Visual Strategies and Communication Systems to Maximize School Success for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome and High Functioning Autism (Grades K-12) Presented by Kathy Morris National Consultant, Autism Expert and Award Winning Educator

Specifically Designed for Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Speech/Language Pathologists, OTs, Counselors, and Administrators Serving Grades K-12

Practical Ideas and Strategies

Students with high‑functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome significantly benefit from routines and schedules that are broken down in ways they can relate to and most importantly, are visual and literal. As educators of these students, it is important to understand that carefully planned communication systems can greatly increase students’ school success and social skills.With the unique needs of these students, it is imperative that we, as teachers, have a toolkit of research-based strategies to help decrease unacceptable behaviors in order to maximize learning.

In this fast-paced new seminar, Kathy Morris will address the many questions and concerns you have as a special education teacher, general education teacher, paraprofessional, or SLP who works with these students. Using demonstrations, role-plays, video clips from real classrooms, and real-life experiences, she will give you practical strategies and techniques that she has found really work. You will discover ready-to-implement ways to develop visual and predictable schedules and routines, social scripts, power cards, T-charts, and many more visual tools and communication systems you can pick and choose from to meet the needs of your students.

All of these research-based and classroom-proven ideas will help you create a visual environment to help students with high‑functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome more successful.

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

1. Practical Strategies for Developing Visual Supports and Communication Systems to Address the Challenging Social Behaviors of Students with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome
   How to address problem behaviors as a form of communication and develop visual systems to reduce disruptive behaviors and increase positive, productive school and social skills … Dozens of visual strategies and communication systems you can try immediately with your students
   
2. Reduce Your Stress and Frustration and Increase Your Students’ Success by Incorporating Visual Supports Throughout the Day
   More than anyone, students on the spectrum respond positively to visuals – as long as the visuals make sense to them and are age-appropriate … Learn how to create effective and efficient visual schedules, reminders, communication cards, organization checklists, and more!
   
3. Make the Most of Students’ High Focus, Obsession and Interest Areas
   How to turn high focus interests into positive and powerful incentives … Proven ideas to take what is meaningful to students and use it in their visual and communication systems
   
4. How to Create and Use Social Scripts, Power Cards, Keychain Rules, and T-Charts to Teach Social and School Skills to your Students with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome
   Learn how to create these powerful visual supports that will greatly increase students’ success in school … Proven ways to establish structure using visual communication tools and planned activities
   
5. Highly Effective Ways to Handle Communication Breakdowns
   Specific ideas and examples to address the subtleties of language that are often missed by our students with Asperger’s Syndrome and high‑functioning autism … Learn how to address the characteristics of language: form, function, content, and context
   
6. Post-Vention Strategies to Use AFTER the Meltdown
   What happens after behavior breakdowns is key to preventing them in the future … How to use T-Charts, SOCCSS, cartooning, social scripts, and role plays
   
7. Increase On-Task Behavior and Organizational Skills
   Create visual supports that will increase time on task … Specific ideas including visual reminders, cartooning, comic strips, and the student-proven 5-4-3-2-1 countdown task you won’t want to miss
   
8. Increase Academic Success with Highly Structured Visual Routines and Schedules
   Learn how to visually develop routines and schedules that are meaningful and meet the unique needs of each of your students
   
9. Working Smarter, Not Harder to Teach Productive School and Social Skills
   Discover numerous strategies you can pick and choose from to fit the specific and unique social needs of your students
   
10. Receive an Extensive Resource Handbook
    Each participant will receive an extensive resource handbook filled with the strategies and techniques discussed in the seminar and ready to implement in your classroom immediately

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

• Research-based visual strategies and communication systems for increasing school success for students with Asperger’s Syndrome and high functioning autism
  
• Effective ideas for using visual supports throughout the day to help students be successful
  
• Hands-on training in how students with autism spectrum disorders need to be taught in order to be socially productive and positive
  
• Proven ways to establish structure in the classroom through the use of visual communication tools
  
• Develop and use social scripts, power cards, keychain rules, T-Charts, and more to teach school and social skills through the day
  
• Prevention and intervention techniques to help students become more aware of acceptable behavior in the school setting
  
• Using various formats for developing social stories, such as PowerPoint, to address specific behaviors
  
• Techniques for emphasizing acceptable behavior after a meltdown such as SOCCSS, social autopsies and cartooning
  
• Addressing communication breakdowns which lead to socialization difficulties and ultimately, behavior problems
  
• Ideas for establishing structure, predictability and routines in your classroom to help students gain and maintain focus
  
• Classroom-proven visual strategies that can be implemented in the classroom, transition areas, playground, and other areas within the school setting
  
• Proven visual strategies for strengthening organizational skills of students and tackling executive functioning deficits
  
• Extended interventions to address challenging and disruptive behaviors often exhibited by students with high functioning autism and other social cognitive disorders
  
• Help your students access the “hidden curriculum”
  
• Video examples of techniques being used in real classroom situations
  
• Templates for a behavior support booklet that can be used with all students
  
• Checklists for function of behavior, including sensory disorder issues
  
• Practical strategies to help your students with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome be more successful behaviorally, and ultimately, academically
  

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

If you are working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high‑functioning autism and other social-cognitive processing differences, you know the unique strengths and challenges they bring to the general and special education classroom. You may be asking yourself how you can better maximize their strengths to increase learning, and how to minimize the distracting and disruptive behaviors that get in the way of their learning. If you are asking these questions, I invite you to join me for a day filled with answers to these very issues.

In this seminar, I will share numerous strategies that will make a difference in how you work with your students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high‑functioning autism and other social-cognitive processing differences. I will give you practical, ready-to-use ideas for addressing disruptive behaviors, melt downs, social skills development, stress management, and much more. We will discuss proactive strategies to promote on‑task behavior along with prevention, intervention and post-vention techniques to help your students be more successful in school. All of these strategies are student-tested, research-supported and are ready to adapt to your classroom.

I have been working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high‑functioning autism and other social-cognitive processing differences for over 30 years. The strategies and ideas are all ones that I have used with students and have learned from outstanding experts across the nation. I am excited to share with you how to make learning more accessible for your students and make your job less stressful and more rewarding.

Sincerely,
Kathy Morris

P.S. You will also receive the extensive resource handbook I designed specifically for this seminar filled with the strategies and ideas ready for you to try with your students.

Who Should Attend

Designed for educators serving grades K-12: Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Speech/Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Counselors, and Administrators.

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Resource Handbook
You will receive an extensive resource handbook specifically designed for this seminar. Included in the handbook are:

• a checklist for successful intervention strategies
  
• proven ways to modify and adapt your lessons
  
• key elements of effective visual and spatial organization
  
• numerous ideas to help your students become more socially accepted in the classroom

Meet and Share
This seminar provides participants a wonderful opportunity to meet and share ideas with other educators seeking practical ideas for working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high‑functioning autism and other social and cognitive differences.

Consultation Available
Kathy Morris will be available at the seminar for consultation regarding your questions and the unique needs of your program.

ASHA - CEUs

This course is offered for .5 ASHA CEUs per day (Intermediate level, Professional area).

On-Site Training Guarantee

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