Catherine Faherty has been working with autistic children and adults since the 1980’s. She has developed strategies and ideas for teachers, parents, children and adults. Here is a sampling of ideas, and things to think about. Check back monthly for new ideas.
Teachers and parents can follow these instructions on how to make a funny, goofy game about making and correcting mistakes that your students or children can play, with the whole family or whole class!
SKILL TO LEARN: How to acknowledge that a mistake is discovered; understand that mistakes can be corrected; and feel okay with mistakes and the act of correcting.
NEW UNDERSTANDING: It’s okay to make mistakes. Mistakes can be corrected. Some mistakes can be funny. It’s even okay to laugh about one’s own mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Mistakes aren’t “bad”. Mistakes can be keys to learning new things.* more “THE MISTAKE GAME”
Teachers and parents can follow these instructions on how to make a game to help your students or children learn what exactly is meant by “personal space”. First play the ARM’S LENGTH GAME to prepare for THE PERSONAL SPACE GAME. These games are meant to be played with other classmates, or the whole family at home.
SKILL TO LEARN: Allowing socially comfortable space between you and another person.
NEW UNDERSTANDING: I know what “personal space” means. To respect someone’s personal space means to stand approximately an “arms’ length” away from him or her. Giving people personal space is respectful. more “THE PERSONAL SPACE GAME”
Teachers and parents can follow these instructions on how to make a game to help your students or children learn to handle not always being first! It can be played with the whole family at home, or classmates in school.
SKILL TO LEARN: How to be second, third, or….last, and feel okay no matter what position you find yourself in (as in a line, queue, or a race).
NEW UNDERSTANDING: It’s okay to be second, third,…or last. I don’t always have to be first. Other people can be first sometimes. Being first doesn’t mean “right”; just like being other-than-first doesn’t mean “wrong”. It’s okay to be in any order. The order can change from day to day, and activity to activity. more “BEING SECOND, THIRD,…OR EVEN LAST!”