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This is geared for students aged k-6; however, there are some great strategies that can still be adapted with middle and high school students.

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1- How can we best support kids on the Spectrum?
2- What personal/classroom strategies cane we use to deal with specific behaviors?
3- How do non-normative (violent) behaviors affect (students and teachers) classroom learning and environment?

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Notes from that meeting

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Website. We watched her movie.

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Dr. Grandin did not talk until she was three and a half years old. She was fortunate to get early speech therapy. Her teachers also taught her how to wait and take turns when playing board games. She was mainstreamed into a normal kindergarten at age five. Oliver Sacks wrote in the forward of Thinking in Pictures that her first book Emergence: Labeled Autistic was "unprecedented because there had never before been an inside narrative of autism." Dr. Sacks profiled Dr. Grandin in his best selling book Anthropologist on Mars.

Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. Today she is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She also has a successful career consulting on both livestock handling equipment design and animal welfare. She has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio) and a BBC Special - "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow". She has also appeared on National TV shows such as Larry King Live, 20/20, Sixty Minutes, Fox and Friends, and she has a 2010 TED talk. Articles about Dr. Grandin have appeared in Time Magazine, New York Times, Discover Magazine, Forbes and USA Today. HBO made an Emmy Award winning movie about her life and she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.

When she was young, she was considered weird and teased and bullied in high school. The only place she had friends was activities where there was a shared interest such as horses, electronics, or model rockets. Mr. Carlock, her science teacher, was an important mentor who encouraged her interest in science. When she had a new goal of becoming a scientist, she had a reason for studying. Today half the cattle in the United States are handled in facilities she has designed.

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association revised the diagnostic criteria for autism. This greatly broadened the spectrum. It now ranges from brilliant scientists, artists, and musicians to an individual who cannot dress himself or herself. Over the years, the diagnostic criteria have kept changing. It is not precise like a lab test for strep throat. Labels such as autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder or learning disability are often applied to the same child. In older children with no speech delay, the diagnosis sometimes switches back and forth between autism and ADHD.

"One of the problems today is for a kid to get any special services in school, they have to have a label. The problem with autism is you've got a spectrum that ranges from Einstein to someone with no language and intellectual disability," said Grandin. "Steve Jobs was probably mildly on the autistic spectrum. Basically, you've probably known people who were geeky and socially awkward but very smart. When does geeks and nerds became autism? That's a gray area. Half the people in Silicon Valley probably have autism."

As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise nationally, Grandin is sharing her message about the disorder and "differently-abled brains" with packed houses. At the heart of that message is this: Rigid academic and social expectations could wind up stifling a mind that, while it might struggle to conjugate a verb, could one day take us to distant stars.

"Parents get so worried about the deficits that they don't build up the strengths, but those skills could turn into a job," said Grandin, who addresses scientific advances in understanding autism in her newest book, "The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum." These kids often have uneven skills. We need to be a lot more flexible about things. Don't hold these math geniuses back. You're going to have to give them special ed in reading because that tends to be the pattern, but let them go ahead in math."

Early diagnosis can lead to early intervention and access to special education programs, and, while crucial for children with speech delay, also means a permanent label that ultimately could impede progress, and the healthy development of a child's identity. There are other situations where an autism diagnosis is helpful for an older person who is having problems with relationships. It can give them great insight, and enable them to improve relationships.

Have High, But Reasonable Expectations

A label can also impact parental expectations, a major source of therapeutic momentum for children. A parent with a diagnosed autistic child might be reluctant to teach practical social skills that are outside the child's comfort zone, such as ordering food at a lunch counter. You have to stretch these kids just outside their comfort zone to help them develop. Give them choices of "stretching" activities such as you can do Boy Scouts or robotics.

"It hurts because they don't have enough expectations for the kids. I see too many kids who are smart and did well in school, but they're not getting a job because when they were young, they didn't learn any work skills," Grandin said. "They've got no life skills. The parents thinks, 'Oh, poor Tommy. He has autism so he doesn't have to learn things like shopping." Grandin was raised by her mother in the 1950's, a time when social skills were "pounded into every single child," she said. "Children in my generation, when they were teenagers, they had jobs and learned how to work. I cleaned horse stalls. When I was 8 years old, my mother made me be a party hostess - shake hands, take coats, etc. In the 1950's, social skills were taught in a much more rigid way so kids who were mildly autistic were forced to learn them. It hurts the autistic much more than it does the normal kids to not have these skills formally taught."

"In my generation, paper routes taught important working skills. Today, parents should set up jobs a child can do in the neighborhood such as walking dogs for the neighbors. Younger children can do volunteer jobs outside the home such as being an usher at a house of worship or community center. This will teach both discipline and responsibility. It improved my self esteem to be recognized for doing a job well."

