The Autism Helper Podcast

In this episode Kate Grandbois, SLP, BCBA shares the evidence-based best practices on how to incorporate AAC into the classroom. Kate provides an overview of what AAC is and then dives into how to overcome logistical barriers to use, collaborate with other professionals, and help the student get the best opportunity for communication. Kate is a dually certified SLP / BCBA with 15 years of clinical...

Mari Cerda is a board-certified, trauma-responsive behavior analyst. Mari consults with teachers and schools to provide professional development coaching on various Neurodivergent affirming topics. Mari’s perspective as an autistic clinician is extremely valuable to our field.  In this episode, Mari and I discuss the changes in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, the anti-ABA movement and what...

Teaching reading skills to learners with special needs can be challenging. Sometimes traditional methods don’t work, assessments aren’t the right fit, and figuring out how to teach the wide range of levels can be overwhelming. In this episode, I share the 3 keys for teaching reading skills: keeping the end goal of functional comprehension in mind, organization, and utilizing a comprehensive approa...

The IEP process can be overwhelming for both new and veteran teachers. In this episode, Stephanie DeLussey breaks down the process and shares actionable tips for reducing overwhelm. Stephanie is a dual certified special education teacher, founder of The Intentional IEP, Master IEP Coach®, children's book author, and teacher mentor. Stephanie shares how to create an IEP Timeline and how that ca...

In this episode, Speech Language Pathologist and BCBA, Rosemarie Griffin, shares 5 ways to engage preschoolers who are not yet talking. Rose is the owner of ABA Speech and has over 20 years of experience in the field. Rose shares how to meet your young learners where they are at through utilizing robust assessments and engaging in student-focused play. Her tips are actionable and classroom-ready!...

The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership is OPEN for enrollment from 1/25 - 2/1. We only open enrollment twice a year so now is the time to join. In this episode, I share 5 ways current members are utilizing the membership content: 1.        Members learn new strategies and refresh/reinvigorate their teaching. Gain access to training videos in 4 categories: Staff Training, Academics,...

Positive Behavior Change is the process of identifying the missing skill needed to meet communicative needs. This process views negative behavior as a signal that a skill is needed. As the educator, we need to teach positive, prosocial skills to that learner. In this episode, I breakdown what Positive Behavior Change is, what you will learn in the Bootcamp, and who the Bootcamp is for. Join us in...

In this special episode, I share an excerpt from a recent live workshop. This session is titled Can’t Do or Won’t Do. Every decision we make is shaped by our skills and abilities to perform the action and our motivation to do so. In this clip from the workshop, I share how to approach challenging behaviors from a can’t do or won’t do perspective. I'm super excited to announce my newest FREE vi...

Within The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership Group, we just launched a new mini-course for Year 2+ Members! In this episode, we are sharing a sneak peek into the first module which is all about Movement and Learning and is developed by Katie McKenna, OT. In this excerpt, learn what movement is and why it is so important for our students.  This is our last episode for 2021 and the w...

Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L talks interoception in this episode. She defines what interoception is and why it’s so important to be aware of. Kelly shares how this affects self-regulation and how educators and caregivers can help individuals co-regulate. Kelly’s website: https://www.kelly-mahler.com/   Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership:  https...

Heather Hoeft, TAH Blogger and Preschool teacher, shares why play is important, what skills you can work on during play, and how to incorporate play into your classroom. Let’s dive into why play is so essential to build rapport and teach new skills. Heather walks through types of skills you can work on with play in the areas of language development, social skills, emotional learning, and gross/fin...

Adapted books are any books that have been modified in some way to make it more accessible to the reader. Adapted books can add structure and a hands-on component that many of our students benefit from. In this episode, I review the different types of adapted books, where to utilize them in your classroom, and how to run a lesson or activity using adapted books. Click here to find out more info ab...

Easel by TpT™ is a free suite of digital tools to help educators teach, engage, and assess learners. These digital tools can be so helpful to utilize your TpT Purchases digitally. Digital resources are a great, low-prep (i.e. no need to laminate!) way to give your students access to a bigger variety of materials. In this episode, I interview Will Cullen who is part of the Education Content and Ins...

One question I get asked all the time is how can I find the time to make so many materials? It takes time to develop a big library of resources. In this episode, I share some tips for how to prioritize your material prep. You don’t need to make everything at once. Set up a classroom resources prep station to build efficiency into this process and ensure everything is organized so you can find thin...

Temple Grandin is one of the world’s most well-known and respected experts in the field on autism and animal behavior and livestock. She is an internationally best-selling author and Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Temple’s new book is called Navigating Autism - The 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum. In this interview Temple shares some valuable advice and exper...

When I was a new teacher, I did not realize that training my staff was part of my job. Now I not only know it is part of the job, but have seen how critically important this job responsibility is. Your students need a team that works collaboratively and cohesively. Staff training is a year long endeavor and is always something you can level up on. In this episode, I share 4 tips for successfully l...

Dr. Camille Kolu, BCBA-D focuses on bringing together creative service, best practices, behavior analysis, and behavioral neuroscience in what is described as Trauma-Informed Applied Behavior Analysis. In this episode, Dr. Kolu shares what Trauma Informed practice is and how this can impact how we support our learners. She dives into the ethical boundaries, how to work collaboratively on a team, a...

Small group instruction is essential to work on focused and differentiated goals within a classroom with a broad range of skill sets. Small groups allow you to get more done in less time and individualize instruction appropriately. In this episode, I am sharing my dos and don’ts of small group instruction. Even if you are already using small groups, this episode will share some ways to fine tune h...

In this episode, I am joined by BCBA Chrissy Barosky who is the Chief Clinical Officer of Bierman ABA. Chrissy and I discuss the extremely important topic of assent withdrawal. Assent withdrawal is when a learner is trying to tell that they are not happy with something. This may look like escape or avoidance behavior. As educators and clinicians, it is essential to identify when assent withdrawal...

Token economies are a great way to build positive behaviors and differentiate the skills you are building and the reinforcers. Token economies can be effective and easy to utilize if set up correctly. In this episode, I share the 10 dos and don’ts of token economies. As great as token economies can be, they can also have negative impacts on student relationships and rapport if done incorrectly. Cl...

Communication is the cornerstone of literacy, developing friendships, being independent, and so much more. Strive to make your classroom as communication friendly as possible. Work towards giving your students as many opportunities to practice building communication skills as possible.    4 Ways to Create a Communication Friendly Classroom: 1. Give everyone a voice.  2. Embed and support communica...

The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership is open for enrollment from 9/8 - 9/14. Join the community of hundreds of educators, clinician, and parents all dedicated to creating the best learning environment for their students. In this episode, I share some behind the scenes on why I created the membership and how the membership has evolved in the last two years. I also share how current...

Independent work is an essential component to any classroom. It teaches students the important life skill of working on their own while allowing maintenance on previously mastered skills. It also allows the teacher to work one on one with other students, train staff, or run small groups. Click here to find out more info about The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership:  https://theautis...

The start of the year is overwhelming and it may feel tempting to try to create a detailed and thorough data system right away. Instead focus on establishing rapport and relationships with your students. Data will come! In this episode, I share the 4 pillars for setting up your data systems in the start of the year. These are simple decisions and action steps to take that will allow you to focus o...

Three members of the Professional Development Membership group share actionable tips and strategies to bring into your classroom. Parent, Vidya Banerjee gives us 3 ways that teachers can support parents and families. Special Education Teacher, Jamie Palmer shares why not to be a yes person and what to do when asked to do all of the things. Finally, Special Education Teacher, Siera Miller discusses...