Presentations
THESE ARE ONLY SAMPLES; I CUSTOMIZE PRESENTATIONS BASED ON NEED
Sample Presentation Descriptions
The Brain and Autism: Linking Neurology and Interventions to Address Academic and Behavior Challenges
This session will briefly overview some of the neurological research and autism in laymen’s terms. Specifically, brain research related to academics/learning, social, sensory, and regulation will be addressed. This research will then be linked to practical, easy-to-use evidenced-based interventions that can help autistic students learn.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe how academic and learning challenges in autism are related to the brain
2. Discuss the sensory systems, regulation, and social neurological research and how they are linked.
3. Overview the linkages between observable behavior and neurological research.
The Comprehensive Autism Planning System: Ensuring that Individual Needs Are Met in School, Home, and Work
This session will describe a framework for teaching children and youth with autism in inclusive settings. This comprehensive, yet easy-to-use system, allows educators to understand how and when to implement an instructional program for students with autism. The framework, the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS), answers the questions (a) What supports does my student need in each class to be successful? (b) What goals is my student working on and, (c) Is there a thoughtful sequence to the child’s day that matches his learning style. This timely resource was designed to be used by the child’s educational team, consisting of parents, general educators, special educators, paraprofessionals, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, administrators, psychologists, consultants, siblings, and others who are stakeholders in the student’s education and implemented by the general education teacher and support personnel.
Teaching Santas about autism
The structure of this innovative tool ensures consistent use of supports to ensure student success as well as data collection to measure that success. Because CAPS identifies supports for each of the student’s daily activities, it is possible for all educational professionals working with the student to readily identify the methods, supports, and structures in which they themselves need training. Attendees will be provided opportunity to apply CAPS to their classroom settings.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe how to implement interventions across a student's day.
2. Identify the components of the Comprehensive Autism Planning System.
3. Discuss evidence-based practices for students with autism.
Critical Mass and Autism: Creating Independent Learners
Note: This and the following are the same content.
Teach a skill from start to finish! Promote independence! Help individuals with autism learn independently! Most individuals with autism are taught skills only to a certain point. For example, an individual may learn to read a calendar of assignments and check it the night before; however, he is not totally independent on this task because he has not learned that you often need to check your calendar more often than one night before an activity, such as a test. As adults, they may be taught to pay bills and pay them on a timely basis when an invoice is provided. However, what if there is no invoice — such as with rent. These challenges are directly related to a lack of success in independent living, employment, and social interactions. How do we change this trajectory? This presentation focuses on describing the factors that lead to critical mass for autistics when providing instruction and supports. Critical mass, in this regard, is the point where an individual has gained enough information to apply it to situations, activities or skills in which instruction has not been provided. Learn easy-to-use strategies that can help autistic individuals to move about their world as independently as possible, making informed decisions about their wants and needs. Teaching to critical mass will help learners to be successful with tasks they have been taught to do, but will also help them to be successful with activities on which they have not received instruction.
At the end of the presentations, attendees will be able to:
1. Define critical mass and its importance to life success for individuals with autism.
2. Understand the neurology of ASD that supports the need for instruction to critical mass.
3. Describe the strategies that lead to critical mass for individuals with autism.
Excelling With Autism
When an autistic learner gains critical mass, he is able to move about generalization. Many students, neurotypical (NT) and autisic, reach critical mass in academics and, as an example, are able to read in multiple environments, in multiple fonts, on multiple, materials, and so forth. Schools generally do not provide sufficient instruction and practice for most students to gain critical mass in social, communication, and basic living skills. The outcomes of autistic adults clearly communicate this flaw in our education system. This must change. The four elements of deliberate practice (developing specific goals, ensuring focus, moving out of the comfort zone, and communicating outcomes) will be discussed help autistic students reach critical mass in these essential-for-adult-success skill areas.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
1. Define critical mass and its importance to life success for autistic individuals.
2. Understand the neurology of autism that supports the need for instruction to critical mass.
3. Describe the strategies that lead to critical mass for autistic individuals.
Presenting at Beijing University
Understanding Instructional Strategies That are Supported by Autism Neurological Research
Instructional strategies that address academic/learning, social, sensory and regulation skills as they relate to brain research (interpreted in laymen’s terms) will be presented. These strategies will be presented as they relate to evidence-based practices (EBP) as identified by the National Autism Center (NAC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CNS), and National Professional Development Center (NPDC). Finally, a means of organizing these strategies for easy application will be discussed.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
