year yet.

1. Communicate Early – Communicate early either in written form or through a conversation at the beginning of the school year. Early communication sets the stage for year long collaboration by establishing a system and setting expectations.
Professionals – Let parents know classroom expectations, schedules, important dates, and contact information for other professionals working with their child. A classroom information sheet with a handwritten note is a friendly way to start the year.
Parents – Be sure you provide current records and updated information (e.g. phone number and email address) to teachers and therapists. Include any other important information in a letter or email so the professional can refer to it during the year.

2. Have a Consistent System – Establish a communication system that works for both professionals and families. Some people communicate well over email while others like to have printed information in a folder or notebook. Discuss which method works best and stick with it. Providing information back and forth is important for consistency across environments. Use communication systems to discuss how strategies are working and what changes might be helpful.
Professionals – For regular communication use a format that is accessible to all families. For example, have a newsletter or regularly updated website. Include an area in the newsletter for handwritten child-specific comments. Another idea for smaller classrooms is to have daily notes or a journal to send back and forth between school and home. Communication encourages a running dialogue and often results in new information that can translate into effective classroom results.
Parents – Keep professionals up to date about home progress as well as any physical (e.g. child isn’t sleeping well) or emotional (e.g. a pet passed away) changes at home. Often times a child’s personal experiences affect their behaviour and academics. Use the teacher’s preferred communication method (email, note, phone) so they receive the information in a timely fashion.

3. Be Positive – Notes, phone calls, and emails frequently are used for negative rather than positive communication. This can create a situation where parents and professionals prefer not to hear from each other. Keep positive news part of updates. Be sure to highlight progress in difficult areas and note when the child is making progress on a skill. Compliment the other person’s hard work and note when a child is accomplishing goals due to work in other environments.

4. Understand Limitations – People balance professional and personal lives and it is important to respect their time. Busy professionals want updates and information on children, but parents should recognise professionals work with many children. Parents want to work on skills with their child, but they may be busy, need additional resources, or not clearly understand why something is being done. Communicate, have patience, and remember everyone has the same goal.

Ways to Make Day Trips Less Stressful

2011-11-21T18:38:00.001Z

Set expectations - Be sure to let children know what to expect. Clearly tell them, “We are going to the doctor. We will wait in the office and then Dr. Smith will see you. I will be with you if you are afraid or have any questions.” If you are doing more than one thing, let the child know, “We are going to the supermarket, the post office, and then the park.”

Provide support for the child to be successful - Some children benefit from having information in writing or in a drawing format. Reading stories in advance that discuss what is going to happen can reduce anxiety. Images from stories including social Stories provide a way for children to see what is expected of them. Use illustrations and/or words during an event to reassure children.

Involve children in planning the day - Often children are told what to do and have little ownership in decisions. Letting children make a few choices in an outing helps them feel they are a part of the process. For example, let the child pick which errand the family does first.

Praise children for a job well done - As you go through the day, be sure to reinforce children for listening, following directions, and being kind to others. This shows children they get more attention for following the rules and routines than for breaking them.

Update children regarding timetable changes - Schedule changes are likely to happen on a regular basis. When changes occur, let children know what the change is and how it will affect their plans. For example, “James, the library is not open. We will still go to Aunt Jen’s but we will go to the library tomorrow.”

Plan for delays - Rarely do things go exactly as planned. Prepare for basic concerns such as hunger, boredom, and delays by packing snacks and portable activities like games or books. Make sure to have a back up plan if restaurants or shops are busy.

Let children be involved - Children are less likely to break rules if they are busy. When you are shopping get the children to help you locate items. If you are in the doctor’s surgery get the child to help you fill out the forms by eliciting their responses to simple questions like name, address, etc.

Be consistent - If you create a reward system where the child earns something for doing X, Y, and Z or a promise is made for the child to get something after going to the shops, be consistent. If you say, “You get to play your game when we get home if ….” be sure to reinforce them only if they actually accomplished their goal. When children are given mixed messages about rewards, the inconsistency can lead them to expect rewards when they have not met their end of the deal. Although it may be difficult at first, children will quickly learn you mean what you say if you hold your ground.

Promoting Positive Behaviour

2011-11-17T13:50:00.000Z

People First Education are pleased to announce a one off event in Birmingham:

Promoting Positive Behaviour

Promoting Positive behaviour for learners with a range of needs including Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ADHD:
A day course for educators and/or support staff, designed to enable successful inclusion of individuals and groups whilst fully meeting the needs of their peers.
The day will include:
• An overview of how the impairments affecting learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and/or ADHD may cause them to behave negatively.
• An examination of the root causes and triggers behind negative behaviour and how to avoid them.
• Strategies and interventions for adapting the sensory environment to meet the behavioural needs of learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and/or ADHD.
• A range of strategies for promoting positive behaviour through effective practice.
• Attendees are encouraged to bring inclusion questions and points for discussion.

Venue and date:

Thursday 19th January 2012
Holiday Inn Express, Lionel Street,
Birmingham B3 1JE

9:15 am – 3:30 pm

Dyslexia Training Dates for 2012

2011-11-17T13:19:00.000Z

Tuesday 10th January 2012
Toby carvery, Nottingham Road, Chaddesden,
Derby, DE21 6LZ

Thursday 12th January 2012
Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich, IP2 0UA

Friday 13th January 2012
Holiday Inn Express, Norwich Sports Village, Drayton High Rd, Norwich, NR6 5DU

Tuesday 17th January 2012
Leicester Stage Hotel,
Leicester Rd, Wigston Fields, Leicester, LE18 1JW

Wednesday 18th January 2012
Beeches Hotel, Wilford Lane,
West Bridgford Nottingham NG2 7RN

Friday 20th January 2012
Premier Inn, The Haymarket, Bristol,
BS1 3LR

Tuesday 24th January 2012
Holiday Inn Express, Vicar Lane, Bradford BD1 5LD

Thursday 26th January 2012
Holiday Inn Express
Danestrete, Stevenage, Herts SG1 1XB

Friday 27th January 2012
Holiday Inn, Caton Rd, Lancaster, LA1 3RA

Monday 30th January 2012
Novotel, 4 Whitehall Quay, Leeds, LS1 4HR

Tuesday 31st January 2012
Holiday Inn Express, Wilstead Rd,
Elstow, Bedford, MK42 9BF

Thursday 2nd February 2011
Holiday Inn,
Canterbury Road, Ashford, TN24 8QQ

Friday 3rd February 2012
Holiday Inn Express, M65 Jct 10 Burnley, BB12 0TJ

Monday 6th February 2012
Fairfield Hall
Fairfield, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG

Tuesday 7th February 2012
Winchester Royal Hotel, St Peter St, Winchester
SO23 8BS

To book on any of these events click on the sunflower below right

Helping Children Cope with Stressful Situations

2011-11-09T07:54:00.000Z

Children can feel stress at home or school and it can take a toll on them. Help children learn to reduce and cope with stress by using these strategies.

1. Identify Causes - If the cause of the stress isn’t easily identifiable, keep a journal and write down times when the child is anxious or upset to determine patterns. Are there sleepless nights before a spelling test? Do they look anxious before going on the playground? Use these patterns to pinpoint the activities and situations that may be stressful for the child.

2. Discuss or Write About the Situation – Once you identify what is causing the stress, discuss or help children write about why it is stressful. For example, if they are stressed before every spelling test, they may fear getting a bad result or feeling helpless. Write a list of things they can do to be proactive and reduce stress. In this example, they can practice more, ask the teacher if they have a question, or know they are trying their best. Developing proactive strategies is a way to feel more in control of the situation and reduce stress. Some situations will always be stressful, but often children think about the worst-case scenario rather than a realistic consequence. Children also may not realize other people also find the situation stressful. By discussing their feelings, the most likely outcome of the situation, and the fact that other people also experience stress, children’s fears and feelings of loneliness may be decreased. Additionally, the simple act of talking or writing about something stressful or scary can help children feel better.

3. Reduce Opportunities for Stress – Some stressful situations are avoidable. For example, if football practice is stressful for a child because they don’t enjoy the game and aren’t very good at it, find another activity that is a better fit with their interests and abilities.

4. Find Ways to Relieve Stress – People of all ages feel stress and learning to cope with it in a positive way is a lifelong lesson. When a situation is stressful, sometimes taking a break is helpful. Give children a place to go and collect their thoughts before returning to the group. Teach them to say, “I need a time out,’ or ‘Please give me a minute.’ Use physical fitness as a way to channel energy in a positive manner. Taking a walk, running, jumping, or playing catch can help children release tension and stress. If a child can’t leave the setting, a stress ball is an easy to carry tool.

5. Prepare Children for New Situations – Often new situations are stressful for children. Read stories, write about, and discuss upcoming events to prepare children and set expectations. Encourage them to ask questions and let them know how a new event or change will affect them. Preparing for activities in advance can make the situation easier such as visiting a new school or sending a letter to the aunt and uncle they will visit.

Fun Feelings Activities

2011-11-01T11:25:00.000Z

Recognising your own feelings and identifying the feelings of others are foundation skills for developing more involved social skills such as learning to cope with feelings and responding appropriately to the feelings of others.

1. Provide Multiple Examples: Feelings can be difficult to teach because they are expressed in a variety of settings, have many synonyms, and involve understanding subtle clues. In order to teach identification of emotions, provide examples in different settings through stories, pictures, videos, real-life experiences, and role play.

2. Show Feelings are Important: Children need to understand that it is alright to talk about and express feelings. Demonstrate this by asking children how they feel, sharing your feelings, and discussing how you cope with your feelings and respond to the feelings of others.

3. Use Natural Opportunities: When reading, watching movies, or in real-world situations, look for opportunities to discuss feelings. If the child is upset, use this as an opportunity to teach appropriate responses and coping strategies. For example, “Trevor, I know you are angry that you have to leave the playground. Take 3 deep breaths to calm your body then join the class in line.” If another child is upset demonstrate how to handle the situation. For example, “Malcolm is upset. Let’s see if we can help him.”

4. Set Time Aside to Practice: Just as maths and reading require practice so do social skills. Take a few minutes during the day to work on social skills. Since children may be overwhelmed by feelings it is important to practice expressing and responding to feelings when they are calm.

Role Play: Below are a few games that include role play of emotions.
Get children to select a feelings word or emotions card and act out the feeling on the card.
Let children select a feelings word or card and role play when they felt this way.
Put children in pairs. Have one child pick a feeling and act it out. The other child responds to the first child’s feelings.
Discuss Feelings: Show children pictures or drawings of facial expressions or scenes demonstrating feelings. Ask the following questions:
How does the character feel?
How do you know how the character feels? For example, they are smiling/frowning.
When have you felt this way?
What would you do if a friend felt this way?
What do you do when you feel this way?
Use Art and Literacy: The arts provide a different way to think about feelings. They allow children to see the details of specific emotions and experience the look and feel of the emotion through a different medium. Art activities include:
Have children draw a facial expression or scene showing a feeling.
Have children write a story about a time they felt a certain way and what they did about it.
Create a feelings book. On each page have a drawing of a feeling and a short sentence, “I feel sad/happy/scared when….” Keep each child’s book in the literacy center.
Focus on a feeling by having a book specifically about the feeling that includes when the child feels this way and what coping strategies to use for managing the emotion.

Preparing Children for Trick or Treating

2011-10-13T10:23:00.000+01:00

Dressing up to go trick or treating is very exciting for children and it creates lasting memories for both children and parents. Help children prepare for trick or treating with these five strategies.

1. Select a Costume – Help children select a costume that fits properly and is safe. Children may be uncomfortable with anything on their face especially make up. Some children may not like masks because of sensory issues or limited vision. Keep these factors in mind when selecting an outfit. For children who have difficulties with masks, holding a mask rather than wearing it or not using one at all may make the evening more enjoyable.

2. Set Costume Guidelines – Children often want to wear their costume other times than trick or treating. Let them know if/when they can wear it besides trick or treating. Be sure to tell them this before they buy the costume and after it is purchased. Explain why they can wear the costume only at certain times. For example, “You can put it on in the evening for a few minutes to see how you look, but you can only wear it for a little while so it doesn’t get dirty before Halloween.”

3. Practice Going to People’s Doors – Role play going to someone’s door, saying “Trick or treat,” holding a bag out, and saying “Thank you.” Remind children to be polite, wait their turn, and take only one piece of candy when they are asked to select something. It is tempting to rush to a door and take a handful of things when offered a basket or bowl to select from so multiple opportunities for review are important. Be sure to practice other things that may happen such as someone not being home or someone complimenting them on their costume.

4. Establish Guidelines in Advance – Prepare children for factors such as: What time trick or treating starts and ends; How they know when it ends; Where they can trick or treat (e.g. only houses with lights on, only people the child knows, only homes in a four street radius, etc.); and What the rules are such as staying with a sibling or parent. Be sure to review these guidelines days in advance with a story, visual cards, or written rules. Before trick or treating, review them again so children clearly understand expectations.

5. Set Sweet Guidelines– Children become very excited about getting sweets and other treats while trick or treating. Set rules in advance about eating sweets. Let children know before trick or treating that they need to bring all of the sweets back for you to check before they can eat it. Make sure children have dinner before trick or treating so they are not hungry. Have guidelines about the number of pieces they can eat per day and create a schedule for when they can eat their sweets. Display the sweets plan where they can easily look if they have questions.

Correction: New Dates for ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Training

2011-10-06T16:40:00.000+01:00

Please note, yesterday's update comtained errors. Please find below the correct dates and titles:

Dyslexia:
5th December 2011:
Gateshead
6th December 2011:
Sheffield
7th December 2011:
Sutton Colefield
8th December 2011:
Huddersfield
9th December 2011:
Cheltenham
12th December 2011:
Oxford
13th December 2011:
Hull
14th December 2011:
Hartlepool

Social Story:
29th November 2011
Manchester
30th November 2011
Liverpool
1st December 2011
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

ADHD:
11th October 2011 Bristol

Autism Day Course:
17th October 2011
Burnley
18th October 2011
Birmingham

Teaching Conversational Skills

2011-09-28T07:59:00.000+01:00

Conversational skills build a foundation for developing friendships, cooperating with other people, and communicating effectively with people in every aspect of life. Although the art of conversation is difficult to address, below are some strategies for teaching basic conversational skills.

1. Model Skills – Children learn from watching other people and then practicing skills. Role play is a fun and extremely effective way to teach skills because it lets children learn from examples. During role play model an appropriate greeting or conversation. Let children see how questions are asked and answered and how people remain on topic. Keep the ‘skits’ short and simple at first to establish the basic skills then expand on them later.

2. Practice Small Steps - Just like any other skill, social skills need to be broken into smaller steps and practiced repeatedly. Role play greetings by teaching the child to say, “Hello” and then expand to, “Hello, how are you?”

3. Multiple Phrases, Settings, and People – Conversational skills should be developed with a variety of people, phrases, and novel settings. To promote generalization of skills, introduce different questions and wording when role playing such as: “Good morning,” “Hello,” and “Hi there!” By doing this, children learn there are various greetings and responses. Since conversations occur throughout the day with different people, recruit people in the school or community to help the child practice. Ask the crossing guard or librarian to engage the child in a conversation that incorporates the skills being practiced.

4. Remember Body Language – When practicing conversational skills, be sure to include key skills such as personal space (approximately an arm’s length is considered appropriate in the United States), body language, and facial cues. These unspoken aspects of conversation are often extremely difficult for children to grasp and should be included in role play and instruction.

5. Ways to Reduce Repetition – Children frequently learn saying hello or asking someone their name is part of a conversation, so they may repeatedly incorporate these phrases in the same conversation. One way to practice saying something only once is to hold up a finger as a visual cue during role play. For example, if there is a question or phrase that should only be used once, hold up a finger during conversational practice time. After the child asks the question put your finger down. This is a cue that the child already has asked the question. After the child has used this cue successfully a number of times, practice without the visual cue and then praise them for remembering to ask the question only once. Another strategy is to have the child keep a hand (preferably the left hand if you are teaching them to shake hands) in their pocket with one finger pointed. After they ask their favorite question, have them stop pointing or stop pointing and remove their hand from their pocket. This allows the child to remind themselves they used this phrase or question and other people are not able to see this personal cue.

6. Praise and Review - Praise children for greeting people, using a phrase once, or ending a conversation appropriately. Often it is best to praise children during role play or after the child is away from other people to avoid embarrassing them. To reinforce the skill, be sure to review what they did correctly. For example, “I like the way you asked Mr. James if he was having a nice day only once.” If a novel situation occurs naturally, role play it later and use it as a learning experience.

Teaching Young People to Understand and Respond to Feelings

2011-09-14T09:48:00.000+01:00

Children often struggle not only with understanding their feelings, but also relating to other people’s feelings. These skills are critical for personal well being and building relationships. This article includes steps for teaching children to understand and manage their feelings as well as identify and respond to other people’s feelings.

1. Identifying Feelings – Teach children to recognise when they have a specific feeling. Whether happy, sad, or angry the first step in coping with a feeling is identifying it. Help children identify feelings by discussing emotions when they occur. If a child is angry say, “I see you are angry. You have your arms crossed and are stomping your feet.” Another tool is to role play times when specific emotions surface. Use novel examples as well as recent experiences for the child. Discuss and write about different feelings in a feelings journal. Use the journal to write about events and the emotions, responses, and consequences the events elicited.

2. Planning for Strong Feelings – Help children cope with intense feelings by creating coping strategies. Have a quiet place for children to take a break when angry or sad. Give children tools and teach them how and when to use them such as a stress ball or a trampoline. These tools help children release energy in a positive way. Encourage children to use words or write about their feelings. Establish a phrase the child can use to remove themselves from stressful or upsetting situations. The phrase gives children a way to politely excuse themselves, regain control, and then return to the situation. Select a short phrase that can be used in a variety of situations such as, “Excuse me. I need a minute to think.”

3. Recognising Other People’s Feelings – Learning to empathize with other people and respond appropriately to another person’s feelings, is an important skill for building relationships. Show pictures and drawings or role play situations to discuss the words, body language, and experiences that indicate a person’s feelings. When discussing a child’s own feelings, incorporate the concept that peers and adults have similar feelings in the same situation. This helps children develop empathy. Read stories where characters experience events that are happy, sad, surprising, or frustrating. Discuss why the characters felt the way they did and what they said or did to indicate their feelings.

4. Responding to Other People’s Feelings – Not only do children have to identify other people’s feelings, but they also need to learn how to respond when someone is angry, sad, or excited. Teach children appropriate responses through role play and reviewing past events. Discuss how different people in the role play feel, how their body language and words show their feelings, and the best response for the situation. Also discuss how the child would feel if this happened to them and how they would like other people to respond. This helps children learn to empathize with other people.

Mother 'prescribes' coffee to counter the effects of seven-year-old son's ADHD

2011-09-08T11:13:00.000+01:00

It's more usually regarded as a morning pick-me-up, but coffee may help to calm attention deficit hyperactivity disorder sufferers down.
A mother of a hyperactive son believes the hot drink counters his symptoms and now carefully 'prescribes' it to her young son.
Christie Haskel turned to the internet after noticing that her son, Rowan, displayed some of the classic signs of ADHD.

Cup of Joe: Coffee may calm ADHD sufferers, believes Christie Haskel who says it has helped calm her son's hyperactivity
'At home there was a lot of hyperactivity,' the mother told ABC News.
She said Rowan, seven, was 'not able to keep his hands to himself, talking when he's not supposed to talk,' and lacked 'concentration or ability to concentrate when he needed to.'
Online, she found a host of information suggesting that the drink's caffeine content may help Rowan and allow him to avoid the side-effects of ADHD drugs such as Ritalin.
She now gives him two 4-ounce mugs of milky coffee a day, at precise intervals and with a rigorous dedication that is normally given to prescription drugs.

No silver bullet: Though Ms Haskel remains sanguine about the drink's effects, she says it is worth a try for those who may wish to avoid drugs such as Ritalin
And, unlike some medicines, the experience of drinking a cup of coffee is certainly no hardship. 'It tastes good and it calms me down' Rowan told the news channel.
Ms Haskel is pleased with the encouraging results and has blogged her story on CafeMom.com's The Stir.
'If we ask him to sit down and do homework, he can actually do it'
'He doesn't overreact if we ask him to pick up Legos, rather than screaming and throwing himself on the floor.
'And if we ask him to sit down and do homework, he can actually do it,' she said to ABC News.
However, some scientists and doctors warn against self-diagnosis and prescribing caffeine as a sedative.
Dr. Richard Besser, senior health and medical editor for ABC News, said: 'A lot of children get into trouble by treatments that are just designed by parents who find stuff on the Internet.'
There is a danger, too, that some parents may see caffeine as the answer to what may be a more severe problem - and the added risk that coffee may solve one problem but create other medical issues in its path.

Though not approved as a treatment of ADHD, coffee may be more than just a morning ritual
Known - and well documented - side-effects of caffeine include increased heart rate, sleeplessness, anxiety attacks and mood changes.
Dr. David Rosenberg, chief of psychiatry at the Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit told ABC News: 'Caffeine is not the answer for real, bona fide ADHD.
'I don't want parents to be diluted into a false sense of security that if I just go to the local Starbucks, I'm going to cure my son or daughter's ADHD.'
New research shows nearly one in 10 American children now receive an ADHD diagnosis - a number that is firmly increasing, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Lara J. Akinbami, an author of the study told the channel that 'ADHD continues to increase, and that has implications for educational and health care because kids with ADHD disproportionately use more services, and there are several co-morbid conditions that go along with it.'
Christie Haskel remains loyal to the wonder drink, though, and says that it is worth giving a chance.

Strategies for Developing Classroom Friendships

2011-09-07T15:24:00.000+01:00

Children spend a significant amount of time in the classroom which is a wonderful environment to build lasting friendships. This article includes strategies for helping children develop friendships with classmates.

1. Activities – Create situations where children collaborate and work together. Look at their interests and abilities and use paired or group activities to encourage interaction. Physical activities like team sports or throwing a ball and counting the number of times it remains in the air before being dropped are fun and require teamwork. Small group projects like creating a collage where children have assigned roles such as writer, picture locator, and materials cutter, help children focus on a task and interact to complete it. Depending on a child’s age and ability, give them more or less structured directions. For older children, let them select different roles and problem solve how to complete the project as a way to learn collaboration and compromise.

