Autism Classroom Resources Podcast

What can you do in the first few weeks of school to help create a more smoothly operating classroom for teaching special needs students? I often talk about the importance of implementing strategies and systems to ensure your classroom runs efficiently and implementing some very basic strategies in the first weeks of school can help set you, your staff, and your students up for success.The first few weeks of school are crucial for getting students used to your classroom and how things work. In this episode, I share why you should focus on building relationships with students and staff, the importance of using visuals, how to prioritize tasks for each day, and why you should reflect at the end of the school day.03:41 - How to build relationships with your students in the first few weeks of school08:50 - Ways you can build relationships with your staff even with limited time alone with them10:36 - Why you should be using more visuals than you actually need12:08 - The importance of making a prioritized list of tasks for each day16:12 - Why reflecting on what is working and what is not working is crucial in the first few weeksShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode175Resources:Paraprofessional Schedules and Team Building KitFree Classroom Reflection FormJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Teachers struggle a LOT with building and leading their classroom teams. I want to structure this month's podcasts around helping you do both because even if you're just out of school and surrounded by paraprofessionals with three times as much experience, you need to take the lead. So today, I start with a discussion of the nuts and bolts of building the structure with a classroom staff so they can work as a team.01:48​ - Why leadership isn't some big, scary thing03:55 - An overview of the first part of the structure you'll need: the classroom zoning plan06:20 - What a zoning plan doesn't include and the key to making it work08:00 - The purpose of the lesson plan and setting up the vision for your classroom10:50 - What to keep in mind as you build the classroom structure with your staffShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode131Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Today, I'm focusing on setting up the classroom schedule for the IEP. To me, the schedule is the most important and pivotal element of classroom design. It drives the other pieces of the classroom, tells me what the physical space will look like, and is based on the teaching implementation plan. Once the TIP is completed, it's easier to see what activities are going into the schedule, and once the schedule is complete, the other pieces start falling into place. So, in this episode, I talk about the characteristics of a strong schedule.02:49​ - High levels of engagement with instruction and interaction06:07 - Tying each activity to specific goals and objections for each student07:11 - Quickly moving daily pace and engaging students10:34 - Integrating each student's goals and objections and your curriculumShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode81Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Continuing our five-part series on Building Effective Classroom Teams, this episode focuses on how you, as a team member, are responsible for establishing and nurturing the classroom culture with both the students and the staff. Your tone, your behavior, and your approach can make the difference between a classroom that people tolerate working in each day and one that includes a team of adults working together for the good of the students.Now, this is easier said than done, right? In this episode, I will give you some ideas of how to set the tone for the classroom and what you want it to be, along with some personal experiences that taught me some good lessons about finding positives.Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/podcasts/ep-2-building-the-classroom-culture/Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

July's here! It's an interesting month for us teachers. Everyone tends to slow down this time of year, go on vacation, and relax and chill. But those of us in the teaching world take some time out of our summer to gear up for the new school year. So, to move you forward in that direction, I want to give you some idea of materials I'd prioritize as you sit by the pool and think about how you want to set up your classroom.01:30​ - How I used to spend my summers prepping for the classroom05:12 - Ways to set up your visual schedules06:33 - Making the use of visual schedules much easier (attention, newer teachers!)08:43 - What kind of picture schedule should you use?12:29 - Ways to create materials for independent task work14:09 - Why work tasks are important and the kinds of tasks you want to includeShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode126Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you follow me on social media, you can probably tell that I love independent work systems! Social media has made sharing tasks among each other much easier compared to the days before the arrival of Pinterest and Instagram. But it also means you have access to tons of misinformation, and there's a lot of it out there when it comes to independent work systems.What is an independent work system, though? Today, I'm kicking off a new series of episodes about independent work systems by clearing up those misconceptions, defining what the system is, and discussing what it's truly designed to be.5:32 - Defining what an independent work system is and the four questions it must answer8:55 - Why these systems are effective tools for students9:31 - The critical element that's often left out of independent work systems10:58 - What the work structure in the system is designed to do for the student11:42 - A must-have element for a student to complete the work system and the only thing it's designed to teachShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode113Resources:Independent Work Systems WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So far, I've spent the last few episodes talking about creating a collaborative IEP. So now that that's done, you have to actually implement the IEP. Start thinking about how to organize your learning environment and incorporate the IEPs for all of your students to meet their individual needs. It takes a well-structured, well-organized classroom design. In this episode, I'm discussing your teaching implementation plan (TIP) for the IEP.04:10 - What the TIP is and its objective07:37 - How the TIP serves as a road map for your instruction09:14 - How using the TIP makes your life easierShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode80Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Creating effective special education teaching materials is more important than you may think, especially for our learners with autism. Students with autism oftentimes focus on details of pictures or learning materials that you may not even notice. Being aware and intentional of the teaching materials you are using is so important in helping them learn the concepts you are trying to teach. There are certain things to keep in mind in order to create effective special education teaching materials. In this episode, I am sharing six tips for how to develop effective special education teaching materials for your learners with autism.01:35 - Why you should be using examples that are very different from each other when introducing new concepts02:08 - The importance of keeping your examples clear and straightforward02:50 - Why avoiding distracting backgrounds is helpful for students03:26 - How to avoid material overlap04:04 - What to avoid when creating materials so students can't just guess the correct answer04:49 - When to start working on the generalization of a conceptShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode183Resources:3 Tips for Presenting Materials in Discrete Trials: With a FreebieJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this episode, I'm talking about the basic principles of behavior. These principles may be a review for some, but I think even behavior pros will find at least a kernel that they can use to help their team understand how behavior works (and how it doesn't). Sometimes it's unfathomable to those of us who do this all the time why others in the classroom or school just don't seem to get these ideas. To us, they may be basic principles that feel like water and air. But to others, they are the opposite of what they learned about behavior from their parenting, previous classroom