Autism and Education: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know

by Temple Grandin

Overview

Dr. Temple Grandin discusses the real issues that parents, teachers, and kids face every day. Here is a concise handbook that illustrates what Temple has found to work in the field of education. Topics include:

• The importance of early intervention

• Teaching for different types of thinking

• Developing talent

• Motivating students

• Keeping high expectations

• And much more!

In these helpful pages, Dr. Grandin offers dos and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her insider perspective and extensive research. Interestingly, she argues that education for kids on the autism spectrum must focus on their overlooked strengths to foster their unique contributions to the world.

As Publishers Weekly noted "For educators or parents of autistic children, this will be a valuable resource."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781957984070
Publisher:	Future Horizons, Inc.
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Series:	The Way I See It , #1
Pages:	120
Sales rank:	200,214
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Temple Grandin earned her PhD in Animal Science from the University of Illinois and is currently a Professor at Colorado State University. Dr. Grandin is one of the most respected individuals with high-functioning autism in the world. She presents at conferences nationwide, helping thousands of parents and professionals understand how to help individuals with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and PDD. She is the author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation (which spent many weeks on The New York Times Best-Seller List),The Autistic Brain, and The Loving Push, co-written with Debra Moore, PhD One of the most celebrated — and effective — animal advocates on the planet, Dr. Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Read an Excerpt

At conferences, more and more parents of a recently diagnosed teen or elementary school child have told me that they may be on the autism spectrum. In some cases, they have an official diagnosis and in other cases, they do not. Almost all the parents who have been told me that they are on the autism spectrum have worked successfully in a variety of occupations. The question is: why was their life relatively successful, and their child is having problems with lack of friends, bullying, or is extremely hyper and anxious? In most of these cases, the child has no early childhood speech delay.

A possible contributor to a poorer prognosis may be excessive use of video games or other on-screen entertainment. When I was in college, I had friends who today would be labeled as having autism. Individuals on the autism spectrum are more likely to have pathological video game use. The ICD-11 now has a formal diagnosis for gaming disorder. Research shows that eight percent of all young people who play video games may be true addicts. There may be two reasons why both these mildly autistic parents and my geeky classmates got and kept decent jobs. They learned how to work at a young age. I have written extensively about this. In my generation, kids played outside with their peers and learned social interactions. They were not glued to electronic screens.

Table of Contents

Part 1: The Importance of Early Education

•  The Importance of Early Educational Intervention 
•  Do Not Get Trapped by Labels
•  Economical Quality Programs for Young Children with ASD 
•  Different Types of Thinking in Autism 
•  Higher Expectations Yield Results
•  Teaching Turn Taking 
•  What School Is Best for My Child with ASD?  

 Part 2: Teaching & Education 

•  Finding a Child’s Area of Strength 
•  Teaching How to Generalize 
•  The Importance of Developing Talent 
•  Teaching People on the Autism Spectrum to Be More Flexible
•  Teaching Concepts to Children with Autism
•  Bottom-Up Thinking and Learning Rules 
  
•  Laying the Foundation for Reading Comprehension 
•  Motivating Students 
•  Getting Kids Turned On to Reading 
•  Too Much Video Gaming and Screen Time has a Bad Effect on Child Development
•  Therapy Animals and Autism
•  The Importance of Choices 
•  The Importance of Practical Problem-Solving Skills
•  Learning to Do Assignments that Other People Appreciate 
•  Learning Never Stops           

Editorial Reviews

02/27/2023

Grandin (The Autistic Brain), a professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, delivers an insightful and pragmatic guide to helping autistic children thrive. Grandin, who is autistic, recalls how an early education program markedly improved her speech skills as a child—before that, she’d sometimes resort to screaming to communicate—and draws on that experience to advocate for an early-intervention, child-centered approach to education. For example, she explains that while nonverbal children between ages two and five require 10–20 hours per week of one-on-one speech and behavioral instruction, it can come from a professional or a capable family member; what’s important are progress markers such as reduced impulsivity and improved speech. Elsewhere, she recommends zeroing in on and cultivating the child’s individual strengths rather than focusing on deficits. In considering the wide autism spectrum, with members “rang from computer scientists to individuals who will never live independently,” Grandin stresses it’s vital not to overvalue the autism label, as it can prove limiting and imprecise. The author’s pinpoint guiding principles (high expectations yield results) and brass-tacks recommendations (strategies for teaching turn-taking or mastering basic life skills) combine to create a program that’s thoughtful and comprehensive, but not overwhelming. For educators or parents of autistic children, this will be a valuable resource. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Grandin (The Autistic Brain)...delivers an insightful and pragmatic guide to helping autistic children thrive...The authors pinpoint guiding principles (high expectations yield results) and brass-tacks recommendations (strategies for teaching turn-taking or mastering basic life skills) combine to create a program that’s thoughtful and comprehensive, but not overwhelming. For educators or parents of autistic children, this will be a valuable resource." — Publishers Weekly

A valuable tool for both parents and educators centered on Grandin's personal experiences and her many years in the fields of autism and behavior science. This is essential for parents with an autistic child. — Library Journal, * Starred Review *

From the Publisher

★ 05/01/2023

Grandin (animal science, Colorado State Univ.; coauthor, The Autistic Brain) has long been a trusted expert in the field of autism. From an insider perspective, she writes this book in response to feedback from autistic adults. In 1949, autism was an unknown diagnosis, yet Grandin's mother advocated for her to receive several hours per day of speech therapy and lessons using play as a tool. The author now believes a watchful parent can both facilitate an autistic child's growth and curb impulsive behavior, even when formal therapies are not available. The book notes that although labels can be a requirement for getting necessary services, these same words can become a hindrance to a child's confidence. Each chapter includes a guide to additional reading from educational journals and online resources. There are also tips for choosing a school to help autistic students. The book's main focus tells adults how to find and develop their child's individual strengths, rather than perceived areas of improvement. VERDICT A valuable tool for both parents and educators centered on Grandin's personal experiences and her many years in the fields of autism and behavior science. This is essential for parents with an autistic child.

Library Journal