OVERCOMING EVERYDAY CHALLENGES OF AUTISM 

With millions of children already diagnosed with autism, and tens of thousands being diagnosed every year, parents and teachers need real help.....and they need it NOW!

Addressing the varied needs of a child with autism can be overwhelming for parents and teachers, often leaving them with more questions than answers: Which skills do I teach? When do I teach them? How do I teach them? This two-day workshop will outline how to minimize the effects of autism by zeroing in on the core deficits that define the diagnosis: functional communication, social skills, and cooperation. The presenter will demonstrate, through extensive use of video case studies, how the basic behavioral principles can be applied effectively across settings and people to improve quality of life for children with developmental disabilities and their caregivers.

Specifically, participants will learn about practical strategies that can help them to:

• Engage a child that shows little or no interest in interacting with others.
• Expand a child’s interests and activities.
• Decide if a child should be considered a “vocal” or “non-vocal” learner.
• Teach functional communication skills to vocal and non-vocal children.
• Engage children in meaningful social situations with their peers.
• Shape cooperative behavior and decrease escape-motivated problem behavior.
• Utilize research-based teaching procedures to establish and maintain instructional control during structured teaching.
• Develop an effective schedule to maximize learning opportunities.
• Implement reinforcement-based approaches that reduce problem behavior.