teams, previous administrators or just previous experience with students. So I think they bear repeating a bit to make sure we are all on the same track.Show Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode6Resources:Free Addressing Challenging Behavior WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook GroupIf you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When we are considering Extended School Year (ESY) services for our students, collecting and reviewing data is crucial. There are many state and federal regulations about who qualifies for ESY, and data is a key component in determining who needs this additional support and if it's beneficial for the students receiving the services.Whether you have already determined which students are eligible for ESY and are looking to understand data collection procedures throughout ESY or are still in the process of determining eligibility, ensuring that data is collected properly and that the data moves with the student will help in decision-making moving forward. To help you better understand what goes into data collection procedures for ESY, I am breaking down what ESY is, the importance of consistent data collection, and what tools are helpful for data collection.01:41 - What Extended School Year (ESY) is03:17 - The importance of taking data throughout the school year05:25 - How to take weekly data during ESY07:46 - Why it is necessary to pass along data from ESY to the student's teacherShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode218Resources:IEP Goals & Objectives Tracking - Data Collection Sheets for Special EdFREE Special Education Training Series: Data - Taking Sample DataFREE Setting Up Systems of Data WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources Free Resource LibraryGet more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group Ifyou'ree enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For many of our students, high school graduation is not the end of their educational journey. We certainly have a lot more students who are recognized with autism now who are academically able to go on to secondary education. But how can we begin to help our students prepare for college, and what skills should we focus on? Today, our guest, Dr. Marc Ellison, shares some insight into this and more!Dr. Marc Ellison is the executive director of the West Virginia Autism Training Center, located at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Ellison has worked for almost 40 years to provide support to individuals diagnosed with autism, their families, educators, and caregivers. Dr. Ellison came to Marshall University full-time to lead the college support program, which was the first of its kind in the nation.In this episode, Dr. Marc Ellison shares when to start preparing for college, the challenges students with ASD face in the college setting, what helps students succeed in college, and the importance of community.04:41 - When to begin planning for the college transition07:50 - What challenges students with ASD face in the college setting15:00 - The skills and factors that have helped students with ASD succeed at Marshall University18:42 - How he has created a community for students with autism on campus and the benefits of creating this community23:59 - The importance of teachers anticipating student needs and having difficult conversations when neededShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode217Resources:Benchmarks of Successful College SupportsAcademic and Campus Accommodations That Foster Success Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook GroupIf you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are many things that we need to think about when writing IEP goals. We need to look at the present level of performance, curriculum goals, and parent input. However, there are other things we should consider when we write IEP goals, regardless of when we write them during the school year.When considering what a student's goals should be, there are questions we should be asking. There, of course, are the standard questions - Is your goal measurable? Is it clear? And is it related to the present level of performance? But there are 5 additional questions I think are key to writing better goals for your students. In this episode, I am diving into what these 5 questions are and how asking them before writing a goal will make your life easier throughout the year.03:10 - Why it's important to ask if a goal has been written before05:42 - What an enabling goal is07:05 - The importance of looking at what skills a student will need in their next environment08:45 - Why you should be considering how you will teach the skill 12:45 - How to write goals that allow you to accurately track and measure themShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode216 Resources:Writing Enabling Goals for IEPsHow to Conquer 5 Challenges of Meaningful IEPsJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are many unspoken rules and expectations that neurotypical individuals pick up on and learn in their everyday lives. But for some people, understanding these unspoken norms of behavior and social interactions can be difficult. That is why it is incredibly important, especially as special education teachers, that we understand what the hidden curriculum is and how we can help our students be more successful with it. Dr. Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., is joining us today to talk all about the hidden curriculum.Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., formerly a professor at the University of Kansas, is the recipient of the Autism Society of America's Outstanding Professional Award, the Princeton Fellowship Award, The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome (GRASP) Divine Neurotypical Award, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Autism Champion. Brenda has made over 3000 presentations all over the world and has written more than 300 articles and books on ASD. In addition, she collaborated with the three organization who identified evidenced-based practices in autism. Further, in a survey conducted by the University of Texas, she was acknowledged as the second most productive applied researcher in ASD in the world.Brenda is sharing some incredible insight on the hidden curriculum meaning, how we can teach it, why it's beneficial for everyone to be taught it, and how not understanding it can negatively impact our students with autism.03:21 - The hidden curriculum meaning and what exactly it is07:56 - How we can teach the hidden curriculum and help our literal learners be successful with it11:00 - Examples of how not understanding the hidden curriculum can have a negative impact on autistic individuals when interacting with the community16:06 - How not understanding the environment they're in and how it differs from another environment can affect autistic individuals21:45 - The challenges experienced by individuals who are unable to observe the environment in a way that allows them to absorb informationShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode215Resources:The Hidden Curriculum 25th Anniversary Revised Edition: Understanding Unstated Rules in Social SituationsJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As special education teachers, we know how important it is to have solid teacher-parent relationships. Strong teacher-parent relationships help us best serve our students by creating a collaborative team approach that helps create a supportive environment for the students both at home and at school. But understanding how we as educators can develop these solid relationships can be challenging. That is why I am so grateful that Kelley Coleman is joining us today to provide us with some incredible insight from a parent's perspective.Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. Kelley lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two boys, and her son's trusty service dog.In this episode, Kelley shares her experience with ableism and what it means, what parents find important when meeting teachers, and how teachers can help foster a strong teacher-parent relationship.02:56 - Kelley's journey and experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities11:12 - What ableism is and how teachers and parents can be respectful of a child's privacy in terms of their disability22:15 - What educators should know about meeting parents for the first time and what is really important to parents25:05 - How both parents and schools can foster strong, positive teacher-parent relationships35:05 - Why teachers and parents should be in ongoing communication throughout the school year, not just at IEP meetingsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode214Resources:Visit Kelley's websiteFollow Kelley on Instagram @hellokelleycolemanAdd Kelley on FacebookJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Behavior is not a one-way street. There is an interconnectedness between student behavior and teacher behavior, which we can sometimes miss. It is so important that we recognize the impact special education teachers and special education paraprofessionals have on student behaviors to avoid any unintentional reinforcement of challenging behaviors.In this episode, I'm breaking down the research behind how children's behavior drives the behavior of adults without the adults realizing it. I share why understanding that behavior has reciprocal impacts is so important, how to ensure we aren't fading out the demands on a student based on their behavior, and the importance of observing other adults in the classroom.02:40 - The research behind how student behavior impacts teacher behavior in an educational setting05:52 - Why being aware that behavior has reciprocal impacts within the classroom helps prevent fading out demands without a plan in place07:15 - How being aware of the reciprocal behavior cycle can help us stop it08:04 - Why we must create a team culture where everyone can watch each other's backs because everyone's behavior impacts othersShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode213Resources:Follow me on TikTokJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a student's challenging behavior is a result of a sensory function, knowing how to address it can be difficult. We want to help our students cope with sensory experiences in an effective and safe way so that their needs are met and they are not harming themselves or others. Whether students are looking to escape a situation that is causing them sensory distress or if they are seeking internal reinforcement from a sensory experience, we can help students find appropriate replacement behaviors. In this episode, I am sharing ways you can help students request breaks, teach self-regulation strategies, and help students find replacement sensory experiences to reduce challenging behavior. 01:45 - Why teaching students to request a break when the sensory distress is causing them to have a challenging behavior is important06:23 - Ideas for how to teach self-regulation 10:36 - How to help students when challenging behavior is caused by an internal reinforcer or sensory functionShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode212Resources:How to Help Reduce Anxiety in Students Who Don't Want to Stand OutHow To Help Your Students Manage Anxiety EffectivelyHow to Keep Students' Anxiety From Overflowing: Identifying Anxious FeelingsThe Incredible 5-Point Scale To Teach Self-Regulation: Review and ToolsGrab the Free Square Breathing VisualGet the Calm Down Toolkit for Self-RegulationCheck out the Teaching Self-Regulation Strategies and Anxiety Coping Skills with Social StoriesJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are many myths about behavior that impact the way we talk about and approach challenging behaviors. Many people look to answer whether a student's challenging behavior is sensory seeking behavior or intentional behavior but there are several issues with focusing solely on that question when it comes to challenging behavior. As special educators, we have to help our students learn to cope more successfully, regardless of whether the behavior is sensory or behavior-related. In this episode, I am diving into some common myths and misconceptions about the functions of challenging behavior and what we should actually be looking at when determining the function of a behavior.02:00 - Why asking if the challenging behavior is sensory or behavior is the wrong question to explore03:49 - How presuming that all challenging behavior that isn't sensory seeking behavior is willful is incorrect08:01 - What question you should be asking to determine if the function of the behavior is sensory-related09:19 - How to assess whether something has an automatic function by looking at if it's happening when there's nothing else going on10:34 - Ways that escaping a sensory situation may be involved in challenging behaviors and their functionShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode211Resources:Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Attention-seeking behavior is a common challenge in classrooms, and addressing it effectively is crucial for the overall learning environment. One possible reason for this attention-seeking behavior is that some of our students do not yet have the effective communication to gain attention in a more appropriate way. For these students, we need to explicitly teach them these communication skills.When we provide explicit instruction and reinforcement, we can help students acquire the communication skills necessary to seek attention in a positive manner rather than through negative attention-seeking behaviors. In this episode, I am giving a quick overview of choosing which communication form to use, how to provide practice and repetition to help students develop these communication skills, and the importance of providing the appropriate type of attention.03:41 - Things to consider when choosing the communication form you will teach your student to use when seeking attention06:33 - How to provide practice for a student to gain your attention using a set-up teaching situation09:15 - How to use a brief overview of what to expect and your knowledge of the student to help prevent behavior problems when working on attention-seeking communication12:02 - The importance of giving the student attention in whatever way the FBA states14:23 - Why using “wait cards” can be helpful in helping students understand when you cannot give them attentionShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode210Resources:Get the Waiting for Attention & Getting a Teacher's Attention Social StoryJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All attention is not equal. We have likely all worked with students who engage in behavior just to get attention, whether it be positive or negative. Even when students are getting what we feel is a lot of attention, they may still engage in attention-seeking behavior because the attention they receive is on our terms, not theirs. Students often realize that our response to negative behavior is larger and more consistent than our response to positive behavior. This, in turn, reinforces to them that if they want attention, negative behaviors are the way to get it. In this episode, I am breaking down the three advantages negative attention has over positive behavior and ideas of ways you can try to encourage more positive attention-seeking behaviors.05:56 - How consistency gives negative behavior an advantage over positive behavior06:51 - Why the magnitude of our response to behaviors matters07:29 - The impact of learning history on behaviors09:10 - How increasing the magnitude of our response to positive behaviors can help encourage more positive behavior13:26 - The importance of consistency in boosting replacement behaviors Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode209Resources:Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior WebinarGet the Social Stories - Waiting for Attention & Getting a Teacher's AttentionJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What do you do when a student asks for something that they cannot have? Oftentimes, when our students request something and they are unable to have it, it can lead to behaviors. There are strategies for behavior we can utilize that can help our students learn that sometimes they cannot have what they ask for.When we are looking at strategies for behavior, there are some things I would do and things I would not do when a student asks for something they can't have. We know that we cannot always get what we ask for, but how can we help our students to understand this as well? In this episode, I am sharing my top don'ts for when a student requests something they can't have, as well as my top 4 strategies to help students understand that something they request may not be available. 