2. Direct Instruction – Sometimes it is necessary to discuss and outline social skills clearly for children to understand them. Role plays and group discussions about meeting someone new, having a conversation, sharing, helping, and being a good sport can illustrate aspects of the skills children may overlook. Rehearse new scenarios, frequent interactions, or a past event to practice real-world situations. Start by clearly explaining the specific actions in the skill. For example, when practicing having a conversation discuss and practice greetings, responding to questions, asking questions, attending to the person, and saying good-bye. Have children role play a scene with the skill. Discuss possible things to say and do when having a conversation and how choices during a conversation affect the outcome of the interaction.

3. Bridge Home and School – Parents and teachers can work together to promote an interest in school friendships. Have children write a story about their classroom friends then ask parents to read and discuss the story at home. For younger children, include information about friends in notes home. Mention things like, “Alex played cars with Sarah in the sandbox.” Encourage parents to ask about who the child played with or worked with at school.

4. Activities Outside the Classroom - Children often see classmates at community activities. Joining a new activity with a classmate is a way to encourage friendships outside of school and have the support of an existing friend at a new event. Whether playing on a baseball team or attending story time, participating with someone the child knows is a way for them to have additional common interests.

5. Don’t Pressure Children – Teaching children the basics of being good to peers is important. Sometimes children develop close friendships this way, other times they will remain classmates. Do not force a friendship, but encourage children to share, say kind things, and be good to their classmates. Use children’s interests to involve them in activities such as sports, clubs, or neighborhood get-togethers they enjoy, so they continue to participate and find friends with similar hobbies.

Six Tips for Making the Start of School Less Stressful

2011-08-17T12:31:00.000+01:00

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time, but for many children getting backinto the routine can be difficult. Becoming familiar with new classrooms, classmates, rules, and teachers can be a difficult transition. Below are ideas for starting the new school year right.

1. Return to a School Sleep Schedule - Help children make the transition easier by getting them ready physically for early mornings. A gradual change is often more difficult than an immediate change. The first few days of getting up early and going to bed early may be difficult, but this will be helpful in the long run. Make getting up in the mornings easier by doing fun activities such as going on a walk, making breakfast together, or taking an early bike ride.
2. Introduce a New Environment or Re-Introduce a Familiar One: Three months goes by quickly, but children often forget many important things about school. Make a book with your child to remind them of their classmates’ names, teachers’ names, school layout (auditorium, art room, music room, etc.), bus rules, classroom rules, and school rules. Children can help by drawing pictures or writing the text. For children starting a new classroom or school, the teacher most likely will send information home that can be used to write a book.

3. Take Opportunities to Visit the School - Schools often have open houses or let children stop by before the year starts. A child’s stress can be reduced by seeing their classroom and meeting their teacher. If this is not possible, drive by the school and point out key areas such as the bus drop off/pick up, cafeteria, playground, auditorium, and gymnasium.

4. Involve Kids - Shopping for a book bag, new shoes, pencil holder, and other school necessities is a fun tradition for many families. Help your child write a list of items they need for school. Take the list to the store and let them pick out their own supplies. The list is a great way to practice reading and writing as well as planning. Give older children a budget to practice their math skills and to learn about decision making and purchasing.

5. Plan Ahead - Parents have many things to remember before the year starts. Make a list and check things off so your stress does not become your child’s stress. Scheduling medical appointments, buying school supplies, and figuring out the bus schedule in advance will make the days leading up to school more relaxed and less activity packed.

6. Create Summer Mementos – The end of summer can be very sad for many children. To remind them of the summer, have children create a collage of pictures, objects (e.g. event ticket stubs or magazine advertisements of movies or places they attended), or drawings. They also can make something for people they will miss. Have them write letters or make cards for people they will not see regularly during the school year such as camp counselors, camp friends, or lifeguards at the pool.

Maisie makes a splash!

2011-08-06T19:01:00.001+01:00

Seven year old Maisie was so inspired by the courage of her friend, who is currently being supported by CLIC Sargent that she wanted to help.

Young Maisie joined in a Swim-a-thon at Yarborough swimming pool, and swam 21 lengths in 55 minutes as part of a relay team and raised a £20 for CLIC Sargent. Maisie was fantastic and star swimmer being the youngest in the team. All her team mates were over the age of 32!

Dad, Andrew also took part in the relay and said: “We are all extremely proud of Maisie and her fundraising; she was an inspiration to all the adults in the team.”

Well done Maisie!

People First Education are proud to support Clic Sargent. To find out more, click on there banner below right.

End of Summer Activities to Prepare for the School Year

2011-08-06T07:26:00.002+01:00

The start of the school year is an exciting time but the transition back to school can be stressful for many children. Help children prepare for the new school year with these helpful strategies.

1. Review Skills and Goals – Review school reports and goals and document progress towards goals. If teachers and therapists provided activities or ideas to address skills, take the time to focus on these prior to school starting. Even small reminders about skills can help prepare children for addressing these in the classroom.

2. Take Advantage of Natural Learning Opportunities - Use natural opportunities to address a wide range of skills such as asking a child to help count silverware while setting the table (counting skills) or asking them to read directions while cooking (reading skills). By keeping a child’s goals top of mind, natural learning opportunities can be easily identified.

3. Use a Calendar for Visual Reminders – Many children benefit from visuals. Mark important events leading up to the start of school on the calendar. Examples of activities to put on the calendar are the first day of school, shopping for school clothes, and buying school materials. Discuss how many days are left until each event and have children participate in planning by helping write shopping lists and decide where to shop.
4. Return to a Schedule – Summer breaks often are not very structured. Start getting back into a routine so children are more prepared for the school year schedule. Sleeping, eating, brushing teeth, bathing, and bedtime rituals are examples of activities typically scheduled at set times in a child’s routine. Work on a consistent schedule to help transition back to school.

5. Use Art and Literature - Have children draw, make collages, or paint things they remember about the previous school year. Have them write about or discuss what things they like about school and what they are looking forward to in the new school year. Use these memories as visuals to discuss returning to school.

6. Play with Friends from School – Some children regularly see classmates over the summer while others only see school friends during the school year. Schedule play dates or host a classroom party to help children become re-acquainted with each other.

7. Enjoy the Rest of the Break – Although planning for the school year is important, make the most of the last few days of summer. Create lasting memories by going on picnics, attending community events, and taking advantage of extra family time. Take pictures to remind children of summer experiences and create a ‘Summer Memory’ book to encourage communication and language. This is a perfect item for show and tell at the start of the school year.

Teaching Children to Practice Acts of Kindness

2011-07-20T10:08:00.002+01:00

Being kind to other people and yourself is important for being a good friend and being happy. Modeling kindness, reflecting on kind actions, and practicing acts of kindness can help children develop this skill. This article includes strategies for helping children learn to be kind to other people and to themselves.

1. Be a Role Model – When adults say unkind things about other people or themselves, children learn this is acceptable behavior. Be a role model and say kind things about co-workers, neighbors, people in the community, and yourself.

2. Use Lists – Have children write lists or make collages representing what they like about their friends, family members, and people in the school. Hang the lists or art projects where classmates and friends can see them. Have a separate activity where children make a parallel list or art project that includes things they do well and why they are a good person.

3. Read and Write Stories – Read stories about kindness and respect in school and at home. Discuss how being kind makes the characters feel. Ask children to share times when they were kind and times when people were nice to them. Also have children write stories about being kind to other people.

4. Practice and Discuss Small Acts of Kindness – In addition to having children write and say things that are kind, have them practice little acts of kindness. Teach children to help other people in day to day situations such as when someone needs help carrying an item, they can’t reach something, or they drop an item. Create a set of pictures or make short stories with opportunities for small acts of kindness. Have children role play what they would do to be helpful in these situations.

5. Learning to Do Kind Things for Yourself – Have children write or create a collage about things they like to do or activities that make them feel good about themselves. Discuss how taking time to participate in these activities can make them feel better and decrease stress.

6. Pick a Cause or Charity – A long term investment in a volunteer or charity activity teaches children that even a small amount of time and energy makes a big difference. First create a list of volunteer opportunities then let the class or family select an activity to join. Whether it is collecting food for a food bank, donating toys, or cleaning up a community area, these activities demonstrate how working collaboratively with other people can make a big difference. Discuss or have children keep a journal about the experience. Ask them to include how they felt and how they think the people benefitting from their time and effort felt.

Flint High School

2011-07-19T19:16:00.002+01:00

Thank you very much to Flint High School for a fabulous Social Story training day. You were great! Now go home and enjoy the summer holidays.

People First Education ASD, ADHD and Dyslexia Updates

2011-07-15T13:47:00.000+01:00

People First Education ASD, ADHD and Dyslexia Updates

How to Help Children Retain Skills over the Summer Holidays

2011-07-06T14:10:00.002+01:00

Children often have a hard time retaining skills during the summer break. Many parents enroll children in summer school or extended school year, but this often is an abbreviated and less structured version of the school day. Even when children are educated at home, summer often involves routine changes. Since many children rely on consistent instruction, these changes can result in regression. This article includes strategies for preventing regression and teaching new skills.

1. Know What Skills to Work On - To prevent regression know what skills your child is working on and their current functioning level. Be sure to review their school progress reports, IEP (if applicable), and information from their teacher on summer reading and work. For children working on self-care, independence, or behavior skills, take data on their current progress. Be sure to ask their teachers and therapists what skills they are working on and exactly where they stand.

2. Find Opportunities to Practice Skills - Many skills can be integrated into a daily routine. Dressing, self-care, and behavior naturally occur during the day. Take time to use these natural occurrences as learning opportunities. For example, help your child as needed to put on their shoes rather than doing it for them. It may take longer for them to do the skill on their own, but it teaches them the steps they need to be more independent. Academic skills also can be integrated into a daily routine. Have children help with any math related problems and involve them in reading. For example, if you have a family picnic and 4 cousins, 3 aunts, 3 uncles, and 2 grandparents will be there, have your child help you count the number of cupcakes you need to bring. If you are baking the cupcakes, work on literacy skills by having your child read the recipe to you. Counting and fractions can be developed by gathering and measuring the ingredients. Children can work on motor skills by cutting butter, stirring ingredients, and pouring the batter into the tin. For children who need direct instruction, schedule a time during the day specifically to work on skills.

3. Build on Existing Skills - When children master a skill continue to review it, but also expand on skills. For example, if your child is mastering their current list of sight words, be sure to add additional words and phrases to their skill set. If they are able to count all the spoons the family has when helping to empty the dishwasher, add a serving spoon or two and teach them to count a little higher. Build on skills one step at a time so they are successful, enjoy learning, and do not become frustrated.

4. Appreciate Small Steps – It can be very frustrating for parents and professionals when children learn slowly or take a step backwards. Try to remember some skills take awhile for children to acquire. Sometimes children need additional examples of the skill or a new approach for instruction. Recognize that children become frustrated as well and teach them to be persistent and patient.

5. Realise It Is Summer – When children have different educational programs, therapies, and activities, it can be easy to forget summer break is also for relaxing. Although working on skills is important, be sure to enjoy the fun things summer has to offer. Enroll kids in swimming lessons, summer camp, tennis class, or just let them play outside. These kinds of activities are a way to stay healthy, learn new skills, and make new friends.

Children With Autism Face a Year Long Wait for Education Support

2011-06-30T12:18:00.003+01:00

Actress Jane Asher with autistic pupil at Sybil Elgar School: 27 Per cent of survey spond Waited THEY Said Than Two more years for Appropriate Educational support. Image: NAS

By Janaki Mahadevan | Children & Young People Now
Almost half of all children with autism wait for More than a year for Appropriate Educational support, a report by the National Autistic Society (NAS) HAS found.
The Findings Accompany the launch of the charity's Great Expectations campaign, Aimed at Influencing Government Reform on Special Educational Needs (SEN) to Ensure the expectations of Both children and parents are met.
More than 1.000 parents of children with autism Were Surveyed by the society, with 48 per one hundred Saying THEY Waited More than a year to get the right support for Their 27 per child and one hundred WAS Saying the wait More than Two Years.
Eighteen per one hundred parents of Said THEY HAD taken legal action to get support for Appropriate and Their Children HAD gone to court year average of 3.5 times each.
Only 52 per one hundred of parents Said Their child WAS Making Good Educational Progress and seven out of 10 Did not Think It Had Been easy to get the education support Their child needed, while a further Top 47 per one hundred Said Their Child's Needs Were not Picked Up in Timely a way.
Mark Lever, NAS chief executive, said: "It Is Completely Unacceptable That So Many parents are still fighting a daily battle for Their Fundamental right to get education year for Their child. The government Rightly Recognise That Action Is Needed, and THEY That Need to Reform That system has continued to Many Children with autism let down.
"Our report sets out the Practical, Often simple steps That Can the government take to create a system That Works for everyone. Let's get it right. "
NAS Is Now That recommending Local Authorities work with schools and Other Services Such as to Ensure Health Have access to all schools and specialist support for chairs of governing bodies to Be Given Specific Training in SEN. According To the charity, health visitors and school staff must aussi Have Specific training in autism to Ensure THEY Can Identify early signs of the condition.
Referring to the new Health and Wellbeing boards, the report Said There Should Be more representation from schools. CYP Now Reported Earlier this month That initial research HAD Shown schools look Unlikely to Be Among the hand is on the boards.
NAS aussi wants Local Authorities to Increase transparency by publishing Their Strategic Plan for Children with SEN. The charity Said government must work with councils Also, parents and the Voluntary Sector to explore how Local Authorities Can Become parent champions.
Source: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Health/article/1077097/Children-autism-face-year-long-wait-education-support

Teen 'hacker' Ryan Cleary has Asperger's syndrome says a psychologist - mirror.co.uk

2011-06-26T12:41:00.001+01:00

Teen 'hacker' Ryan Cleary has Asperger's syndrome says a psychologist - mirror.co.uk

Strategies for Teaching Children to Make Good Choices

2011-06-23T07:57:00.002+01:00

Choice is a big part of people’s lives. We decide daily what to wear, what to do, and how to treat people. Teaching children how to make good choices is critical for independence and self-control. This article focuses on a variety of strategies for teaching choice making.

1. Allow Children to Make Choices - Often it is easier to choose for children than allow them to decide for themselves. Unfortunately, lessons learned by making good and bad choices help children become responsible, independent adults. Choice also gives children a sense of ownership in activities. Take time to offer choices, create situations for choice, and reinforce the importance of good choices in your day.

2. Limit Choices - Keep the number and types of choices within reasonable limits. For example, if you let a child pick a snack, give them two or three healthy choices. By providing only allowable choices you reduce opportunities for conflict and create a situation where they succeed at making a good choice.

3. Discuss Options – When faced with decisions, think through and discuss the options to help children understand why one choice is better than another. Discuss possible choices, consequences, and why one option is better. For example, when leaving the house look outside and discuss the weather. Is it cold? Is it raining? Which coat is the better choice? What happens if you pick the light cotton coat and it rains? By guiding children through choices you teach them how to make decisions for themselves.

4. Consider Other People – When decisions involve other people, discuss the implications of the choice for the other people. For example, if a child wants to use the swing for the duration of recess discuss: Have other people asked to use the swing? Are other children waiting for the swing? How would you feel if you didn’t have a chance to use the swing? Are there other places you can play for part of recess? This helps children realize their choices affect people other than themselves.

6. Use Past Choices as Opportunities – When a child makes a bad choice such as cutting in line, saying something hurtful, or playing rather than finishing homework, use the opportunity to discuss why the choice was bad, consequences, and better choices for the future. Ask the child what other choices they could have made and what may have happened. Additionally, use past decisions and consequences as reminders. For example, “Noah, remember how you played video games rather than clean your room yesterday and had to miss your favorite show and clean up? What do you think you should do today?”

7. Praise Good Choices – When children make good decisions let them know what they did and why it was a good choice. For example, “Jason, I like the way you moved over to make room for Ella on the bus. It was nice of you to share your seat. That was a very good choice.”

8. State When There Is No Choice – Some situations such as safety and schedules have no choices. Holding hands crossing the street, participating in fire drills, and leaving on time for school are examples of times when there is no choice. Explain why these situations do not have choices and why all people must follow certain rules and schedules. Let children know if there is an aspect of the event that is their choice. For example, “We have to leave now for the bus, but you can carry your blue or red book bag.”

Forthcoming Events

2011-06-08T16:07:00.001+01:00

Social Story
15th June 2011 Wiltshire
17the June 2011 Cheltenham
20th June 2011 Sheffield
21st June 2011 Lancaster
22nd June 2011 Liverpool
23rd June 2011 Manchester
24th June 2011 Huddersfield
8th July 2011 Oxford
13th September 2011 Norfolk
20th September 2011 Gateshead
3rd October 2011 Peterlee

ADHD
27th June 2011 Welwyn Herts
14th September 2011 Burnley
15th September 2011 Bradford
16th September 2011 Birmingham
19th September 2011 Preston
21st September 2011 Sutton Colefield
29th September 2011 Derby
11th October 2011 Bristol

Autism Day Course
12th September 2011 Stevenage
23rd September 2011 Leeds
27th September 2011 Croydon
5th October 2011 Sevenoaks

Helping Children Develop Friendships

2011-06-07T18:42:00.002+01:00

Ways to Increase Communication and Language

2011-05-25T20:23:00.002+01:00

There are a variety of ways to increase communication depending on a child’s age and ability level. Below are some ideas for increasing language and communication throughout the day.

1. Expand Sentence Length – When children answer a question or request an item using one or two words, increase their sentence length by repeating their answer with an expanded phrase. For example, if you ask a child, “Would you like orange juice?” and they answer “Yes,” model a longer response. “Yes, I would like orange juice.” Then have the child repeat the phrase.

2. Use Books for Language - Reading stories is an excellent way to incorporate language into a fun activity. Ask questions about the pictures, the story, and the characters. Even very young children can identify colors, gender, words, or concepts (e.g. the boy that is the tallest/shortest) by pointing to pictures. Have children predict what is going to happen next throughout the story. After finishing the book, review what happened in the story.

3. Create Situations that Promote Language - Favorite toys, clothes, and foods can motivate young children to use language. Store favorite items in eye sight, but out of reach, so children have to use their words to request the items.

4. Provide Choices – Give children choices in activities, stories, toys, and foods so they communicate their preferences. You can create an opportunity for communication even if you know a child is going to select a favorite story or game.

5. Find Time to Communicate – Many children like being entertained by technology, but opportunities for communication are lost when families spend a good deal of time watching television and playing video games. Turn off the television during meals and refrain from using portable video games in the car. Time spent together at the dinner table and in the car are wonderful opportunities for learning about a child’s day and increasing communication and language skills.

6. Be Supportive – Children are more likely to communicate if they feel valued. Encourage language by listening attentively to children and asking them questions. If children answer questions incorrectly, teach them the correct answers using kind, supportive words. Repeatedly asking a question a child does not know how to answer or condescendingly correcting them can hurt their feelings and decreases the chance they will answer questions in the future. Instead, encourage them to say, “I don’t know,” and use the situation as a learning opportunity.

7. Be a Role Model – Children learn from the adults around them. When adults speak in full sentences, use correct grammar, and articulate well, children hear and are reminded of how words and sentences should sound.

Online Dyspraxia Testing

2011-05-23T18:15:00.002+01:00

Three of the team here at People First Education took an online Dyspraxia test today. Guess what... that's right, we were all diagnosed Dyspraxic and presented with a solution (which obviously had dollar signs attached) to our 'problem'.

Three comments:
1, None of these people have Dyspraxia, diagnosed or suspected.
2, This kind of test reduces the impact of genuine Dyspraxia.
3, How can we diagnose those we have not met?

Comment four:
This kind of website is a disgrace.

Remember Hill St Blues 'Be careful out there'

Developmental disability on rise in U.S. kids: Why?

2011-05-23T18:13:00.001+01:00

Developmental disability is on the rise in the U.S. Between 1997 and 2008, the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or another developmental disability rose by about 17 percent, a new study showed.

That means roughly 15 percent of kids - nearly 10 million - have such a disability.

The numbers were based on information collected from parents, who were asked whether their kids had been diagnosed with a variety of developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, seizures, stuttering or stammering, hearing loss, blindness, and learning disorders, as well as autism and ADHD.

Boys were twice as likely to have a developmental disability, according to the study, which was published in the June 2011 issue of Pediatrics. And except for autism, developmental disabilities were more common among children from low-income families.

"We don't know for sure why the increase happened," study author Sheree Boulet of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told Reuters. There is now a bigger emphasis on early treatment, she said, and greater awareness about the conditions among parents.

But Philip Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, told USA Today that improvements in diagnosis can't fully explain the increase. Research suggests that environmental chemicals - including pesticides and the phthalates found in soft plastics - can affect kids' mental development, he said.

Whatever the cause of the increase, experts said the finding should remind parents to make sure their kids get screened. As Alison Schonwald of Children's Hospital Boston told USA Today, "It's great to diagnose them early, so we can intervene early and help them reach their full potential."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on developmental disabilities.

International Missing Children's Day 25th May

2011-05-21T12:35:00.001+01:00

Please support our friends at Help Bring Them Home.

http://www.helpbringthemhome.org.au

Thank you

A Hitchhikers Guide to Autism

2011-05-08T13:14:00.012+01:00

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
After many months in the planning stages, the Autism training film 'A Hitchhikers Guide to Autism' is now coming to fruition. Filming took place last Thursday in the beautiful city of Lincoln in front of an invited audience of parents, professionals and students.

Everybody at People First Education would like to thank (in no particular order) the following individuals and organisations without whom this event could not have taken place:

Stuart McMorran from Fuse Design Ltd Nottingham
The Filming and Production Team at Blueprint Media
Vicky Fossett Illustrator and Artist
Matthew Pyburn ICT, Organisation and Logistics
Dr Claire Thomson from Bishop Grosseteste University College
Welton Kids Club
The Showroom Conference Centre Lincoln

and all those who attended the event

We now begin the lengthy task of post production and editing. It is hoped that the film will be available by September 2011

Dunnitt

2011-04-05T10:27:00.005+01:00

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
You will be pleased to know I completed the Lincoln 10k in less than 1 hour (58:39) on Sunday. As you know, I didn't train at all. I did however buy some new running shoes, so I did make some effort.
Anyway, I am paying the price majorly now - my legs are like jelly!!!

