Janna and Morgan share actionable tips and strategies for moving beyond requesting with your learners that use AAC. Janna Bedoyan is an early childhood special education teacher and AAC specialist. Morgan van Diepens is a BCBA. We discuss the biggest challenges of incorporating AAC into the home or classroom, why kids often get “stuck” at requesting, and what are some functional strategies to encourage communication. They also share background on core language and its value as well as how tips f...
Nov 14, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 206
On this podcast episode, Sasha gives the rundown on the 2nd annual Autism Connection Conference that's coming up on December 3rd, 2022! The Autism Connection is a live, full-day virtual event sharing best practices for teachers and clinicians supporting learners with autism. This live Continuing Education Units (CEU) event is designed to provide actionable steps for special education teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, and Board Certified Behavior Analysts to better support learners with aut...
Nov 07, 2022•11 min•Season 1Ep. 205
Hellen Adedipe is a BCBA specializing in early intervention. In this episode, Hellen discusses the new CDC Milestones that were released earlier this year and the implication these changes have. She gives strategies and suggestions for what to do if your child isn’t meeting developmental milestones. She also shares what educators can do to promote early intervention. Hellen is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and has been in working within the field of Autism since 2002. She is the founder and...
Oct 31, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 204
Creating an optimal environment for learning is essential in both the school and home setting. In this episode, parent coach Bea Moise shares tips and best practices for setting up a successful setting for homeschooling, homework time, or any at-home learning. These actionable strategies will be helpful with all types of learners. Bea shares valuable insights from her experience home-schooling her own children. Bea Moise, M.S., BCCS., is a Board-Certified Cognitive Specialist, parenting coach, n...
Oct 24, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 203
Curriculum Access is a subscription platform created for school districts that provides a comprehensive and differentiated curriculum for special education teachers. In this episode, I share the background of how The Autism Helper Curriculum was created and why we created Curriculum Access. I also share actionable tips on how you can get Curriculum Access in your classroom. More info or request a demo: https://theautismhelper.com/tah-curriculum-access/ Informational Pamphlet: https://theautismhe...
Oct 17, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 202
In this episode, BCBA Dr. Ariana Boutain shares what Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions are and why these are extremely beneficial for learners. Ariana is the Vice President of Clinical Services with KGH Autism and has supported implementation of NDBI at KGH Clinics. NDBI represents the merge of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and developmental science. This empirically supported approach to treating young children with autism involves learning through play! Ariana breaks down w...
Oct 10, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 201
To celebrate our 200th episode, The Autism Helper’s Director of Digital Marketing, Fran Homan, is interviewing Sasha! Sasha shares behind the scenes of starting the podcast, what some unanticipated challenges were, and some of her most memorable interviews. Sasha also goes in-depth into how The Autism Helper started and what are our plans for the future. To all of our listeners: THANK YOU for helping us get to 200 episodes! We appreciate your support and are so happy you continue to find this pl...
Oct 03, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 200
Communication skill-building should be embedded into all parts of your day. 3 stations that lend itself to building communication skills in a fun and hands-on way are art, cooking, and games. In this episode, I share why these stations are great for increasing communication skills and how to set these up in your classroom. Resources: Visual Recipes: https://shop.theautismhelper.com/search?type=product&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=recipes Bingo Games: https://shop.theautismhelper.com/collec...
Sep 26, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 199
Organization is key in a multi-grade classroom with students at various skill levels. When we have students at so many skill levels, there are so many different resources that we need. In order to teach each learner at the level they are at, we need to stay organized. In this episode, I share simple strategies for setting up and maintaining your organization systems. -------------- Sign up for the Autism Connection Conference now! Early bird pricing ends 11/19/22: https://events.zoom.us/e/view/E...
Sep 19, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 198
The Autism Helper Professional Development Membership provides ongoing training, resources, and support to help create the best educational outcomes for learners with autism. The membership gives you a plan. The membership gives you a community. -------------------- Sign up for the Autism Connection Conference now! Early bird pricing ends 11/19/22: https://events.zoom.us/e/view/EZ_y1AGdRayth6lIHOSPbg The Autism Helper Curriculum is already utilized by thousands of teachers all over the world. No...
