This article is based on one written by Leslie Broun, M.Ed. September was national literacy month, and every year I am reminded of my own journey teaching both of my autistic children to read. Reading is a skill that has brought my son, Marc, an amazing amount of joy and fulfillment; however, teaching a child with autism to read isn’t…
Most parents have mixed feelings about sending their children back to school. The relaxed schedule of the summer is suddenly gone and evenings become hectic with homework, extra-curricular activities, making lunches and getting clothes ready for the next day. On the other hand, it can be a relief to get back into routines and a scheduled day. Most parents need a break from their children by the end of the summer.
Many general educators believe that they need specialized strategies to teach students with disabilities. While it can be beneficial to know about certain types of disabilities before teaching students with labels, often teachers are effective when they are accepting, look for strengths in their students, provide personal attention when necessary, and allow for differences in the ways students approach tasks and complete classroom work.
I went to my daughter Julia’s grade 4 class last week to give a presentation about autism. My main goal was to give the students a basic understanding of what autism is, what the strengths and difficulties are, and how they can be a friend to Julia.
As we have learned more about how we learn, both through observation and study, a critically important fact has emerged: many students have difficulty with the physical printing and writing process – difficulty which is significant enough to interfere with their academic performance.
Laurent Mottron, professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal and Michelle Dawson, a postal worker on an involuntary disability leave, make an unusual research and writing team. Michelle Dawson and Dr. Mottron have co-authored six published papers in journals such as Brain, Neuropsychology and the Journal of Autism and Behavioral Disorders and are causing a stir in both the autism and scientific communities.