Autism Positivity
Autism Positivity
The fabulous film Vectors of Autism will soon be available here!
Category Archives: Communicate
Welcoming Dissent… Self-advocacy, the communication hierarchy, and rethinking tone
My thinking and learning around the ideas and concepts of self-advocacy is being nudged by the work I am doing supporting educators in their inquiry projects in a Graduate Program entitled, Supporting Diverse Learners. I have been explaining the importance … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, Communicate, limits, promote social understanding, self-advocacy, Special Education
Tagged advocacy, Autism, cheeky, communication, Communication Hierarchy, development, honouring, iannapropriate tone, ignoring tone, limits, parent, Perspectives, rude tone, self-advocacy, teacher, teenager
4 Comments
TASH Conference Keynote and a fortress of chips: H Rocks his Advocacy
In front of the entire conference stood a 14-year-old boy. He’d eaten little during lunch – perhaps it was nerves – but more likely it was the lack of anything the least bit palatable or familiar to his tastes. However, … Continue reading
Posted in Arizona, Arizona TASH, ASD, Autism, Communicate, inclusion, Laura Nagle, perspective of others, promote social understanding, Purchase Vectors of Autism: Laura Nagle, self-advocacy
Tagged advocacy, Arizona TASH, AzWINS, Dear teacher: A letter from H, I am Norm, inclusion, Keynote Address, Perspectives, resiliency, self-advocacy, Special Education, Vectors of Autism
9 Comments
“Whisper me, Mom”: Autism and Supporting Development
When H was tiny I used to whisper words to him when we were out, because he lacked words of his own in an unfamiliar environment, or with unfamiliar people. I would lean in seamlessly – almost invisibly – so … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, Communicate, connections, language, mentor/apprentice, Vygotsky
Tagged "Whisper me Mom.", Aspergers, Autism, communication, development, Laura Berk, Modelling behaviour, over-prompting, pace, parents, Perspectives, scaffolding, strategies, Vgotsky, zone of proximal development
9 Comments
What is going on here?!? Autism, Uneven Development and Periods of Consolidation
Some time ago I was reading an article by a parent who was commenting on her surprise that her child was suddenly gaining a myriad of skills – seemingly out of the blue. This was not just happening in one … Continue reading
Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, Handling Change, Parent, Resiliency
Tagged Aspergers, Autism, behaviour, Cliché, communication, development, developmental trajectory, honouring, Lego, Neurotypical peers, periods of consolidation, predictability, skill development, step-by-step, strategies for resiliency, uneven development
25 Comments
Autism and Poetry: The restorative power of language, mindfulness, and a sensory break
For the past 3 years H has been involved in a 6-8 week Art/Science program held at the nearby Blue Heron Reserve. This is a wonderful hands-on enrichment opportunity that is offered annually by his DL school, and for a … Continue reading
Posted in acceptance, Anxiety, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, Distance Education, Distributed Learning, Parent, Resiliency, Sensory Processing Disorder, SPD
Tagged Anxiety, Art, autism poem, Blue Heron Reserve, poetry, Restorative power of language, Science, sensory break, sensory overload
3 Comments
If and When Strategies: the power of language in parenting
I want to change something, sometimes I notice the littlest changes have the biggest impact. In this post I am sharing my consideration of the significance and implication of the words “if” and “when”. Many years ago I stumbled upon … Continue reading
Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, Parent
Tagged Adlerian Theory, Aspergers, Autism, behaviour, communication, nagging, negotiate, over-prompting, parents, power struggle, strategies, The Power of if and when
9 Comments
Aa is for Applecus and Autism: A look back at supporting language development
The other day I was reading about a mother’s excitement over her daughter’s language acquisition. It had me thinking back and remembering how that felt for us. My son is now 12 and has amazing expressive language – it took … Continue reading
Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, Intervention, language, Speech and Language Therapist, visual strategies and supports
Tagged assessment, Autism, communication, Eeyore, idiosynchratic language, language aquisition, McDonald's, Modelling behaviour, prompting, Prompting Hierarchy, self-talk, social language, Speech and Language, strategies
4 Comments
TweEtiquette: my struggle with unwritten social rules
I have just started to use twitter. A couple of weeks ago a brilliant tech-savvy colleague nudged me: “Your blog is doing great Leah. Now you have to get on Twitter.“ In response, I think I produced a nervous giggle … Continue reading
Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, promote social understanding
Tagged cyber-world, follow, misunderstood, repost, social intereactions, tweet, TweEttiquite, Twitter, unspoken social rules
3 Comments
Perspectives on friendship and other-ability: Country Mouse and City Mouse
I have been considering the way in which my son, H the Country Mouse, relates to his friend, City Mouse. They have known each other for almost seven years… since they were both diagnosed with ASD. They are true friends. … Continue reading
Posted in acceptance, Aspergers, Autism, Communicate, connections, promote social understanding, relationships
Tagged acceptance, Autism, awareness, city mouse, country mouse, friends, pace, parents, Perspectives, Pez, practice, relationship, relief, social pragmatics, Star Wars, wait time
13 Comments