1. Name instructional strategies and supports that match brain research.
2. Identity EBP identified by NAC, CMS, and NPDC.
3. Describe a system for using these strategies in a meaning manner.
Practical Strategies and Big Ideas for Support Autistic Students
This course provides you with increased understanding and knowledge of autism spectrum disorder as well as simple and effective practical strategies for helping children with ASD feel safe, accepted and competent. Covering a variety of areas including anxiety and stress, challenging behaviors, stretching comfort zones, social competence, and learning.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the autistic neurology that supports the need for instruction.
2. Describe evidence-based practices in autism.
3. Discuss the foundational skills needed to support self-regulation for autistic children.
Lightbulb Moments and Lessons: What I’ve Learned from Autistic People
This session will highlight some of Myles' experiences in the field of autism over the past quarter decade (plus!). Emphasis will be placed on how autistic individuals have influenced her research, practice, and teaching. Practical solutions or tips based on lightbulb moments will be discussed as the author reflects on what she has learned from autistic people.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Identify some of the outcomes of “practical” research in autism.
2. Describe the perspectives of autistic people.
3. Understand Lee Stickle’s concept of “limitless potential.”
Presenting at OCALICON, Columbus, OH
Making the World a Bit Easier to Navigate: Using Executive Function Skills
The 21st Century Skills have recognized the importance of executive function skills to school success. Indeed, it can be argued that executive function skills underlie all life success. The multiple aspects of executive function challenges that impact home, school, community, and employment will be described with examples that relate to each of these environments. In addition, evidence-based interventions and supports that can be implemented to help autistics develop will be described.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Define executive function and its relation to autism.
2. Describe how executive function impacts autistic individuals in the home, school, and community.
3. Identify interventions that can be used to teach and support executive function.
Hidden Curriculum: Practical Solutions for Understanding Rules in Social Situations
The Hidden Curriculum refers to the set of rules or guidelines that are often not directly taught but are assumed to be known (Garrett, 1984; Hemmings, 2000; Jackson, 1968; Kanpur, 1989). This curriculum contains items that impact social interactions, school performance, and sometimes health and well-being. The curriculum also includes unspoken rules, slang, metaphors, body language, etc. While this information may be intuitive for neurotypical individuals, it is not for those with autism or other special needs. This session includes practical tips for teaching these hidden social needs to children and to adults and stresses the importance of making these a part of everyday life.
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:
1. Define the hidden curriculum
2. Explain the hidden curriculum’s applicability to school, community, and home
3. Identify hidden curriculum areas and items across preschool, middle school, high school, and adulthood
The Hidden Curriculum of Keeping a Job
Autistic adults often have difficulty keeping a job -- experiencing challenges that are often unrelated to their job skills. This session provides necessary yet often untaught information -- the hidden curriculum -- on a variety of topics related to finding a mentor, networking, talking with supervisors, dealing with on-the-job-frustrations, understanding the social rules at work maintaining a job, and many other topics.
1. At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
2. Describe the difficulties experienced by autistic individuals in navigating the social environment of the workplace.
3. Identify hidden curriculum items related to getting a job.
Discuss strategies to teach the hidden curriculum in the workplace.
Let’s Make it Easier: Ensuring that Individual Needs Are Met in School, Home, and Work
This session will describe a framework to teach autistic children and youth in inclusive settings. This comprehensive, yet easy-to-use system, allows educators to understand how and when to implement an instructional program for autistics students.
The framework, the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS), answers the questions (a) What supports does my student need in each class to be successful? (b) What goals is my student working on and, (c) Is there a thoughtful sequence to the child’s day that matches his learning style.
Strategies that address “behavior” self-regulation, and executive function will also be discussed.
Because CAPS identifies supports for each of the student’s daily activities – all educational professionals working with the student can readily identify the methods, supports, and structures in which they themselves need training.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe how to implement interventions across a student's day.
