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Helpful Toys, Stories Book and etc

HopefulStudent

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here. So correct me if my way of posting is wrong. I'm a student volunteer at a local Special Needs Home in my local Malaysia. I'm currently on a holiday in UK and was wondering whether there are any special kinds of toys, stories book or any other resources I can use to help teach the students back on home on social skills, reading, writing and etc . I really hope for your kind input on this matter and am really hopeful in being able to bring back something helpful. The awareness regarding ASD and Asperger's are rather low back in Malaysia, therefore, resources for it are hard to find. Therefore, I hope to be able to use this oppurtunity to do something good for those at home.

Sincerely,
Idura 

  • Social Skills are always going to be tricky - so much depends on being able to interpret (and its two-way, to generate also) the right gestures, facial expressions, nods and movements of the head, eye contact, inflexion of speech, etc that is normally used to support purely linguistic language.

    People on the spectrum have trouble with the non-verbal content of socialisation, and it is not something easy to resolve. Also they may have difficulty processing complex sound environments, such as lots of people talking at once.

    There's a tendancy in the UK to try to force socialisation skills using little social stories with speech bubbles and facial expressions that are used ad nausiam by clinicians. You can always acquire some social stories packs, and other aids to socialisation, and lots can be downloaded off websites.

    Clever they may be, but I'm doubtful if they really work. They may help children realise what they've got to try to replicate artificially, by whatever contrivances, learned and acted out responses they can. I just don't think it works like a cure.

    A book that might help teachers and support workers understand children's experiences with autism, if you can get a copy is "Martian in the Playground - understanding the schoolchild with Asperger's Syndrome" by Clare Sainsbury (Lucky Duck Publishing 2000  ISBN 1 873 942 08 7)

    While that might seem a little out of date, it is still a very valid book, because it talks about valid experiences, rather than cramming a book full of theories. Its one of the few books around that actually discusses everyday experiences insted of trying to make it all fit the Triad of Impairments (OK OK I do go on, but.......)

  • One of the things that has come up again and again recently is how much people with Aspergers/ASD love looking at nature and particularly the small details, sounds, light and movement. Now from my visit to Malaysia nature is something that you already have quite a lot of. Perhaps all you need is a pile of magnifying glasses, or some cheap cameras (with close focus) or a sound recorder. Back this up with some books on local wildlife and you could have an interest that can be slowly developed and also customised to different children.

    Do you have a dawn chorus? (when the birds start singing at first light). Could you record that and play it to them? Some kids may cover thier ears but others may be enthrawled.

    Regards Duncan