Funniest bit, at the end of the race, an announcement came over the tannoy:
"would runners please not climb over the barriers as a short cut"
Climb!!! I could hardly move!

It is not too late to pledge money for Rays of Sunshine, email me at whitehouseandrew@hotmail.co.uk

Check out the website, below right.

My best
Andrew

Oh, and another thing, my swimming instructor has talked me into doing the swimathon!

Rays of Sunshine

2011-03-30T07:13:00.009+01:00

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Under pressure from my daughter Maisie, I have stupidly agreed to run the Lincoln 10k (i've not really done any serious running since 1985). If anybody would like to pledge any money for me to run (and finish) the Lincoln 10k, they can do so by emailing me at my hotmail:
whitehouseandrew@hotmail.co.uk

Any money raised will be given to the children's charity rays of sunshine: (see link on the right of this page).

You may be aware that Leah, one of the little girls that attends Nursery with my son Reuben is very ill. Last week Rays of Sunshine put on a wish party for Leah. This was a beautiful and joyous event where Leah arrived dressed as a princess in a beautiful horse and carriage. The party had clowns, a disco, a magician, and of course fabulous cakes. This party was a wonderful way for Leah to spend time with her friends and was completely organised by Rays of Sunshine. Inspired by this, I am sure that we would all love to see other brave children have their wish turned into a happy memory for all that love them.

My very best wishes to all

Andrew

The 4 types of sentences used to present information in a Social Story

2011-03-24T08:51:00.002Z

Simple
Outline situation
Clear
Information
Age appropriate
Level of understanding
STORIES

The 4 types of sentences used to present information in a Social Story:
Descriptive sentences

Address the “wh” questions: where the situation takes place, who is involved, what they are doing, and why they may be doing it.
 ‘I am attending a workshop’
 ‘Normally I have toast for breakfast’

Perspective sentences

Give an insight into the minds of those involved in the story; they provide details about the emotions and thoughts of others.
 ‘Teacher will like it if I put my hand up to ask a question’
 ‘The other children will be happy if I share the ball’

Directive sentences

Suggest desired responses tailored to the individual.
 ‘I will put my plate in the dishwasher’
 ‘I will share the football’

May also contain affirmative sentences

 ‘This is an intelligent thing to do’
 ‘Sensible children always walk in the school corridor’

Insurance words
 It is often useful to make the story literal by using insurance words.
 ‘Usually’
 ‘Sometimes’
 ‘Normally’
 ‘Often’

Science Display

2011-03-15T09:56:00.000Z

Malcolm's Choices Card

2011-03-15T09:54:00.001Z

Blob Tree

2011-03-15T09:49:00.003Z

Stepping Stones

2011-03-15T09:41:00.004Z

City Academy Hackney

2011-03-12T17:43:00.002Z

A big thank you to all the staff who attended the ADHD training at the City Academy Hackney on Wednesday night. A most inspiring school!

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

2011-03-02T13:44:00.001Z

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a pervasive developmental disorder separate from but related to autism, first identified by Professor Elizabeth Newson at the University of Nottingham in 1983. Children with this syndrome resist and avoid
all the ‘demands’ that are made on them during their normal daily life. The disorder appears to be shared equally between girls and boys, compared with autism (about 1 in 4 is a girl) and Asperger Syndrome (less than 1 in 10). A provisional diagnosis may be possible at around the age of four, but this is not easy. The child will show more social interest, imaginative skills and normal language development than a child with autism.

When Professor Newson first started writing about PDA, she described it as a “failure to code social identity and hence social obligation”. This compares with her description of autism as a “failure to code all first communicative modes: speech, gesture, facial expression, other body language, and the timing of these”; dysphasia: a “failure to code spoken messages”; dyslexia: a “failure to code written messages”.

The Diagnostic Criteria of PDA
1. Passive Early History in first year
Often doesn’t reach, drops toys, ‘just watches’; often delayed milestones. As more is expected of him/her, child becomes ‘actively passive’, i.e. strongly objects to normal demands, resists. A few actively resist from the start, everything is on their own
terms. Parents tend to adapt so completely that they are unprepared for the extent of failure once a child is subjected to ordinary group demands of nursery or school; they realise their child needs ‘velvet gloves’ but don’t perceive it as abnormal.
Professionals too see the child as puzzling but normal at first.

2. Continues to resist and avoid ordinary demands of life
Seems to feel under intolerable pressure from normal expectations of young children; devotes self to actively avoiding these.Demand avoidance may seem the greatest social and cognitive skill, and most obsessional preoccupation. As language develops, strategies of avoidance are essentially socially manipulative, often adapted to adult involved; they may include:
• Distracting adult: e.g. ‘Look out of the window!’ ‘I’ve got you a flower!’ ‘I’m going to be sick’
• Acknowledging demand but excusing self: e.g. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t’ ‘I’ve got to do this first’ ‘can’t make me’
• Physically incapacitating self: hides under table, curls up in corner, goes limp, dissolves in tears, drops everything, seems unable to look in direction of task (though retains eye contact), removes clothes or glasses, ‘I’m too hot’ ‘I’m too tired’
‘It’s too late now’ ‘I’m handicapped’ ‘my hands have gone flat’.
• Withdrawing into fantasy, doll play, animal play: talks only to doll or to inanimate objects; appeals to doll, ‘My girls won’t let me do that’ ‘But I’m a tractor, tractors don’t have hands’; growls, bites.
• Reducing meaningful conversation: bombards adult with speech (or other noises, e.g. humming) to drown out demands; mimics purposefully; refuses to speak.
• (As last resort) Outbursts, screaming, hitting, kicking; best construed as panic attack.

3. Surface sociability, but apparent lack of sense of social identity, pride or shame
At first sight normally sociable (has enough empathy to manipulate adults as shown in 2. but ambiguous (see 4) and without depth. No negotiation with other children, doesn’t identify with children as a category: the question ‘Does she know she’s a
child?’ makes sense to parents, who recognise this as a major problem. Wants other children to admire, but usually shocks them by complete lack of boundaries. No sense of responsibility, not concerned with what is ‘fitting to her age’ (might pick fight with toddler). Despite social awareness, behaviour is uninhibited, e.g. unprovoked aggression, extreme giggling/inappropriate laughter or kicking/screaming in shop or classroom. Prefers adults but doesn’t recognise their status. Seems very naughty, but parents say ‘not naughty but confused’ and ‘it’s not that she can’t or won’t, but she can’t help it’ - parents at a loss, as are others. Praise, reward, reproof and punishment ineffective; behavioural approaches fail.

4. Liability of Mood, impulsive, led by need to control
Switches from cuddling to thumping for no obvious reason; or both at once (‘I hate you’ while hugging, nipping while handholding). Very impetuous, has to follow impulse. Switching of mood may be response to perceived pressure; goes ‘over the
top’ in protest or in fear reaction, or even in affection; emotions may seem like an ‘act’. Activity must be on child’s terms; can change mind in an instant if suspects someone else is exerting control. May apologise but re-offend at once, or totally deny the obvious. Teachers need great variety of strategies, not rule-based: novelty helps.

5. Comfortable in role play and pretending
Some appear to lose touch with reality. May take over second-hand roles as a convenient ‘way of being’, i.e. coping strategy. Many behave to other children like the teacher (thus seem bossy); may mimic and extend styles to suit mood, or to control events or people. Parents are often confused about ‘who he really is’. May take charge of assessment in role of psychologist, or using puppets, which helps co-operation; may adopt style of baby, or of video character. Role play of ‘good
person’ may help in school, but may divert attention from underachievement. Enjoys dolls/toy animals/domestic play. Copes with normal conventions of shared pretending. Indirect instruction helps.

6. Language delay, seems result of passivity
Good degree of catch-up, often sudden. Pragmatics not deeply disordered, good eye-contact (sometimes over-strong); social timing fair except when interrupted by avoidance; facial expression usually normal or over-vivacious. However, speech content usually odd or bizarre, even discounting demand-avoidant speech. Social mimicry more common than video mimicry; brief echoing in some. Repetitive questions used for distraction, but may signal panic.

7. Obsessive behaviour
Much or most of the behaviour described is carried out in an obsessive way, especially demand avoidance: as a result, most children show very low level achievement in school because motivation to avoid demands is so sustained, and because the child knows no boundaries to avoidance. Other obsessions tend to be social, i.e. to do with people and their characteristics; some obsessionally blame or harass people they don’t like, or are overpowering in their liking for certain people; children may target other individual children.

8. Neurological Involvement
Soft neurological signs are seen in the form of clumsiness and physical awkwardness; crawling late or absent in more than half. Some have absences, fits or episodic dyscontrol or apparent generalised over-arousal.

Problems: The behaviours listed above are going to cause problems in many social contexts, during home and school life. These children are different from children with autism and other autism spectrum disorders. They may not be popular with their peers and may not elicit sympathy; they have a limited supply of humour and shame for teachers and parents to use as a tool. They will try to shock you – and if this works, they will do it again. They will mimic you and others and will often become the class scapegoat. They will not be able to handle these situations and may often end each episode or confrontation with an outburst.
They have no respect for ‘authority’. Because of their social identity problems, they see no difference between adult/child, teacher/pupil. As they fail to commit to the other children in their year group, they will tend to lean towards you, the adult. To all intents and purposes they may seem to become compliant and well behaved: but this may be a ‘role’ they are playing because it produces the right result as far as they are concerned: they are left alone.

Remember:
• she needs good role models
• she needs clear boundaries
• handling should be indirect: do not confront
• routine and sameness do not work (unlike autism
and Asperger Syndrome)
• soften your firmness with humour
• be flexible and imaginative – what works today might
not work tomorrow … but may next week!
• see ‘aggressive’ behaviours/outbursts as anxiety/panic
attacks: reassure rather than blame
• if she manages to control herself while at school, she
will ‘blow’ when at home, either verbally or
physically. And sometimes vice versa.

1. keep her on task
2. check repeatedly and over time that what she appears to be learning is being absorbed
3. ensure minimum degree of disruption to others in the class
4. try to promote good peer relationships
5. a keyworker approach involving a minimum of 1:2 staff: pupils are the ideal.

How Does Excessive Online Communication Affect Teens?

2011-02-04T07:32:00.001Z

Several reports suggest that teens nowadays communicate with their friends more through text messages and social networks than having a face-to-face communication or even chatting on phones.

The New York Times reports:

The Pew Research Center found that half of American teenagers — defined in the study as ages 12 through 17 — send 50 or more text messages a day and that one third send more than 100 a day. Two thirds of the texters surveyed by the center’s Internet and American Life Project said they were more likely to use their cellphones to text friends than to call them.

While this recent phenomenon may be because of the ease of electronic communication, opinions are divided on whether this allows teens to come closer to their friends and develop their social behavior for good or not.

Today’s youths may be missing out on experiences that help them develop empathy, understand emotional nuances and read social cues like facial expressions and body language.

Neuroscientist Gary Small agrees with the above. He says that although kids have good technical skills, they lack face-to-face human contact skills.

However, a few experts think that technology may not be a bad thing after all and is actually bringing kids closer, as it allows them to be connected to each other at all times. Supporting this argument are those who believe that texting and online communication may make it easier for shy kids to open up and connect with others.

A parent with a son who was earlier shy and introverted vouched for it.

The No. 1 reason is it (Facebook) is helping him come out of his shell and develop social skills that he wasn’t learning because he’s so shy. I couldn’t just push him out of the house and say ‘Find someone’.

Researchers agree that more research is needed to understand the effects of online communication on the emotional quality of a relationship

Helping Children Develop Friendships

2011-02-04T07:24:00.002Z

Buy a bigger van

2011-01-07T13:52:00.001Z

No post today - postie says he couldn't fit it in the van!!! What kind of excuse is this? I gave this man £10 at Christmas.

Strategies for Challenging Holiday Situations

2010-12-17T11:29:00.001Z

Holiday excitement and routine changes can be very difficult for children. This article focuses on three challenging areas families face during the holidays: giving and receiving gifts, managing holiday excitement, and understanding schedule changes.

1. Gift Giving and Receiving – The excitement of getting gifts can be overwhelming for children. Help them understand polite giving and receiving of gifts with these strategies.
Involve Children in Giving – Let children help pick out and wrap gifts. By participating in the gift giving process, children become interested in seeing other people’s reaction to the gift. Even young children can choose between two gifts, put a bow or tape on the wrapping paper, and decide where the gift should go under the tree.

Practice Receiving – Role play receiving a gift and thanking someone for it. Make writing thank you cards part of your family routine so children understand how to thank people politely for presents.
2. Holiday Energy – Holiday events often mean sweet foods and late bedtimes. Use the strategies below to manage energy levels and make bedtime successful.
Keep Children Active – Sledding, walking, and playing games outside during the day can help children use their energy in a healthy and positive way. Keep children active during the day so they will be tired at night making bedtime easier.

Limit Sweets – Candy, cookies, and soda are prevalent during the holidays. These foods are high in sugar and caffeine. They cause children to be overly active and make falling asleep difficult. Set rules about how much and when these foods can be consumed and provide healthy alternatives.

Stay on a Sleep Schedule – Even when children are not in school, a consistent sleep schedule is important. Have children wake up and go to bed at a regular time. Plan morning events such as holiday shopping to motivate children to wake up and get ready for the day.
3. Holiday Schedule Changes – Many children benefit from consistent routines and have difficulty with change. Make holiday schedule changes less stressful with these simple tips.
Use Visuals – Have a holiday calendar that lists events in writing, drawing, or picture format depending on the child’s level. Refer to the calendar to prepare children for the day’s events and help them understand what is going on and when.

Involve Children – Let children add new events to the calendar. If there are important events the family must attend, explain why attending is important. If there are events that are debatable, include children’s input in decisions about attending the event.

Help Find Missing Children - Please Check This Website Out

2010-12-14T17:20:00.001Z

Help Find Missing Children

8 Ways to Make Outings Less Stressful

2010-12-07T06:52:00.000Z

1. Set expectations - Be sure to let kids know what to expect. Clearly tell kids, “We are going to the doctor. We will wait in the office and then Dr. Klein will see you. I will be with you if you are afraid or have any questions.” If you are doing more than one thing, let the child know, “We are going to the store, the post office, and then the park.”

2. Provide support for the child to be successful - Some children benefit from having information in writing or in a drawing format. Reading stories in advance that discuss what is going to happen can reduce anxiety. Images from stories including Success Stories provide a way for children to see what is expected of them. Use illustrations and/or words during an event to reassure children.

3. Involve kids in planning the day - Often children are told what to do and have little ownership in decisions. Letting kids make a few choices in an outing helps them feel they are a part of the process. For example, let the child pick which errand the family does first.

4. Praise kids for a job well done - As you go through the day, be sure to reinforce kids for listening, following directions, and being kind to others. This shows children they get more attention for following the rules and routines than for breaking them.

5. Update kids regarding schedule changes - Schedule changes are likely to happen on a regular basis. When changes occur, let kids know what the change is and how it will affect their plans. For example, “James, the library is not open. We will still go to Aunt Jen’s but we will go to the library tomorrow.”

6. Plan for delays - Rarely do things go exactly as planned. Prepare for basic concerns such as hunger, boredom, and delays by packing snacks and portable activities like games or books. Make sure to have a back up plan if restaurants or stores are busy.

7. Let kids be involved - Children are less likely to break rules if they are busy. When you are shopping have the kids help you locate groceries. If you are in the doctor’s office have the child help you fill out the forms by eliciting their responses to simple questions like name, address, etc.

8. Be consistent - If you create a reward system where the child earns something for doing X, Y, and Z or a promise is made for the child to get something after going to the store, be consistent. If you say, “You get to play your game when we get home if ….” be sure to reinforce them only if they actually accomplished their goal. When children are given mixed messages about rewards, the inconsistency can lead them to expect rewards when they have not met their end of the deal. Although it may be difficult at first, children will quickly learn you mean what you say if you hold your ground.

A Message from Kate McCann

2010-12-01T10:35:00.000Z

There are several different reasons as to why I finally came to the decision with my husband Gerry to write and publish a book. This decision has not been an easy one. Many factors needed to be given thorough and careful consideration, not least the impact of such a book on the lives of our three children. My reason for writing is simple; to give an account of the truth.

Publishing this book has been a very difficult decision and is one that we have taken after much deliberation and with a very heavy heart. However, in the last few months with the depletion of Madeleine’s Fund, it is a decision that has virtually been taken out of our hands.

Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl.

We are hopeful that this book may help the investigation to find Madeleine in other ways too. Our hope is that it may prompt those who have relevant information (knowingly or not) to come forward and share it with our team. Somebody holds that ‘key piece of the jigsaw’.

Bill Scott-Kerr, Publisher at Transworld, bought the book from the Christopher Little Literary Agency for publication in Spring 2011. All royalties will be donated directly to Madeleine’s Fund – Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited.

Bill said: ‘It is an enormous privilege to be publishing this book. We are so pleased to be joining Kate and Gerry McCann in the Find Madeleine campaign."

The McCanns' Literary Agents, Christopher Little and Neil Blair, said: "We are honoured to be part of this emotive project and to support the McCanns in their search for Madeleine."

Thank you for your continued support.

Kate

Child with autism connects with Kinect

2010-11-12T21:02:00.001Z

When Kyle's father got Xbox's motion control system, he had no idea it would be a breakthrough for his boy
Four-year-old Kyle, who suffers from autism, found the gesture-based Kinect gaming system easier to use than those that require button-based controllers.
John Yan reviews games for a site called Gaming Nexus, so despite his initial lack of enthusiasm in the Xbox 360 Kinect motion controller, he knew he'd have to buy one when they came out. After all, it wouldn't be fair to dump all the Kinect reviews on his fellow writer, Chuck.
So last weekend, John and his four-year-old son Kyle went to Target to pick one up. Kyle is autistic, and has had trouble with video games, but his dad says that he always wants to try, and to keep practicing despite the potential for frustration. The controller is a barrier for Kyle. It's hard for him to master the complicated (and seemingly unrelated) button combinations required by traditional game consoles.
So when the Kinect was set up and the included title, Kinect Adventures, was loaded up, Kyle asked to give it a try. "What proceeded to happen was pretty amazing," John wrote on his site.
Playing a ball game, Kyle "jumped around and flailed his arms and legs in trying to punch the balls back to the blocks." When the game ended, John got an additional surprise: with just a little initial instruction, Kyle could navigate the game's menus like it was second nature.
When I called John for an interview, he told me that Kyle didn't have a severe case. "We're fortunate that he expresses some emotions," said John. But the family still faces challenges. "His issue is communication and comprehension. He didn't start talking until very late."
John tells me that he's thrilled when he experiences any breakthrough with Kyle, such as when they're riding in a car and Kyle explains the difference between two objects or concepts, or explains his motivations, why he does or doesn't want to do something. "You really pay special attention to any small signs of progress," John wrote.
So the breakthrough with the Kinect was particularly touching, especially after having tried with the Wii, with less successful results. "We tried a couple of games, especially racing games like Mario Kart, but he'd just get stuck," John told me. "But with Kinect he just put up his hand and knew where to go."

Helping Children Cope with Stressful Situations

2010-11-10T08:47:00.002Z

Children can feel stress at home or school and it can take a toll on them. Help children learn to reduce and cope with stress by using these strategies.

1. Identify Causes - If the cause of the stress isn’t easily identifiable, keep a journal and write down times when the child is anxious or upset to determine patterns. Are there sleepless nights before a math test? Do they look anxious before going on the playground? Use these patterns to pinpoint the activities and situations that may be stressful for the child.

2. Discuss or Write About the Situation – Once you identify what is causing the stress, discuss or help children write about why it is stressful. For example, if they are stressed before every math test, they may fear getting a bad grade or feeling helpless. Write a list of things they can do to be proactive and reduce stress. In this example, they can study more, ask the teacher if they have a question, or know they are trying their best. Developing proactive strategies is a way to feel more in control of the situation and reduce stress. Some situations will always be stressful, but often children think about the worst-case scenario rather than a realistic consequence. Children also may not realize other people also find the situation stressful. By discussing their feelings, the most likely outcome of the situation, and the fact that other people also experience stress, children’s fears and feelings of loneliness may be decreased. Additionally, the simple act of talking or writing about something stressful or scary can help children feel better.

3. Reduce Opportunities for Stress – Some stressful situations are avoidable. For example, if soccer practice is stressful for a child because they don’t enjoy the game and aren’t very good at it, find another activity that is a better fit with their interests and abilities.

4. Find Ways to Relieve Stress – People of all ages feel stress and learning to cope with it in a positive way is a lifelong lesson. When a situation is stressful, sometimes taking a break is helpful. Give children a place to go and collect their thoughts before returning to the group. Teach them to say, “I need a break,’ or ‘Please give me a minute.’ Use physical fitness as a way to channel energy in a positive manner. Taking a walk, running, jumping rope, or playing catch can help children release tension and stress. If a child can’t leave the setting, a stress ball is an easy to carry tool.

5. Prepare Children for New Situations – Often new situations are stressful for children. Read stories, write about, and discuss upcoming events to prepare children and set expectations. Encourage them to ask questions and let them know how a new event or change will affect them. Preparing for activities in advance can make the situation easier such as visiting a new school or sending a letter to the aunt and uncle they will visit.

A Message from Gerry McCann

2010-11-03T06:13:00.002Z

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As I write, it is exactly three and a half years since our daughter Madeleine was so cruelly taken from us. Three and a half years without her seeing her brother, her sister, her Mummy, her Daddy or her best friends.

We are still searching for her. Our small team continues to review all available information, even though we STILL don’t have access to ALL of the information that the UK and Portuguese authorities have. Our team has interviewed hundreds of witnesses, received over 1000 calls, dealt with over 15,000 emails and maintained a computerised database of all information they have received. Despite the difficulties resulting from lack of official assistance, they ‘follow up’ all new leads to try and get fresh information into the investigation.

It is incredible to think that for the last two years and three months NO police force has proactively been doing anything to help us find Madeleine. Crucially, there has been NO formal review of the material held by the police authorities - which is routine practice in most countries, and especially when a key piece of the ‘jigsaw’ may have been overlooked.

