Regional Autism Advisory Council of Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO) RAAC Training Committee 2011

1. The Basics of Autism Spectrum DisordersTraining Series Regional Autism Advisory Council of Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO) RAAC Training Committee 2011

2. Training Series Modules Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence and Primary Characteristics Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism Module Four: Getting the Student Ready to Learn Module Five: Structuring the Classroom Environment Module Six: Using Reinforcement in the Classroom

3. Training Series Modules Module Seven: Autism and Sensory Differences Module Eight: Sensory in the Classroom Module Nine: Communication and Autism Module Ten: Communication in the Classroom Module Eleven: Behavior Challenges and Autism Module Twelve: Understanding Behavior in Students with Autism

4. Training Series Modules Module Thirteen: Social Skills in the School Environment Module Fourteen: Functional Behavior Assessment Module Fifteen: Working Together as a Team Module Sixteen: Autism and Leisure Skills to Teach Module Seventeen: Special Issues of Adolescence Module Eighteen: Safety and Autism Module Nineteen: Special Issues: High School, Transition, and Job Readiness

5. Training Series Modules • Module Twenty: Asperger Syndrome: Managing and Organizing the Environment • Module Twenty-One: Asperger Syndrome: Addressing Social Skills

6. Addressing Sensory Needs in the Classroom Environment • Occupational Therapist on the team will create an individualized “sensory diet” for each student that needs one. • Sensory diet is made up of activities that will help the student be ready to learn during the school day. • Activities in the sensory diet are things that should occur everyday and should be implemented through out the school day. • Sensory diet is a proactive approach, which means it helps to prevent problem behavior related to sensory needs and ensures the student’s body is ready to learn.

7. Big Idea Sensory activities can and should occur in all environments of the school including the classroom, hallway, lunch room, specials, playground, and bus.

8. Sensory Diet Activities There are four types of activities that may be a part of a student’s sensory diet. • Core Muscle Strength • Helps improve posture, or how a student sits at their desk or table in the classroom environment. • Crossing Midline (when a person is asked to take their right hand and reach across to their left side to do something, or vise versa, asked to take their left hand and reach across to their right side to do something) • Helps with reading, writing, and math concepts. • Heavy Work • Helps a student calm down and re-focus. • Calming • Helps a student transition to the next activity.

9. Core Muscle Strength Activities • Yoga Poses Dog Cat Bridge Cobra • Superman • Popcorn • Scooter board • Ball activities

10. Crossing Midline Activities • Cross Crawls- standing, sitting, front back • Brain Dance • Alphabet Crossover • Arm Swings- front, back, cross-over • Balance beam- forwards, backwards, sideways • Yoga-Windmill, Pretzel, Hero

11. Heavy Work Activities • Wall pushes • Chair push-ups • Yoga • Exercise bands • Jumping- on floor, mini-tramp • Pushing/pulling- give them a job “delivering” something

12. Calming Activities • Yoga Poses Peacock Mouse Do Nothing Doll Waterfall • Hook-Ups/Bear Hug • Listening Ears • Dots and Squeezies

13. Big Idea Sensory activities help students stay calm and organized so that they can be open to learning.