Sep 13, 2022•14 min•Season 1Ep. 197
The 3 Bin work task system is commonly used in special education classrooms. This structured teaching approach comes from the TEAACH method. This work task system provides significant structure for independent work tasks. For some students, this structure is necessary to build those independent skills. However, there are some big challenges for teachers to maintain the 3 bin work task system throughout the year. Some students may be ready for a new option that is easier to streamline and differe...
Sep 05, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 196
Data collection should be a team endeavor. Your paraprofessionals should be collecting data alongside the teacher. In this episode, learn how to utilize Behavior Skills Training to teach your staff members how to consistently and accurately collect academic data in your classroom. Data collection program guides and data sheets: https://shop.theautismhelper.com/collections/discrete-trial-goal-sheets-data-forms-1 -------------- Sign up for the Autism Connection Conference now! Early bird pricing e...
Aug 29, 2022•7 min•Season 1Ep. 195
There are two main ways to organize data in your classroom: by student or by center. The method that works best for you depends on your personal preferences and the overall setup of your classroom. In this episode, I go through the two organization options and specific considerations for each. -------------- Sign up for the Autism Connection Conference now! Early bird pricing ends 11/19/22: https://events.zoom.us/e/view/EZ_y1AGdRayth6lIHOSPbg https://events.zoom.us/e/view/EZ_y1AGdRayth6lIHOSPbg ...
Aug 22, 2022•7 min•Season 1Ep. 194
When setting up your data systems in your classroom, the first question to ask yourself is “How will I take data on this skill?” In this episode, 4 main data collection techniques are reviewed. We explore frequency data, fluency data, rubrics, and prompt level tracking. Once you know the best data collection method, then you can set up efficient data sheets for the goal. Resources: https://theautismhelper.com/?s=fluency+instruction -------------- The Autism Helper Curriculum is already utilized ...
Aug 15, 2022•9 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Visuals and schedules are tools. And tools need to be taught. Tools require instruction. We need to teach our students how to utilize these tools. They will not be a magic wand. In this episode, I share how to teach the visuals you are setting up in your classroom so students can use them independently. -------------- The Autism Helper Curriculum is already utilized by thousands of teachers all over the world. Now, we have created an option for schools to get access to the entire curriculum thro...
Aug 08, 2022•6 min•Season 1Ep. 192
Keeping a classroom running smoothly requires setting up systems and processes so you don’t forget anything. There is a lot on the plate for a special education teacher. Make that workload easier by setting up systems for yourself. In this episode, I share some teacher visuals that you need to keep your classroom running smoothly. -------------- The Autism Helper Curriculum is already utilized by thousands of teachers all over the world. Now, we have created an option for schools to get access t...
Aug 01, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 191
We all know visuals are important in the classroom. When setting up your classroom, make sure you have the right visuals in the right places. Visuals should be embedded into your classroom so you can readily utilize them. Post visuals by your classroom door that will be needed outside of the classroom. Make a list of visuals you need outside your room: for the bathroom, specials, lunch, etc. Store these visuals near the door for easy grab-and-go. -------------- The Autism Helper Curriculum is al...
Jul 25, 2022•7 min•Season 1Ep. 190
Schedules with moveable pieces are great to provide substantial support and visual prompting for how to navigate the classroom. Once students are successful with this type of schedule, move towards a paper schedule. These schedules provide more options for generalization. You can more readily incorporate these schedules into new settings leading to more independence. Resources: https://theautismhelper.com/picking-the-right-schedule-type-for-each-student/ Schedule resources: https://shop.theautis...
Jul 18, 2022•6 min•Season 1Ep. 189
In life, changes are inevitable. But sometimes handling changes can be difficult. Instead of waiting for extremely challenging changes to common, work on small, manageable changes in your schedule with your students. Start small, provide support, and then fade. -------------- The Autism Helper Curriculum is already utilized by thousands of teachers all over the world. Now, we have created an option for schools to get access to the entire curriculum through our Curriculum Access Subscription. Fin...
Jul 11, 2022•6 min•Season 1Ep. 188
Student schedules are necessary in the classroom. Schedules are functional and needed to build independence, autonomy, and problem-solving skills. The goal is not to get rid of the schedule but rather to increase independence with the schedule and continue to move towards less restrictive schedule types. In the episode, I introduce the least restrictive schedule continuum. Different types of schedules provide more/less support. It’s essential to pick a schedule type for each learner that meets t...