We have tried in vain to get the authorities to play their part but our requests have seemingly fallen on deaf ears. It is simply not acceptable that they have, to all intents and purposes, given up on Madeleine. We need the authorities to do more.

However we know we are not alone. We have the tremendous support of family, friends and of course you the public. A lot of this support comes in the form of people saying to us ‘if there’s anything we can do, just let us know or ‘I’d like to help but I don’t know how’. To these people, and indeed yourself, my plea is simple:

We need your support to continue to lobby the British and Portuguese Governments to undertake a joint or independent review of Madeleine’s case.

How can you do this?

Simply visit: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/madeleinemccann_case_review/ and sign the petition to call on the UK and Portuguese authorities to conduct an independent and transparent review of all information in relation to the disappearance of Madeleine. And in turn, please spread the word and encourage as many others to do the same. Together we can, and will pull all of the loose ends of Madeleine’s case together and find her.

Thank you.

Looking for our daughter is not without significant cost.

Another way you can show your support is by continuing to help us fund the search for Madeleine.

To carry on searching for Madeleine and to ensure that the process has continued in a meaningful and proactive way, we have been able to utilise the generous donations paid in to Madeleine’s Fund by the general public, libel damages paid to ourselves and our friends and money raised through a variety of fund-raising efforts. The fund has allowed;
• Our investigation team of ex-police officers to operate and conduct enquiries in the UK, Portugal and further afield.
• A Portuguese assistant/translator.
• A 24 hour telephone line with translators to receive information from the public
• Media liaison in Portugal and the UK to ensure that we convey the simple factual messages: there is absolutely no evidence that Madeleine has been physically harmed; we must keep looking for her and those who took her.
• Awareness campaigns in Portugal, Spain and further afield.
• Website hosting and development and social network site campaigns to raise awareness through the internet
• A part-time campaign coordinator
As I write this letter, if Madeleine’s Fund remains as it is, with the current rate of expenditure, it will run out in Spring 2011. This would essentially mean that any kind of proactive search for Madeleine would cease. So again we need your help. If you can, please consider donating to Madeleine’s fund at www.findmadeleine.com
• £1 pays for the multi-lingual call centre availability for 1 hour
• £2 per month pays for 12 travel packs that are distributed to holidaymakers going all over the world
• £10 pays for 1000 posters that are translated and distributed across the world.
• £25 pays for the access to a 24 hour multi-lingual telephone service for 1 day
• £50 pays for the running costs of investigation office (and staff) for 2 hours
• £420 pays for 10,000 multi-lingual prayer cards for Madeleine, with photograph and contact details

Someone knows what has happened to Madeleine. We simply need to reach that person. We need to obtain that key piece of information, that ‘missing piece of the jigsaw’. One call may be all we need to find Madeleine and who took her.

Our little girl is now seven years old; innocent, vulnerable and waiting to be found. Please, please sign the petition and help us to find her.

Gerry McCann

Students For Madeleine

2010-10-28T17:59:00.002+01:00

Students, don't forget, if you are going away this Christmas Madeleine McCann still needs your help. Click on the link bottom right of this blog to see how you can help in the search to find her.
Thank you

How ADHD forced my son out of school

2010-10-28T16:53:00.002+01:00

If your child has been diagnosed with 'behavioural problems' choose their secondary school carefully, warns Rebecca Harvey.

Exclusion from school is something every parent dreads. Hearing the words, “We would like you to remove your son at the end of this term”, was certainly one of the worst moments of my life.
Dan was starting his second year at an exclusive independent boys’ school and had behavioural problems. In fact, he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) although this had not been formally diagnosed at the time. We knew all along that there was more to his behaviour than simply being “bad”. The school chose to ignore this. They were, in my opinion, prepared to let him destroy himself simply to protect their position in the league tables.

With the independent schools’ open-day season now under way, I would advise the parents of prospective pupils who fall into the same category as my son, or who have already been diagnosed with ADHD, to choose carefully. As we were to discover, the consequences of not doing so can be damaging for both the child and their family.
ADHD is a recognised medical condition affecting up to 5 per cent of all school-age children, with more boys affected than girls. Scientists believe that it is caused by an imbalance in brain neurotransmitters – chemicals that allow the cells of the central nervous system to communicate – and those afflicted find it hard to concentrate, stay still for long, or restrain their impulses. Recent research showing, for the first time, direct evidence of a genetic link, is helping to disprove assumptions that this condition is merely “naughtiness”.
Dan had sailed through his entrance exam and the interview, and arrived at the school in September 2007. We were proud and excited, thinking a big sporty school perfect for him. There had been some behavioural problems at his state-funded primary school – he could be over-boisterous and sometimes aggressive in the playground – but there was no question about his intellectual ability. He was also an exceptional athlete, and soon in the rugby first team at his new school.
His half-term reports were worrying, however. While some teachers clearly enjoyed teaching Dan, others complained about his behaviour. He would call out impulsively during lessons and fidget in class. His homework was often incomplete and messy. In spite of this, he did well in tests and had a wide group of friends.
He was difficult at home, too: he couldn’t settle to homework and had trouble getting to sleep. Yet there was no deliberate mischief in Dan’s activities; he often apologised for letting us down.
A few weeks into the start of Dan’s second year, we were called to a meeting with the deputy head, shortly after our son had been given a one-day suspension for fighting with another boy. I said that my husband and I were convinced that there were underlying reasons for his behaviour, and the deputy head promised to recommend an educational psychologist who could see Dan.
By now, we were wondering if ADHD could be causing Dan’s problems. I wrote a letter to the deputy head the following day, asking for details of the psychologist. A reply never came. When I tried to follow this up, the head of year suggested Dan should visit the school’s counsellor. We agreed to this, though he had tried this previously at the school’s request but it had not helped. We trusted the school, believed it wanted to help our son, and felt we should co-operate.
From this point, things spiralled quickly downward. Dan’s meetings with the school counsellor had no impact. He had twice been suspended for fighting, which officially meant that he was on his last chance. Over the next few weeks, there were increasingly frequent small incidents: detentions for missed homework and minor complaints about his behaviour. Dan himself withdrew and appeared frightened. We could not get through to him.
Looking back, I feel this large, highly regarded school was surely well equipped to tell the difference between children who maliciously disrupt school life, and those, like Dan, who cannot help themselves. But the school was not prepared to recognise ADHD, even though it qualifies for Special Educational Needs (SEN), which its terms and conditions promise to provide for. Instead, the school let Dan down – badly: a talented, exuberant child on arrival in school, had become an unhappy, failing student.
We were invited to another meeting in early December 2008. “It’s nothing to worry about,” the head of year reassured me over the phone. Two days later, as we sat in his office, the deputy head asked us to remove Dan at the end of term. “If he does one more thing, I will expel him,” he threatened.
We took him out two days later, not daring to leave him there a moment longer. On his last day, he played in a rugby match, scored a try and the team won. It was expulsion, by another name. The boys in his year group launched a “Save Dan” campaign on Facebook; Dan himself kept apologising to us.
As soon as he left, we sought medical help. Within weeks, Dan was formally diagnosed with ADHD by a consultant paediatrician at our local hospital, and examined by a neurologist.
Contrary to recent media opinion, a child does not easily qualify for this diagnosis. Dan’s personal and medical history was meticulously investigated, and detailed questionnaires on all aspects of his behaviour completed by us and three teachers from the school. He ranked high on the scale, with eight out of nine behaviours classic in ADHD. He was assigned a specialist ADHD nurse and prescribed the drug, Ritalin, to help his concentration and control impulsivity. He has also had a course of therapy with a psychologist from our local authority’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
The school dismissed our appeal against Dan’s removal in January 2009, even though, by that stage, we had a preliminary diagnosis. We tried local state schools for Dan, but the good ones were full. Private specialist schools, mostly for boarders, were too expensive.
For a long time, Dan’s self-esteem was low, his bubbling confidence gone. It was distressing to see a child you love in such despair; by now, he had lost months at school, as well as more than a stone-and-a-half in weight. He looked gaunt and sad: it broke my heart. Finally, in September 2009, Dan obtained a place at a private school, with smaller classes and an SEN department with full-time staff. The school was well aware of his condition.
Nearly two years after being excluded, Dan’s behaviour is not perfect but it has greatly improved. He gets on well with the staff, and has learnt to trust them. His teachers take simple steps to help him, checking his notes taken in class and keeping in touch with us by email. I feel Dan is finally getting the education he deserves.
Many parents choosing a private school are reluctant to burden their child with a diagnosis of ADHD because of the stigma attached, but if the condition is identified and treated early, a child can be helped to achieve his or her potential. In the state sector, ADHD is recognised although getting the right help can be a slow process. Private schools, however, which deny its existence do untold damage to vulnerable youngsters.
All names have been changed

Halloween: Preparing Children for Trick or Treating

2010-10-28T16:46:00.002+01:00

Dressing up to go trick or treating is very exciting for children and it creates lasting memories for both children and parents. Help children prepare for trick or treating with these five strategies.
1. Select a Costume – Help children select a costume that fits properly and is safe. Children may be uncomfortable with anything on their face especially make up. Some children may not like masks because of sensory issues or limited vision. Keep these factors in mind when selecting an outfit. For children who have difficulties with masks, holding a mask rather than wearing it or not using one at all may make the evening more enjoyable.
2. Set Costume Guidelines – Children often want to wear their costume other times than trick or treating. Let them know if/when they can wear it besides trick or treating. Be sure to tell them this before they buy the costume and after it is purchased. Explain why they can wear the costume only at certain times. For example, “You can put it on in the evening for a few minutes to see how you look, but you can only wear it for a little while so it doesn’t get dirty before Halloween.”
3. Practice Going to People’s Doors – Role play going to someone’s door, saying “Trick or treat,” holding a bag out, and saying “Thank you.” Remind children to be polite, wait their turn, and take only one piece of candy when they are asked to
select something. It is tempting to rush to a door and take a handful of things when offered a basket or bowl to select from so multiple opportunities for review are important. Be sure to practice other things that may happen such as someone not
being home or someone complimenting them on their costume.
4. Establish Guidelines in Advance – Prepare children for factors such as: What time trick or treating starts and ends; How they know when it ends; Where they can trick or treat (e.g. only houses with lights on, only people the child knows, only homes in a four street radius, etc.); and What the rules are such as staying with a sibling or parent. Be sure to review these guidelines days in advance with a story, visual cards, or written rules. Before trick or treating, review them again so children clearly understand expectations.
5. Set sweet Guidelines– Children become very excited about getting sweets and other treats while trick or treating. Set rules in advance about eating candy. Let children know before trick or treating that they need to bring all of the sweets back for you to check before they can eat it. Make sure children have dinner before trick or treating so they are not hungry. Have guidelines about the number of pieces they can eat per day and create a schedule for when they can eat their sweets.
Display the sweet plan where they can easily look if they have questions.

Fun Feelings Activities

2010-10-28T16:42:00.002+01:00

Recognizing your own feelings and identifying the feelings of others are foundation skills for developing more involved social skills such as learning to cope with feelings and responding appropriately to the feelings of others.
1. Provide Multiple Examples: Feelings can be difficult to teach because they are expressed in a variety of settings, have many synonyms, and involve understanding subtle clues. In order to teach identification of emotions, provide examples in different settings through stories, pictures, videos, reallife experiences, and role play.
2. Show Feelings are Important: Children need to understand that it is okay to talk about and express feelings. Demonstrate this by asking children how they feel, sharing your feelings, and discussing how you cope with your feelings and respond to the feelings of others.
3. Use Natural Opportunities: When reading, watching movies, or in real-world situations, look for opportunities to discuss feelings. If the child is upset, use this as an opportunity to teach appropriate responses and coping strategies. For example, “Josh, I know you are angry that you have to leave the playground. Take 3 deep breaths to calm your body then join the class in line.” If another child is upset demonstrate how to handle the situation. For example, “Alex is upset. Let’s see if we can help him.”
4. Set Time Aside to Practice: Just as math and reading require practice so do social skills. Take a few minutes during the day to work on social skills. Since children may be overwhelmed by feelings it is important to practice expressing and responding to feelings when they are calm.
Role Play: Below are a few games that include role play of emotions.
• Have children select a feelings word or emotions card and act out the feeling on the card.
• Have children select a feelings word or card and role play when they felt this way.
• Put children in pairs. Have one child pick a feeling and act it out. The other child responds to the first child’s feelings.
Discuss Feelings: Show children pictures or drawings of facial expressions or scenes demonstrating feelings. Ask the following questions:
• How does the character feel?
• How do you know how the character feels? For example, they are smiling/frowning.
• When have you felt this way?
• What would you do if a friend felt this way?
• What do you do when you feel this way?
Use Art and Literacy: The arts provide a different way to think about feelings. They allow children to see the details of specific emotions and experience the look and feel of the emotion through a different medium. Art activities include:
• Have children draw a facial expression or scene showing a feeling.
• Have children write a story about a time they felt a certain way and what they did about it.
• Create a feelings book. On each page have a drawing of a feeling and a short sentence, “I feel sad/happy/scared when….” Keep each child’s book in the literacy center.
• Focus on a feeling by having a book specifically about the feeling that includes when the child feels this way and what coping strategies to use for managing the emotion.

Teaching Conversational Skills

2010-10-28T16:36:00.001+01:00

Conversational skills build a foundation for developing friendships, cooperating with other people, and communicating effectively with people in every aspect of life. Although the art of conversation is difficult to address, below are some strategies for teaching basic conversational skills.
1. Model Skills – Children learn from watching other people and then practicing skills. Role play is a fun and extremely effective way to teach skills because it lets children learn from examples. During role play model an appropriate greeting or conversation. Let children see how questions are asked and answered and how people remain on topic. Keep the ‘skits’ short and simple at first to establish the basic skills then expand on them later.
2. Practice Small Steps - Just like any other skill, social skills need to be broken into smaller steps and practiced repeatedly. Role play greetings by teaching the child to say, “Hello” and then expand to, “Hello, how are you?”
3. Multiple Phrases, Settings, and People – Conversational skills should be developed with a variety of people, phrases, and novel settings. To promote generalization of skills, introduce different questions and wording when role playing such as: “Good morning,” “Hello,” and “Hi there!” By doing this, children learn there are various greetings and responses. Since conversations occur throughout the day with
different people, recruit people in the school or community to help the child practice. Ask the crossing guard or librarian to engage the child in a conversation that incorporates the skills being practiced.
4. Remember Body Language – When practicing conversational skills, be sure to include key skills such as personal space (approximately an arm’s length is considered appropriate in the United States), body language, and facial cues. These unspoken aspects of conversation are often extremely difficult for children to grasp and should be included in role play and instruction.
5. Ways to Reduce Repetition – Children frequently learn saying hello or asking someone their name is part of a conversation, so they may repeatedly incorporate these phrases in the same conversation. One way to practice saying something only once is to hold up a finger as a visual cue during role play. For example, if there is a question or phrase that should only be used once, hold up a finger during
conversational practice time. After the child asks the question put your finger down. This is a cue that the child already has asked the question. After the child has used this cue successfully a number of times, practice without the visual cue and then praise them for remembering to ask the question only once.
Another strategy is to have the child keep a hand (preferably the left hand if you are teaching them to shake hands) in their pocket with one finger pointed. After they ask their favorite question, have them stop pointing or stop pointing and remove their hand from their pocket. This allows the child to remind themselves they used this phrase or question and other people are not able to see this personal cue.
6. Praise and Review - Praise children for greeting people, using a phrase once, or ending a conversation appropriately. Often it is best to praise children during role play or after the child is away from other people to avoid embarrassing them. To reinforce the skill, be sure to review what they did correctly. For example, “I like the way you asked Mr. James if he was having a nice day only once.” If a novel situation occurs naturally, role play it later and use it as a learning experience.

Teaching Children to Understand and Respond to Feelings

2010-09-20T11:04:00.001+01:00

Teaching Children to Understand and Respond to Feelings
Children often struggle not only with understanding their feelings, but also relating
to other people’s feelings. These skills are critical for personal well being and building relationships. This article includes steps for teaching children to understand and manage their feelings as well as identify and respond to other people’s feelings.
1. Identifying Feelings – Teach children to recognize when they have a specific feeling. Whether happy, sad, or angry the first step in coping with a feeling is identifying it. Help children identify feelings by discussing emotions when they
occur. If a child is angry say, “I see you are angry. You have your arms crossed and are stomping your feet.” Another tool is to role play times when specific emotions surface. Use novel examples as well as recent experiences for the child. Discuss and write about different feelings in a feelings journal. Use the journal to write about events and the emotions, responses, and consequences the events elicited.
2. Planning for Strong Feelings – Help children cope with intense feelings by creating coping strategies. Have a quiet place for children to take a break when angry or sad. Give children tools and teach them how and when to use them such as a stress ball or a trampoline. These tools help children release energy in a positive way. Encourage children to use words or write about their feelings. Establish a phrase the child can use to remove themselves from stressful or upsetting situations. The phrase gives children a way to politely excuse themselves, regain control, and then return to the situation. Select a short phrase that can be used in a variety of
situations such as, “Excuse me. I need a minute to think.”
3. Recognizing Other People’s Feelings – Learning to empathize with other people and respond appropriately to another person’s feelings, is an important skill for building relationships. Show pictures and drawings or role play situations to discuss the words, body language, and experiences that indicate a person’s feelings. When discussing a child’s own feelings, incorporate the concept that peers and adults have similar feelings in the same situation. This helps children develop empathy. Read stories where characters experience events that are happy, sad, surprising, or frustrating. Discuss why the characters felt the way they did and what they said or did to indicate their feelings.
4. Responding to Other People’s Feelings – Not only do children have to identify other people’s feelings, but they also need to learn how to respond when someone is angry, sad, or excited. Teach children appropriate responses through role play and reviewing past events. Discuss how different people in the role play feel, how their body language and words show their feelings, and the best response for the situation. Also discuss how the child would feel if this happened to them and how they would like other people to respond. This helps children learn to empathize with other people.

End of Summer Activities to Prepare for the School Year

2010-08-07T09:38:00.000+01:00

The start of the school year is an exciting time but the transition back to school can be stressful for many children. Help children prepare for the new school year with these helpful strategies.
1. Review Skills and Goals – Review school reports and goals and document progress towards goals. If teachers and therapists provided activities or ideas to address skills, take the time to focus on these prior to school starting. Even small reminders about skills can help prepare children for addressing these in the classroom.
2. Take Advantage of Natural Learning Opportunities - Use natural opportunities to address a wide range of skills such as asking a child to help count silverware while setting the table (counting skills) or asking them to read directions while cooking (reading skills). By keeping a child’s goals top of mind, natural learning opportunities can be easily identified.
3. Use a Calendar for Visual Reminders – Many children benefit from visuals. Mark important events leading up to the start of school on the calendar. Examples of activities to put on the calendar are the first day of school, shopping for school clothes, and buying school materials. Discuss how many days are left until each event and have children participate in planning by helping write shopping lists and decide where to shop.
4. Return to a Schedule – Summer breaks often are not very structured. Start getting back into a routine so children are more prepared for the school year schedule. Sleeping, eating, brushing teeth, bathing, and bedtime rituals are examples of activities typically scheduled at set times in a child’s routine. Work on a
consistent schedule to help transition back to school.
5. Use Art and Literature - Have children draw, make collages, or
paint things they remember about the previous school year. Have
them write about or discuss what things they like about school and
what they are looking forward to in the new school year. Use these
memories as visuals to discuss returning to school.
6. Play with Friends from School – Some children regularly see classmates over the summer while others only see school friends during the school year. Schedule play dates or host a classroom party to help children become re-acquainted with each other.
7. Enjoy the Rest of the Break – Although planning for the school year is important, make the most of the last few days of summer. Create lasting memories by going on picnics, attending community events, and taking advantage of extra family time. Take pictures to remind children of summer experiences and create a ‘Summer Memory’ book to encourage communication and language. This is a perfect item for show and tell at the start of the school year.

Activities for Summer Break

2010-08-07T09:32:00.004+01:00

Summer is a much needed break for many children and families. Make the most of summer by helping children have fun while learning new things. The ideas below are for children of all ages and include suggestions for both the home and the community.
1. Enjoy the Weather – Many communities have swimming lessons, group sports, or one-day neighborhood events. Encourage children to participate in these activities so they make new friends, learn new sports, and stay healthy. If children are ambivalent about trying something new, let them join with a friend. Children may be more interested in an activity if one of their friends is on their team or in their swimming group.
Doing outdoor activities is a great way to spend quality time with your children and show the importance of physical fitness. Make evening walks or bike rides part of your routine. Besides doing physical activities outdoors, learn to simply enjoy the nice weather by having picnics or sitting outside to read or have a snack.
2. Explore Creative Opportunities – There are many free websites with printable games, coloring pages, and ideas for simple art activities. These easy and free resources are fun for children. To locate activities, search the internet using keywords like ‘children’s art activities’ or ‘children and art’. Additionally, many art supply stores, arts centers, children’s museums, and home improvement stores offer free or low-cost one day clinics. The classes usually appeal to children of a wide age range and are offered on a regular basis. Don’t forget to check activities in your community center. Many community centers offer singing, acting, or music classes to help children of all ages explore their creative side.
3. Invite Friends to Play – Plan play dates for children. Besides having fun while playing, children develop important social skills by spending time together. When planning a play date, have a variety of fun games and activities handy to encourage children to interact instead of watching television. Rain or very hot weather can prevent children from playing outside so be sure to have board games, cards, and other indoor activities handy in case they can not go outside. Simple games are not only fun for children, but they teach important skills such as turn taking, sharing, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
4. Complete Projects Together – Projects such as planting a garden, planning a summer party, or researching ideas for the family vacation are exciting summer activities. Include children in your projects to teach them time management, responsibility, and life skills. If you are planting a garden, children can learn about plants, water them regularly, and pick fruits and vegetables. If you are planning a party, kids can help make invitations, plan the menu, or prepare the food. If you are planning a family vacation, show children guide books and maps and let them help plan different events for the vacation. Children like to spend time with adults and work with them on projects. These activities will engage children and teach them valuable skills while giving you a little extra help.
5. Read More – Encourage reading for enjoyment by including reading activities in your routine. Local libraries often have story time for preschoolers and a variety of other learning activities for elementary aged children. If your local library does not have these programs, have fun at the library by browsing and checking out books with your children. Also, check your local book stores for children’s program. They
frequently have similar story times and fun programs.

