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In this book parents who have chosen the home education option for their children on the autistic spectrum candidly relate their experiences: how they reached the decision to educate at home, how they set about the task, and their feelings about the issues raised by their actions.
Homeschooling the Child with Autism This practical, highly accessible guide answers parents' and professionals' questions about teaching children with autism spectrum disorders at home. The book helps parents decide whether to homeschool and guides them through the process of beginning and maintaining an effective homeschool program. All the essential questions are addressed, such as: How do you know if homeschooling is right for you and your child? Which homeschool program is best for the child's learning style and needs? How should a family get started? What is the best way to address social, behavioral, and organizational skills when teaching a child with ASD? When should you transition back to a traditional public school setting? The book also contains tips and suggestions from real-life parents who have successfully homeschooled their children with ASD and includes lists of helpful resources for homeschoolers. Praise for Homeschooling the Child with Autism "Practical advice and a wealth of resources.…This book provides a beacon of hope to families struggling with educational options for their child." —SALLY OZONOFF, PH.D., endowed professor, University of California, Davis, M.I.N.D. Institute "A must-read for parents and teachers who need guidance and encouragement while teaching children with ASD." —CATHY STENZEL, mother of a son with autism
Explores the advantages and disadvantages of flexischooling, or having a student attend school part-time and be homeschooled the rest of the time, for autistic children so that parents can determine what is right for their child. Original.
Martha Kennedy Hartnett is the mother of a child with Asperger's Syndrome who made the courageous choice to homeschool. Emerging from the author's personal experience, this book is a step by step account of successful home education. Choosing Home will take you into the homes of Asperger families as they journey from survival of the playground bully to making it work at home. Hartnett embraces those pertinent questions raised by parents: Will I be limiting my child's emotional and social development? How will I know if my teaching is good enough? What if I can't cope? These questions and many more are answered in this touching and insightful narrative. This is a book of hope and encouragement to all parents with an interest in homeschooling.
Powerful moral, social justice and political arguments have convinced parents that it is their democratic right to place their children on the autism spectrum into mainstream educational environments so that their children may eventually take up their rightful place in a mainstream adult life. But what is really happening for some of these parents when they try to gain and maintain an appropriate education for their child in these mainstream contexts and beyond? What is the educational experience like for these families who are in the midst of this generational change from historical exclusion to inclusion? Current research indicates that while islands of excellent mainstream inclusive practice do exist the educational experience for many students on the autism spectrum can often be one of hostility, inconsistency and unreliability. Without appropriate understanding of best practice educational methods, these students can present an inordinate educational challenge to both parents and educators alike. How do parents deal with such complex educational profiles? How do they continue to maximize their children’s development over time? What are the barriers that hinder their quest? What are the facilitators that help their quest? To answer these questions, this book provides an in-depth, recent examination of the real life journeys of families who attempted to gain an appropriate education for their children on the autism spectrum including the areas of diagnosis, early intervention, mainstream schooling, home education, segregated schooling and transition to work and further study. Jasmine McDonald BA DipEd MSpecEd (Hons) PhD, is affiliated with the Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Her current work includes trialling a peer-to-peer mentoring program for tertiary students on the autism spectrum. This program runs at Curtin University in Western Australia and will be replicated and evaluated at the University of Western Australia. The results will eventually be shared through the Australian Government Autism Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) website (http://www.autismcrc.com.au/).
Parents all over the world are suddenly homeschooling. Are you one of them? If you have children on the autism spectrum, the prospect may seem even more daunting. Homeschooling, Autism Style: Reset for Success will give you what you need to step up. The first thing to do is to START: Schedule Theme-based Activities at Regular Times. You know how important having a visual schedule is for your kids. For all kids, really, but some need the anchor of predictability, so having a visual schedule is important. This book also gives you a HAMMOCK: it's not just a reminder to relax and not over-stress about academics. It also stands for the kinds of activities to include in your homeschooling schedule, activities that speak to Heart, Action, Mind, Music, Outdoors, Chores, and Kitchen. You'll find varied and fun activities to create teachable moments. You'll also meet three fictional characters you may recognize from your own family: Distractible Dory, Hyper-focused Hermione, and Creative Calvin. Learn how personalizing a homeschooling experience works for each of them. Homeschooling, Autism Style: Reset for Success is written by a mother-daughter team. Wendela is an autism consultant, author, and speaker. Siobhan, also a writer, grew up in an autism-majority family and successfully homeschooled herself for several years. Siobhan's Strategies appear throughout the book. Although the book was written primarily for homeschooling families with children on the autism spectrum, the tips and tools are equally effective for your kids with ADHD, sensory integration or processing problems, learning difficulties, and even for typically-developing children. Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your homeschooling journey, you will find something here for your family.
Over half a million people in Britain are somewhere on the autistic spectrum. It can be devastating to discover that your child has an ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) and even tougher helping them to cope with life. Many books will tell you the latest theories about what causes ASD, but what you really want to know is how to get a decent night's sleep, or stop your child flapping their arms, or find some time for your other children. This second, fully updated edition of this lifeline for parents helps them understand their ASD child and offers practical advice on all the problems that can make day-to-day life so tough.
Autism is a word most of us are familiar with. But do we really know what it means? Children with autism are challenged by the most essential human behaviors. They have difficulty interacting with other people-often failing to see people as people rather than simply objects in their environment. They cannot easily communicate ideas and feelings, have great trouble imagining what others think or feel, and in some cases spend their lives speechless. They frequently find it hard to make friends or even bond with family members. Their behavior can seem bizarre. Education is the primary form of treatment for this mysterious condition. This means that we place important responsibilities on schools, teachers and children's parents, as well as the other professionals who work with children with autism. With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975, we accepted responsibility for educating children who face special challenges like autism. While we have since amassed a substantial body of research, researchers have not adequately communicated with one another, and their findings have not been integrated into a proven curriculum. Educating Children with Autism outlines an interdisciplinary approach to education for children with autism. The committee explores what makes education effective for the child with autism and identifies specific characteristics of programs that work. Recommendations are offered for choosing educational content and strategies, introducing interaction with other children, and other key areas. This book examines some fundamental issues, including: How children's specific diagnoses should affect educational assessment and planning How we can support the families of children with autism Features of effective instructional and comprehensive programs and strategies How we can better prepare teachers, school staffs, professionals, and parents to educate children with autism What policies at the federal, state, and local levels will best ensure appropriate education, examining strategies and resources needed to address the rights of children with autism to appropriate education. Children with autism present educators with one of their most difficult challenges. Through a comprehensive examination of the scientific knowledge underlying educational practices, programs, and strategies, Educating Children with Autism presents valuable information for parents, administrators, advocates, researchers, and policy makers.
Beginning school is a challenging time for most young children. For those with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) the significant change this entails can be overwhelming, and everyone involved will be in need of guidance to make the transition as smooth and as stress-free as possible. This positive and practical book arms schools with a wealth of essential information, easy-to-implement strategies and photocopiable resources that will help to make early schooldays an enjoyable experience for young children on the spectrum. Constructive suggestions, such as introducing visual schedules and accommodating sensory issues, will help children with ASD to feel comfortable in school, and activities including making a 'happy scrapbook' and a home-school diary will support staff home liaison. From Home to School with Autism is essential reading for education professionals seeking to encourage and inspire greater confidence in young children with ASD as they embark on school life.