2. Identify the components of the Comprehensive Autism Planning System.
3. Discuss evidence-based practices for autistics student.
Let’s Make it Easier for All of Us: Ensuring that Individual Needs Are Met in School, Home, and Work
This practical workshop will discuss the following: (a) the autistic brain and how it impacts learning; (b) the essential skills needed for success as an adult and how to teach them to autistic learners in preschool, elementary, and secondary school; (c) using evidence-based practices to address behavior and regulation challenges, and (d) how to help a student transition from year to year. This session is designed to be practical so that educators can the strategies they learn and use them the following day with their students.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe the autistic brain and how it learns
2. Discuss how to implement interventions across a student's day.
3. Discuss evidence-based practices for autistic students to facilitate behavior regulation, learning, transitions, and life success.
Meltdowns Experienced by Autistic Individuals
Self-regulation challenges are among the most frequently observed behaviors in autistic children and youth. Research shows a link between the autistic neurology and these behaviors, highlighting the need to understand these challenges and teach in meaningful strategies. The self-regulation experienced by autistic individuals may manifest itself in many ways, but it sometimes leads to meltdowns. This escalating sequence follows a three-stage cycle: (a) rumbling, (b) rage, and (c) recovery. This sequence can be problematic as many autistics often endure the cycle without understanding their autism. This session will overview the cycle and discuss evidence-based strategies that can be used at each stage as well as the neurology of meltdowns. In addition, prevention strategies will be discussed. It is important that those who work and live with autistic individuals and autistic individuals, themselves, understand the cycle of meltdowns as well as interventions that can be used during this cycle.
Presenting in New Delhi
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Identify the cycle of meltdowns
2. Describe strategies that can be used at each of the three stages
3. Discuss how to avoid the cycle of meltdowns
Practical Strategies to Support Navigating Life and Its Transitions
This session will focus on simple strategies that can make navigating through the maze of life a bit easier. The following topics will be discussed: (a) listening to your neurology ; (b) executive function; and (d) social awareness, including the hidden curriculum. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of recognizing that everyone has unlimited potential.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. How to listen to and embrace your autism and LD.
2. Describe executive function strategies for adults.
3. Define the importance of social awareness, including the hidden curriculum.
To Graduation and Beyond: Planning for Success
Despite the best efforts of schools and families, some autistic students do not experience the same degree of success and personal fulfillment in adulthood compared to their nondisabled peers or to students who are receiving services under IDEA categories other than autism. What factors drive these differences? What variables lead to stronger adult outcomes? This workshop will offer valuable strategies for achieving independence, including interventions for self-regulation and mindfulness. Learn how to avoid missteps and resolve ongoing challenges using evidence-based practices and the steps to create a comprehensive plan to implement these tools in the workplace, for transportation, and in after-work settings.
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the predictors for adult success
2. Identify intervention that support adult success
3. Describe evidence-based practices for transition to adulthood
Simple Strategies That Work: Creating Life Success for Autistic Student
Children and youth with autism and related exceptionalities have great potential, but all too often their abilities are not realized. This presentation will provide ideas and suggestions that teachers and parents can use to help an autistic student on the road to success. This session will describe challenges that arise at home and in the classroom and identify how parents and teachers can adjust the environment success, while not interfering with typical routines. Also included in the information is information on what can cause anxiety for the student with autism, how this can lead to decreased academic and social performance, decreased attention to task, and potential increases in behavior problems, and what can be done do to assist the individual to reach his or her potential.
At the end of the session, attendees will:
1. Identify strategies that lay the foundation for student success.
2. Describe how to implement these strategies
3. Match and modify strategies to match individual needs
Presenting at the National Autistic
Society Conference in Brighton, UK
Preparing for Transitions to Middle School and High School
This session will begin with a brief overview of the middle and high school experience and the stress that transitions into these school settings can cause for learners on the autism spectrum. A transition checklist and an easy-to-use method of documenting support needs across environments will be discussed. Examples will also be provided.
At the end of the session, attendees, will be able to:
1. Describe the middle and high school environment.
2. Develop a transition plan.
3. Describe an easy-to-use method to help ensure that supports are used across environments.
Helping Autistic Students Plan for Post School Success
What skills lead to a successful life? This workshop will offer valuable strategies for achieving independence, including tactics for self-regulation and mindfulness. Learn how to avoid missteps and resolve ongoing challenges using evidence-based practices. Upon completion, you will be able to create a comprehensive plan to implement these tools in the workplace, for transportation, and in after-work settings.