How to Help Children Retain Skills over the Summer Break

2010-07-16T07:57:00.002+01:00

Children often have a hard time retaining skills during the summer break. Many parents enroll children in summer school or extended school year, but this often is an abbreviated and less structured version of the school day. Even when children are educated at home, summer often involves routine changes. Since many children rely on consistent instruction, these changes can result in regression. This article includes strategies for preventing regression and teaching new skills.
1. Know What Skills to Work On - To prevent regression know what skills your child is working on and their current functioning level. Be sure to review their school progress reports, IEP (if applicable), and information from their teacher on summer reading and work. For children working on self-care, independence, or behavior skills, take data on their current progress. Be sure to ask their teachers and
therapists what skills they are working on and exactly where they stand.
2. Find Opportunities to Practice Skills - Many skills can be integrated into a daily routine. Dressing, self-care, and behavior naturally occur during the day. Take time to use these natural occurrences as learning opportunities. For example, help your child as needed to put on their shoes rather than doing it for them. It may take longer for them to do the skill on their own, but it teaches them the steps they need to be more independent. Academic skills also can be integrated into a daily routine. Have children help with any math related problems and involve them in reading. For
example, if you have a family picnic and 4 cousins, 3 aunts, 3 uncles, and 2 grandparents will be there, have your child help you count the number of cupcakes you need to bring. If you are baking the cupcakes, work on literacy skills by having your child read the recipe to you. Counting and fractions can be developed by gathering and measuring the ingredients. Children can work on motor skills by cutting butter, stirring ingredients, and pouring the batter into the tin. For children who need direct instruction, schedule a time during the day specifically to work on skills.
3. Build on Existing Skills - When children master a skill continue to review it, but also expand on skills. For example, if your child is mastering their current list of sight words, be sure to add additional words and phrases to their skill set. If they are able to count all the spoons the family has when helping to empty the dishwasher, add a serving spoon or two and teach them to count a little higher. Build on skills one step at a time so they are successful, enjoy learning, and do not become frustrated.
4. Appreciate Small Steps – It can be very frustrating for parents and professionals when children learn slowly or take a step backwards. Try to remember some skills take awhile for children to acquire. Sometimes children need additional examples of the skill or a new approach for instruction. Recognize that children become frustrated as well and teach them to be persistent and patient.
5. Realise It Is Summer – When children have different educational programs,
therapies, and activities, it can be easy to forget summer break is also for elaxing. Although working on skills is important, be sure to enjoy the fun things summer has to offer. Enroll kids in swimming lessons, summer camp, tennis class, or just let them play outside. These kinds of activities are a way to stay healthy, learn new skills, and make new friends.

Strategies for Teaching Children to Make Good Choices

2010-07-16T07:53:00.000+01:00

Choice is a big part of people’s lives. We decide daily what to wear, what to do, and how to treat people. Teaching children how to make good choices is critical for independence and self-control. This article focuses on a variety of strategies for teaching choice making.
1. Allow Children to Make Choices - Often it is easier to choose for children than allow them to decide for themselves. Unfortunately, lessons learned by making good and bad choices help children become responsible, independent adults. Choice also gives children a sense of ownership in activities. Take time to offer choices, create situations for choice, and reinforce the importance of good choices in your day.
2. Limit Choices - Keep the number and types of choices within reasonable limits. For example, if you let a child pick a snack, give them two or three healthy choices. By providing only allowable choices you reduce opportunities for conflict and create a situation where they succeed at making a good choice.
3. Discuss Options – When faced with decisions, think through and discuss the options to help children understand why one choice is better than another. Discuss possible choices, consequences, and why one option is better. For example, when leaving the house look outside and discuss the weather. Is it cold? Is
it raining? Which coat is the better choice? What happens if you pick the light cotton coat and it rains? By guiding children through choices you teach them how to make decisions for themselves.
4. Consider Other People – When decisions involve other people, discuss the implications of the choice for the other people. For example, if a child wants to use the swing for the duration of recess discuss:
Have other people asked to use the swing? Are other children waiting for the swing? How would you feel if you didn’t have a chance to use the swing? Are there other places you can play for part of recess? This helps children realize their choices affect people other than themselves.
6. Use Past Choices as Opportunities – When a child makes a bad choice such as cutting in line, saying something hurtful, or playing rather than finishing homework, use the opportunity to discuss why the choice was bad, consequences, and better choices for the future. Ask the child what other choices they could have made and what may have happened. Additionally, use past decisions and consequences as
reminders. For example, “Noah, remember how you played video games rather than clean your room yesterday and had to miss your favorite show and clean up? What do you think you should do today?”
7. Praise Good Choices – When children make good decisions let them know what they did and why it was a good choice. For example, “Jason, I like the way you moved over to make room for Ella on the bus. It was nice of you to share your seat. That was a very good choice.”
8. State When There Is No Choice – Some situations such as safety and schedules have no choices. Holding hands crossing the street, participating in fire drills, and leaving on time for school are examples of times when there is no choice. Explain why these situations do not have choices and why all people must follow certain rules and schedules. Let children know if there is an aspect of the event that is their choice. For example, “We have to leave now for the bus, but you can carry your blue or red book bag.”

Students for Madeleine

2010-07-14T12:45:00.004+01:00

Dear Colleagues
As you know, People First Education Ltd continue to support the campaign to find Madeleine McCann. The team at findmadeleine have recently launched a student initiative.
Please would you be kind enough to take a moment to check out the link by clicking the Students for Madeleine logo to your right, and forward it to anybody you may think is interested.

With very best wishes
The People First Education Team

Doncaster School for the Deaf

2010-06-11T12:33:00.003+01:00

I would just like to say a very BIG thank you to all staff at Doncaster School for the Deaf for inviting me in to talk about Autism and ADHD for the day on Monday. Not only was everybody welcoming and friendly, but the experience of working with signers was very new to me, and could easily have been a nerve wracking one if it had not been for the support of everybody!
What a great day, thanks again everybody!
Andrew

ICT - 140 and counting Features | Published in TES Magazine on 4 June, 2010

2010-06-09T12:33:00.003+01:00

Twitter's not just for Stephen Fry. Mike Kielty reports on how teachers are harnessing this free technology to create a 'community of learning' beyond the school gates

By any standards, Thomas Tallis School in London is unusually tech-savvy. This specialist arts college has its own online forum ("Tallis Talk"), its own iPhone application and many blogs showing pupils' work. But it is the school's Twitter feed (@creativetallis) that has been its most effective tool in reaching out to a wider audience. The school has more than 1,000 Twitter followers and regularly updates its feed with links to its pupils' work and to different artists around the world.

For Jon Nicholls, the school's art college manager and main tweeter, the micro-blogging site could lead to a fundamental change in the way pupils study. "It's a great model of learning because the more you learn, the more you invest in it, the more you offer other people, the more you get back," he says. This style of teaching is less top-down and more collaborative, he adds, a way to communicate in new ways, both with pupils and with the world outside the school gates.

Twitter - based on text-based posts of up to 140 characters - has become enormously popular since its creation in 2006, but the benefits for schools have not been clear until now. While many teachers have individual accounts on the site, and some schools have created their own Twitter feeds, there are few examples of how it can be used constructively in the classroom.

All of which makes @creativetallis all the more remarkable. Mr Nicholls believes the main reason for the school's success on Twitter is that it has created a "community of learning".

He interacts with other tweeters interested in creative ways to learn: asking and answering questions about teaching; posting links to other artistic sites; displaying the work of Thomas Tallis pupils. "It's about being part of a conversation on the web, and connecting with people who have mutual interests," he says, making @creativetallis much more than a dry school newsletter.

As well as its official feed, the school is experimenting with Twitter in lessons. One idea was to divide children into groups to market Fair Trade products from different countries. The children practised advertising the products on Twitter, just as many real companies would. "It encourages brevity, accuracy, precision. All the things that we want children to develop as communication skills," Mr Nicholls adds.

Teachers elsewhere are also seeking out new methods to harness this technology. At the end of his lesson, Andrew Luxton, a history teacher at Priory Community School in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, asks selected pupils to send a tweet to one of his Twitter addresses (@PCSLuxton and @PrioryGCSEHums), describing what they think is the main point they have taken from the lesson.

Other pupils provide feedback and improve the message until both they and Mr Luxton are satisfied. Then he sends it to the whole class, in what he has dubbed a "tweenary", to help the children to focus on and remember the key message of the lesson.

While Mr Luxton is keen to point out that he does not use technology just for the sake of it, he believes that Twitter can be a useful classroom tool. "If Twitter helps some pupils boost their grades or understand something more, then it is worth it," he says. "It is very easy to use, does not consume time or other resources, and is free."

At St Ninian's High School (@stninianshigh) in East Renfrewshire, Kenny O'Donnell, a geography teacher, organised a live tweeting conversation for his class of 13 and 14-year-olds with Alastair Humphreys of the Catlin Arctic Survey (@ArcticSurvey), who was at his camp in the Arctic Circle at the time.

"Twitter is a quick and easy way to get a real person in your classroom," says Mr O'Donnell. He also points out that it is free, a "Godsend" to teachers and schools in the present economic climate.

But not everyone has climbed on board the Twitter bandwagon. Anastasia de Waal, deputy director of the think-tank Civitas, argues that it could distract teachers and schools from more effective, if less fashionable, teaching methods. Twitter might be useful for teachers to exchange ideas with one another, but does not necessarily have a place in the classroom, she says.

"My worry is that there is a feeling schools must be up to date and take on all of the latest technology, and it isn't going to work for everybody. It may be just a distraction."

The use of Twitter in classrooms is still at an experimental stage. It is far more common for teachers to set up personal profiles on Twitter and use them to share ideas with others in the profession.

Laura Doggett (@lauradoggett), a French teacher at Westfield Community Technology College in Hertfordshire, is an e-learning expert who has blogged about how Twitter can be useful for teachers. She has more than 1,600 followers on Twitter, which she uses as a place to talk with other teachers and as a "sounding board" for new ideas.

"It's really great to be able, in one scroll of a page, to move from a fantastic recipe to a great English teaching resource to a brilliant new strategy on using virtual learning environments, to somebody needing some help and being able to contribute," she says.

David Miller (@DavidMiller_UK), an award-winning English teacher at another St Ninian's High, in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, has more than 750 Twitter followers. He tweets to other teachers, discussing ideas, but does not allow his pupils to follow him. He says: "I find it an incredibly powerful tool for personal and professional development."

There are risks for teachers using Twitter. Any inappropriate messages could lead to problems at work. Argyll and Bute Council in western Scotland banned its teachers from using Twitter last year, after one was found to have posted around 20 messages a day. Her posts included criticisms of the headteacher and one that read: "Had S3 period 6 for last two years...don't know who least wants to do anything, them or me."

It is difficult to imagine Twitter conversations between teachers and pupils ever becoming a normal part of school lessons. Why tweet a message to someone less than 5m away from you? But the signs are that tweeting will become a more common learning tool, with teachers using it to communicate with their pupils outside the classroom. It is at the forefront of the wave of Web 2.0 technologies that are transforming the way teaching and learning takes place by making it more conversational.

As Jon Nicholls says: "Twitter is the most efficient, fastest, most focused version of that conversation you can have online."

How can schools use Twitter?

- Producing daily tweets about what is going on in the school.

- Sending out administrative messages to parents, pupils and staff.

- Introducing children to the Twitter streams of notable figures outside the classroom.

- Creating "communities of learning": groups of tweeters interested in a specialised area.

- Starting "tweenaries", in which children condense the key message(s) of a class into the length of a tweet.

Top tweeting schools

- @creativetallis - 1,065 followers - Thomas Tallis School, London

- @OrwellHigh - 479 followers - Orwell High School, Felixstowe

- @ClassroomTweets - 475 followers - Year 2 class at Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Primary School, Stockton

- See also @schoolduggery - 4,037 followers - An independent perspective on education in the UK. Contains numerous lists where you can link to schools and teachers in particular subject areas.

Log on for learning

- Futurelab - a not-for-profit group that researches and helps schools to implement new technology. www.futurelab.org.uk 0117 915 8200

- Green Schools Online - sets up websites for schools, including Twitter feeds. www.greenschoolsonline.co.uk 0844 668 6844

- Edmodo and Learning Landscape for Schools are social networking sites where schools can create private communities so teachers and pupils can exchange messages and ideas without them being made public. www.edmodo.com info@edmodo.com www.ll4schools.co.uk 020 8764 2663.

Getting Ready for Summer Break

2010-05-25T18:50:00.002+01:00

Getting Ready for Summer Break
1. Prepare Kids – Prepare children for the summer break while they are still in school. Classrooms often have a countdown to summer, but including one in the home also is helpful. Discuss summer break with children including when they will return to school and what they will do over the break. Read books about vacation, summer, and school breaks.
2. Make Cards – If children are concerned about not seeing their friends and teacher, have them create cards for everyone. The cards can have memories from the school year or a simple message, “Have a nice summer. See you in August.” Cards are a great way for children to share their feelings and learn about giving.
3. Don’t Forget School – Arrange summer play dates with classmates before school ends so children know they will see their friends soon. Use the class picture as a way to discuss and remember classmates, or make a book about the past year, “Bobby’s Year in First Grade.”
4. Maintain Structure – The school day provides a significant amount of structure for children. A transition from a full day of planned activities to one with little structure can be very difficult for children. Have a routine so children have consistency in their lives. Set times for waking up, going to bed, eating, and other activities so children know what to expect during the day. If children have a routine with different activities on different days of the week such as swimming lessons Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and library time on Tuesdays, make a calendar showing these activities with words or pictures so children see the day’s activities. Some children may benefit from a very structured schedule. If children use a picture schedule at school, ask their teacher how to implement it at home. Besides including structured activities, remember a schedule can include periods of choice and free play while still providing support and structure.
5. Keep Activities Handy – Keep materials for art activities (paper, paints, buttons, glue, magazines)handy. Art activities develop fine motor skills and encourage creativity. Cooking lunch or snacks is a fun activity for children and it encourages reading, basic math (fractions, counting), and turn taking.
6. Start Summer-Long Responsibilities – Give children activities for the summer. Gardening activities such as a small plot in the family garden or an indoor herb garden are a great opportunity for children to watch plants grow, care for them, and see the fruits of their labor. If children are not interested in gardening, give them responsibilities with the family pet (brushing, feeding, walking) or another household activity. These activities can be expanded upon by reading about the topic or attending events involving the topic such as a local flower show or dog show.
7. Ask the Teacher – If you have concerns about a child’s transition from school to summer, ask their teacher for suggestions. The teacher may have specific ideas for your child’s needs or they may know about community activities your child would enjoy. They also can provide ways to help your son or daughter prepare for the next school year.

INTERNATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY: May 25th

2010-05-25T18:47:00.000+01:00

http://www.findmadeleine.com/updates.html

Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands as a Psychological Allegory by Cory Sampson:http: //www.timburtoncollective.com/edwardpsycho.html

2010-05-13T08:33:00.000+01:00

Edward Scissorhands was the first film directed by Tim Burton where he was also the story-writer. For the story of Edward Scissorhands, he worked with Caroline Thompson; this was their first film together, though the pair collaborated on several other projects after Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton’s reputation as a film-maker has achieved something of a cult status; the dark and sometimes disturbing imagery employed in many of his films can either alienate or elevate a person, depending on their preference; Edward Scissorhands is also something of a cult film. His unique and recognizable visual art and tendency to sympathize with the outsider has led some to see Burton as an auteur. The singularity of his movies may have less to do with Burton as auteur, and more to do with the people commonly involved in his films; musician Danny Elfman, costume designer Colleen Atwood, and actress Winona Ryder are a few examples of some Burton collaborators involved with Burton projects aside from Edward Scissorhands. Nevertheless, this film seems to aptly support the notion of Burton as an auteur, as the allegorical structure of the film is supported by its cinematography, and its message is in keeping with the common theme of disability and the well-meaning outsider often explored by Burton in both films and books; here, it seems as though Burton has, either accidentally or intentionally, constructed a near-perfect allegory of a man afflicted with the autistic spectrum disorder known as Asperger’s Syndrome.

Asperger’s Syndrome has recently been the center of much attention; the disorder was reported in 1944 by physician Hans Asperger, at around the same time autism was being discovered. It was not until 1994 however, that Asperger’s Syndrome was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), in its fourth edition. Before then, many individuals with the syndrome went undiagnosed, or were misdiagnosed with either Attention Deficit Disorder, or other similar disorders (Kirby). The disorder is characterized by severe impairment in social faculties, particularly in recognition of social or emotional cues (empathy), and in social or emotional reciprocity. Often, individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome desire social interaction, but are unable to perform socially due to this deficit in interpreting subtle and unwritten social rules. Often individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome will excel in one particular intellectual subject, which they pursue with abnormal intensity and focus. In adults with the disorder, a lifetime of social retardation can lead to withdrawal from social situations, focussing on their work.

The character of Edward Scissorhands seems to fit the profile of an individual with the disorder. At the beginning of the film, he is isolated and withdrawn in a highly ornate mansion overlooking a bright pastel-coloured suburban neighbourhood. He works intensely on his lawn sculptures, which are fashioned down to intricate detail. He is taken into the neighbourhood by Peg Boggs, his real social awakening. The transition is confusing, and he has trouble adjusting, yet he desires to be loved and to socialize (his first words to Peg are “don’t go,” suggesting a desire for social contact in lieu of isolation). He is admired for his talent as gardener and hairdresser (which his scissor hands make exceptionally easy), and yet his manner is disaffected or sometimes inappropriate (as in the scene where Joyce Monroe unsuccessfully tries to seduce him). He is eventually coerced into breaking into a house, under the suggestion of Kim Boggs. When he is arrested, he is examined by a psychiatrist who says that he will be alright out in the world. After the community turns against him, and he again runs afoul of the law, he returns to the mansion again to live in isolation from the world.

These details, when symbolism is applied with a psychoanalytical approach to the character of Edward Scissorhands, reveals the allegorical nature of this film. The most obvious symbol is the set of scissors Edward has for hands. These represent his social faculties, and the difficulties they present to him. Throughout the film, Edward is shown to be greatly impaired when it comes to everyday activities, such as dressing, using eating utensils, or turning a doorknob. While this could be taken simply as allegory for physical disability, there are a few other instances which suggest social impairment as it occurs with Asperger’s Syndrome. Edward is constantly cutting and scarring his own face accidentally; this scarring could represent the emotional scarring of failed social attempts caused by inability to subtly manipulate social situations.

While driving home with Peg, he reaches across with his hand to point at something, causing Peg to yell with distress. He is embarrassed afterward with his behaviour, once it is apparent he has done something wrong. His scissors actively impair him from becoming close to a person romantically; Kim Boggs asks Edward to hold him, to which he replies, “I can’t.” This is also a desire but an inability to reciprocate emotionally. This is perhaps mitigated by the editing, where in the next scene, we cut back in time to a memory of Edward’s inventor dying before being able to give him the hands he needs to manipulate (or, in this allegorical reading, function socially). The ice sculptures are perhaps an attempt to show affection in an indirect and demonstrative way; he makes a statue of Kim as an angel, and she dances about in the “snow” that flies from it as he sculpts. Though he cannot connect with an individual on a reciprocative and empathetic level, he can still make affection known through an outward display of it. Though he cannot touch Kim directly without hurting her, he can “touch” her through the snow that falls upon her. Here, the scissors represent an AS individual’s attempt to compensate for social deficit with other more advanced mental faculties.

While the scissors represent his awkward social faculties, they also represent the facility many AS individuals have with a certain specialized topic area. The most obvious is the lawn sculptures and ice statues. These might represent a kind of social surrogate, fantastic constructs to replace actual people with a more predictable model. This seems to be supported by the fact that ice sculptures of finer detail supplement the lawn sculptures after Edward has been socially awakened. Also important to note is that before descending to the neighbourhood, he did not sculpt figures of people, and that the first sculpture of a human that he did was of the Boggs family, his first real social contact. At least one of the sculptures in the mansion courtyard represents a desire: the hand sculpture, on a literal level, represents his desire for functional hands. On the allegorical level, it represents his desire for the tools necessary for social interaction, a common desire among AS individuals. This is exacerbated by the placement of the hand sculpture both centrally in the set, and centrally in the frame on many occasions when it is shown. When working with his scissors, either sculpting, cutting hair or chopping vegetables, he takes on a facial expression of intensity and drive, which is at the same time blank, shutting out the world outside of his work.

This is similar to the focus certain AS individuals experience when concentrating on a project that piques their interest. Edward also feels an odd compulsion to cut or groom things, sometimes to distraction, as in the scene where he stops to snip at a hedge while on his way to break into Jim’s father’s house. Many AS individuals, during conversation, tend to perseverate, or continue to return to a certain discussion topic of interest to them, despite changes in the flow of conversation (Bauer). Sometimes, due to difficulty interpreting a person’s intentions, someone with Asperger’s Syndrome can be exploited for various purposes; Edward experiences something similar on two occasions: when he first unlocks the door for Jim and Kim, and when Kim asks him to break into Jim’s father’s house, at Jim’s request. His particular talent for picking locks with his scissor hands is exploited. He also seems unable to tell the difference between who is really a friend and who is exploiting him; the scene following the initial unlocking is of him on a talk show. His response to the first question of what he most enjoys about living in the neighbourhood is “the friends I’ve made.” When he breaks into Jim’s father’s house, he tells Kim that he did it simply because she asked him to.

On several occasions, he hurts others or destroys by accident, or a misunderstanding about his scissors leads to trouble. The first such occasion is when Peg first sees Edward, and is terrified by his scissors. The scarring of his face I’ve already mentioned. He nearly ends up shot by the police when they ask him to “drop [his] weapon” as he is leaving Jim’s father’s house. He accidentally cuts Kim’s hand as he is finishing the ice sculpture, and he cuts Kevin Boggs’ face while attempting to console him after almost being run over by Jim. When his “father”, the inventor, dies before giving Edward his hands, Edward attempts to caress the inventor’s face, and in doing so, cuts it. These accidents could represent the damage an AS individual may inadvertently cause through ignorance of social cues; often AS individuals can say or do things which may be considered rude or insensitive simply because they were unaware of how hurtful they were. When Edward cuts the drapes, towels and wallpaper in anger and despair after being betrayed by Jim, it might represent the anger and acting out at certain developmental stages, due to difficulty coping socially (Bauer).

