Asperger's Syndrome - Special Interest Topic
Let's talk about perseverating on a topic – a characteristic common to Asperger's Syndrome. Children with Asperger's Syndrome often have an area of interest that is all-consuming e.g. dinosaurs, sharks, horses, astrology, computers etc. and they are passionate about it. These high interest areas can remain constant or change every couple of months or so.
Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome usually develop an in-depth knowledge of these high-interest topics, often
amassing an astonishing recall of facts and data on their favorite topic. This renders Asperger children experts on their chosen topic and their expertise should be commended and respected, whilst directing them to appropriately make use of their knowledge in social situations.
Children with Asperger's Syndrome will need very specific direction as to when and how they may appropriately talk about their high-interest topic in the classroom or in the playground, (this should be part of an on-going Social Skills program involving both children with Autistic Spectrum
Disorder and their neurotypical peers) so as to learn about turn-talking and following topic-shifts in conversation.
As the ASD child matures their friends and family can use a 'signal' word to let them know if they are tending to run on too long about their topic. E.g. bananas. Also, give them some specifics to look for signs of boredom or disinterest in the listener, and encourage them to use these cues to stop talking about their favorite topic. E.g. listener breaks eye contact, or turns their shoulders/body away. However keep in mind that while you may have heard it again and again, the new listener may find their knowledge interesting and engaging. Everyone's star deserves to shine brightly sometimes!
Smart educators will use this favorite subject or topic to actively engage Asperger Syndrome children in the classroom, keeping their interest and motivation levels at a premium across all curriculum areas E.g. in a Math's lesson Addition may be a problem area, but for a child interested in dinosaurs "2 Diplodocus in a field, and another one came along, how many
Diplodocus altogether?" Addition takes on meaning.
To encourage children to focus on subjects other than the high-interest area, draw similarities, or point out differences E.g. High-interest topic – Dinosaurs. "Unlike Dinosaurs which were reptilian, sharks are cartilaginous fish."
As the child matures their knowledge base can be used as an example of preferred learning styles or methods, by examining the Asperger child's information categorising technique. (Note: you will have to carefully refocus attention back to the task to avoid hearing all about dinosaurs, but if you can make the connection it's worth the effort!)
Within the classroom Asperger children should be acknowledged as experts on their topic, and their peers should be encouraged to refer to them for assistance in that area. Over the years our son has amassed vast amounts of knowledge on a variety of very unrelated subjects and always
the fascination was taken to the nth degree. This has given him expertise in many areas, and we often refer to him for definitive answers to our queries. We always squabble over whose team he should be on when we play Trivial Pursuit or other general knowledge games!
So I recommend nurturing your Asperger child's thirst for knowledge, in a supportive and directed manner. In this way you may manage to turn their 'obsession' into their source of income in their adult lives, otherwise referred to as their "bread and butter" specialty.
©Nelle Frances
www.nellefrances.com
Raising Bilingual Children: 10 Tips for Boosting the Minority Language
Your toddler may think that he or she's a complete superhero -- and when it comes to language acquisition, it's actually true! In particular, compared to adult language learners. Lena Sandvik in Boston says "I'm amazed that my 15 and 11 year olds have grown up to be completely bilingual. My accent and those silly, grammatical errors still haven't disappeared, even after 15 years in the country." As easy as acquiring multiple languages is for small children, the single most important factor in language learning is the quantity of spoken language addressed to the child. So, if you worry that you aren't providing enough, here are a few tricks to boost your superhero's inherent powers.
Other kids: Join (or start) a playgroup for the second language. Children of all ages will learn from each other; there simply are no better language teachers than other kids. An added bonus will be that you will connect with other parents of bilingual
children.
Books: Of course you know how vital those precious one-on-one moments are, but remember that they can be infused with language learning also. Books are the most effective tool for teaching language, and so I advise all parents: "Start reading at birth and never stop!" A good way to add to reading time (and make it really personal) is to create a dialogue, encouraging your child's comments, responses, and elaborations. Talk about what the characters are like and what they might be doing next.
The right stuff: From books, add video, television and games. There are a multitude of aides towards fluency. In particular, games that use rhyming will make the most of language memory, but "I Spy", "Bingo" and "Memory" with picture cards will also playfully build vocabulary.
Sing and dance: Children absolutely love music, but don't rely solely on recorded music; your own singing, even if it is off-key, will still serve to unite melody and words for your child more surely than any professional recording ever could. Melody is also a fantastic memory aid. Think about how much easier children learn their ABCs when they sing them, compared to just reciting them. And, the combination of music with movement and gestures will enliven it all -- as well as provide a nice outlet for squirmy toddlers.
Tap into their interests: Whatever your child's enthusiasms may be -- whether a love of soccer, dance, or horses -- make an effort to 'involve' these passions in the minority language. "My 3-year old son is a really big "Bob de Bouwer" (Bob the Builder) fan," says Martijn Fredriks. "So now we always watch it in Dutch, and he's even started speaking in Dutch when he plays with the Bob the Builder toys."
Be creative: The trick is to give the child lots to talk about, so draw out that conversation! Encourage them to make up their own stories, play dress-up and pretend in the second language. Even painting, working with sidewalk chalk, or molding clay usually creates more vocabulary than art! Older children may enjoy calling or using a webcam for calls overseas (one such free service is
Skype).