"The skills that people with autism bring to the table should be nurtured for their benefit and society's." Grandin said. "And, if a cure for autism were found, she would choose to stay just the way she is.

"I like the really logical way that I think. I'm totally logical. In fact, it kind of blows my mind how irrational human beings are," She said. "If you totally get rid of autism, you'd have nobody to fix your computer in the future."

Educating Students with Different Kinds of Minds

If algebra had been required course for college graduation in 1967, there would be no Temple Grandin. At least, no Temple Grandin as the world knows her today - professor, inventor, best-selling author, and rock star in the seemingly divergent fields of animal science and autism education. "I probably would have been a handyman, fixing toilets at some apartment building somewhere," said Grandin. "I can't do algebra. It makes no sense. Why does algebra have to be the gateway to all other mathematics?"

The abstract concepts in algebra present a common stumbling block for many with an autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, or other learning problems. Many of the kids would do well if geometry was substituted for algebra. For autistic and photo-realistic visual thinkers, such as Grandin, understanding comes from being able to see and work through a concept in images, creating what is in effect, a virtual reality program that plays out in the brain. In this manner, Grandin, who didn't speak until she was almost 4, conceptualized down to minute details her design for a humane livestock restraint system now used on nearly half to the cattle in the U.S.

Fortunately, the academic trend in the late 1960's was finite math, a course Grandin passed with the help of tutors and devoted study, satisfying her college math requirement. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology and both masters and doctoral degrees in animal science. For the past two decades, she's been a professor at Colorado State University.

In her book, The Autistic Brain, she presents research findings that definitely show three types of specialized thinking. They are the photo realistic visual thinkers who think the way I do, math/pattern thinkers and word thinkers. Children who think differently will often thrive if they have more hands-on activities. Parents need to work with the schools to make sure that elementary school children have art, music, theater, sewing, woodworking, computer programs, and cooking . These classes teach important career skills and provide opportunities for students to have social interactions with their peers. Older students need to have access to career related classes such as welding, auto mechanics, and computer science.

There is a huge shortage of skilled mechanics. When I worked in construction installing my systems, I worked with many talented mechanics and metal fabricators. Some of them may have been on the milder end of the autism spectrum. These people were brilliant and they built very complicated things. Skilled trades are not for everybody on the spectrum. I estimate that a skilled trade would be a good choice for 25% of fully verbal people with ASD. When I look back on a long career, some of the best days of my life were out at a construction site. It was so much fun to talk about building things.

- 1 in 68 U.S. children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- ASD in 4.5 times more common in boys (1 in 42) and in girls (1 in 189).
- About 1 in 6 children in the U.S. had a developmental disability 2006-2008.

This covers a wide range of developmental problems ranging from mild to severe.

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Welcome to Temple Grandin's Official Autism Website

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Dr. Grandin did not talk until she was three and a half years old. She was fortunate to get early speech therapy. Her teachers also taught her how to wait and take turns when playing board games. She was mainstreamed into a normal kindergarten at age five.

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This rubric is helpful in thinking through developing a plan for specific students that can increase their success and reduce stress for all those involved.
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Reframing-Our-Thinking-and-Getting-to-Know-the-Child

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This is a helpful tool to use with students on the spectrum when there is a change to their normal day routine. It should be used as early as possible in order for students to process the change.

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Supporting learning with students on the spectrum PDF

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Supporting learning with students on the spectrum PDF

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Link to AANE website which is a great resource. They offer services, trainings and videos on the topic

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During this difficult time, Free Online Community Connection Sessions with AANE staff can offer support and a sense of community. All times listed are EDT. Please click the date for more info and to register.

If you prefer to talk with someone individually, schedule a free call.

If you are in a crisis situation where a cash grant could help, please email suzanne.tompkins@aane.org for consideration.

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The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE) - Asperger Syndrome (Asperger's) & Autism / ASD

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The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE) provides support, education and training to people with Asperger Syndrome (Asperger's), Autism / ASD, and similar profiles. We work with with individuals, families, and professionals to foster awareness and greater understanding. We invite you to join our community!

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I created three essential questions in my document, and answered them reflectively. Here are my EQ's without answers:

1. What is in every student’s best interest?
2. When does an earnest attempt to follow a plan come at the expense of another student?
3. How can we make it clear to the students with non-normative behaviors that we want to help them, and that consequences for non-normative behaviors are a support?