It is important to note that the character of Edward Scissorhands is probably not intended to have Asperger’s Syndrome; merely the allegorical construct is representative of the difficulties facing an individual with Asperger’s Syndrome. Nevertheless, Edward does have some personality traits that are in common with AS individuals which stand independent of the allegory of the scissor hands. His facial expression is blank and uncommunicative. Many AS individuals, due to perceptual difficulty, do not learn to interpret or communicate non-verbally through facial expression, except in basic ways. Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome also tend to have a neutral tone of voice, with odd or inappropriate inflection; throughout the film, Edward speaks in a monotone. He has trouble interpreting figurative language or subtlety. When the bank manager speaks to him condescendingly about his handicap, Edward smiles as though the bank manager has made a friendly gesture. When Bill Boggs uses the idiom “soup’s on!” Edward does not understand, and replies through a full mouth, “I thought these were shish-kebab.” Bill responds by telling Edward not to take things so literally. Some AS individuals have difficulty interpreting figurative language, sarcasm or idiom until learned. It is telling cinematographically that this scene is immediately followed by the scene in which the inventor is attempting to teach Edward about etiquette. Toward the end of this scene, the inventor decides that this is too “boring”, and reads a humorous limerick. Edward must be told where it is appropriate to laugh. During one scene, before Edward must meet the neighbours at the barbecue, Peg tells Edward not to worry, and that all he needs to do is be himself. This seems reminiscent of an anecdote told by an AS individual about the difficulty of fitting in socially. “I decided to follow the advice people had been giving me for a very long time. I decided to BE MYSELF (sic) … I'm not completely sure what kind of an impact this had on other people but during my second year, they would sometimes tell me I was too genuine and that I needed to put on a bit of a mask. I simply couldn't win either way.” (Segar chapter 7).

Cinematographically, the audience is given hints of Edward’s peculiarity, and is meant to sympathize. Due to their lack of context for social niceties, AS individuals often perceive the world of human interaction as absurd and superficial. Through visual and narrative cues, the neighbourhood is portrayed as exceptionally absurd. The odd pastel coloured houses are one such cue; as is their constant gossiping behaviour, which is taken to excess. They are so eager for information that they manage to fill Peg’s entire answering machine tape. This allusion to the absurdity of the neighbourhood’s social behaviour might give the audience some context for understanding the AS individual’s perception of the world.

Ultimately, and most supportive of the theory of Burton as an auteur, is the defeatist point that a person with a disability cannot function in society, and must be isolated for their own good and the good of their loved ones. Peg remarks, toward the end of the film that she didn’t think things through when she brought Edward into the neighbourhood, and it might be best if he went “back up there”, meaning the mansion (or allegorically, into social withdrawal). This is supported in at least one other work by Tim Burton: the pseudo-children’s book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. In the headline story, a boy who is half-oyster seems to be the cause of his father’s impotence. Since oysters are an aphrodisiac, the doctor suggests that the man should eat his son. The implication here is that disability can cause severe emotional problems to those who must care for or deal with the disabled; and that while cruel, the disenfranchisement or isolation of the disabled is a dismal solution to these problems. The book itself is filled with several tales on similar lines; one of a boy who is born a robot (again, a suggestive symbol for someone on the autistic spectrum) is among these stories.

The most puzzling question this allegorical reading raises is this: why would Tim Burton, who seems to have had no knowledge of autism or Asperger’s syndrome have written such a precise allegory for the disorder? I would guess that the only way Tim Burton could have written this story, with all its implications, both subtle and overt, is if he himself is an individual with a disorder on the autistic spectrum, or was very close to a person similarly afflicted. Burton himself is described as an “introverted, unassuming person” (Jackson, McDermott). In his own biography, Burton on Burton, he says, about his childhood, that he was often alone, and had trouble retaining friendships. “I get the feeling people just got this urge to want to leave me alone for some reason, I don’t know exactly why. It was as if I was exuding some kind of aura that said ‘Leave Me The Fuck Alone (sic)’” (Burton 2) Of course, with no psychoanalysis of the man, there is no real way to say for certain that he falls on the autistic spectrum; yet Edward Scissorhands suggests a certain sympathy for the symptoms and circumstances of individuals who do.

Works Cited

Bauer, Stephen. “Asperger Syndrome”. OASIS. 12 November 2004.

Burton, Tim. Burton on Burton. London: Faber and Faber, 1995. 18 November 2004.

---. The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. New York: William and Morrow and Company, 1997.

Edward Scissorhands. Dir. Tim Burton. Perf. Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, and Diane Wiest. 1990. Videocassette. Twentieth Century Fox, 2000.

Jackson, Mike and McDermott, Arran. Biography. The Tim Burton Collective. 2004. 12 November 2004.
Kirby, Barbara L. “What is Asperger Syndrome?”. OASIS. 12 November 2004.

Segar, Marc. “The Battles of the Autistic Thinker”. Marc Segar: 1974 – 1997. 18 November 2004.

Teaching Children to Practice Acts of Kindness

2010-05-13T08:04:00.000+01:00

Being kind to other people and yourself is important for being a good friend and being happy. Modeling kindness, reflecting on kind actions, and practicing acts of kindness can help children develop this skill. This article includes strategies for helping children learn to be kind to other people and to themselves.
1. Be a Role Model – When adults say unkind things about other people or themselves, children learn this is acceptable behavior. Be a role model and say kind things about co-workers, neighbors, people in the community, and yourself.
2. Use Lists – Have children write lists or make collages representing what they like about their friends, family members, and people in the school. Hang the lists or art projects where classmates and friends can see them. Have a separate activity where children make a parallel list or art project that includes things they do well and why they are a good person.
3. Read and Write Stories – Read stories about kindness and respect in school and at home. Discuss how being kind makes the characters feel. Ask children to share times when they were kind and times when people were nice to them. Also have children write stories about being kind to other people.
4. Practice and Discuss Small Acts of Kindness – In addition to having children write and say things that are kind, have them practice little acts of kindness. Teach children to help other people in day to day situations such as when someone needs help carrying an item, they can’t reach something, or they drop an item. Create a set of pictures or make short stories with opportunities for small acts of kindness. Have children role play what they would do to be helpful in these situations.
5. Learning to Do Kind Things for Yourself – Have children write or create a collage about things they like to do or activities that make them feel good about themselves. Discuss how taking time to participate in these activities can make them feel better and decrease stress.
6. Pick a Cause or Charity – A long term investment in a volunteer or charity activity teaches children that even a small amount of time and energy makes a big difference. First create a list of volunteer opportunities then let the class or family select an activity to join. Whether it is collecting food for a food bank, donating toys, or cleaning up a community area, these activities demonstrate how working collaboratively with other people can make a big difference. Discuss or have children keep a journal about the experience. Ask them to include how they felt and how they think the people benefitting from their time and effort felt.

Consumer Reports: Half of Social Network Users are "Oversharing," Endangering Privacy

2010-05-13T08:00:00.001+01:00

Consumer Reports, a longtime trusted name in product ratings and reviews, has today released its annual "State of the Net" report, which finds that over half (52%) of social network users post risky information online. Among the transgressions: using weak passwords, listing full birth dates, ignoring privacy settings and making mention of when you're away from home, to name a few.

The report looked closely at Facebook and Twitter, two of the top social networks used today, and found that on Facebook, the percentage of those engaged in this type of risky behavior was even higher, at 56%. However, what's more interesting is how the survey inadvertently reveals that Facebook users clearly have no idea about how much they're publicly sharing on the network.

Consumer Reports Tells Facebook Users What to Do
The study looked at a representative group of 2,000 online households in the U.S. during the month of January. Within this sampling, 9% of social network users had been the victim of some form of online abuse in the past year like malware infections, scams, identity theft or harassment.

Those who "overshare" online - posting personal information like full names, children's names, home addresses and details about when they're away from home - are "especially vulnerable," notes the report.

To counteract these dangers, Consumer Reports made the following seven suggestions of things you should stop doing on Facebook:

Using a weak password
Listing a full birth date
Overlooking privacy controls
Posting a child's name in a caption
Mentioning being away from home
Letting yourself be found by a search engine
Permitting youngsters to use Facebook unsupervised
Poor Privacy Settings at Fault, Not Mindless Online Behavior

Some of those suggestions are common sense (or just good parenting), but the tone of the report sometimes feels a bit over the top. It suggests, for example, that posting your children's pictures is, in and of itself, risky online behavior. But what are social networks for, anyway, if not for sharing Junior's latest with Grandma?

The problem with this report is that it acts as if the burden of online safety should be entirely placed upon social networking users. While there are some obvious areas where people need to think smarter, some of the real issues regarding these networks are being ignored.

With social networks - Facebook in particular - privacy settings are too often obscured or are confusing and so therefore are generally overlooked by the majority of a social network's users. To make matters worse (in terms of privacy, that is), the default setting on nearly every social network is "public." Whether you're uploading photos to Flickr, sharing videos on YouTube, or updating your status on Twitter and Facebook, the networks are designed with the idea that you're doing so to share with world, not a closed set of family and friends.

In many cases, this is understood: YouTube, after all, is a video sharing portal, not a private network. But the problem with Facebook is that it used to operate differently. Originally positioned as a more-private network, the recent changes there have dramatically reversed its course - so much so that U.S. senators are now investigating its new policies, while others are calling Facebook's data-sharing plans a "bait-and-switch."

In others words, it's not just the users themselves who are to blame for this "risky" online behavior. The networks have been created so that risk is a factor built into every sharing feature. Facebook especially is now exploiting its earlier, implicit agreement between itself and its users so that people are publicly sharing what they think is private information.

Survey Shows Facebook Users are Clearly Confused
Something else we found decidedly telling regarding this issue is the fact that the reports states 73% of adult Facebook users only shared content with friends but only 42% of users said they customized their privacy settings.

These numbers clearly show the study's flaws. You can't just ask Facebook users about their privacy: They're uninformed.

In December, Facebook made sweeping changes to their default settings, prompting users to accept the new recommended settings or edit those settings to their liking. Those who took Facebook's recommendations without making any changes immediately began sharing status updates, photos, videos and links publicly, likely without realizing they had done so.

That means that a good many of the 73% of Facebook adults who think they're sharing just with friends are sadly mistaken. Only those in the 42% who customized their settings (hopefully properly) are actually restricting their content from public view.

Other Figures
There are some other figures in this report, summarized below, that may be of interest, but you have to take them with a grain of salt. This (and similar studies) can't truly paint an accurate picture if they rely on users to respond to questions instead of analyzing data at the source itself.

73% only shared their Facebook content with friends
42% customized settings to control who can see their information
22% customized what personal information can be accessed by apps
18% customized settings to control who can find a user's page through a search
11% only shared content with friends, and friends of friends
10% altered some personally identifiable information to protect their identity
Facebook Applications

39% of Facebook users surveyed reported that they use apps
10% of Facebook users were confident that they are secure
27% believed that some apps are more secure than others
28% believed that all apps pose some security threats
35% hadn't given much thought to the security of apps
Protecting Privacy on Twitter

34% of Twitter users surveyed said they only make their tweets available to followers
27% said they check out pages of new followers that they don't know personally
24% said they block all new followers that they don't know personally
12% said they research new followers on Google or other search engine
5% asked others about new followers they didn't know personally

Ways to Increase Communication and Language

2010-04-27T17:47:00.001+01:00

There are a variety of ways to increase communication depending on a child’s age and ability level. Below are some ideas for increasing language and communication throughout the day.
1. Expand Sentence Length – When children answer a question or request an item using one or two words, increase their sentence length by repeating their answer with an expanded phrase. For example, if you ask a child, “Would you like orange juice?” and they answer “Yes,” model a longer response. “Yes, I would like orange juice.” Then have the child repeat the phrase.
2. Use Books for Language - Reading stories is an excellent way to incorporate language into a fun activity. Ask questions about the pictures, the story, and the characters. Even very young children can identify colors, gender, words, or concepts (e.g. the boy that is the tallest/shortest)by pointing to pictures. Have children predict what is going to happen next throughout the story. After finishing the book, review what happened in the story.
3. Create Situations that Promote Language - Favorite toys, clothes, and foods can motivate young children to use language. Store favorite items in eye sight, but out of reach, so children have to use their words to request the items.
4. Provide Choices – Give children choices in activities, stories, toys, and foods so they communicate their preferences. You can create an opportunity for communication even if you know a child is going to select a favorite story or game.
5. Find Time to Communicate – Many children like being entertained by technology, but opportunities for communication are lost when families spend a good deal of time watching television and playing video games. Turn off the television during meals and refrain from using portable video games in the car. Time spent together at the dinner table and in the car are wonderful opportunities for learning about a child’s day and increasing communication and language skills.
6. Be Supportive – Children are more likely to communicate if they feel valued. Encourage language by listening attentively to children and asking them questions. If children answer questions incorrectly, teach them the correct answers using kind, supportive words. Repeatedly asking a question a child does not know how to answer or condescendingly correcting them can hurt their feelings and decreases the chance they will answer questions in the future. Instead, encourage them to say, “I don’t know,” and use the situation as a learning opportunity.
7. Be a Role Model – Children learn from the adults around them. When adults speak in full sentences, use correct grammar, and articulate well, children hear and are reminded of how words and sentences should sound.

Using Community Activities to Develop Social Skills

2010-04-13T16:05:00.001+01:00

Community activities are diverse, fun, and provide a wide range of opportunities for
social skill development. Meeting people, maintaining conversations, collaborating with peers, following directions, and problem solving are a few social skills to practice in a community setting.
Below are a few ideas on incorporating social skill development into your community activities.
1. Story Times and Plays – Community libraries, bookstores, and theatres often have book readings or short plays for children. These events are opportunities to practice attending, following directions, maintaining personal space, and asking and responding to questions in a group setting. For children working on attending, find out how long the event lasts, if there are frequent breaks, and if the event is interactive. Attend shorter, more interactive events then gradually increase the
length of time so children are successful and are engaged in the event.
2. Playground - Although primarily thought of as a place for exercise,
playgrounds are a wonderful place to learn conflict resolution, problem solving, and communication skills. Children can practice asking to join an activity, helping peers, and working with friends to create and resolve game rules. Patience can be practiced waiting for a swing or the slide. Playgrounds in fast food restaurants are a way to get out of the hot summer or cold winter weather and help children interact with peers.
3. People of Authority in the Community - The ability to socialize with people of authority is important for school, community, and future work environments. Doctors, dentists, and religious leaders are examples of people who should be addressed more formally. Use these interactions as opportunities to practice formal introductions, greetings, conversations, and good-byes. Prepare children by letting them know who they will be seeing and practicing short conversations.
4. Frequent Interactions – Addressing people at a store or in the neighborhood involves less formal interactions. These meetings are an opportunity for greeting someone by name, asking questions about their interests, and ending the conversation appropriately. Practice at home in advance and remind children, if necessary, how to respond when they see the person. For example, ‘Alex, you remember Mrs. Smith who lives across the street and has the dog, Skipper.’
5. Community Parks and Recreation Centers - Community parks and recreation centers
frequently have summer baseball, soccer, or basketball teams. These teams are opportunities for children to learn good sportsmanship, meet with children their age, and learn to follow rules and regulations associated with an activity. Other activities offered at community centers include art and science camps which teach fun skills while providing social interactions. Children learn to work collaboratively with children their age on projects or share materials for completing activities.

Leeds Dyslexia Day

2010-04-10T16:38:00.003+01:00

A big big thank you to The Students from:

Leeds Met
Rotherham College
Kensington Junior/Infant School, Liverpool

For making our Student Dyslexia Day in Leeds such a massive success yesterday.
Best wishes
Andrew

Social Stories

2010-04-10T16:26:00.002+01:00

New Social Story event to be launched next month.
After months of very hard work, we are now ready to take the Social Stories training day out on the road. Special thanks to Stu the fabulous designer from http://fuse-design.co.uk/ as always his understanding of our vision is appreciated.

First two events:

Tuesday 11th May 2010
Premier Inn,
Main Road, Boreham
Chelmsford, Essex
CM3 3HJ

Thursday 13th May 2010
Stonecross Manor Hotel
Milnthorpe Road, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 5HP

These will be quickly followed by a further 17 events up and down the country between
May and July.

The course will be run by Andrew our Senior SEN Consultant.

Course content:
A visual and auditory social and behavioural strategy for teaching and support staff who work with
young people with Autism and Asperger Syndrome.
The day will include:
• What is a social story?
• Why children with Autism and Asperger syndrome need social stories and how they can benefit from them.
• Different ways of writing and presenting social stories for different ages and levels of understanding.
• Some scenarios.
• Group activities.
• Once back in your own learning environment you are invited to design a Social Story and email it back to us
for guidance and editing.

Hope to see you there!

NASUWT SEN Inclusion Report

2010-04-10T08:59:00.001+01:00

Recommendations for training in SEN.

http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/TrainingEventsandPublications/NASUWTPublications/Publications/SpecialEducationalNeedsandInclusionReflectionorRenewal/index.htm

Teaching Children Manners

2010-03-20T17:02:00.000Z

Manners encompass appropriate words and behaviors for treating other people with respect. They can be demonstrated in virtually any setting and should be used with everyone. Basic manners can be taught at a very young age and expanded upon as children mature. This article includes a variety of ideas for teaching manners. These ideas can be adapted to fit a child’s age and ability levels and can be used at home, school, or in the community.

1. Be a Role Model – Children model adult behavior. Use please, thank you, and excuse me when speaking with children and adults. Model manners by offering to help other people, holding the door, and picking up dropped items. Teach children to respect all people by treating everyone including neighbors, waitresses, and co-workers with respect. Explain your actions so children learn from you. For example, let children know it is polite to give your seat to an elderly person or someone who needs additional assistance on a crowded bus.

2. Set Expectations – When children are prepared for events they are more likely to respond appropriately. Discuss manners before situations arise. For example, before a birthday party tell the child to thank the host. For unexpected situations teach children appropriate behavior during the event. For example, when a child sneezes, remind them to cover their mouth to prevent germs from spreading. When children forget their manners, politely remind them. It is important to do this in a respectful way that does not embarrass them.

From the story, Sharing

3. Role Play – Role play new situations or recent experiences to set expectations or review behavior. Role play is a fun way to prepare children for a variety of situations and settings. Include different opportunities for using manners such as a peer or adult falling down, dropping an item, having their hands full, or needing assistance with the door. If a child forgets to use their manners in a specific situation, reenact the scene. Discuss how people feel when situations are handled with and without manners.

4. Be Consistent – Mixed messages about settings and people can be confusing. Remind children to use polite words consistently and to treat all people with respect. Children are less likely to forget to be polite if their manners are repeatedly and consistently practiced.

5. Use Visuals – Have posters showing sharing, turn taking, or holding doors for other people in the classroom and throughout the school. Discuss the posters and use them as reminders for treating other people with respect. Children can create posters as an art activity. They can draw scenes depicting manners or create collages of photographs with people sharing and helping each other as a fun art activity and visual reminder.

6. Praise Children - When children use manners be sure to praise them. Be clear about what they did and why it was good. For example, “Sean, I like how you held the door for Mr. James. His hands were full and you made it much easier for him to enter the classroom.”

Teaching Children to Understand and Respond to Feelings

2010-02-16T16:21:00.000Z

Teaching Children to Understand and Respond to Feelings
Children often struggle not only with understanding their feelings, but also relating
to other people’s feelings. These skills are critical for personal well being and building
relationships. This article includes steps for teaching children to understand and manage their
feelings as well as identify and respond to other people’s feelings.
1. Identifying Feelings – Teach children to recognize when
they have a specific feeling. Whether happy, sad, or angry the
first step in coping with a feeling is identifying it. Help
children identify feelings by discussing emotions when they
occur. If a child is angry say, “I see you are angry. You have
your arms crossed and are stomping your feet.” Another tool
is to role play times when specific emotions surface. Use
novel examples as well as recent experiences for the child.
Discuss and write about different feelings in a feelings
journal. Use the journal to write about events and the
emotions, responses, and consequences the events elicited.
From the story Feeling Scared
2. Planning for Strong Feelings – Help children cope with intense feelings by creating coping
strategies. Have a quiet place for children to take a break when angry or sad. Give children
tools and teach them how and when to use them such as a stress ball or a trampoline. These tools
help children release energy in a positive way. Encourage children to use words or write about
their feelings. Establish a phrase the child can use to remove themselves from stressful or
upsetting situations. The phrase gives children a way to politely excuse themselves, regain
control, and then return to the situation. Select a short phrase that can be used in a variety of
situations such as, “Excuse me. I need a minute to think.”
3. Recognizing Other People’s Feelings – Learning to empathize with other people and respond
appropriately to another person’s feelings, is an important skill for building relationships. Show
pictures and drawings or role play situations to discuss the words, body language, and
experiences that indicate a person’s feelings. When discussing a child’s own feelings,
incorporate the concept that peers and adults have similar feelings in the same situation. This
helps children develop empathy. Read stories where characters experience events that are happy,
sad, surprising, or frustrating. Discuss why the characters felt the way they did and what they
said or did to indicate their feelings.
4. Responding to Other People’s Feelings – Not only do children have to identify other
people’s feelings, but they also need to learn how to respond when someone is angry, sad, or
excited. Teach children appropriate responses through role play and reviewing past events.
Discuss how different people in the role play feel, how their body language and words show their
feelings, and the best response for the situation. Also discuss how the child would feel if this
happened to them and how they would like other people to respond. This helps children learn to
empathize with other people.

