Piece of the Puzzle

Neurodiversity News: Welcome! Our blog will have a new name in the fall, Neurodiversity News , and congratulations to Jill Stevenson, service coordinator for Green Hills AEA Early Access in the south,  for coming up with the name.  She won some great items our autism team purchased from companies supporting autistic individuals.  Neurodiversity definitions in the Merriam-Webster dictionary include:   1. individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population  2. the concept that differences in brain functioning within the human population are normal and that brain functioning that is not neurotypical should not be stigmatized. Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist coined the term in her thesis in the late 1990’s.  As we continue to learn each day from autistic individuals we recognize the vast area of neurodiversity in the students we serve.   Temple Grandin, one of the most famous autistic individ...

April is Autism Awareness Month! 10 ways to increase awareness by the Green Hills AEA Autism team    Read this Article from Autism Level UP-   if you have done awareness activities level up to acceptance and appreciation! Help us rename our blog - Piece of the Puzzle - Click here with your idea check out these articles on autism groups moving away from the puzzle piece - Disability Scoop  History of the Puzzle Piece Learn about identity first language - Article from Learn, Play Thrive If you aren’t sure what to use with a family….ask! Follow great resources on Social Media!  We recommend the SCERTS page, Autism Level Up, and Autism Navigator. Support businesses that employ autistic adults. Read a book or listen to a podcast: we recommend... Uniquely Human : a Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M Prizant  and the Uniquely Human Podcast NeuroTribes : the Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman,   Or any othe...

The autism resource team (ART) would like to share our recently updated Universal Supports Document. This document was originally rolled out last year, but has been revised by the ART over the summer. The Universal Supports Document can be used as a checklist to help teams determine tier one supports that should be put in place prior to, or in conjunction with more intensified interventions to best serve our students. The ART will be using this document as a jumping off point when supporting students within our districts. At the top of the document, within the orange box are guiding questions that target strategies that can positively impact multiple sub-categories below, or may address other student needs at a universal support level. Below that, there are four boxes with strategies that more specifically address the areas of sensory, behavior, social and academic needs. There are hyperlinks embedded within this document that provide more detail about some items on the checklist....

                Welcome back to what will definitely be a year to remember.  Our Autism Resource Team (ART)  also had some changes during this year.  We said goodbye to some familiar team members due to retirement,  but while we have lost people, we have gained time devoted to the team. Last year we had 7 core team members with .2 of their time for the autism team duties.  This year we have 4 core team members with .5 of their time devoted to work on the team, which will include a focus on building capacity in our school districts.   We are grateful to have extended team members who continue to support our work through their regular school assignments.  Here is a current list of ART members and the districts they serve in Green Hills AEA.  We were very pleased by the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the attendees of our 3 days of learning with Amy Laurent, Ph.D., OTR/L co-founder of Aut...

The Fall season begins many special events and holidays for families. Individuals on the Autism Spectrum are often a challenge. The changes in routines, traveling, being around more people, lots of food, new smells, and the list goes on and on. Click here for some ideas to think about or try to help your family member with

SAVE THE DATE for November 13-15 in Treynor, Iowa for SCERTS  training!

That Autism Awareness Charity Walk and Games is an event supported by the Autism Society of Iowa and sponsored by local businesses for Autism Awareness. There will be activities like face painting, tattoos, bubbles, matching game, fishing, making shapes, egg hunt, etc. Join us at McKinley Park -  600 McKinley St. Creston, IA 50801 on April 27th! For more information,  click here

Lessonpix   February, ah Yes! The month of cupid, hearts and love! The Autism Team want to share their love of all things LessonPix!     If you have not heard of LessonPix it is a web based- no dvd required, easy way to create online visuals quickly to help your students with schedules, communication, social stories, flash cards other customized materials, and save to your computer or share as a PDF file. There is also a sharing center which lets you see and share what other people have created. Individual or group memberships are available. Go to www.lessonpix.com where you can try it for free! This 2 minute video explains the program. Here is an example of a social story made with LessonPix and here’s another “Computer Rules” . Happy Reading!