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Explore the social autopsy, developed by Richard Lavoie. It is a problem-solving strategy designed to support social skills. The social autopsy helps individuals understand social errors committed during social interactions and promotes choosing alternative solutions to correct those errors in the future. Steps are provided that include: (a) identify the error, (b) determine who was harmed by the error, (c) decide how to correct the error, and (d) develop a plan so error doesn't happen again. The goal of the social autopsy is twofold: (a) to help the individual better understand a social situation, and (b) to assist the individual in responding more effectively when similar situations are encountered. Using pictures to support comprehension can enhance a social autopsy.

For further information, visit the Social Narratives Autism Internet Module at www.autisminternetmodules.org
Download all these files as a ZIP file Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success Myles, B. S., & Adreon, D.
The middle school years pose challenges for all young people. In this comprehensive and thorough book, the authors start with an overview of those characteristics of AS that make adolescence particularly challenging and difficult. Central to the book is a detailed discussion of strategies and supports necessary to ensure a successful school experience for students with AS at the middle and secondary levels.

What sets this book apart is the way it ties all the recommended strategies together in a real-life case study of Michael, a youth with AS. This touch of real life continues in the closing chapter, which consists of statements by parents and adolescents with Asperger Syndrome about the transition years. This book is critical reading for everybody who lives or works with an adolescent with Asperger Syndrome.

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ohio center for autism and low incidence

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Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence

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Explore the social autopsy, developed by Richard Lavoie. It is a problem-solving strategy designed to support social skills. The social autopsy helps individuals understand social errors committed during social interactions and promotes choosing alternative solutions to correct those errors in the future.

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Website of Tony Atwood who is well known in the autism field.

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Professor Tony Attwood is a clinical psychologist known world wide for his knowledge of Aspergers Syndrome.

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Janet and I were enjoying a wonderful dinner at the home of friends. The hosts, Jerry and Linda, were the parents of a terrific young girl who attended our school. Barbie, twelve years old, had significant learning and language problems, and these difficulties often caused social difficulties. Her impulsivity and her inability to monitor her language effectively often created embarrassing situations for Barbie and her family.

Barbie joined us for dinner, and the five of us were enjoying an exceptional meal and stimulating conversation. The discussion turned to automobiles. "We're going to get a new car next week! It's s-o-o-o-o beautiful and it has a CD player. It's very fancy...not a cheap car like yours!" Barbie blurted out, excitedly.

The table went silent. Jerry was humiliated. Linda was near tears. Barbie, unaware that her comments were offensive, continued her conversation.

Jerry erupted. "That is the rudest thing you have ever said, young lady! Leave the table right now and go to your room." Confused, Barbie sheepishly left her seat and went to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

The four of us quietly continued our meal under a pall of embarrassment. Jerry knows me well enough to recognize that I did not approve of his response. He finally broke the uncomfortable silence by saying, "Okay, Rick. I know that I blew that one."

"What did I do wrong? What should I have done?"

Reluctant to convert the meal into a consulting session, I replied, "We can talk later."

"No, really, Rick, I want to know. She's always doing that kind of thing. We punish her, but it doesn't seem to help."

"Jerry," I began, "you are wonderful with Barbie. You are her most effective teacher! What if you were trying to teach her the multiplication facts and she said that five times three equaled twenty. Would you have yelled at her and sent her to her room?"

"Of course not," Jerry responded. "I would have taught her the right answer so she would know it the next time."

"Exactly," I countered. "And that's what you need to do when she makes social errors, too."

This incident gave birth to the concept of the "Social Skill Autopsy." This technique is now used in schools and homes throughout North America and has been effective in improving the social competence of thousands of children. The strategy is based upon three basic tenets.

1. Most social skill errors are unintentional. It is universally accepted that a primary need of all human beings is to be liked and accepted by other human beings. Therefore, if a child conducts himself in a manner that causes others to dislike or reject him, can we not assume that these behaviors are unintentional and far beyond the child's control? Why would a child purposefully defeat one of his primary needs?

2. If you accept the premise that the offending behavior is unintentional, it becomes obvious that punishing a child for social skill errors is unfair, inappropriate, and ineffective.

3. Traditional approaches to social skill remediation are not effective.

These strategies-role-playing, demonstrations, videotaping, lectures, discussions-seldom have a positive impact on the development of children's social competence. They may have a temporary short-term effect, but the results are seldom lasting and do not often generalize to other settings.

The Autopsy approach provides the socially struggling child with an authentic real-life "laboratory" in which he can learn, develop, and apply effective social responses to actual social dilemmas. This authentic approach parallels the LD child's tendency to learn more effectively in practical situations. If you want to teach dining-out skills, conduct the lesson in a restaurant; teach bus etiquette on the bus; and so on.