ADHD Ladders for Life

2010-02-16T13:09:00.002Z

I've just got off the phone with Teresa from ADHD ladders for life in Liverpool. Theresa runs a support group for ADHD young people and adults. Their service is voluntary and they are extremely knowledgeable in the field. Here are their details:

http://www.meetup.com/Liverpool-adult-adhd-ladders-of-life-meetup-com/

Welcome to our ADDult ADHD/Aspergers group its here to help people with ADHD/Aspergers achieve their full potential through education and support. Does ADHD impact you as a individual?. Your family?. University?. The workplace and community if so, come and join us for a coffee and a chat. WHERE: We meet every Thursday - Parents 10.00 - 12.00am, and 1.00 till 3.00 for Adults with ADHD. Held at the West Everton Community council
33 Everton Brow
L3 8PU
Merseyside

Teresa 0779 8585 656
Shirley 0782 6004 436

Want some peace and relaxtion to help with your ADHD & Aspergers?
Visit our sister website! - www.therapy247.com

New Books Coming Soon

2010-02-16T07:43:00.004Z

People First Education are delighted to announce that we shall soon be releasing a new range of SEN books written by our in-house trainers and consultants. This project has been ongoing for some months now whilst we have been searching for an illustrator who understands SEN. We can now confirm that we have been in meetings with a top children's book illustrator who is working on images for our books as we speak. More information, including a formal announcement of the illustrator's identity will follow soon.
WATCH THIS SPACE

Dyslexia Day Course

2010-02-08T13:40:00.001Z

Strategies for effective inclusion of learners with dyslexia: a day course for educators, support staff, and trainee teachers, designed to enable an understanding of differences in thought processing which make acquiring literacy skills more challenging for learners with dyslexia.
The day includes
 An overview of the ways in which dyslexic learners think differently.
 An overview of how acquiring literacy skills can be more challenging for students with dyslexia.
 Some of the ways in which ICT can be used as a learning tool for learners with dyslexia.
 A range of structured, multisensory strategies/teaching and learning methods designed to improve literacy skills.

Date and venue:
Friday 9th April 2010
10:30am – 4pm
Holiday Inn Express, Aberford Road, Oulton, Leeds, LS26 8EJ

Contact for course fees

Book online at www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk
Or call 01427 667556/0794 383 8819
Email enquiries@peoplefirsteducation.co.uk
People First Education
Stonehouse, Fillingham, Lincolnshire, DN21 5BS

Fiona, Autism Canada would like to correct the misconception that Dr Wakefield claimed an undisputed connection between MMR and autism.

2010-02-08T13:35:00.000Z

In fact, his original study never stated that the vaccine caused autism.

The following is taken from his original study: "We did not prove an association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the syndrome (autistic enterocolitis) described."

Dr Wakefield's study ends with a call for more research. His study was published in February 1998, 12 years ago. Nowhere does Dr Wakefield tell parents not to vaccinate children - despite misreporting on this topic.

A new thought-operated computer system which can reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children

2010-02-08T13:26:00.001Z

Ten children with an attention deficit from Hertfordshire schools took part in reseach conducted by Professor Karen Pine at the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Psychology and assistant Farjana Nasrin, which investigated the effects of EEG (Electroencephalography) biofeedback, a learning strategy that alters brain waves.
They used a system called Play Attention, supplied by not-for-profit community interest company, Games for Life, three times a week for twelve weeks. The system involves the child playing a fun educational computer game whilst wearing a helmet similar to a bicycle helmet. The helmet picks up their brain activity in the form of EEG waves related to attention.
As long as the child concentrates they control the game, but as soon as their attention waivers the game stops. The researchers found at the end of the study that the children’s impulsive behaviour was reduced, compared to a control group who had not used the system.
“Children with a diagnosis of ADHD find it hard to control their impulses and inhibit inappropriate behaviour,” said Professor Pine, “This can lead to educational and behavioural difficulties. The Play Attention method may prevent long-term problems by helping the children to be less impulsive and more self-controlled.” Professor Pine and Dr
Rob Sharp a senior specialist educational psychologist are continuing to work on futuristic projects with Ian Glasscock, Managing Director of Games for Life. One project aims to develop the system as a means of assessing learning in children with severe communication and physical difficulties. A thought-controlled computer game method is likely to have considerable potential for these children who cannot operate a computer manually.
“Attention-related difficulties including ADHD affects many children and has a significant impact on their lives,” said Mr Glasscock. “The Play Attention System is absolutely the first technology to help children with ADHD. Historically if someone was diagnosed with this condition, the first line of treatment was medication. Our system is a non-medical, non-invasive treatment.”

Teaching Children to Practice Acts of Kindness

2010-02-08T13:23:00.002Z

Being kind to other people and yourself is important for being a good friend and being happy. Modeling kindness, reflecting on kind actions, and practicing acts of kindness can help children develop this skill. This article includes strategies for helping children learn to be kind to other people and to themselves.
1. Be a Role Model – When adults say unkind things about other people or themselves, children learn this is acceptable behavior. Be a role model and say kind things about co-workers, neighbors, people in the community, and yourself.
2. Use Lists – Have children write lists or make collages representing what they like about their friends, family members, and people in the school. Hang the lists or art projects where classmates and friends can see them. Have a separate activity where children make a parallel list or art project that includes things they do well and why they are a good person.
3. Read and Write Stories – Read stories about kindness and respect in school and at home. Discuss how being kind makes the characters feel. Ask children to share times when they were kind and times when people were nice to them. Also have children write stories about being kind to other people.
4. Practice and Discuss Small Acts of Kindness – In addition to having children write and say things that are kind, have them practice little acts of kindness. Teach children to help other people in day to day situations such as when someone needs help carrying an item, they can’t reach something, or they drop an item. Create a set of pictures or make short stories with opportunities for small acts of kindness. Have children role play what they would do to be helpful in these situations.
5. Learning to Do Kind Things for Yourself – Have children write or create a collage about things they like to do or activities that make them feel good about themselves. Discuss how taking time to participate in these activities can make them feel better and decrease stress.
6. Pick a Cause or Charity – A long term investment in a volunteer or charity activity teaches children that even a small amount of time and energy makes a big difference. First create a list of volunteer opportunities then let the class or family select an activity to join. Whether it is collecting food for a food bank, donating toys, or cleaning up a community area, these activities demonstrate how working collaboratively with other people can make a big difference. Discuss or have children keep a journal about the experience. Ask them to include how they felt and how they think the people benefitting from their time and effort felt.

1,000 laterns to mark missing Maddie's 1,000 days

2010-01-24T17:03:00.000Z

A THOUSAND lanterns will float into the sky this week to mark the number of days little Madeleine McCann has been missing.

Supporters will release the lights in Britain, Portugal and America at 7.30pm on Wednesday.

At the same time, the girl's parents Kate and Gerry will host a star-studded gala dinner in Kensington, West London, to raise funds for the search.

Maddie was three when she vanished on May 3, 2007. Her parents' spokesman said: "They never, ever thought they would reach 1,000 days without their daughter."

Fascinating Article About Autistic Teachers

2010-01-17T14:52:00.000Z

No one knows how many teachers and TAs have autism, but given the scale of the condition there are probably high numbers. Even though some struggle with social conventions, many bring unique qualities to the job. But as Hannah Frankel reports, sympathetic employers are too often hard to find

The outside world can be a frightening place for those with autism. Understanding, interacting and relating to new people, places and events can be particularly difficult.

Now imagine having to deal with that as a teacher. A loud, bustling school environment sounds like hell for those who may struggle to form relationships or grasp social nuances.

This did not put off Neil Murphy*. When he qualified as a maths teacher in 1993, he had never heard of Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. But he did wonder why he was finding it so difficult to get a full-time teaching job.

"The classroom is my stage and I can be quite a performer, but I can see now that I gave no hint of that in interview," says Mr Murphy. "I avoided eye contact, gave very short, abrupt answers and appeared nervous and gauche. Everyone must have wondered how someone like me could ever survive in a classroom."

But Mr Murphy did not just survive; he positively thrived. When he did get a full-time post, pupils and colleagues appreciated his dedication. Teenagers also recognised and warmed to his "child-like qualities", he adds. "I treat everyone the same - child or adult - and the majority of children love that."

He struggles to understand what he calls "the rules that govern the game", and has no desire to climb the management ladder. There is therefore no need to pander to senior staff.

"If I think a colleague is being harsh or unreasonable with a student, I cannot hide my thoughts," Mr Murphy says.

This does not always endear him to other teachers, he admits. Pupils can also try to take advantage and push the boundaries with him, while some find his style unnerving, but he gets on well with the vast majority.

It is not known how many teachers or teacher assistants are in the same position as Mr Murphy, but the scale of the condition suggests a considerable minority could be affected, possibly without knowing it. More than 500,000 people in the UK have autism, a lifelong condition that leaves people feeling "locked in their own world" (see box overleaf).

It's a "spectrum condition", meaning it affects each individual in different ways. Some will have barely perceptible problems with understanding or communication, according to the National Autistic Society (NAS). At the other end of the scale are those with accompanying learning disabilities who will need a lifetime of specialist support.

John Biddulph, 54, worked as a teacher for almost 30 years before he realised he had Asperger syndrome five years ago. Since qualifying in 1976, he has worked in universities and mainstream and special needs schools before becoming a freelance autism mentor and trainer to teachers, children and public bodies.

He found working as head of music in primary and secondary schools in the Midlands "totally wonderful". He knew he was "different", but this was in tune with the general perception of musicians in the 1970s.

"There was a stereotype of music teachers that they were the creative, slightly antisocial ones, working hard while tucked away in their department," says Mr Biddulph. "That worked well for me because I didn't particularly like chatting in the staffroom - I'd rather run the choir or be doing music practice."

Mr Biddulph was happy to be part of a team for work reasons, but "didn't need it" on a social level. Like Mr Murphy, this sometimes got him into trouble. "I did make faux pas," Mr Biddulph says. "I lacked that wider perception about other people's feelings."

So he failed to let colleagues know that he had called a choir practice with more than 100 pupils during lesson time. And when it was "noted" by a senior teacher that he was not attending staff briefings, Mr Biddulph concurred, before adding that he was doing more important work with pupils.

"He was clearly quite taken aback," says Mr Biddulph, "but I think he recognised it was because I was a committed teacher, not because I was trying to impose my authority."

It was only years later, when he heard a special-needs expert describe a boy with autism, that he realised he had the condition. The expert said how the boy had special interests, how he experienced misunderstandings with his teachers, and how he turned from being an intelligent child into a naughty little boy.

"He may as well have been talking about my own childhood," says Mr Biddulph. "It all just slotted into place."

Mr Biddulph knows other teachers who he suspects are on the autistic spectrum. If they are happy in themselves, there is no need to intervene, he argues. But schools should become more autism friendly if everyone is to feel comfortable working there.

Any school that is supportive and respectful of pupils and staff should be able to accommodate all sorts of differences, argues Caroline Hattersley from the NAS. "Just as a shy teacher will need to adapt to engage and interact with a class, so someone with autism can learn how to cope as well," she says. But some specific strategies may make life easier for them.

Breaking information down, using clear language and avoiding metaphors or imagery could all help. But approaches that work with staff who are autistic, such as understanding and patience, should motivate and support all staff.

By their very nature, special schools should already be providing an autism-friendly environment. At the Robert Ogden School in Rotherham - one of six schools owned and managed by the NAS - a support worker with autism prefers to be emailed information by colleagues so that she can digest it in her own time.

"It's not rare to see teachers with Asperger syndrome, especially in areas where they typically have a passion, such as maths, ICT or science," says Chloe Phillips, principal of the NAS Sybil Elgar School in Southall, Middlesex. "Not all of them will be diagnosed, but some will definitely touch on the continuum."

Former pupils act as positive role models to existing pupils at Sybil Elgar. One is Nathan Pilgrim, 22. Despite minimal verbal communication, Mr Pilgrim is expressive through his face and body and is an excellent dancer. It is hoped that he will come back to the school for a day a week this term and work with the choreographer and existing pupils.

"We expect our pupils will be highly engaged working with Nathan," says Ms Phillips. "They will be able to relate and identify with each other, especially as he's so young. If schools change the way they work just slightly, all sorts of opportunities become possible."

To date, employers have been slow to tap into the skills offered by people with autism. Although many will be extremely intelligent, only 15 per cent of adults with autism in England (and 11 per cent in Wales) are in full-time, paid employment. They say that finding a suitable job would improve their lives more than anything else, the NAS reports.

The tide is beginning to turn. In Denmark, a computer company, Specialisterne, employs more than 40 people with autism. The company's founder, Thorkil Sonne, recognises that staff with autism need a quiet environment with fixed routines. Given the right conditions, they excel at technical tasks, he finds.

Oaklands FE College in Hertford is also reaping the rewards of employing teachers with autism. Peter Griffin, 29, has a masters degree in astrophysics, but has been working one day a week in a supermarket for the last 10 years.

Now he spends three hours a week at the college supporting students with autism, and plans to increase this to one day a week. He is also considering studying for a teaching qualification there, with the help of an in-house buddy. "I get a lot out of it," Mr Griffin says. "I get up in the morning and I look forward to achieving something."

His colleagues report that he is an excellent role model to the students and has a great ability to simplify complex mathematical concepts. Two of his students have already gained a level 1 in numeracy - something that wasn't expected of them before. Teachers also report that they have learned from Mr Griffin's unique insight into the condition. "When they're having difficulties, I try to advise them as best I can," he says.

Mr Griffin does not need special treatment, insists his mother, Ann, but small adjustments to his work environment can make a big difference. "The rules are the same, but sometimes they need to be applied a little differently," she says.

If things get hectic, Mr Griffin knows he can find a quiet place or a friendly colleague. "People like Peter shouldn't just be dismissed on account of their disability," adds Ms Griffin. "They have lots of skills to harness and can be part of an inclusive society if employers start to think a little bit creatively. They need to be given that opportunity to give something back. Everyone will benefit if they do."

Those benefits have been felt by Omir Davies, 38, who has Asperger syndrome and works as an educational care worker for another NAS school - Radlett Lodge in Hertfordshire. Before starting there last year, he worked in a warehouse in London, but the lack of routine left him feeling anxious and depressed.

Radlett Lodge tries to be more accommodating. If there is a change to the timetable, they give him at least 20 minutes to adjust. "I absolutely love my job," says Mr Davies, who is currently taking a NVQ in care, with a view to perhaps training as a special needs teacher.

"I'm really proud to say this is what I do," he adds. "The children are marvellous and I love exploring all the different methods we use to help them become more independent."

Instead of schools wondering if they can accommodate people like Mr Davies, the NAS would like to see a shift in mindset. With so many dedicated and skilled people with autism out there, the real question is: can schools afford to write them off?

www.nas.org.uk

* Name has been changed

TYPICAL AUTISM DIFFICULTIES

- Communication: words, gestures, tone of voice and facial expressions can mean little to people with autism. Many have a literal understanding of language.

- Social relationships and interaction: People with autism can be indifferent to other people's emotions or feelings.

- Social imagination: Abstract ideas and imaginative thoughts and activities are affected. They may be unable to guess what others are thinking or predict what could happen next.

.

Strategies for Returning to School after a Break

2010-01-05T16:10:00.001Z

The transition from a break back to school can be difficult for children. Professionals
and parents can make the return easier with a few simple strategies.
1. Review Classroom Rules and School Policies - One of the first
things to do when children return to school is to review all of the
classroom and school rules. Time spent focusing on classroom
structure and schedules can reduce problems later. Remind
children of expectations for how to treat classmates, complete
work, and follow schedules. Remind children of any reward
system and let them know where rules are posted and who to ask if
there are questions about the rules.
From School Rules
2. Introduce Any Changes – Clearly explain any changes that have happened since the break.
Examples are staff changes, schedule changes, or even room arrangements that may surprise
children. Be sure to indicate how the change affects them. Introducing changes helps prepare
children and reduce stress related to new situations.
3. Let Children Play a Role – Children can help review the rules by participating in activities.
For example, they can help create a new rules poster by writing or drawing examples of how to
follow the rules. Another activity is to assign a rule or school policy to small groups of students
and have them write and perform a short play about it. By participating in the process children
are reviewing and taking ownership in the rules.
From My Day at School
4. Review and Reinforce Repeatedly – Children can be very
excited to see friends and be back in school. Be sure to set time aside
to review rules repeatedly the first few days back after a break.
Children may need extra reminders in written or picture format if
they have a hard time remembering specific rules. When children are
doing a good job completing work, following a schedule, or acting
appropriately, reinforce their behavior. Clearly indicate what they
did correctly so they can continue the behavior. For example,
“James, I like the way you remembered to raise your hand to get my
attention.”
5. Keep Everyone Informed – Parents and professionals should make each other aware of
changes in settings so children have consistent support and understanding across environments.
Professionals should send a set of classroom and school rules home for parents to review with
children and prepare them for returning from break. Parents also should be aware of any
significant school policy changes or classroom changes. Parents should keep professionals
informed of any significant changes at home such as health issues, sleeping changes, or family
difficulties that may affect how the child performs in school. Information sharing can ensure
children have the understanding and support they need between environments.

People with autism 'have problem with self-awareness'

2009-12-17T09:16:00.001Z

People with autism struggle in social situations
Scientists have produced evidence that self-awareness is a big problem for people with autism.

Sophisticated scans showed the brains of people with autism are less active when engaged in self-reflective thought.

The findings provide a neurological insight into why people with autism tend to struggle in social situations.

The study, by the University of Cambridge, appears in the journal Brain.

Autism has long been considered a condition of extreme egocentrism. But research has shown the problem is people with the condition have trouble thinking about, and making sense of, themselves.

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance scans to measure brain activity in 66 male volunteers, half of whom had been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder.

The volunteers were asked to make judgements either about their own thoughts, opinions, preferences, or physical characteristics, or about someone else's, in this case the Queen.

By scanning the volunteers' brains as they responded to these questions, the researchers were able to visualise differences in brain activity between those with and without autism.

They were particularly interested in part of the brain called the ventromedial pre-frontal cortex (vMPFC) - known to be active when people think about themselves.

The researchers found this area of the brain was more active when typical volunteers were asked questions about themselves compared with when they were thinking about the Queen.

However, in autism this brain region responded equally, irrespective of whether they were thinking about themselves or the Queen.

Researcher Michael Lombardo said the study showed that the autistic brain struggled to to process information about the self.

He said: "Navigating social interactions with others requires keeping track of the relationship between oneself and others.

"In some social situations it is important to notice that 'I am similar to you', while in other situations it might be important to notice that 'I am different to you'.

"The atypical way the autistic brain treats self-relevant information as equivalent to information about others could derail a child's social development, particularly in understanding how they relate to the social world around them."

Dr. Gina Gómez de la Cuesta, of the National Autistic Society, described the study as "interesting".

"We know many people with autism do want to interact with others and make friends but have difficulty recognising or understanding other people's thoughts and feelings.

"This research has shown that people with autism may also have difficulty understanding their own thoughts and feelings and the brain mechanisms underlying this."

Earlston High embark on a unique way to assist the transition from primary to secondary school

2009-12-12T13:30:00.002Z

Original paper headline: This is your captain speaking, welcome aboard Flight 90210

When 190 new S1 pupils filed into their Borders high school for the first time, they weren’t expecting to be greeted by a captain and first officer at Earlston International Airport.

Captain Michelle Strong (headteacher) and co-pilot Jill McDonald (S1-2 year head) welcomed the voyagers who were shown into a departures lounge (assembly hall), where they were checked into registration classes by the guidance teachers and escorted to gates 1A-G by cabin crew (S6 pupils). They were then given an itinerary and in-flight menu.

“Captain Strong welcomed them aboard Flight 90210 and did her usual message - try your best, we’re here to help - but with a wee slant on it,” explains depute headteacher Beverley Clark. “We wanted to try something different, so high school is seen as fun and exciting rather than scary. We had a PowerPoint of a plane taking off, representing their journey into high school. It’s cheesy, but it worked - primary schools do a tremendous job of making learning enjoyable, and in secondaries sometimes we think we’re not allowed to make learning fun, but we are.”

Earlston High has always had a strong transition process, with guidance teachers going to each primary and gathering information about every child. Miss Clark works closely with the primaries, and they wanted something creative, that would give some continuity and make the start of secondary enjoyable, “because there’s a lot of pressure with the longer day and more structure”. Going from being the biggest in a small school to the smallest in a big school can be daunting for even the most confident of children.

And so their journey began. Earlston High’s transition project spanned six weeks - the last two of P7 and the first four of S1. Pupils from the eight feeder and nine other primaries (placing requests) made a two-day visit to the high school in June, then the real work started.

Miss Clark came up with the travel theme and journeys, and each department had to decide how it would address the theme for the first month of term - all while moving into their new school building in August. Meanwhile, the P7s did some preparatory work, making passports and preparing a leaflet about their home town or village.

“It made you feel better because you weren’t being thrown in at the deep end,” explains S1 pupil Rhona Callow.

The concept of a storyline was new for many of the secondary staff, though commonly used in primary schools. “We’d never done one before,” says Neil Westgarth, principal teacher of science. “There was a mixed reception initially, but once we got thinking of ideas, everyone got excited. We came up with a story that it was the year 2051 and our planet was dying and we needed to find another one to colonise.”

His department identified what skills they wanted to cover and introduced experimentation; investigated whether a potential surrogate planet would support life; explored how they would reach their destination and what they would take; and covered other lab work and theory. With information on six habitable planets, groups of pupils had to choose one and give a presentation on their reasons.

The science staff introduced the topic during their P7 visit. “They went away really excited,” says Mr Westgarth. “We got them to bring in plastic bottles to make ‘moon rovers’ for collecting samples from the surface of planets.”

The four weeks allocated quickly turned into eight. “If pupils wanted to investigate something further, we let them go with it. Before, it was difficult to go beyond the constraints of a topic. This pushed staff and brought out creativity.”

The extension has put a little pressure on the rest of the year, but Mr Westgarth feels the whole initiative has been hugely valuable for pupils and staff alike - and in first year, you can make up a lot of time in the way you deliver things. He also anticipates it will be easier next year, because it will be more familiar.

Pupils’ comments were “overwhelmingly positive”, he says. “If they’re interested, they’re going to be far more responsive. It was nice for staff who haven’t delivered a science topic like this before.”

The pupils also “gelled” more quickly because of all the group work and enthusiasm for tasks.