10 Tips to Expand Your Child's Diet Families of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be concerned about their child’s feeding abilities. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder frequently have restricted diets consisting of foods with similar characteristics provided in a consistent manner. In fact, research has shown that as many as 90% of individuals with Autism demonstrate feeding difficulties (Kodak & Piazza, 2008). You are NOT alone if your child or student is experiencing these difficulties as well. 

What is Video Modeling? Video modeling is an intervention/strategy that is used with students with Autism. Video modeling can help with: Observing correct behavior Teaching imaginative play skills Teaching perspective taking Increasing existing positive behaviors Modeling, then teaching imitative play Preparing for a new event or activity

Want to be a part of something big? The University of Iowa invites you to join SPARK for Autism, the nation's largest autism research study. The SPARK site in Iowa City is the closest clinical site for all of Iowa and Nebraska. But on January 5, SPARK for Autism is coming to YOU! Free for anyone participating in SPARK, participants will enjoy a sensory-friendly night at The Durham Museum in Omaha. Learn more  HERE

The Autism Society of Iowa Fall Conference will feature internationally renowned keynote speaker Stephen Shore, Ph.D. presenting on the 3A’s of Autism: Awareness to Acceptance to Appreciation as a Pathway to Fulfilling and Productive Lives . The conference will also offer multiple breakout sessions. Click here for more information.

The Function of Preference Assessments for Students and  Their Importance in Applied Behavior Analysis Techniques     Preference assessments are an integral piece of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) but, first, what is ABA? ABA involves research-based strategies for conducting preference assessments, teaching behaviors (including academic behaviors) by using specific and systematic methods for instruction, providing consistent and scripted adult-response strategies following various student behaviors, presenting highly motivating and immediate reinforcement following defined (correct or appropriate) behaviors, and determining systems of data collection and analysis. Read More

The Social Skills Picture Book for High School and Beyond -  Dr. Jed Baker The Social Skills Picture Book: Teaching Play, Emotion, and Communication in Children with  Autism -  Jed Baker The Incredible 5-Point Scale -  Kari Dunn Buron & Mitzi Curtis Preparing for Life -  Dr. Jed Baker Social Skills Solutions -  Kelly McKinnon & Janis Krempa Social Behavior Mapping -  Michelle Garcia Winner Building Social Relationships -  Scott Bellini Inclusive Programming for Elementary Students with Autism -  Sheila Wagner The Zones of Regulation -  Leah M. Kuypers The Hidden Curriculum -  Brenda Smith Myles The Hidden Curriculum: Getting and Keeping a Job… -  Brenda Smith Myles How Do I Teach This Kid? -  Kimberly A. Henry Social Skills Training -  Jed E. Baker Tasks Galore: Making Groups Meaningful -  Laurie Eckenrode Social Skills Lessons and Activities for Grades 7-12 -  Ruth Weltmann B...

Social Skills and Autism    What are social skills? Everyone uses them everyday. These are skills that we use at work, play, school, day care, grocery store, etc. Without appropriate social skills, individuals are often identified as having behavior problems. Social skills allow an individual to initiate and maintain positive social relationships. Through social skills, we learn to recognize and manage emotions, develop caring and empathy for others, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.One of the largest deficits for individuals on the Autism Spectrum is their ability to understand and interact in the social world.

If you are a special education teacher, speech & language pathologist, OT, social worker, administrator, counselors, regular education teacher, paraprofessional, psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, nurse, or parent this conference is for you! Join us to learn the latest strategies and interventions for teachers that can be used in the classroom immediately.  Check it out!

Tune into Social Thinking's webinars each month for the next 10 month and learn best practices for teaching core Social Thinking concepts—which build on each other and foster the development of social competencies. They'll also explain which Social Thinking products you can use with different age groups to extend the teaching of these concepts. Don't miss the first one on August 29th!

It’s time to get ready to go back to school. This can be challenging for every student and sometimes children with autism need some extra help to be prepared. We have the tools to get you started towards the best school year yet!