Outside the box: Isabella Vellaccio, a mother in Washington DC, who reached beyond the obvious says, "I wanted my son to hear Italian from someone else than just me, and the playgroups were all during my working hours." Isabella decided to attend the church coffee after the Italian mass on Sundays. "The older Italian parishioners were thrilled to see him learn Italian." Needless to say, with that much attention, and Italian cookies, he loved it."
Baby sitter: Find a college student who speaks the language, or for something more consistent, try a nanny or an au-pair.
Visits: The ultimate language boost is to visit the country where it is spoken. Total immersion for a couple of weeks has an amazing effect. And visits from friends or family also provide a valuable boost.
Enthusiasm: While the quantity of spoken language is the most important factor in learning a language, the second most vital ingredient is the amount of positive feedback the child hears. Early on, when a child is struggling to get those first syllables out, resist the urge to correct…it can actually inhibit language skills.
There is a myriad of ways to ensure that foreign language time is "quality time," but like any other aspect of parenting: trust your judgment, employ your imagination, and listen very, very well.
Top 10 Back to School Furniture Buying Tips
By Wren Ovard
Here it is, the middle of summer, and someone mentions Back to School Furniture. How can that be when the temperature tops 100 degrees? But it's true, while the kids are enjoying summer camps and parks, the school systems are planning for the next school year.
Now is the time for school administrators to be determining their needs for the next school year in relation to furniture and supplies. If you wait any longer, you may not be able to get the school furniture delivered in time to open the doors in the fall. With that in mind, here at the top 10 tips for School Furniture buying.
1. Order now, order early! This is the season and if you don't get your orders in now, your furniture may not arrive before the students. Remember, yours is not the only school needing new preschool or school furniture and planning to open within just a few short weeks. Don't wait so long your order is in the bottom of the pile.
2. Order quick ship colors & models. While you might just love that lime green classroom desk and chair set combination, do you have the time it takes for special orders? Another thought is how will you find 20 new matching sets, in five years, to that unique item when the time comes that more are needed. In the interest of simplicity and continuity, order stock colors and models. Their delivery cycle will be shorter and most likely they will be better priced.
3. Save on shipping charges by ordering items made by the same manufacturer. This seems obvious, but many school systems don't realize the saving they may have by buying multiple times from the same manufacturer. Not only will you save shipping charges, the items will coordinate with each other since they are from the same manufacturer and you may be able to get better pricing due to larger orders. Look for and do business with distributors that can offer you not only the standard school desks but also offers a wide range of products such as library furniture, activity tables, cafeteria tables, computer furniture, chalkboards, easels, room dividers and display cases. Make sure to look at the total picture when selecting a distributor. Being able to acquire many things from the same distributor saves shipping cost, time, money and headaches. The distributor is much more likely to provide superior customer service and order tracking if you place orders for multiple items.
4. Need freight special services? Inside delivery, call before delivery, liftgate? Think ahead, isn't that what we tell the students? This is also true when your furniture order is to be delivered. Make sure you and the delivery company have the same understanding of the delivery, time, place and circumstances. You do not want to be scrambling trying to get furniture onto a loading dock without the proper equipment. Not only do you risk damaging the new furniture, but also injury to your staff.
5. Inspect all cartons during delivery; don't wait until school is back in session. Don't assume anything. Take the time now, at the time of the delivery, to inspect the delivery cartons to make sure they are not damaged. If you wait until school is back in session to inspect the cartons and contents, and there is damage, you will not know when or how the damage occurred. By signing for the delivery, you are stating that the furniture was delivered properly and in good condition. If there is a problem, identify it at the delivery time and work towards appropriate resolution. The furniture company, delivery company and school will be much more satisfied with the end results.
6. Include summer delivery contact person & phone number. Not all schools are open every day all summer long. Make sure the order contains the contact information for the person responsible for receiving the furniture cartons. And by all means, let the responsible person know they will be contacted with delivery details, and that they are able to fulfill this obligation. See item 5 concerning the responsibility of the receiving person. It might be a good idea to have some staff available that can assist in the inspection of the cartons and contents so as not to delay the delivery company.
7. Call us for chair & table height suggestions. One size does not fit all when it comes to school furniture. Discuss what age group the school furniture is intended for when placing the initial order to make sure you are selecting the appropriate size of furniture. There is a wide variety of products available that are designed for specific ages and activities such as computer desks and activity tables. Mistakes will be costly in time and money if the wrong size furniture is ordered.
8. Call us about space requirements or weight capacities. Is this furniture going to be stationary or moving around a multipurpose room? The intended use may impact the type, size and weight of furniture you should be considering for purchase. Measure twice, order once. It will save you time, money and frustration.
9. Spend new budget money now. Don't wait till the end of your fiscal year and then try to get something delivered and invoiced in time to meet your deadline. Think about what your needs are in relation to your budget money and submit your order early in the budget cycle. You are better assured of getting the furniture you want and need if ordered early.
10. Order age appropriate chairs and desks to insure student's comfort. If a student is uncomfortable in their chair or desk, it will have a negative impact on their concentration and school performance. See item 7, and make sure the size of the furniture grows with the students. Feet not being able to touch the floor or knees hitting the underside of the desk make for unhappy uncomfortable students and poor attention.
Use these tips to help your school furniture vendor delight you with a positive experience for all involved. A little forethought goes a long way in the preparation for a successful school opening for the upcoming year.
Wren Ovard is head of online sales and technology for WorthingtonDirect.com (http://www.worthingtondirect.com) the leader in school and church wholesale furniture. She may be reached at wren@worthingtondirect.com.