05:41 - Why you should not remove their opportunities to make the request using their communication devices07:23 - When you should give the student what they are asking for08:21 - The importance of giving students lots of opportunities to practice this skill10:13 - How to teach a student to wait for something instead of not having it at all10:48 - Why you should use concrete signs when something isn't available Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode208Resources:Check out the AAC Communication Boards for Augmentative CommunicationWatch the Preventing Challenging Behavior WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Asking for a break is a great replacement behavior for students trying to escape a certain situation. However, not all breaks are going to be effective for every student. Truly understanding the function of a student's behavior and what they are trying to escape from is key to understanding what an effective break would be for that student.When looking at replacement behavior strategies and determining what your student would benefit from in terms of a break, it is important to remember that a break is not a timeout. There are several factors that go into an effective break for your students and each student is going to have different preferences. In this episode, I am breaking down what to consider when determining break options for your students.06:12 - The importance of recognizing that a break is not a timeout 10:00 - Why it is not necessary to have a specific area for breaks11:27 - Examples of how a break may look with or without other people with the student12:50 - How offering choices can work when students ask for a break13:54 - Ways that breaks can offer an opportunity for emotional regulation Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode207Resources:Calm Down Tools: Social Stories & Visual Supports for Self-Regulation & BehaviorBehavior Data Sheets - Editable Behavior Tracker MegaPack for Special Ed & RTIJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finding replacement behaviors for escape-related behaviors can be a challenge. Oftentimes, when we come across a student struggling with a work, social, or other situation in the classroom and are avoiding it, figuring out how to help them may seem difficult. However, there are some ways we can help students learn replacement behaviors for these situations. When our students have escape-related behaviors, it's important that we teach them how to get away from that thing, person, or situation in an appropriate way. This is an important skill for our students to learn both inside the classroom and outside. In this episode, we will be diving into the benefits of teaching replacement behaviors and equipping students with functional communication skills, as well as the research behind it all.04:36 - When to use Functional Communication Training09:32 - 3 reasons why it's beneficial to teach students to request not to do something12:32 - A look at the different communication forms to use when teaching replacement behaviors17:55 - Why we must actually teach the selected communication strategy to allow students opportunities to practice requesting their replacement behaviors for escape22:28 - How to decide what to do if the behavior continues to happenShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode206Resources:Watch the Preventing Challenging Behavior WebinarCalm Down Tools: Social Stories & Visual Supports for Self-Regulation & BehaviorBehavior Data Sheets - Editable Behavior Tracker MegaPack for Special Ed & RTIJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What happens when we have independent work systems set up for our students, but they aren't completing them in the allotted independent work time? The whole point of independent work systems is for students to get their work done independently and in a certain amount of time so they can do the thing they want to do. But we all know that that is not always the case.If your students aren't completing their work during independent work time, there are some ways you can problem-solve to help them be successful in completing their work system. When I see situations where students are not completing their independent work, I generally ask certain questions to try to figure out what is going on. In this episode, I am sharing 3 questions to ask if a student isn't completing their work during independent work time and what to try next.04:54 - How to determine if the student has the right task for independent work time07:35 - Why having a finished basket is key for many students to finish their work10:06 - How students must know what to do when they finish their tasks14:43 - Tips for what to do next if your student is still not finishing their workShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode205Resources:Check out my TpT store for Independent Work ResourcesWatch the Independent Work Systems WebinarGet My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons PublishersShop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How do we advance independent work systems once our students know how to complete it on their own? The goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. In order to help our students learn to work independently, it is crucial that we know how to adjust the work system when necessary to bump up the level of independence needed to complete it.Using independent work systems isn't meant to be just a way to get students to complete tasks independently within the system. We want students to increase their ability to work independently so they can be more independent in other situations in the classroom, as well as in a work environment as they get older. In this episode, I'm sharing 5 ways that we can change our independent work systems to fit our more independent students and to build their skills as they become more independent. 03:49 - How moving the task boxes away from our students' tables helps develop independence07:16 - Why we may want to start leaving materials out of the system08:43 - How using a “raise your hand” visual can be helpful for students who have a tendency to not do their work carefully09:21 - Ideas for how to help students become more independent in the work system using lists09:53 - How to expand the work system and move beyond boxes to help students use them in different environmentsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode204Resources:Check out my TpT store for Independent Work ResourcesWatch the Independent Work Systems WebinarUsing Foldables in Structured Work Systems: Advanced Tasks with a Seasonal FreebieWorkbasket Wednesday: Advanced Structured Work SystemsWhy I Don't Like Drawer Carts for Independent Work SystemsGet My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link) Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're...

We know the goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. Both the way these work systems are set up and the strategies we use within them are key to helping our students build independence. It is important that we use effective, evidence-based practices within these independent work systems.When teaching students how to work independently, we must provide the appropriate amount of support to help guide the student toward independence. In this episode, I walk you through 5 strategies for teaching and supporting the systems in your classroom. We'll discuss the importance of nonverbal prompting, waiting students out, how to get students back on track, why you should fade out your presence, and when to provide reinforcement.04:49 - Why you should only use nonverbal prompts during independent work08:20 - Tips to help wait the student out to build independence and initiation11:23 - An effective way to use a nonverbal prompt to get students back on track12:17 - The importance of fading out your presence 13:14 - Why you should only be providing reinforcement once all their work is completedShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode203Resources:Check out my TpT store for Independent Work ResourcesWatch the Independent Work Systems WebinarWhat are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free InfographicGet My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons Publishers Shop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Task box activities are great for practicing independence and maintaining previously mastered skills. But how can we ensure our task boxes are set up to teach independence effectively? Not all task box activities are created equally - some might be great activities but would not work well in an independent work system. There are 5 key characteristics that task box activities must have if they are being used in an independent work system. Ensuring your task boxes meet all 5 of these characteristics sets your students up for success and allows them to truly practice working on their independence. In this episode, I am sharing why your tasks must be mastered, the need for a clear beginning and end, excluding extra pieces, why task components must be organized, and why tasks should remain assembled. 03:00 - Why tasks in independent work systems must be previously mastered08:07 - The importance of tasks having a clear beginning and end09:07 - Why including extra pieces in task boxes can cause confusion10:21 - How organizing materials can be helpful for students completing task box activities11:56 - Why students should leave a completed task intact when they turn it inShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode202Resources:Check out my TpT store for Independent Work ResourcesWatch the Independent Work Systems WebinarTable Tasks: Increase Engagement at Waiting TimesFree Sock Sorting Work TaskPlastic Egg Put-In Task: Independent Work InspirationWatch #TaskBinTuesday Quick Tip Cupcake Edition YouTubeGet My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons PublishersShop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to