At the end of the session, attendees, will be able to:
1. Identify skills that can lead to independence in work and post-secondary education settings.
2. Discuss comprehensive planning for successful employment.
3. Understand evidence-based transition strategies that lead to success.
Well-Being and Being Well
This session will focus on activities that can be used at home to help children and adolescents enhance their life skills, flexibility, social skills, and learning. Practical, easy-to-implement strategies that can help an autistic student experience a sense of well-being and encourage self-management will be presented in this brief webinar.
At the end of the sessions, attendees will to able to:
1. Describe activities that promoted well-being.
2. Discuss how to incorporate structure and self-direction.
3. Identify resources that motivate and support students.
Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment for Autistic Students
This practical workshop will discuss the following: (a) the autistic brain and how it impacts learning; (b) the essential skills needed for success and how to teach them to autistic learners in preschool, elementary, and secondary school; and (c) using evidence-based practices to optimize learning and create a feeling of safety. This session is designed to be practical so that educators can the strategies they learn and use them the following day with their students.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe the autistic brain and how it learns
2. Discuss how to implement interventions across a student's day.
3. Discuss evidence-based practices for autistic students that create and maintain a psychologically safe environment.
Presenting in Istanbul
TEACH, TRY, TALK
Brief Presentations
Focused Interests
Many autistic students have marked interests that provide enjoyment, learning, and calmness. This session will discuss the data about the types and lengths of interests, as well as their function in the daily lives of autistic individuals. Ways to integrate focused interests into the students day are discussed.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Discuss the role of focused interests to autistic people.
2. Describe the academic, behavioral, social, sensory, benefits to incorporating focused interests into the students days.
3. Identify how to integrate the focused interest into the classroom setting.
The Power Card Strategy
The Power Card Strategy is an evidence-based visual support that uses a student's interest as motivation to teach a skill or encourage a behavior. This session discusses the benefits of the Power Card Strategy, the components of the strategy, and how it can be used with students across elementary and secondary school. Several examples are provided.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe the benefits of the Power Card Strategy.
2. Discuss why the Power Card components are necessary.
3. Develop a Power Card.
Priming: An Evidence-Based Practice
Priming, an antecedent-based interventions, matches the autistic child’s neurology. It creates predictability and reduces behavior challenges. The aspects of priming are discussed in this session along with practical tips on implementation.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Define priming.
2. Discuss how to implement priming at home, school, and community.
3. Use the priming checklist to support this strategy.
Regulation: Cooling Down
The majority of autistic students experience challenges in matching their behavior to
their environment and remaining calm. This is neurologically based and is, thus,
an instructional issue. Several regulation strategies are provided in this session,
along with information on interoception – an important
element in self-managing behavior.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe the neurology basis for regulation in autistic people.
2. Discuss interventions that can be used to support regulation.
3. Define interoception and describe its importance.
Presenting in Istanbul
Rumbling: The First Stage of the Meltdown Cycle
This brief presentation describes the initial stage of meltdowns experienced by autistic individuals. Brief description of the rumbling stage is provided along with student behaviors likely to be seen during this state, student interventions, and appropriate teacher behaviors. The Rumbling Behaviors section of the Student Crisis plan Sheet is also discussed.
At the end of the session, attendees will to able to:
1. Describe the rumbling stage of meltdowns.
2. Discuss student interventions, and appropriate teacher behaviors.
3. Complete the Rumbling Behaviors section of the Student Crisis plan Sheet.
Taking a Break: An Evidence-Based Practice
Home base or taking a break is an evidence-based practice under the category of antecedent-based interventions. This presentation will describe the concept of home base, why autistic students need this intervention, and how to implement it in the classroom. The various ways in which this intervention can be used are also discussed.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Define home base.
2. Describe three ways in which home base can be used.
3. Discuss the type of adult who should supervise home base.
Teaching the Home Base or Break Card
As detailed in a previous presentation, the home base or break card can support students who experience difficulty in regulating their behavior. An intervention that MOST people use to keep themselves calm and focused, home base must be taught to children with an autistic neurology. This session does just that – teaches you how to use this simple, yet important strategy.
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1. Name the steps in teaching the home base procedure.
2. Describe different methods of teaching the procedure using evidence-based practices.
3. Describe what a sample home base practice session would look like.