Jul 04, 2022•10 min•Season 1Ep. 187
When co-teaching or collaborating with a general education teacher, work together to create a structured environment for the learners who need it. In this episode, I share tips and strategies to apply structure to a general education classroom to help students be successful in this setting. -------------- Our newest line of VB-MAPP products are available now in The Autism Helper Store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/collections/vb-mapp-1 Find information about The Autism Helper Professional De...
Jun 27, 2022•9 min•Season 1Ep. 186
A structured environment is key because it leads to decreased negative behaviors, less student anxiety and increased independence and efficiency. A structured environment is a setting that is predictable and routine based. The setting is visually divided and defined. There is a clear start and end to each part of the class. In the episode, we explore why this setting is essential to a range of learners. Resources: https://theautismhelper.com/53039-2/ -------------- Our newest line of VB-MAPP pro...
Jun 20, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 185
When teaching a classroom a wide range of needs and skill sets, small group instruction is imperative to teach efficiently and effectively. Students should rotate around your classroom in small groups and target IEP goals and other skills at various centers or stations. This episode shares a list of different options for centers that may work in your classroom. -------------- Our newest line of VB-MAPP products are available now in The Autism Helper Store! https://shop.theautismhelper.com/collec...
Jun 13, 2022•9 min•Season 1Ep. 184
When getting started setting up your classroom, you want to be purposeful and think about what you are doing and why. The first step in our 7 Steps for Setting Up a Stellar Classroom is Organization and Planning. Use these mini-episodes to start brainstorming and getting ideas flowing for what your classroom setup will be next year. Answer these 15 questions to guide your classroom setup and structure. -------------- Our newest line of VB-MAPP products are available now in The Autism Helper Stor...
Jun 06, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 183
The VB-MAPP is the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program developed by Dr. Mark Sundberg. In this episode, Nick Carrera, BCBA, and Kris Peterson give an overview of what the VB-MAPP is and how best to utilize this tool in a school or clinical setting. Nick Carrera is the Supervisor of Early ABA Programs at Interactive Kids, LLC. Kris Peterson is the Director of School Consultations at Interactive Kids, LLC. Nick and Kris share tips for streamlining VB-MAPP implementation, ho...
May 23, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 182
Emily Varon, BCBA, specializes in sleep-related behaviors. In this episode, Emily shares why sleep is so important and what are the essential contributing factors to a healthy night of sleep. Emily shares some practical strategies that can improve sleep routines. We discuss screen time, the impact of COVID on sleep, melatonin supplements, and more! Emily also dives into strategies educators can use for supporting parents and families struggling with sleep. Website: https://readysetsleep.com/ Res...
May 16, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 181
Dominique Shorter-Taylor, BCBA is the CEO of Shorter-Taylor Behavior Consulting and Co-Founder of Beyond ABA, LLC. Dominique shares her perspective on being a working behavior analyst, business owner, and autism mom. In this interview, we discuss the challenges of starting a business, how to diversify your experiences and revenue streams, and why sharing this information is important. Dominque shares some of the challenges with finding supervision and getting started as a new BCBA. More from Dom...
May 09, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 180
The Executive Functions Masterclass is an online course that teaches the importance of building Executive Functioning Skills and how to build those skills within a range of learners. In this episode, Sasha dives into an overview of the course, from assessment and goal identification to instructional strategies and data collection. This course is broken down into 6 modules that are made up of training videos that range in length from 5 - 20 minutes. Educators and earn 8 CEUs, and we also proved B...
May 03, 2022•14 min
Dr. Abbey Love is an educational psychologist, teacher, and consultant. She is also the co-founder of PACT: Police Autism Community Training. In this episode, Abbey shares why she started PACT and what services her organization provides. We discussed the importance of training first responders on how to better support autistic individuals. Abbey also shares PACT's focus on providing training for individuals with autism as well. Resources and more information on training opportunities: https://ww...
Apr 25, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 178
Kerry Magro is an award-winning national speaker and best-selling author. Non-verbal at 2 1/2 and diagnosed with autism at 4, Kerry has overcome countless obstacles to get to where he is today. In this episode, Kerry shares about his journey as an autistic individual. Kerry discusses what helped him to succeed and how teachers can best support their learners. We also chat about his work supporting autistic adults to gain meaningful employment, and we talk about the company trainings he hosts on ...
Apr 18, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 177
