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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 100872" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>You're right, Heather. Of course, what is available in Australia is generally behind what is available in the US.</p><p></p><p>With curriculum, it's highly likely that he will be brilliant in some areas, miles behind in others. If he's being uncooperative or if it's early days trying to get him to work, then let him work on what he feels he can handle, to begin with.</p><p></p><p>We found the computer to be a great help. And with autistic kids, you often do better when you think outside the square.</p><p></p><p>For example - difficult child 3 simply didn't take any Geography on board. He was in the classroom when it was taught, but when I had him at home he couldn't even find where we lived on the globe. Or anywhere else. Simply sitting with the globe and explaining it didn't help. We have travelled a bit in Australia, so I showed him where we have been and he STILL didn't get it.</p><p>So clearly, a standard Geography curriculum was never going to workj for him, where he was at.</p><p></p><p>SO I went out and bought the latest version of "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"</p><p>I had to do it with him, because he didn't have the language skills at first to solve the more complex puzzles (the clues were a bit too subtle for him) but he quickly got the idea. He also got his wholistic world view which helped him get a better connection to the countries of the world, where they are and what they are like. From there he has been able to pick up information from other sources on various countries and other facets. He can now listen to the news and hear of an earthquake in Chile, for example, and know what it is and where it is.</p><p></p><p>We had to get him started in a very different way.</p><p></p><p>We use the computer for Maths, for typing practice, for problem solving skills - look for the educational software.</p><p></p><p>And don't worry too much about following the curriculum the normal way - it's probably what is upsetting him. You can teach the same things in a different way and have it work better for him, it's just a matter of working out:</p><p></p><p>1) what he can manage for now;</p><p></p><p>2) what his special skills are (if any); </p><p></p><p>3) how he learns best;</p><p></p><p>4) what he needs to learn NOW to give him the basic survival skills.</p><p></p><p>I wouldn't worry about colours just yet. The only reason difficult child 3 learnt them when he did, is because someone else taught him. I had tried, and not got it. But for her, it worked. I hadn't tried hard, because I was focussing on what I saw as more important - basic survival stuff.</p><p>For example - he needed to know his own name. He needed to know "Mummy" and "Daddy". The names of his siblings.</p><p>After that, he had to learn safety stuff. "Stop". "Go". "Exit".</p><p>Then the objects in his life. Car. Bus. Train. Door. House. Truck. Cup. Spoon. Drink. </p><p>Animals - cat, dog (he had a hard time with those). People - boy, girl, man, woman (he still has trouble there).</p><p>And the computer terms - Quit. Copy. Paste. Save. Print.</p><p></p><p>Colours were a low priority!</p><p></p><p>We've found all along, difficult child 3 needed to have different work made available. He needed extension in his skill areas (maths, computing) and modified work in other areas such as Geography, History. You can still ensure that certain subjects are presented, even when modified. And when YOU know your child, you have the best idea on how to modify it to his needs.</p><p></p><p>And a thought on colours - in "Carmen Sandiego" and other computer games, colour is used as a recognition point. The colour may or may not be named, but it could be a key to him working colours out FOR HIMSELF. Fo example, a children's book read on the computer could say, "Grandma was wearing a red dress". If you don't labour the point, he will eventually absorb it by osmosis, which is often the best way.</p><p></p><p>Seriously, while you're struggling, let him learn what HE wants to, just to get him into a learning routine. Don't push him too hard but let him set his pace. As he can handle it, give him something more challenging (such as colours) but ease back to what he can handle if he begins to get upset. We've found with difficult child 3 that Maths is what we get difficult child 3 to do, when he is not having a good day. It actually soothes him to do it. Conversely, when he is feeling emotionally stronger and less anxious, I sit down with him and he does his English or his Drama.</p><p></p><p>You need to find what HE can handle, and work from there. Be prepared to break the rules. be prepared to throw out everything you've ever learnt. These kids are all different and seem to know best what they can handle. Sit back and watch him, forget the curriculum for now. If he had severe brain damage you couldn't expect him to handle a normal curriculum. So drop your expectations, at least for now. You will find that as he adapts, his learning curve will pick up at HIS pace and despite a very slow start, can often later on outstrip others.