Setting up independent task box work systems can seem overwhelming if you don't know where to begin or are unsure what systems to put in place to make them effective. However, once you have them implemented into your classroom, they can be incredibly beneficial for increasing independent work skills for your students. But how can you get started without wasting time trying to figure out an effective system?You don't need to start implementing an independent task box work system in your classroom from scratch. I have found ways to make it easier and more effective for both you and your students, and in today's episode, I am breaking down the materials needed for a task box work system, how to organize task boxes, and how to start implementing them in a way that sets you and your students up for success.03:09 - What materials you need to create an independent work system12:20 - How to determine how many workstations you need and where they will be set up14:43 - How to use visual schedules effectively to promote independent work skills17:19 - Tips for putting your baskets together and starting to implement the work systems with studentsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode201Resources:Check out my TpT store for Independent Work ResourcesWatch the Independent Work Systems WebinarHow to Start Independent Work Systems Successfully in Your Classroom10 Steps to Setting Up Independent Work Stations for AutismIndependent Work Task Box System - Starter Kit for Secondary Special EducationIndependent Work System Task Box Starter Kit for Preschool - ElementaryWatch my YouTube video of a Put-In TaskCheck out the Task Bin Tuesday Videos on YouTubeGet My Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems - Future Horizons PublishersShop my Book: Building Independence: How to Create and Use Structured Work Systems on Amazon (Affiliate Link)Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library

I cannot believe we are 200 episodes into the Autism Classroom Resources podcast. I am so grateful to each and every one of you for tuning in! We have covered so many topics in the first 200 episodes, from challenging behavior to visual schedules to addressing systemic racism in special education. I am so glad that you have been able to gain valuable insight and tips from my autism classroom podcast! In order to celebrate 200 episodes and reflect back on what we've done so far, I am sharing the top 10 downloaded episodes from the podcast. In this episode, I am sharing the most loved episodes, an overview of what was covered, and the common themes between these top episodes. 03:53 - Where to find more information on preventing downtime in your classroom 06:49 - Which episode to tune into to find 9 tips to think about when writing IEP goals09:58 - The 3 strategies to boost classroom management and where to hear more about these strategies14:40 - What perseveration is and which episode discusses it in more detail16:01 - The number 1 most downloaded episode of the Autism Classroom Resources podcastShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode200Resources:Watch the Free WebinarsCheck out the ACR Top 10 Episodes PlaylistJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Parent-teacher relationships can be complicated and challenging on both sides. One of the most important things to keep in mind in order to have successful and respectful parent-teacher relationships is that judgment and blame are only going to do more harm than good and will not be beneficial to the student. That is why understanding different perspectives is crucial to a respectful parent-teacher relationship.There is no doubt that many people act differently based on their setting and the expectations of that setting. Our students are no different. There are different resources, expectations, and characteristics at home versus at school and because of this, our students may behave differently in each setting. In this episode, I am diving into why this is so important to keep in mind, how to communicate with parents about these differences in behavior, and why it is unproductive to place blame on families.00:50 - A real-life story about how an autism professional's son behaves differently around her than when he is around his teachers04:53 - How the characteristics and expectations at school and at home can vary greatly resulting in different behavior07:55- Why, as an educator, it's important to not allow yourself to blame parents for their child's behavior at school08:40 - Why fixing the setting and utilizing strategies to match with students' skills can help get different skills and behaviors within the classroom 13:16 - My message to you about parent-teacher relationshipsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode199Resources:Check out the Home Communication Systems on TPTGrab your Free Parent Communication NoteListen to my Working With Families Episode Roundup PlaylistJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Independent work systems can be very helpful in helping students learn how to complete a series of tasks on their own, without assistance. However, some of our students may not be ready to work through a fully independent work system right away. We know that not all of our students come to us with independent work skills. So what can we do to help those students develop these skills?Some of our students are not yet able to complete tasks independently, and therefore, we do not have tasks to put into their systems. In this episode, I am breaking down how we can help our students develop this independence and ways we can set up their systems to help them become more independent at various tasks inside an independent work system.04:21 - What an independent work system is05:19 - The characteristics that make up independent work systems08:42 - What types of tasks to start with if a student does not yet have independent work skills09:46 - How to modify the tasks to help students become more independent13:31 - Insight into schedules for independent work systemsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode198Resources:Check out the Free Independent Work webinarWatch the Task Bin Videos on my Task Bin YouTube PlaylistRead the Independent Work Inspiration Blog PostsIndependent Work Resources on TpTJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource LibraryGet more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook GroupIf you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can be incredibly beneficial for helping our students with autism to communicate. Often, the term PECS is misused to talk about using pictures as a form of communication. However, PECS is actually a system that has specific phases that help in expanding the functions of our students' communication.We want students to be able to communicate in an effective way, and I truly love PECS for encouraging our students to communicate. In this episode, I am clearing up some misconceptions about PECS, sharing ten reasons that I love PECS, and encouraging special educators to use it with their students.01:20 - The truth behind a common misunderstanding about the Picture Exchange Communication System02:52 - What PECS actually is and how it encourages speech07:58 - How PECS encourages initiating communication11:30 - The benefit of using pictures within PECS to communicate13:05 - How the Picture Exchange Communication System builds on students' strengthsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode197Resources:Check out the PECS WebsitePECS Training ManualShop the Augmentative Communication Boards on TpTJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This