Before outlining the process of the Social Skill Autopsy, it is useful to explain what this process is not. This technique is not intended to be a reprimand, a scolding, or a punishment. Neither should the Social Skill Autopsy be solely controlled by the adult, without input from the child. This strategy should not be viewed as a one-time intervention.Rather, the effectiveness of the Autopsy will be greatly enhanced if the strategy is used frequently. The technique will be ineffective if it is used in a hostile or angry manner. The child should feel secure and supported throughout the Autopsy process.

The Autopsy approach has been extremely effective in modifying and improving the social competence of children in a variety of settings. The technique is easy to learn and can be utilized by family members, babysitters, bus drivers, or coaches. By training all of the adults in the child's life, you ensure that he will be benefiting from dozens of Social Skill Autopsies each day. This intensive exposure will foster growth and generalization of the target skills.

The success of this strategy lies in the fact that it provides the child with the four basic steps in any effective learning experience:

practice

immediate feedback

instruction

positive reinforcement

Scolding, reprimanding, and punishing provide none of these elements.

Barbie was sent away from the table for her inappropriate remark, but no teaching, learning, or reinforcement occurred. As a result, an important learning opportunity was lost. Nothing occurred to make the behavior less likely to be repeated in the future.

Another reason that the Social Skill Autopsy approach is so effective is that it enables the child to clearly see the cause-and-effect relationship between his social behavior and the responses and reactions of others. Children with social skill difficulties often are unable to recognize this relationship and are frequently mystified about the reactions of their classmates, teachers, siblings, and parents. As a child once told me, "People get mad at me all the time and I just don't know why."

The Social Skill Autopsy strategy can be a very effective and responsive technique if used properly. It is critical to be mindful that an Autopsy should be conducted as an instructional, supportive, and nonjudgmental intervention. It should be conducted as soon as possible following the offending behavior and should not be viewed-by the adult or the child-as a scolding or negative interaction.

Conceptually, the Social Skill Autopsy is based on the idea of a medical autopsy. Webster's dictionary defines autopsy as "the examination and analysis of a dead body to determine the cause of death, the amount of physical damage that occurred, and to learn about the causal factor(s) in order to prevent reoccurrence in the future." The working definition of a Social Skill Autopsy is "the examination and analysis of a social error to determine the cause of the error , the amount of damage that occurred, and to learn about the causal factor (s) in order to prevent reoccurrence in the future."

The basic principle is to assist the child in analyzing actual social errors that she has made and to discuss the behavioral options that the child could have utilized in order to have improved the situation.

In seminars, I often cite a classic Social Skill Autopsy that I conducted in a dormitory. I was walking the halls of the residence when I heard loud arguing in Tom and Chip's dorm room. I entered the room and inquired about the nature of the argument.

"It's Tom!" Chip bellowed. "Yesterday I bought a brand-new tube of toothpaste. Tonight, Tom borrowed it and lost it!"

I turned to Tom and said, "Let's autopsy this!" I began by asking Tom to tell me what had happened. He explained that he was unable to find his own toothpaste. He borrowed his roommate's tube, although he was unable to locate Chip in order to get his permission. He went down the hall to brush his teeth in the bathroom. As he was brushing, Jim (a mutual friend of Chip's and Tom's) entered the bathroom and asked Tom if he could borrow the toothpaste. Jim passed it on to yet another student and its current whereabouts was now unknown.

The following dialogue took place:

LAVOIE: "Okay, Tom, I understand what happened. What do you think your mistake was?"

TOM: "I know, Mr. Lavoie. I won't make that mistake again. I promise. I never should have borrowed Chip's toothpaste."

LAVOIE: "No, Tom, that wasn't your mistake. It's okay for you and Chip to borrow things from each other occasionally. You are roommates and friends. You borrow his stuff and he borrows yours. That's not a problem."

TOM: "Oh, okay. I've got it now. I know my mistake. I shouldn't have lent Jim the toothpaste. I should have told him, 'No.' "

LAVOIE: "Nope, that's not your mistake, either. Chip and Jim are good friends, too. Chip surely would not have minded you lending an inch of toothpaste to his friend Jim. Try again!"

TOM: "I've got it! I shouldn't have let go of the tube. I should have squeezed the toothpaste onto Jim's brush and then returned the tube to Chip!"

LAVOIE: "Bingo, Tom, you've got it! Our social lesson for the day is not 'Do not borrow,' it's not 'Do not lend.' Rather, our lesson is 'When you borrow something from someone, it is your responsibility to be sure that it is returned. You cannot give that responsibility to anyone else.' Got it?"

TOM: "Yup, I've got it!"

