Autism is a complex and often puzzling disorder in which pinning down a set of rules surrounding the teaching of children with it is almost impossible to do. Many theories and approaches claim to have the solution to teaching, yet few provide the answers when an autistic child goes against the status quo.Autism and Learning addresses this problem w

“We each have Skype accounts and use them to discuss [Moby-Dick] face to face. Once a week, we spread the worded whale out in front of us; we dissect its head, eyes, and bones, careful not to hurt or kill it. The Professor and I are not whale hunters. We are not letting the whale die. We are shaping it, letting it swim through the Web with a new and polished look.”—Tito Mukhopadhyay Since the 1940s researchers have been repeating claims about autistic people's limited ability to understand language, to partake in imaginative play, and to generate the complex theory of mind necessary to appreciate literature. In See It Feelingly Ralph James Savarese, an English professor whose son is one of the first nonspeaking autistics to graduate from college, challenges this view. Discussing fictional works over a period of years with readers from across the autism spectrum, Savarese was stunned by the readers' ability to expand his understanding of texts he knew intimately. Their startling insights emerged not only from the way their different bodies and brains lined up with a story but also from their experiences of stigma and exclusion. For Mukhopadhyay Moby-Dick is an allegory of revenge against autism, the frantic quest for a cure. The white whale represents the autist's baffling, because wordless, immersion in the sensory. Computer programmer and cyberpunk author Dora Raymaker skewers the empathetic failings of the bounty hunters in Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Autistics, some studies suggest, offer instruction in embracing the nonhuman. Encountering a short story about a lonely marine biologist in Antarctica, Temple Grandin remembers her past with an uncharacteristic emotional intensity, and she reminds the reader of the myriad ways in which people can relate to fiction. Why must there be a norm? Mixing memoir with current research in autism and cognitive literary studies, Savarese celebrates how literature springs to life through the contrasting responses of unique individuals, while helping people both on and off the spectrum to engage more richly with the world.

"It is my sincere wish that the teachers of those thousands of children, who increasingly are also teacher educators, read and learn from Assessing Children‘s Learning. The hope is that they will go on to make a reality of theimaginary but not impossible classroom and make moral judgements and choices in the best interests of children." - Sue Sw

In this volume several of the major experts in the field discuss the diagnostic criteria of Asperger syndrome.

This positive, straightforward book offers kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day. Some children with ASDs are gifted; others struggle academically. Some are more introverted, while others try to be social. Some get "stuck" on things, have limited interests, or experience repeated motor movements like flapping or pacing ("stims"). The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders covers all of these areas, with an emphasis on helping children gain new self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meant to be read with a parent, the book addresses questions ("What’s an ASD?" "Why me?") and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers when needed. The book includes stories from real kids, fact boxes, helpful checklists, resources, and a glossary. Sections for parents offer more detailed information.

Explores ten important characteristics that provide a window into the hearts and minds of children with autism.

Anyone meeting a young child with autism for the first time will find this fully revised edition of a classic text invaluable. The authors provide parents and professionals with an insight into the nature and educational implications of autism, particularly in very young children. In a clear and sensitive style the authors: outline the characteristics of autism as they present themselves in the early years; consider the nature of autism and the issues surrounding assessment and diagnosis; offer practical strategies for effective and realistic intervention both at home and in a variety of early years settings; suggest ways to promote learning, social development, communication and appropriate behaviour; explore possibilities for enhancing access to the early years curriculum. This updated second edition includes new material relating to new statutory requirements such as Every Child Matters and Disability Equality Duty, as well as updates to different approaches to autism, assessment and behavioural issues. The authors outline the principal themes and objectives of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Inclusion Development Programme. Autism in the Early Years: A Practical Guide (Second Edition) provides accessible material, support and advice for parents, teachers and professionals who are working together in an unfamiliar area following early diagnoses of autism in young children.

Teachers as Researchers urges teachers - as both producers and consumers of knowledge - to engage in the debate about educational research by undertaking meaningful research themselves. Teachers are being encouraged to carry out research in order to improve their effectiveness in the classroom, but this book suggests that they also reflect on and challenge the reductionist and technicist methods that promote a 'top down' system of education. It argues that only by engaging in complex, critical research will teachers rediscover their professional status, empower their practice in the classroom and improve the quality of education for their pupils. Now re-released to introduce this classic guide for teachers, the new edition of Teachers as Researchers now also includes an introductory chapter by Shirley R. Steinberg that sets the book within the context of both the subject and the historical perspective. In addition, she also provides information on some key writing that extends the bibliography of this influential book thereby bringing the material fully up to date with current research. Postgraduate students of education and experienced teachers will find much to inspire and encourage them in this definitive book.

*Winner in the Education/Academic category of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards* *Shortlisted for the 2011 NASEN Award 'The Special Needs Academic Book'* With a focus on best practice and the importance of early diagnosis, this book provides a practical and scientifically-based approach to the assessment and diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and autism spectrum conditions. This book offers a balance of conceptual, practical and empirical information designed to bridge the research-to-practice gap in identifying, assessing, and treating school-aged children with autism-related conditions. Assessment tools and intervention strategies will support school-based professionals in: · identifying and assessing young people with high-functioning autism spectrum conditions · developing and implementing classroom-based intervention programs · initiating a dialogue between parents and teachers · accessing community resources · promoting special needs advocacy. With illustrative case studies, FAQs, quick reference boxes, and a glossary, this accessible guide will appeal to teachers, counsellors, psychologists, social work practitioners and students.

Valid and reliable assessment of students' work.