year especially, I have noticed that many special educators are struggling to remember why we do this job. This is a challenging job as it is and adding in staffing shortages, increased work requirements, and additional factors can make it even harder. That is why I feel it is important to find ways to help us all find the joy in teaching again.Remembering why we do what we do and why we became special educators in the first place isn't always easy. I have found one way that has been incredibly helpful for me to remember what brings me joy in teaching. This episode is from the private podcast inside the Special Educator Academy, where I am sharing how to use a joy file to help us remember the things that have brought us joy in our jobs so we can continue to do the work we do.06:19 - How mantras can help us focus on what's important06:48 - What a joy file is and what it contains08:49 - Ideas for how to store your joy file09:20 - Why you should be looking at your joy file regularlyShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode196Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As most of us are entering winter break, it is the perfect time for a little teacher self-care reminder. We hear a lot about self-care and coping skills for teachers, but as teachers, we often think that if we take a break, we will fall behind. The truth is that taking breaks actually makes you a better special education teacher!In this episode, I am giving you a sneak peek at an episode from the private podcast inside the Special Educator Academy. I am sharing five reasons you should be taking a break (without feeling guilty!) over winter break. I'd love to hear why you're taking a break. Send me a DM on Instagram @autismclassroomresources, and let me know how you are recharging over winter break.05:01 - Why you should be taking time to focus on what's truly important06:25 - How scheduled breaks help you recharge07:28 - Why stepping away from work allows you to keep things in perspective08:30 - How taking a break promotes creativity (and why you need creativity as a special education teacher!)10:30 - Why taking breaks is key to preventing burnoutShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode195Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Social stories can be an incredible tool for helping students with autism, but there are elements to consider when writing social stories to make them the most effective they can be. They may not be effective for all students or for all skills and situations, but there is research supporting the effectiveness of social stories. In this episode, I am sharing how to apply the research behind social stories, when social stories might be most successful, and how to write social stories in the most effective manner. If you are looking for a way to get started with social stories without starting from scratch, be sure to check out the behavioral toolkits that include social stories and visuals to help your students. You can also grab the social stories free downloads for winter break and following teacher directions. 01:43 - What the research says about the effectiveness of social stories03:54 - Examples of situations that social stories may work well for05:08 - The four steps in implementing social stories11:08 - The importance of the language used in the social story15:20 - An example of how to create an effective social story21:18 - Be sure to grab your social stories free downloads for winter break and following teacher directions. Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode194Resources:Check out my Social Stories on TpTGrab Your Free Winter Break Social Story Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library (Who's in Charge Social Story Inside!)Get more information about the Special Educator Academy

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and chances are you are seeing more challenging behaviors than usual due to schedule changes and different events and activities. Luckily, there is a great tool that can be used to help students with all of these changes - social stories! You have likely used or been told to use social stories for behavior at some point, but there are ways to craft and implement these tools that can help make them more effective. It's important to understand that using social stories for behavior is not a magic cure, but for some students, they can be very beneficial for various situations. In this episode, we are looking at what social stories are, examples of social stories, and what the research says about using social stories.03:19 - When and why social stories were originally created04:27 - What social stories are and what they consist of08:03 - An example and explanation of an effective social story09:34 - The research behind the effectiveness of social stories Show Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode193Resources:Shop my Social Stories on TpTGrab the FREE Winter Break Social StoryResearch ReferencesJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you ever had a student who struggled to understand the value of money or how to transfer their money skills to real-life situations? Teaching a range of money skills and strategies that will help them be successful in real-life environments is so beneficial to our students. One strategy that is incredibly helpful for students to use in real-life situations is the next dollar up method.The next dollar up method is a fairly simple strategy that can make a huge difference when our students need to make purchases. In this episode, I am breaking down what the next dollar up method is, what skills students need before using this method, and what tools to help teach it.01:59 - Why teaching strategies to use in real-life situations is necessary05:58 - What the next dollar up method is06:22 - What skills students need before learning the next dollar up method07:36 - When to move on to using a counting timeline and other tools when learning this strategyShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode192Resources:Why “Just Give Him a Debit Card” Isn't a Sufficient SolutionGet the Next Dollar Up Instructional ToolkitCheck out the Next Dollar Up ResourcesJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Understanding money and how to use it is an important life skill for our students to learn, and providing explicit instruction on these skills is incredibly beneficial for our students. Being able to identify money, count it accurately, and use it effectively to make purchases are all valuable life skills. Whether your students need instruction in basic money skills or if they need support in understanding sales and discounts, there are ways you can incorporate teaching money skills into your instruction in meaningful and engaging ways!In this episode, I am sharing my favorite ways to teach the real-life money skills our students need. You'll learn how to engage your students using restaurant math, incorporate money skills into your classroom management system, and create an engaging classroom grocery store for your students.02:48 - What restaurant math is and how it can help students develop their money skills05:06 - How to incorporate money skills into your classroom management system06:48 - Ideas for setting up a class grocery store in your classroom07:37 - Why coupons and discounts can be confusing and activities to help students with these skillsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode191Resources:How to Make Teaching Money Engaging and FunctionalHow to Teach Grocery Shopping Activities for Students in Life SkillsHow to Use Thanksgiving Menu Math to Improve Functional SkillsGrab the Token Economy ToolkitGet the Grocery Store Math & Grocery Shopping Life Skills ActivitiesGrab your Menu Math for Real Life Money Skills Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We've discussed that discrete trial teaching is incredibly beneficial for our students with autism, but naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are also very impactful for teaching students with autism. NDBIs allow students to practice skills in their natural, everyday environment, allowing them to generalize skills while initially developing these skills.In this episode, I am diving into naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions. I am sharing what NDBIs are, the 3 key elements of NDBIs, and the benefits of this type of teaching. 