LAVOIE: "Okay, let's make sure. Suppose you stuck your head into my office and said, 'Mr. Lavoie, all the kids are playing catch and I don't have a baseball glove. Can I borrow the baseball glove that you keep in your closet?' I say 'yes' and toss you the glove. While you are playing catch, your dorm counselor comes over and tells you to return to the dorm to finish some chores. As you head off the field, one of the kids asks to borrow the glove because you won't be using it. What are you going to say?"

TOM: "I'd say, 'Sorry, but it's not my glove, so I can't lend it to you. It belongs to Mr. Lavoie. Why don't you come with me while I return it to his office? Then maybe you can ask him to borrow it.' "

LAVOIE: "Great! Now, Tom, I want to give you a little social homework. Today you learned that it is important to return what you borrow and that you can't give that responsibility to anyone else. Sometime this week, I want you to use that skill. I will check in with you on Friday and you can tell me how and when you did it!"

As you see, the Social Skill Autopsy has five basic and separate stages:

1. Ask the child to explain what happened. You will want to have him start at the beginning, if possible. However, some children give a more accurate and complete accounting of an incident if encouraged to begin with the climax of the event and work backwards. Don't interrupt or be judgmental. You want his clear recollections.

2. Ask the child to identify the mistake that he made . This is an important and interesting part of the Autopsy process. Many times, the child will be unable to determine when and where the error occurred or his interpretation is inaccurate.
Tom initially felt that borrowing the toothpaste was his error. It wasn't. Had I merely punished Tom ("Give Chip three dollars for a new tube of toothpaste"), Tom would have erroneously felt that his mistake involved borrowing the toothpaste.

Often, a child will get in trouble with an authority figure, but the child will have no idea what he has done wrong. "I got in trouble at practice today." "What did you do?" "I dunno. But I got the coach mad!"

How can a child stop repeating a social error if he is unable to determine or understand what the error is?

3. Assist the child in determining the actual social error that he made . Discuss the error and alternate social responses. At this point in the discussion, the adult should avoid using the word should. ("You should have waited your turn," "You shouldn't have asked the principal if he wears a toupee.") Rather, use the word could: "You could have asked if you could take your turn next because Mom was coming to pick you up early," "You could have asked the principal about his new car or complimented his ties." This strategy underscores the concept that children have options in social situations.

4. The scenario is the part of the process wherein the adult creates a brief social story that has the same basic moral or goal as the social faux pas.The scenario should have the same basic solution as the incident. It should require the child to generate a response to the fabricated situation that demonstrates his ability to generalize and apply the target skill.

5. Social homework is strongly recommended by Syracuse University psychologist Arnold Goldstein as a strategy to ensure the mastery and application of the target skill. This step requires the child to use the target skill in another setting and report back to the adult when this had been done. This technique causes the child to seek out opportunities to apply the social skill that he has learned. In the toothpaste scenario, I assigned Tom the task of using the skill of appropriate borrowing. A few days later, he excitedly told me that the dormitory counselor had lent him her large snowman mug when the dorm students had cocoa on a wintry night. As Tom was rinsing out the mug, another student asked if he could borrow it. Tom told him that he was not at liberty to lend the mug, but encouraged his dormmate to ask the counselor if he could use it. Tom's application of the "borrowing concept" demonstrated that he is well on his way to mastering this skill.

Children respond very well to this strategy, and, if it is correctly applied, they do not view the technique as a scolding or a reprimand. On the contrary, they come to view the Autopsy as an intriguing and effective strategy designed to improve their social competence. Students actually request Autopsies when they are involved in a social interaction that they do not understand. A fourteen-year-old girl once entered my office and asked, "Mr. Lavoie, can you help me? Last night my sister called me from college and we ended up having a big argument. I know that I said something wrong that made her angry, but I don't know what I did. Can we do an Autopsy on the call?"

Remember the Autopsy is:

a supportive, structured, constructive strategy to foster social competence

a problem-solving technique

an opportunity for the child to participate actively in the process

conducted by any significant adult in the child's environment (teacher, parent, bus driver)

conducted in a familiar, realistic, and natural setting

most effective when conducted immediately after the social error

It is not:

a punishment or scolding

an investigation to assign blame

controlled/conducted exclusively by an adult

a one-time "cure" for teaching the targeted social skill

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cause-and-effect relationship between social behavior and reactions

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explaining social behavior to a child with ld

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supportive strategies for fostering social competence

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Social Skill Autopsies: A Strategy to Promote and Develop Social Competencies

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Rick Lavoie teaches the social skill autopsy - a strategy to help your child or student learn from their social errors. Turn those embarrassing incidents into teachable moments - and help the person with a learning disability to correct their mistakes and not repeat them.