</p><p></p><p>And if he never learns anything else other than how to look after his own needs and maybe read & write, then you are still ahead.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 100872, member: 1991"] You're right, Heather. Of course, what is available in Australia is generally behind what is available in the US. With curriculum, it's highly likely that he will be brilliant in some areas, miles behind in others. If he's being uncooperative or if it's early days trying to get him to work, then let him work on what he feels he can handle, to begin with. We found the computer to be a great help. And with autistic kids, you often do better when you think outside the square. For example - difficult child 3 simply didn't take any Geography on board. He was in the classroom when it was taught, but when I had him at home he couldn't even find where we lived on the globe. Or anywhere else. Simply sitting with the globe and explaining it didn't help. We have travelled a bit in Australia, so I showed him where we have been and he STILL didn't get it. So clearly, a standard Geography curriculum was never going to workj for him, where he was at. SO I went out and bought the latest version of "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" I had to do it with him, because he didn't have the language skills at first to solve the more complex puzzles (the clues were a bit too subtle for him) but he quickly got the idea. He also got his wholistic world view which helped him get a better connection to the countries of the world, where they are and what they are like. From there he has been able to pick up information from other sources on various countries and other facets. He can now listen to the news and hear of an earthquake in Chile, for example, and know what it is and where it is. We had to get him started in a very different way. We use the computer for Maths, for typing practice, for problem solving skills - look for the educational software. And don't worry too much about following the curriculum the normal way - it's probably what is upsetting him. You can teach the same things in a different way and have it work better for him, it's just a matter of working out: 1) what he can manage for now; 2) what his special skills are (if any); 3) how he learns best; 4) what he needs to learn NOW to give him the basic survival skills. I wouldn't worry about colours just yet. The only reason difficult child 3 learnt them when he did, is because someone else taught him. I had tried, and not got it. But for her, it worked. I hadn't tried hard, because I was focussing on what I saw as more important - basic survival stuff. For example - he needed to know his own name. He needed to know "Mummy" and "Daddy". The names of his siblings. After that, he had to learn safety stuff. "Stop". "Go". "Exit". Then the objects in his life. Car. Bus. Train. Door. House. Truck. Cup. Spoon. Drink. Animals - cat, dog (he had a hard time with those). People - boy, girl, man, woman (he still has trouble there). And the computer terms - Quit. Copy. Paste. Save. Print. Colours were a low priority! We've found all along, difficult child 3 needed to have different work made available. He needed extension in his skill areas (maths, computing) and modified work in other areas such as Geography, History. You can still ensure that certain subjects are presented, even when modified. And when YOU know your child, you have the best idea on how to modify it to his needs. And a thought on colours - in "Carmen Sandiego" and other computer games, colour is used as a recognition point. The colour may or may not be named, but it could be a key to him working colours out FOR HIMSELF. Fo example, a children's book read on the computer could say, "Grandma was wearing a red dress". If you don't labour the point, he will eventually absorb it by osmosis, which is often the best way. Seriously, while you're struggling, let him learn what HE wants to, just to get him into a learning routine. Don't push him too hard but let him set his pace. As he can handle it, give him something more challenging (such as colours) but ease back to what he can handle if he begins to get upset. We've found with difficult child 3 that Maths is what we get difficult child 3 to do, when he is not having a good day. It actually soothes him to do it. Conversely, when he is feeling emotionally stronger and less anxious, I sit down with him and he does his English or his Drama. You need to find what HE can handle, and work from there. Be prepared to break the rules. be prepared to throw out everything you've ever learnt. These kids are all different and seem to know best what they can handle. Sit back and watch him, forget the curriculum for now. If he had severe brain damage you couldn't expect him to handle a normal curriculum. So drop your expectations, at least for now. You will find that as he adapts, his learning curve will pick up at HIS pace and despite a very slow start, can often later on outstrip others. And if he never learns anything else other than how to look after his own needs and maybe read & write, then you are still ahead. Marg [/QUOTE]
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