02:03 - What naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are07:11 - Why NDBI focuses on teaching what students encounter in their everyday life10:15 - How naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions integrate teaching skills with the student's daily activities17:02 - Why using functional reinforcers is key in NDBIsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode190Resources:Five Considerations in Teaching Receptive Vocabulary Plus a FREEBIE!I Spy Game for Practicing Expressive Language, Vocabulary, and Receptive LanguageI Spy Winter Language Activity Scenes for Special Education Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: Empirically Validated Treatments for Autism Spectrum DisorderJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library (includes the I Spy Freebie!)Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are a lot of myths about discrete trial teaching, like when it is used and how it needs to be implemented. Discrete trial teaching is an evidence-based practice that allows a high level of repetition for students to practice a particular skill. They can be incredibly effective in helping students with autism learn new skills when they are used properly. But there are certain elements that need to be included in discrete trials to actually make it true discrete trial teaching.In this episode, I am breaking down the components that make up discrete trial teaching. We are looking at the evidence behind DTT, what discrete trial teaching actually is, what skills discrete trials are useful for, and what skills DTT is limited for. 01:54 - The history and research behind ABA and autism08:17 - What discrete trials are and why they are so effective10:52 - The importance of attending behavior in discrete trials12:38 - Why we need to use clear and concise directions during discrete trials17:31 - How prompting is used in DTT18:55 - The role of reinforcer and consequences21:36 - Some considerations in the ways you can provide discrete trial teachingShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode189Resources:Discrete Trials Kit: Beginning Learner Skills Discrete Trials Kit: Colors (Matching, Receptive, Expressive)20 Ways to Change Up How Students Respond in Discrete TrialsWhat are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free InfographicDoes DTT Have to be 1-1? 3 Ways to Provide Discrete Trials in a GroupWhat is Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA?Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many young children come to school already equipped with learning readiness skills or will easily pick them up in preschool or kindergarten. However, for our students with autism, these learning to learn skills may not happen as readily. Because our students often don't take cues from what others are doing around them, we must explicitly teach these skills to our students so that they are able to take in instruction.There are certain key skills that students need in order to be successful in elementary and beyond. In this episode, I am breaking down the important learning-to-learn skills that our students need and how teaching these skills may look when working with a student.02:50 - What learning readiness skills are and why they're important04:42 - Why we should teach students to attend to their name07:09 - How to begin teaching the skill of following one-step directions07:43 - Why students need to learn to imitate others09:14 - How matching begins the process of understanding vocabularyShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode188Resources:Writing Enabling Goals for IEPsJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Data is a key component of our teaching. When used correctly, data should guide our teaching in order to ensure that our students are getting the instruction, support, and practice they need to learn what we are teaching them. That means that we need to be smart about how we take data, analyze it, and make needed changes to our instruction. By using progress monitoring to allow our students' performance to guide our teaching, we are able to teach more effectively.So how do you know how much data to take? I have 3 rules to follow for progress monitoring without it taking up all your time. And be sure to check out the FREE Taming the Data Monster Webinar to learn how to create a meaningful classroom data system! 03:44 - How to know when to take more or less data04:21 - What kinds of skills need more frequent data 05:45 - The importance of reviewing your data to guide instruction09:12 - What action step you can take to improve your data collection and progress monitoringShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode187Resources:Graphing instructional data with Google SheetsGraphing instructional data with ExcelWatch the free data webinarEditable Behavior Data SheetsEditable Instructional Data SheetsJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We know reinforcement can be incredibly effective for our students with autism when used correctly. But how can we ensure that we are using reinforcements in the best and most effective way possible? Not every student is going to have the same reinforcers, and not every skill for the student is going to have the reinforcers. To help you implement reinforcement more effectively, I am sharing what reinforcement actually is, three elements of effective reinforcement, and what action step you can take to help improve the effectiveness of reinforcements inside your classroom. 02:03 - The importance of pairing ourselves and instruction with things that are reinforcing to the student02:38 - Why the whole classroom team needs to be clear on what specific performance is being reinforced05:18 - How and why we should be differentiating our reinforcement for different skills07:13 - The action step you can take to help improve the use of reinforcers in your classroomShow Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode186Resources:Token Economy Toolkit with Token BoardsToken Boards: The Princess and the TrainJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What are our choices when it comes to errors when working with our students? We know that there is no one approach that will work for all of our students with autism because each student is different. However, it may be helpful to have a default approach that we begin with and make adjustments as needed based on the student, their needs, and their performance. In this episode, I am sharing how to decide when to use errorless teaching or correct errors, how prompting fits into this, tips for using these approaches, and what action steps you can take to improve the consistency of handling errors in your classroom.02:47 - What errorless teaching is, and examples of how it is used04:40 - How to handle errors when you allow them to happen06:18 - Options for what to do when students wouldn't respond well to being told their answer is wrong07:06 - The role of reinforcement in error correctionShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode185Resources:What Are Stimulus Prompts? Or If I Don't Tell Them the Answer, What Other Kinds of Prompts Are There?What Do I Do About Errors in Discrete Trials? The Errorless Learning v. Error Correction ConundrumWhat are Prompts? 5 Main Types of Prompts in a Free InfographicJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As special educators, we understand the importance of clear and concise communication. For our students with autism, the way we deliver instructions can have a great impact on their ability to learn and understand the skills and concepts we are trying to teach them. Because of this, it is key that we deliver instruction in a way that is clear so that our instruction is effective. In this episode, I am diving into effective teaching characteristics for giving instructions to students with autism. I am sharing how to ensure you have your student's attention, how to give clear and concise instructions, and how to break down instructions in your student's academics. 