The maths department planned a family holiday to Paris. Pupils had to organise and budget for travel, accommodation, food and entertainment, as well as working on the 24-hour clock, time differences and exchange rates. Its story was created around Great Uncle Willy’s will. Uncle Willy had left £5,000 to the Masson family - mum, dad and three children - and the pupils did a code-breaking exercise, using logic and problem-solving. Nicer accommodation or food meant less to spend on entertainment, or taking the ferry meant less time there.

“A lot of children find maths a bit threatening,” says Christina Fleming, who teaches one able and one less-able class (maths is set in S1). “This was something they could relate to and have opinions on. It gave them time to settle in and it gave me and the other support staff time to get to know them.”

The English department decided on “Imaginary lands” to give the children creative freedom. Judith Weston’s two classes were each split into five groups of four, and every group had to create a land, considering everything from culture, geography and history to food and drink, language, people and lifestyles, currency, society, crime and punishment, dress, gender roles, constitution and work. One group even created a national anthem.

Pupils made cultural exchanges with other lands - another group in a different class - and did written work around the project, producing stories set in their land.

“It sparked their imagination, and pretty quickly they got into the creativity of it,” says Mrs Weston. “We got some very impressive pieces of writing, with convincing settings. As a department, we were able to assess their individual presentation skills.

“I think first-years spend a lot of time worrying about where they’re going and who their friends are. Some people feel they take a step back academically, but my view is they’re having to cope with 16 teachers in a big building and big pupils, which can be daunting. It was a very positive start to the year.”

The children’s parents are also positive about the new approach. Susan and John Sharp feel it helped their son Robin to settle in. “Robin has dyslexia. We were slightly concerned in case he lost confidence going from one teacher who knew him very well to 10 or 12 teachers, but the continuity helped - the core work was the same from primary to secondary - and made it smoother for him. Because the subject matter linked through in all the classes, he could concentrate on orientating himself around the building and making friends.”

Jane Niven’s son Mark is her first child in secondary school. “I thought it was going to be a bit scary,” she admits, “but it’s been absolutely excellent. Mark has been in a class with only one other pupil from his school. Everywhere they went, they were being helped to work together and everybody was having an input. It was a good way to make friends and he’s settled in brilliantly.”

Lesley Munro, the head at Earlston and Gordon primaries, says the transition into Earlston High has always been seen as an example of good practice, “but this gave it a context and much more meaning for the children”. She points to the collaboration between P7 and high school staff. “The teachers were doing it themselves rather than it being at management level, but Beverley has been the driver of the whole thing.”

Primary pupils are used to working in a themed way, she says. “Primaries can lose them a little for the last two weeks, but they had preparatory work to do and there was real continuity across the schools.

“Developmentally, expertise has been shared both ways. It’s been such a positive experience for the kids. It’s given them the fun element and alleviated any fears they they would have about the formality of high school.”

Natasha McLaren, the P5-7 teacher at Channelkirk Primary in Oxton, agrees. “I found it great that we could collaborate, and the children felt confident that they were going up with a bit of knowledge of what they would be doing. Coming from a small village school, they can get a bit apprehensive.”

S1 pupil Mary Hall endorses this. She was “apprehensive but excited - especially in English. We did group work, so it was easy to make friends.”

“It wasn’t like staring into a textbook,” adds Rhona Callow. “I think they did it really well. I’ve made lots of friends quite easily.”

For Captain Strong, the greatest thing has been the “buzz” among pupils and teachers. “Staff were allowed autonomy. The cross-sector working and the whole atmosphere has been incredibly positive. It helped students settle more quickly than they have done in the past.”

Finance, she says, is a “biggie” for any head. “This is evidence that you can be creative and transform things without investment. Right across Scotland there is this apprehension about Curriculum for Excellence. This project allowed teachers to take risks. It’s brought learning alive.”

And it’s been a smooth take-off for all, adds Miss Clark. “You’re not going to get wads of cash thrown at you, so let’s use the skills we have as individuals. We need people to try things and support them in trying them. Learning doesn’t have to be dry.”

www.earlstonhigh.scotborders.sch.uk

Colleges are doing a largely good job in their work with students who have profound and complex needs, according to HMIE

2009-12-12T13:30:00.001Z

The quality of programmes was generally of a high standard, there was a wide range of school-link arrangements, teaching staff were highly committed and skilled, and accommodation was appropriate.

But, after 30 teaching sessions in nine colleges, the inspectors concluded that practice was not always perfect. Although they paid tribute to staff, their report said it was often the enthusiasm and expertise of one or two individuals who made the difference, and this was often difficult to replace when these staff left.

Colleges also needed to do more to set out the entry criteria spelling out the skills required of learners, most of whose needs are variable and who suffer from sensory loss, physical disabilities, autism and disruptive behaviour.

While these students had specialised learning and support plans, few colleges developed them and targets for progress were often too long-term. The inspection noted, too, that “some colleges were not clear how their programmes should be structured to develop learners’ educational needs as opposed to their social needs”.

The HMIE report urges colleges to communicate more effectively with parents and carers. Managing the relationships with external agencies also proved to be a challenge, with concerns being expressed in colleges about transport, personal care and individual learning support needs. Supported employment opportunities were often lacking.

Graham Donaldson, the senior chief inspector of education, commented: “This challenging area of work is vital to the role of Scotland’s colleges in serving their communities

.Three authorities ‘named and shamed’ by charity as cutting assistance to families of children with additional support needs

2009-12-12T13:29:00.001Z

A charity which helps parents of autistic children has accused Scottish councils of cutting support. It claims youngsters have been sent home because of schools’ diminishing resources.

The picture painted by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers to the Scottish Parliament’s education committee’s inquiry into autism is bleak. Budget cuts meant additional support needs (ASN) teachers were being forced back into mainstream to save money, leaving vulnerable children to flounder, said the trust.

The evidence against the authorities was anecdotal but compelling, said Lynn Williams, the charity’s policy officer. “I’m aware of two cases where children have been sent home because there were no pupil support assistants to support them. If you have a child with additional needs, you are already worried about what their life is going to be like and whether they will find a job. But if they have no education in the first place, where does that leave them?” she said.

Three authorities were “named and shamed” by the charity: Aberdeen, East Renfrewshire and Glasgow. Aberdeen City Council was cutting spending to the detriment of “vulnerable children”, said the trust.

“Further ‘efficiency’ cuts will, among other things, result in fewer teachers supporting pupils in Aberdeen City’s MICAS bases (specialist units for children with autism in mainstream schools). I also believe that schools were encouraged, by the council, to move support for learning teachers back to their subjects rather than having a full-time support role for children with additional needs in mainstream education,” said Ms Williams.

A spokesman for the council said that two years ago, the authority had reviewed its formulae for primary and secondary teaching staffing to include learning support, deprivation and behaviour support, linked to roll change. “The council values the role of all staff in supporting children and young people with additional support needs and continues to allocate resources appropriately and review on an ongoing basis to ensure best value,” he added.

In East Renfrewshire, parents have told the trust that there are not enough pupil support assistants for children in schools. They also fear that the next financial year will bring further cuts to pupil support staff. “These parents rightly question the benefit of their children being in mainstream education where not all will have access to additional classroom support,” said Ms Williams.

But a spokesman for East Renfrewshire Council said: “It is grossly unfair to present this as the norm in East Renfrewshire when at best it may represent one particular person’s viewpoint. There is a range of support mechanisms in place in schools and in our education service to support pupils with autism and each child is assessed individually.”

In Glasgow, parents have complained that school staff lack understanding of autism, there are not enough inclusive activities and their children are bullied in school.

Jonathan Findlay, executive member for education in Glasgow, countered: “Ms Williams’s comments are unjust and do not reflect the vast amount of work in the last year alone Glasgow has carried out to support children with autistic spectrum disorders.”

Councils face a reduction in funding of some 12 per cent over the next three years. The first draft budgets to be published by councils appear to confirm Ms Williams’s fears:

- North Lanarkshire Council, which is facing a £75m deficit, plans to cut three additional support needs teaching posts, a saving of £80,000 - one of a number of measures;

- Moray Council plans to cut its allocation of additional support assistants and teachers by 5 per cent to save £340,000; the council acknowledges in its budget consultation document that cuts would have a “severely detrimental impact” on children with ASN.

Children’s Minister Adam Ingram told the committee last week that, if councils were cutting down on classroom support, this was “short-sighted”. He announced the setting- up of a working group to “identify, share and disseminate” best practice in working with autistic children and adults.

Following the meeting, however, Labour MSP Ken Macintosh accused Mr Ingram of burying his head in the sand. Support for ASN children in his own constituency - East Renfrewshire - had worsened over the past year, he said.

Children with autism find their right place with peer passports

2009-12-12T13:28:00.000Z

A support service in the Borders has led to better communication and integration

Alex is six years old and likes playing in the sand, with beads, eating and running around. He doesn’t like sitting for long periods, or big groups of people.

Without his peer passport, it’s unlikely Alex’s P2 classmates would have known these rudimentary facts about him, for Alex is severely autistic and, while he can speak, he rarely uses the right words at the right time and has no functional communication. He spends some of the week at his primary, St Peter’s in Galashiels, and the rest in a specialist unit at Wilton Primary in Hawick.

Children with communication problems often carry a passport which is used to introduce them to professionals - teaching or support staff, for instance. But in the Borders, it is used to introduce autistic children to other pupils in their class and contains short, age-appropriate explanations of what autism is.

The local Autism Spectrum Support team’s work in this area was recently flagged up as a good example by Learning and Teaching Scotland. Sarah Fitch, the manager of the spectrum support service and head of the authority’s complex needs team, says: “If, for the majority of the week, a child is not in the class, that can sometimes be puzzling for the others, and they may not know a lot about them because they can’t communicate adequately.”

Armed with a bit more information, however, children have proved to be understanding and inclusive, she says. “A lot of the time, inclusion can be tokenistic; the child with additional support needs just happens to be there. But you’ve got to make sure there is value in them being in mainstream. It’s about developing relationships, rather than ‘this child comes into the class, full stop’.”

All 17 children with significant autism, learning difficulties and challenging behaviour who attend spectrum support are on shared placements, spending at least a couple of afternoons a week at their primary and the rest of their time at a specialist unit. P1-3s, like Alex, attend the unit at Wilton, while children in upper primary go to St Ronan’s Primary in Innerleithen.

Now that they have been formally introduced to their mainstream classmates, thanks to the peer passports, the team is looking to take things even further.

In the Borders, autistic children communicate with staff using the Picture Exchange Communication System, by visually picking out symbols in books. Now they are being encouraged to use it with their peers in “communication groups” which consist of the autistic child and mainstream pupils.

“Children naturally communicate with others,” says Ms Fitch. “They don’t tend to spend all their time interacting with adults. In the communication groups, they come round a table and each child is given a motivational toy. The autistic child is then asked which toy they would like a turn with, which requires them to use PECS, and it goes from there.”

The authority has now launched inclusion groups for autistic children in upper primary, as well as communication groups. According to Ms Fitch, school becomes increasingly irrelevant for the youngsters as they get older and the language becomes more abstract. So they have organised regular activities such as games, dancing and sport, involving the autistic child and two or three classmates. “It helps maintain inclusion.”

A mix of specialist provision and mainstream is ideal for children with severe autism, Ms Fitch believes. Experts with a deep understanding of the disorder are vital, but so is the community where the children grow up and will, in all likelihood, continue to live. “It’s important we educate people in the community, as much as the children on the spectrum,” she concludes.

Steep learning curve

Borders Council’s Autism Spectrum Support started in 1995 with six boys at Denholm Primary in Hawick. But just 14 years ago, autism was something of a mystery to Scottish education, explains Sarah Fitch, the teacher brought in to run the service.

“It’s hard to believe now, but autism was just not something that was talked about then,” she says.

It was “a steep learning curve”, admits Ms Fitch, who is now the council’s team leader for complex needs. But a service that caters well for autistic children’s needs was established and in 2006 received a very positive report from HMIE. More recently its work was flagged up as an example of good practice by Learning and Teaching Scotland.

“Kicking, biting, screaming, shouting - you name it, we’ve probably had it. But you have to look at why that happens and try to make sure the environment is appropriate so these things don’t happen,” she says.

“A lot of children have sleep difficulties and a lot have extreme sensory difficulties - they are very sensitive to light, sound, taste and touch. One child we work with can hear an aeroplane coming long before we do and that causes challenging behaviour in him.”

The journey has not been without its challenges - one of the most recent being a fire at Denholm Primary, just months after inspectors left, which rendered them homeless.

“We lost everything - not through the fire, but through asbestos contamination,” explains Ms Fitch.

Since then, the early primary unit has been through a few stressful moves, but now is at Wilton Primary in Hawick, with upper primary at St Ronan’s Primary in Innerleithen.

Today, teachers are far better informed about autism, with a wealth of training on offer, says Ms Fitch. They also have access to the Scottish Government’s autism toolkit, which she describes as a “fantastic resource”, although she questions how many are aware of it.

www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/07/06111319/0.

Article as Mentioned in ADHD/ASD Courses

2009-12-12T13:21:00.001Z

Reprimand for YouTube stripper who got shirty

Supply teacher also boasted to class that he would throw pupil from window

A suffolk teacher has been reprimanded after stripping half-naked in front of his class - an act that was videoed and posted on the internet - and threatening to throw a pupil out of a window.

Pupils used their mobile phones to film Martin Rouse when he took off his shirt during a lesson. Last week he was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the General Teaching Council (GTC) and issued with a warning.

He has been banned from Sudbury Upper School and Arts College by headteacher David Forrest, as well all other Suffolk secondaries.

The online video was viewed almost 800 times, but has now been removed.

Mr Rouse, 59, told a local newspaper he was in a "state of shock" and "totally stunned" at being ordered out of the school.

He revealed he had a heart condition and diabetes, and has suffered from depression. Childen had nicknamed him "Gimli", after a dwarf character in Lord of the Rings.

Mr Rouse has been a teacher since 1976 and chose supply work because he was unable to work full-time because of his ill-health.

He had been teaching at Sudbury Upper School and Arts College for a week before the incident in April 2008. While teaching a class of Year 9s, including some disruptive pupils, he joked that he was strong enough to throw one pupil out of the window because he had been using chest expanders.

"I thought 'should I do this?', but I wanted to be cool because that is my rapport with the pupils," Mr Rouse told the local Suffolk Free Press. "I tried to roll up my sleeve, but couldn't so I took off my shirt quickly and then put it back on. It was a spur of the moment thing.

"It wasn't a chaotic lesson. It wasn't a wise thing to have done. I was just responding to the situation and getting students to co-operate and enjoy the lesson."

The GTC panel said it accepted that Mr Rouse had been trying to use humour to "engage" pupils when he threatened to throw one out of the window. "Nevertheless, the words used were capable of and may have been viewed as a threat by some of the pupils," the panel said.

"Mr Rouse's actions could have led to the class becoming dangerously out of control. In addition, some pupils may have felt intimidated by the words used.

"Mr Rouse removed his shirt in the classroom which was a clear breach of the standards of propriety expected of the profession.

"The video of the incident became publicly available and Mr Rouse's actions were seriously detrimental to the standing of the profession.

"As far we are aware these were isolated incidents which resulted from an ill-considered attempt to control the class. Mr Rouse has demonstrated some insight into his failings.

"As far as we can ascertain, Mr Rouse has a previous good history and this is supported by a reference from a supply agency for whom he worked successfully for two years."

Could do better

Teachers behaving badly

- When head of Willoughton Primary in Lincolnshire, Malcolm Beresford referred to female staff members as a "harem" and nicknamed a governor "posh pants". He also referred to a member of the governing body as "vindaloo". He is yet to be sentenced.

- Patricia Ann Baynes, head of Bordesley Green East Nursery School in Birmingham, "force-fed" children in her care and left them in soiled underwear. In September, the GTC banned her for three years.

- When head of Beaconsfield Primary in Southall, west London, Kanta Riley shook pupils, ordered them to go without shoes and threatened to wash their mouths out with soap. She was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

Social Stories Training

2009-12-05T13:03:00.002Z

If anybody is interested in Social Story training please can you contact us. You will need a minimum of four delegates.

Toddlers with autism may benefit from early treatment

2009-12-05T13:02:00.000Z

Intensive early treatment and education can improve the abilities of toddlers with autism to communicate and raise their IQ, new research suggests. The study is the first of its kind to look properly at treatment for children this young.

What do we know already?
Autism affects the way a child develops, communicates, and learns about the world. It tends to be picked up when a child is around 18 months of age, if the child doesn't meet the usual developmental milestones of smiling, following when people point, and speaking a few words. But some people say they knew there was something different about their baby right from birth.

Some research has suggested that early teaching and treatment, from both parents and therapists, started before a child begins school, can be helpful. But little research has been done into ways of helping very young children.

This new study looked at what happened to a group of 48 children aged 18 months to two and a half years, who'd been diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental disorder (a condition similar to autism, but where the child doesn't meet all the autism criteria). Half were given intensive treatment using a programme called the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), while half were referred for the usual care available locally. The children were tested after one and two years of treatment.

What does the new study say?
Children who'd had the intensive treatment programme had improved IQ scores, were able to communicate better, and got on better in everyday life.

The children's IQ scores went up fastest in the first year of treatment, then stabilised. Their scores on questionnaires measuring 'adaptive behaviour' (how they communicate and manage in everyday life) stayed stable for their age-group during the study. This means they were keeping up with the changes in behaviour expected as children get older.

The adaptive behaviour scores of children who'd not had intensive treatment got worse. They had a small improvement in IQ, but much less than the children with intensive treatment.

Seven of the 24 children who'd had intensive treatment improved to the point that they were no longer categorised as having autism by the end of the study (although they still had pervasive developmental disorder). Only one of the children not given intensive treatment was recategorised in this way.

How reliable are the findings?
This was a well-designed study (a randomised controlled trial) which is the best type of study for finding out whether a treatment works. The children were tested by independent assessors, using questionnaires and tests that have been shown before to be reliable.

The only potential problem is that the tests of 'adaptive behaviour' involved questioning the parents about how the children were doing. The parents who had been involved in the intensive treatments might have answered more positively, because they'd put so much effort into the treatment themselves, that they were very alert for any signs of improvement. This might make the treatment seem better than it is.

Where does the study come from?
The study was carried out by doctors and researchers from several universities in the US. It was published in the medical journal Pediatrics. It was funded by a grant from the US government's National Institute of Mental Health.

What does this mean for me?
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, you'll be interested in any treatment that can make a difference to how they grow up and develop. This particular treatment (ESDM) may not be available where you live. But it used techniques from a system called 'applied behavioural analysis' (also called Lovaas therapy, after the doctor who developed it) which is sometimes used in the UK.

These types of treatment ask a great deal of the family. For two years, the children had two hours of treatment, twice a day, five days a week, by a therapist coming to the home. And parents spent on average 16 hours a week using these techniques with their children themselves. That's a lot of time to devote to treatment. It's also unlikely that this intensity of treatment will be available freely on the NHS. And it would be very expensive to pay for it privately.

BMJ Group, Wednesday 2 December 2009 00.00 GMT Article history

Important Information Dyslexia

2009-11-19T13:33:00.004Z

Due to popular demand we will now be running our dyslexia events again. These events will follow a very similar format to the ADHD and ASD day courses and will be run both as advertised day courses and full and half day insets.
Watch this space or email for further details.

Autism Christmas strategy

2009-11-17T15:35:00.001Z

Christmas can be a very difficult time for many children on the Autistic Spectrum. The sheer chaos that ensues from changes in routine added to the growing anticipation could be a recipe for stress and behaviour problems. Strategies that help the child visualise the period may be helpful for some.

Helping children to cope by using visual images.

Make a timetable – maybe for weeks to begin with and then into days nearer the event.

Use photographs and cut outs from magazines to explain what is happening (stores stocked with cards, presents and such things).

Obtain dates of events from schools and clubs and insert these into the timetable.

Use specific dates for putting up the tree and decorations or baking the cake.

Mark off, on the calendar, events as they happen – so the child can progress visually through the time. Some children prefer an actual ‘washing line’ with events pegged on and taken off on completion.

SOCIAL STORIES could be used to help the child understand the WHY behind some activities – WHY do the shops start selling Christmas items in September??? (There is no other commercial event between summer and Christmas – also they have so many things to sell the shops start early – the shop hopes if you will buy from there and not from another shop.)

Christmas Fayres happen early to enable people to buy gifts in good time before the shops get far too busy – with too many people rushing around.

Build into the timetable details of the removal of Christmas decorations – tree and so on to prepare the child for a return to ‘normal’. Photographs of previous years may help – a kind of before and after shot – to remind the child what the house looks like decorated and a reminder of the home in its usual state.

Some children need structure in the holiday break from school and a timetable with activities on may help. Many children may need to be reminded of schoolwork with reminders of how to do certain schoolwork tasks before returning to class.

For some, the extra noise, sights and smells of this time of year are just too much –so maybe consider NOT taking the child shopping at this time and allow times every day for the child to ‘chill out’ and be alone and quiet.

Receiving presents can also be problematic. Many do not like surprises and so it can be best to pre-warn the child of what his/her gifts are going to be – relatives may have to be told what to buy. Practice the art of ‘accepting’ an unwanted gift – Give the child some idea of stock replies to use at this time – ‘Thank You’ - ‘That’s nice’

It may help you to know that many children on the autistic spectrum find this time of year very difficult to understand – you are not alone!

Told You So!!!

2009-11-17T15:27:00.001Z

Broken yesterday, the story that Michael Jackson had his body scanned back in the '90s presents a number of interesting possibilities, particularly since there's a big push for 3D video tech right now. Still, let's not get too excited. We don't know exactly what these images include, but it seems unlikely that they're anything like concert footage that's shot specifically for 3D. As reported, the images were meant to help create some kind of "virtual double" of Jackson, much the same way that special effects for movies like Spider-Man were created. Creating some kind of 3D concert video from that would be a big leap.

Still, for an artist as popular as Jackson was, it's not hard to imagine someone dedicating the resources to make that leap. With some progress in holographic tech, and even more intriguing idea would be to recreate a real-live Jackson concert with a Jackson hologram as the main attraction. Given how much lip-synching goes on in today's pop, would a full-on virtual performer be much of a stretch? Or just too macabre in this case? Whatever happens, you can bet the images won't end up in a green screen challenge (though we can hope).

Via The Telegraph