Autism Classroom Resources Podcast: A Podcast for Special Educators

If we have ever needed to improve work efficiency in the classroom, this year is it.  You need to be able to get work done quickly and save some time for yourself and your family.  But, I know most of you are always feeling like there is more to be done.  Highlights of Episode 61 In this episode I'm going to talk about 3 ways that I've recently reminded myself of to help improve you...

Thanksgiving weekend episode bonus.  Over the years, I've shared on social media things that I think your students would thank you for.  So as a bonus episode (i.e., no blog post, but there is a transcript below), I thought I would share 3 things that I think your students would thank you for in this crazy year. Grab the transcript: https://acrlinks.com/thanks Autism Classroom Resources'...

Episode 60 focuses on how to teach students to initiate communication.  Students with ASD struggle with initiation and often don't tell people what they need for want.  Learning how to initiate is a specific skill that needs explicit instruction.  This episode will get you started to teach it.   Highlights of Episode 60 Learn why initiation is such a critical life skill to teac...

Today I'm going to talk about the 4 keys you need to address in your instruction for expressive language.  Expanding expressive language goes beyond just getting longer sentences or adding vocabulary, particularly for students with ASD.  In order to improve communication, we have to focus on how the expressive language is used.  That includes increasing the reasons or functions of t...

In today's episode I want to share my 5 tips for communicating with a nonverbal student. It is probably the question I get asked most frequently in some form or other.  Many of us work with students who do not have a way to communicate effectively and don't speak.  And we also sometimes work with students who communicate in alternative ways (e.g., a device, pictures, sign language). High...

I talked about the importance of using adult language in the classroom in a purposeful manner to model communication for students with autism in the last episode of the podcast .  Today I am following up with a freebie to help teachers share the information with classroom staff.  And I'm also sharing 3 ways that you can help all the classroom staff stay on track with adult language in th...

Have you been trying to figure out how to promote language in your special education classroom? There are some simple steps that can help with this to get started. My next few podcasts are going to focus on some of them, starting with this episode. One of the easiest ways to promote language in your classroom is to be quiet. I know that sounds counterintuitive but it’s true. And in today’s episode...

We all know how important visuals are for students in special education. When we think visuals we sometimes think daily schedule as the default.  But for some students, mini-schedules (or task analysis schedules) are even more important for independence. In this week’s episode I talk about 3 reasons why mini-schedules can improve your classroom and your students’ learning.   And there's...

As a preschool teacher recently said to me…"So I realized, for this kid, it's all about choices."  This particular kid (and many others) liked to be in control of EVERYTHING!  And he did it by refusing the teacher's directions.  This episode focuses on WHY choices can help behavior problems in the classroom and HOW to use them effectively.  You want to give the right kind of ch...

In this episode, I’ve got 3 ways that can help you easily, efficiently and effectively communicate with families. And hopefully to get information back from parents as well. Because we know that it needs to go both ways. Highlights of Effective Teacher Parent Communication So these three ways to communicate with families will meet share these characteristics. Easy to use Provide concrete informati...

Teaching is hard. You know it’s true…I believe (especially right now) it’s one of the hardest jobs there is. And to do it well, it is essential that special educators advocate for themselves. Educators never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity and grit. But truly, no one can do this job alone. Our special education system is actually built to keep it from being a one-man show. And yet many time...

This episode focuses on 3 ways you can create routines and strategies in the classroom to support engagement in learning and reduce downtime.  I'll start by talking about what downtime is. Because, no I don't think that teachers make a decision to have downtime in the classroom. They don't say, "Well it would be nice to take a little rest right now and let them do whatever they want." And the...

Finding ways to monitor progress in distance learning for special education students is one of the questions I hear most frequently these days. We usually take data hands-on in the classroom, observing the student directly. And educators usually have control over (to some degree) the environment and conditions under which they observe the skills and behavior being monitored. But that's not the cas...

I love cooking in the classroom. It's one of my favorite activities to use with younger students and with life skills students. One of the things I like is that students are motivated by it. Because who doesn't like to eat, right? Another is the number of skills you can build and teach with cooking. But what about cooking now, as I'm writing and recording this--in the middle of the pandemic? How d...

Face-to-face online learning is useful in distance ed, but engagement can be an issue. Use these 3 tips to boost your students' engagement. Grab the transcript and pictures at autismclassroomresources.com/episode48 Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library... http://library.autismclassroomresources.com Want more information about the Special Educator Academy? SpecialEducatorAcademy.com Joi...

At the beginning of the school year, it's always all about the classroom routines.  But if you are back in the classroom in 2020, you probably have a few new Covid-19 classroom routines that are new to everybody.  Adding any new routines in the classroom can throw off the rhythm of the best functioning team.  And let's face it, there is enough going on in your head right now that an...

Struggling with distance learning in special ed? The way to make it work lies with strong collaboration and coordination with families.  Grab 3 big, meaty tips in this episode for effectively working with families in distance learning to make the year a success. Highlights of Episode 46 Three big, meaty tips for collaborating effectively with families and caregivers in distance learning for s...

We know that the coming year is going to be different, in the fall of 2020.  But whether you are teaching at a distance or teaching in the classroom, you will probably still be working with paraprofessionals as part of your classroom team. In today's episode, I've got tips for managing staff by setting expectations with a classroom zoning plan for all different situations you may find yoursel...

As the next step of our Setting up Classroom Series, this episode focuses on designing your classroom setup in special education.  Given that it was recorded in fall 2020, I'm also including tips for designing your distance learning space and tips for helping families develop learning spaces at home.   Highlights of Episode 44 7 Goals of setting up the classroom  Tips for designing...

As part of our Setting Up Classroom Series, this episode focuses on creating the classroom schedule for the special education classroom.  As we approach the beginning of 2020, and grapple with how to best educate students during the pandemic, setting up the special ed classroom schedule may seem like the least of our problems.  In reality, though, it’s still the most important. Whether y...

Imagine knowing, as you start the classroom setup process, what every student's needs are and how you plan to implement them in the classroom or in distance learning. What if you had a document you could hand to paraprofessionals that would not only make sure they know the IEP goals, but that they would know where and how to teach them and take data? And what if you had a document that helped you...

We are kicking off a a series all about setting up your special education classroom to maximize the engagement of your students.   I'm super pumped about this series because it's one of my favorite topics.   hint: I used to feel like I set up classrooms for a living.   So come along and find out why i'm excited about it, what it's about, and get started.   *And I know...

This is just a quick episode that talks about some of the thoughts around the very difficult time our country is going through.  But I am the first to say this is NOT my area of expertise.  But we have clear data that show that students do not experience education equally.  I'll talk about that and how we, in the classroom, can make a difference. Also, I'm taking a hiatus from the p...

We are coming to a "rest" in our remote learning journey. And that gives us an opportunity to stop and reflect on what we learned. I am a big proponent of reflecting on classroom practice regularly.  Without taking the time to reflect on it, we don’t have the opportunity to refine it and improve it over time. When I set up a classroom, one of the things we do every day after students leave is...

As special educators, we all want our relationships with families to result in positive IEP meetings.  This episode focuses on 5 things special educators can do during IEPs to build positive relationships with families and result in positive IEP meetings. I've talked about the mechanics of virtual IEPs in Episode 34 . But with the advent of more virtual IEPs, I think the 5 tips from today's e...