02:47 - Why you need to be sure you have your student's attention before giving instructions04:10 - How the instruction type might vary depending on the teaching strategy 05:06 - The importance of giving clear and concise instructions07:13 - How to break down instructions in academics08:45 - What to avoid when giving instructionsShow Notes: https://autismclassroomresources.com/episode184Resources:Behavior Analytic Instruction for Learners with Autism: Advances in Stimulus Control TechnologyGrow & LeBlanc (2013) Teaching Receptive Language SkillsWhy I No Longer Teach Eye Contact in Autism: Teaching Attention Skills7 Ways You Could Be Sabotaging Your Discrete Trial InstructionJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Creating effective special education teaching materials is more important than you may think, especially for our learners with autism. Students with autism oftentimes focus on details of pictures or learning materials that you may not even notice. Being aware and intentional of the teaching materials you are using is so important in helping them learn the concepts you are trying to teach. There are certain things to keep in mind in order to create effective special education teaching materials. In this episode, I am sharing six tips for how to develop effective special education teaching materials for your learners with autism.01:35 - Why you should be using examples that are very different from each other when introducing new concepts02:08 - The importance of keeping your examples clear and straightforward02:50 - Why avoiding distracting backgrounds is helpful for students03:26 - How to avoid material overlap04:04 - What to avoid when creating materials so students can't just guess the correct answer04:49 - When to start working on generalization of a conceptShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode183Resources:3 Tips for Presenting Materials in Discrete Trials: With a FreebieJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breaking down target skills into their component parts and teaching them systematically is so beneficial for our students. These task analyses for autism are used frequently in special ed, and there are different formats of them and different things to consider when choosing which task analysis format to use for a specific target skill.Teaching in a systematic way helps decrease decision fatigue while also increasing the effectiveness of your instruction. When teaching steps to reach a target skill, breaking the skill down into smaller steps helps you to know what comes next, and it helps your student to be successful as well. In this episode, I'm giving a bite-sized look into how to effectively use the different formats of task analysis for autism in your classroom.01:27 - What a task analysis is02:12 - What chaining task analysis is and when you might use it03:49 - When using shaping task analysis is beneficial05:13 - Why it is crucial that you write down the steps regardless of which type of task analysis you are usingShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode182Resources:Shaping: 5 Tips You Need to Know to Use it EffectivelyChaining: A Teaching Strategy That Can Save You TimeWhat You Need to Know About Task Analysis and Why You Should Use ItJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Good instruction begins with assessment. It is so important to know what your students can and cannot do in order to determine what it is you actually need to teach them. When we are choosing learning objectives and target skills, we want to be sure we are not just pulling goals from the IEP.When determining what the target skills will be, it is important to take skills from both our curriculum-based assessment as well as from the student's IEP. In this episode, I am breaking down why you should begin with assessments, how to choose a target behavior, and how to create great learning objectives.01:31 - Why good instruction always begins with assessment02:19 - How to choose target behaviors03:10 - Why it's important that the learning targets are relevant to the student's daily life04:04 - How to create good learning objectivesShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode181Resources:What Is a Curriculum and Why Do I Need One in Special Education?Episode 180, 7 Things to Get Right for Effective Instruction with Any Type of Autism Intervention Strategies Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Good instruction is good instruction. Whether you are using Discrete Trials, Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention, or something else, there are key elements to making your instruction effective. Tweaking these key elements to fit your students is what makes autism intervention strategies effective.There are noticeable differences in different autism intervention strategies but there are common elements that are important at the core of all of them. In this episode, I am sharing the 7 important elements in instructional loops that help to create effective instruction.04:22 - The importance of identifying and outlining concrete learning targets05:29 - Why we should be breaking down skills into component parts06:44 - What to consider when designing materials and giving directions07:59 - How reinforcements can help students get to the correct answer10:14 - Why we need to be collecting dataShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode180Resources:Watch the Taming the Data Monster WebinarJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Are you looking for ways to get your classroom chaos under control? Utilizing classroom management best practices is crucial to your classroom running smoothly and for both you and the students to clearly understand expectations. Classroom management doesn't need to be overly complicated but there are some key components that will help your classroom management be more effective. Following classroom management best practices can help to improve student behavior and student buy-in. To help you have the most successful classroom management, I am sharing five tips for classroom management best practices.01:36 - Why you need to have a classroom management system04:49 - The importance of explicitly teaching routines and expectations06:51 - How to help students understand the concept of “fair”08:45 - Why students need to win in your classroom management system10:13 - The benefits of praising appropriate behavior publiclyShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode179Resources:Grab Your Free Set of Classroom RulesGet the Classroom Routine Social StoriesGet the It's Not Fair-Social StoriesJoin the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Using reinforcement strategies in your classroom may seem fairly basic. But the truth is, effectively implementing reinforcement strategies is a bit more nuanced than you might think. Unfortunately, there is no magic reinforcer or reinforcement strategy that will work with all students but there are some things you can do to ensure you are using reinforcement strategies effectively.If you feel like reinforcement doesn't work with your students or you are struggling to find ways to implement reinforcement strategies effectively, join me as I share my favorite tips for using reinforcement strategies in the classroom so that they actually work for you and your students!01:48 - What reinforcement is02:57 - Why you need to be using actual reinforcers and using them correctly06:45 - Why your reinforcer must be connected to what you are teaching 10:33 - How to make the reinforcer even more powerful for your students13:00 - My tip for using reinforcement strategies a the beginning of the year14:45 - How to handle disruption and change using reinforcementsShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode178Resources:Join the Autism Classroom Resources' Free Resource Library Get more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We all use visual supports in our everyday lives, we just don't realize that's what we're doing. Visual supports tell us where to sit at a concert or what rooms we aren't allowed in at a restaurant. Using visual supports in your special education classroom helps your students understand expectations in the classroom like they help us understand expectations in the community.There are ways that you can use visual supports in your classroom to make the most impact. In today's episode, I am sharing the importance of using visual schedules, why you should have behavior-related visuals around the room, and how to keep your room and visuals organized.01:57 - Why you need to have your visual schedules in place and why you should have a backup04:26 - What questions to ask yourself to determine where in your classroom you need more visual supports07:56 - How I use a variety of behaviorally related visuals around the room09:23 - Why you should have cubbies, bookshelves, and cabinets labeled11:58 - My tips for storing visuals in an organized fashionShow Notes: http://autismclassroomresources.com/episode177Resources:Check out SitSpotsGrab your free Pumpkin Mini SchedulesShop my Visual Supports on TPTGet more information about the Special Educator AcademyJoin the Free Facebook Group If you're enjoying this podcast, could you please take a quick moment to leave your review on Apple Podcasts? It would mean the world to me and will help spread the word to other special educators. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️