Jun 2011
The Autistic Child’s Guide to How to Behave
02/06/11
The Autistic Child’s Guide to How to Behave introduces spark*, the Self-Regulation Program of Awareness and Resilience in Kids. spark* is an innovative programme for teaching self-regulation of behaviour, thinking and emotions to young children on the autism spectrum as well as those with other developmental disabilities.
I have to admit I’m a big Heather MacKenzie fan. That’s the bias out in the open. The Autistic Child’s Guide to How to Behave represents a really new direction in teaching. Heather describes her approach as establishing a ‘positive working alliance with a child’. It’s this mediational approach that’s key.
“For many years, I have watched these children grow up to be dependent on adults for absolutely everything that happens in their day. They wait to be told to do some things and not others; when to stop or start an activity; to calm down, stay still, even when to eat and sleep. They never get a chance to shift from being adult-regulated to being self-regulated,”
The book contains 69 step-by-step lessons for helping the child move from imitation of easy actions through to self-direction and self-control. What’s more they are fun (for therapist and child!).
The focus on ability and the positive belief that independence isn’t a pipe dream for these youngsters is stamped all over this brilliant book. Sometimes (with the best of intentions) we teach dependence rather than independence. This great resource shows us another way. Well done Heather.
I adapted one of the ‘lessons’ and incorporated it into a recent workshop with a group of support staff. We worked all morning on how we could improve a child’s “ignoring skills”! It was great to see the group get hold of this approach and run with it.
You can download one of the lesson activities here
The autistic child’s guide to how to behave – Introducing spark*, the Self-Regulation Program for Awareness and Resilience in Kids. Author Heather MacKenzie
I have to admit I’m a big Heather MacKenzie fan. That’s the bias out in the open. The Autistic Child’s Guide to How to Behave represents a really new direction in teaching. Heather describes her approach as establishing a ‘positive working alliance with a child’. It’s this mediational approach that’s key.
“For many years, I have watched these children grow up to be dependent on adults for absolutely everything that happens in their day. They wait to be told to do some things and not others; when to stop or start an activity; to calm down, stay still, even when to eat and sleep. They never get a chance to shift from being adult-regulated to being self-regulated,”
The book contains 69 step-by-step lessons for helping the child move from imitation of easy actions through to self-direction and self-control. What’s more they are fun (for therapist and child!).
The focus on ability and the positive belief that independence isn’t a pipe dream for these youngsters is stamped all over this brilliant book. Sometimes (with the best of intentions) we teach dependence rather than independence. This great resource shows us another way. Well done Heather.
I adapted one of the ‘lessons’ and incorporated it into a recent workshop with a group of support staff. We worked all morning on how we could improve a child’s “ignoring skills”! It was great to see the group get hold of this approach and run with it.
You can download one of the lesson activities here
The autistic child’s guide to how to behave – Introducing spark*, the Self-Regulation Program for Awareness and Resilience in Kids. Author Heather MacKenzie