| January 2012 : Volume VIII, Issue 1
Birthdays and holidays are typical times to receive gifts. New stuff might create a need to develop new routines. Have you created rules for your new stuff acquired during the holidays??? In this month’s article I share what happened in my family. Read on . . . .
 P.S. I purchased a LeapPad for one of my granddaughters for Christmas. She LOVES it. It’s really a great electronic option for teaching those early academic skills that kids love to learn. A lot less expensive than an IPad, too. Check out the info below.
In This Issue -
Rules For Your Gifts - IPad or Electronic
Device or Whatever??? -
A Great Alternative to the IPad for Autism -
Planning inservice training or a conference? -
About Linda -
Did You Know...
Rules For Your Gifts - IPad or Electronic Device or Whatever???  Well . . . . holidays present an opportunity for lots of “kids of all ages” to acquire new “stuff” including those desirable electronic devices. My family was no exception. Within the first 24 hours it became very obvious we needed some “ground rules” to create a “positive experience” with the new electronic tools.
We had some “experiences.” Then some conversation. I encouraged the children to create rules that evolved from their experiences. Here’s what they came up with.
1. Keep your device in a safe place
Pick a special spot to keep your device where it is safe from siblings, dogs and disasters.
2. Store the extra parts in a special spot
Many devices come with charging cords, ear phones and instruction books. A zip type baggie is a perfect storage container for these extra pieces. Then select a “home” for the container so you will avoid frustration by finding what you want when you need it.
I’ll bet you can figure out why these first two rules came about. Then we addressed the child behavior associated with operating those devices. Here are more rules that they created.
3. Look when people are talking
If you are playing a game and an adult starts talking to you, stop playing and look at the person who is talking. If you keep looking at your device, the adult will think you are not paying attention to them.
Duh! This rule needed to be reinforced a lot. Those electronic devices are hard to ignore.
4. Do it right away
If an adult asks you to do something while you are playing with your device, stop playing and do what you were asked to do. If adults have to ask you a lot of times, they will get angry. (Understanding why the adults are getting mad is the first step in changing the circumstances.)
5. Let others take a turn
Sharing means letting another person take a turn. When you let them take their turn, you need to leave them alone and stop playing so they can enjoy their turn.
These are really simple rules
They worked great once we got them established. It’s not an autism thing. It’s a kid thing. But creating a few simple rules helps manage new situations because everyone knows what’s expected. Writing them down helps.
What rules do you need for your new gear? Are you being proactive in structuring new situations? With a little support, students can create really great rules. Rules that they have ownership in are easier for them to accept and follow.
A Great Alternative to the IPad for Autism  An IPad is not the only option to provide some important learning opportunities for our kids. I’ve received a lot of correspondence from people who want access to academic games for the IPad. Reading, spelling, math.
Well . . . those are available for an IPad, but if that is what you really are interested in, check out the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet . It has a touch screen that works basically like the IPad and lots of activities are available. Most important, the price of the LeapPad Tablet is under $100. I wrote more details in my Blog. Read it here. LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is definitely worth checking out to see if it meets your needs. Planning inservice training or a conference?  My programs are packed with lots of “very practical things to do tomorrow.” Here’s what one participant wrote:
I just wanted to thank you again for the great workshop, and tell you how excited I am to implement some visual strategies in our school. I shared some of your concepts and ideas with my principal, and we are setting up visual strategies in our cafeteria, hallways and front office. The principal is totally on board, and I am going to meet with some of the paraprofessionals to share the icons, model how to use them and function as a resource for them. So your ideas are truly affecting our school, and not just for students with 'special needs'--bless U Sherilyn
Schedule a Visual Strategies Workshop for your group.
More info here
About Linda  Linda Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist and a Consultant for Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is the author of the bestseller, Visual Strategies for Improving Communication, one of the most recommended books in the field of autism. Internationally recognized as a powerful and informative speaker and consultant, Linda has presented her insightful and dynamic workshops to audiences of educators and parents worldwide.
Click here for more information about Linda's programs
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