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Welcome. . .
Alex won a pumpkin! My grandson was delighted to
find out that his pumpkin coloring contest entry won
the prize. Of course, I took pictures of the event. They
will decorate the refrigerator to prompt multiple
conversations.
This has been a busy week for Alex. In addition to his
pumpkin prize, he celebrated his birthday. Something
he did at his birthday party made me think about a
challenge that we have. I have some questions for
you.
With warm regards,
| Thinking Ahead |
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It was Alex's birthday party. When the first guest
arrived, Alex walked up and asked, "Did you bring me
a present?" It is the type of question a four year old
might ask. I would have practiced a better way to greet
people, but I didn't expect him to ask that question. I
didn't anticipate what he would do.
Can you predict?
I missed the birthday greeting, but there are lots of
things I can predict with reasonable accuracy. When
we know students well, I think we can anticipate how
they will handle lots of situations.
Here's the good news
If we think ahead, we can prepare the visual
aids that we need to manage those situations.
Here are some questions
Think about your answers for school or
home.
What are the three most common behaviors you
have
to correct repeatedly?
Do you have a visual tool to communicate those
corrections? If there is something you have to say
more
than twice a day, you need to consider a visual tool to
communicate
the message.
What are five things you have to remind students
to do
over and over?
When students need constant reminding, they haven't
mastered the tasks. That means they need teaching.
Of course, creating some visual cues will help make
that teaching more effective.
What was a negative situation that happened
more
than once?
Did you have a visual tool available the second time?
What was a recent situation you had to deal with
where you did not have a visual support?
Could you have anticipated the situation? Is the
situation likely to be repeated? Is there some kind of
generic visual cue that could have helped? For
example: "wait" or "something is going to change" or
some other phrase that could work in a lot of
situations.
We can't anticipate every situation that requires our
intervention. There will always be surprises. But
planning ahead for those most common events and
needs will create environments where students can
become increasingly appropriate and successful.
Copyright © 2007 Linda Hodgdon
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| Visual Strategies on TOUR |
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Have YOU attended Visual Strategies on
TOUR?
Plans are
being finalized for fall and winter
dates. Can you join me in one
of these cities?
Check these locations:
- Dallas,
TX
- Richmond,
VA
- Kansas City,
MO
- Santa Ana,
CA
- Murfreesboro
(Nashville), TN
Here's what past participants have said about the
TOUR
"Her workshop made all my knowledge jell
together. I was motivated throughout the entire day. I
usually am bored after about 2 hours. Good job!!"
Speech Pathologist/Administrator
"THIS WAS THE BEST CONFERENCE I'VE BEEN TO
IN 10 YEARS! Thanks for synthesizing my knowledge
base AND teaching me some new techniques. You're
the best!"
Speech Pathologist
Great comments, but here is my favorite
"Excellent! I can even use some visual strategies
for my husband so he'll remember not to dry my
sweaters in the dryer! Linda is a phenomenal
speaker! Thanks for the great info - I'm excited to go
back to work on Monday!"
Speech Pathologist
Have you registered yet? I would love to meet you on
the TOUR!
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| NEW! Timers with SOUND |
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Many people have asked.
Now there is a Time Timer that makes a sound when
time is up.
This is definitely a "MUST HAVE" for your
collection of visual supports.
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| Are You Planning for Next Year? |
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Are you planning for your staff
in-service
training for next year? Do you ever get
complaints about boring programs filled with
useless information?
Visual Strategies Workshops are packed with
lots of practical "how-to" information that participants
can take back to use the next day.
Here is what one program planner said
"In my 25 years+ of educational experience
(14 as an admin), I have never seen a group of
educators so
attentive!" - Administrator
Give your educators effective tools to make a
difference
with their students.
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| Autism Spectrum Quarterly (ASQ) |
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Autism Spectrum Quarterly (ASQ),
the magajournal, is a
thoroughly unique
international publication that brings you
the best
of
both worlds:
- the advantages of a magazine format and its
human interest articles
- important and timely information from the world of
research
all in user-friendly language, and designed
for easy access and practical application. With its
exceptional advisory board, ASQ is the
one-stop,
valuable resource to keep parents and professionals
up-to-date and well-informed on a wide variety of
issues related to autism spectrum disorders.
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| About Linda |
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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.
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| Did You Know. . . |
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