[LM_NET] HIT: ELEM AUTISM

[Linda Johnson <lindaejohnson@GMAIL.COM>]

Thanks so much for all your responses to my request for library lesson ideas
for my upper elementary students with autism.  I was specifically looking
for strategies to use with our older students, most of whom are
low-functioning and non-verbal boys.  Many of you directed me to the LM_NET
archives.  I've compiled your other suggestions below...hopefully they will
be helpful to others!

I work at a school for handicapped kids, and we have quite a few
low-functioning, non-verbal kids with autism, ages 3-21. We also have higher
functioning classrooms whose purpose is to prepare them for inclusion in the
public school. Don't be surprised if you get responses from people who work
with higher functioning kids. The stuff I do with the verbal kids doesn't
always work with the non-verbal kids.

I do a lot of songs, many of which I got from
http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/file/view/storytimehandbook.pdf. I know it's
pre-school, but the songs that require action are good! I also do a lot of
felt board stories from Judy Sierra's "Flannel Board Storytelling Book". I
do the story twice--first with me telling the story and moving the felt
characters, then with me telling the story and the kids moving the felt
characters. I also read books that are songs--"If You're Happy and You Know
It--Jungle Edition", "Mary Wore Her Red Dress", "Today is Monday". They
don't do well with a lot of plot.

I also let the kids pick their own books. Some of them can only look at
books with board pages--they rip my other books.

The teachers at my school definitely appreciate getting the kids out of the
classroom, even if it can cause behaviors in a few students, so they come to
the library. I believe "transitioning" is on many of their IEP's, so that's
the other reason they like to come.

I always meet with the teacher to see what she's covering in class and
develop a lesson to reinforce that.  A typical library visit entails book
selection, then I'll read a story or two, do some sort of physical activity,
such as a fingerplay or something like "Head, shoulders, knees and toes",
followed by a quick craft.  I try to incorporate music or a song and a craft
which relates to both the library lesson and a concept, such as patterns or
shapes, that they are covering in their own class.

Thanks again!

Linda Johnson
W. W. Gordon Elementary School
Richmond, VA.
lindaejohnson@gmail.com

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