Sue Larkey Blog

TEMPLE GRANDIN - ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD - SHARES HER INSIGHTS INTO SENSORY, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDIn this podcast, I take inspiration from my exclusive interview from Temple Grandin - one of Times Magazine's most influential people in the world - and share her insights on sensory processing, social skills and behaviour. I discuss the amygdala and it's impacts on behaviour and sensory processing. Many people with autism - including Temple Grandin - have an enlarged amygdala, causing an increased emotional response to stimuli. Sensory tools can be a huge help - jump here for more information. The Amygdala and ASD Have you heard of the ‘Amygdala’? Did you know it is thought that an enlarged amygdala could be causing anxiety, sensory processing differences, and more. The amygdala is part of the limbic system within the brain, which is...

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM LIVED EXPERIENCES OF AUTISM AND ADHD Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDWhen I first started working in Special Education 30 years ago I always sought out Personal Accounts of people with autism, as I found it so insightful and helped me understand the children I worked with. Lived experiences allow a valuable and genuine perspective that I find very eye-opening. There are lots of great ways to access information on lived experiences. Here are some of my suggestions:1. Youtube There are many great channels out there. I follow Jessica McCabe who has an amazing channel on ADHD called "How to ADHD".2. Ted Talks So many fabulous ones and new ones coming out all the time. The button below brings you to a list in order of most viewed so if you are not sure where to start, this is an easy way to find the great ones. 3. Facebook I follow lots of facebook pages run by Autistic people. I highly...

Episode 114: Making Friends and Being One Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDOne of the biggest myths about children with ASD is they all like being on their own. Children with ASD often desperately want friends, and in fact worrying about friends can cause them anxiety. Many children show this stress by becoming more withdrawn, which of course makes the situation worse. For students with ASD a little extra support may be required to create friendships. For instance, when teachers allow children to select their own partners, children with ASD often are left out. Instead staff should consider who will be a good partner/friend to the child and be pro-active in pairing them. Good examples of opportunities for schools to support friendships are in seating arrangements, partner activities and group work. Parents, I would encourage you to support the school by organising some out of school activities such as having...

HOW TO HELP KIDS WHO STRUGGLE WITH HANDWRITING Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDMany children on the spectrum can have dysgraphia (see Podcast Episode 86 for more information). The Kids’ Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper by Lauren Brukner is an excellent resource that acts as a self-help guide to writing for kids. I would absolutely use this book with my whole class as it has great reminders of how to help students with their writing. Jump to: info for adults.My Top 5 Takeaways From The Kids' Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper by Lauren BruknerHand warm up exercisesMenu of writing strategies - big body stuff i.e. foot stool, exercise band, pencils, cushion and more!Importance of our eyes to make wiritng easier. Try different types of paper - colours, line sizes, even graph paper. One of my favourite activities in the book is I-Spy Bean Bags (page 41)There are lots of other fun activities, including a...

DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES TO USE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER A MELTDOWN Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDRecognising and managing meltdowns / shutdowns is vital to support people with an ASD. Every child with an ASD will experience very individual symptoms that are unique to them. Not all individuals with an ASD will experience a "meltdown" and instead may "shut down". It is very important you are familiar with each child’s triggers and responses. Use the student profile on page 31 of The Ultimate Guide to School and Home to record the information so everyone is aware of triggers and signs of meltdowns. Check out Podcast Episode 70 on Understanding Meltdowns with Jed Baker for more information!We hate Spam was well. You can unsubscribe at anytime. LIMITED SALE: $10 OFF The Ultimate Guide to School and Home - 1 WEEK ONLY (offer ends 23rd May)Meltdowns Meltdowns are extreme emotional and/or behavioural responses to...

Webinar replay - TEACHING NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS ​IN YOUR BUSY AND COMPLEX CLASSROOM Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDMy Live Virtual Webinar last week was a success! But it's not too late if you missed it - sign up HERE to watch the Replay of the hour of power! FREE sign up includes:  E-book  Webinar Replay  Handout   What will you learn in the Webinar?  Key Limitations in Inclusive Classrooms & How to Address Theory of Mind & Impact in your classroom 3 Essential Requirements for Success in Busy Classrooms Tips to Promoting Understanding in your class What is Neurodiversity & How does that look for your students? Smart Goals and Why Important 11 Top Tips to Keep Neurodiverse Students on Task in Busy & Complex classroomsTHE TRAFFIC LIGHT STRATEGY Excerpt from the free E-book Teaching Neurodiverse Students in your Busy and Complex Classroom by Sue LarkeyMy favourite technique for class work...

SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH IMMUNISATION AND THE COVID VACCINEIn Australia, COVID-19 vaccinations are in the process of being rolled out. If you are worried about your children getting vaccinated, I have found an amazing social story resource from Centre for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities which I have been given permission to share. Don't forget to bring your timer! Check out my book below for more information.Check out the original pdf here! These social stories have also been adapted to include audio narration. Centre for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities has so many other great resources too, including: ✅ COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Plan for people with disabilities ✅ FAQs on the COVID-19 Vaccine ✅ And more!Don't forget you need to wait for at least 15 minutes after getting your vaccination before leaving - make sure you have your time timers so you are ready! Time management = anxiety management!I am always sharing stories and new content...

UNDERSTANDING AUTISM: COMMON CONFUSIONS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS - WITH PSYCHOLOGIST EMILY HANLON Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDThis week I am joined by guest, Emily Hanlon, a Psychologist who completed her Clinic Masters Research on the well-being of siblings of children with ASD compared to children with typically developing siblings. The results showed that ASD siblings reported lower scores on emotional efficacy and positive affect, and reported higher scores on negative affect than did the comparison group siblings. To summarise, the findings indicated that having an autistic sibling resulted in lower overall levels of psychological well-being than siblings of typically developing individuals. The full article is available here. She is also the daughter of Randa Habelrih, a guest on the podcast in Episode 107. Check out her website here!Diagnostic labels Labels are difficult, but they do have benefits...

TEACHING NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS IN YOUR BUSY AND COMPLEX CLASSROOM Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDTeaching in a busy and complex classroom is always difficult, and with 30 children to look after, there is not always time to give neurodiverse children the support they need. I am hoping to help you with a New E-Book, Webinar & Podcast - ALL FREE - filled with quick tips and strategies to make sure your kids are getting the most out of the amazing work you do! I am also running live virtual workshops again this term! Check them out below.   Brand new FREE E-book with 100+ Tips & Strategies Download the free E-book so you can read along while I explain in this week's Podcast. What you will learn: ✅ 8 Key Strategies to Embrace Difference✅ Recommendation for Girls with Autism Spectrum✅ Why Kids on the Spectrum are More Likely to be Perfectionists and What You can do to Support them✅ Anxiety, ASD and...

UNDERSTANDING SCREEN ADDICTION ​WITH ADHD EXPERT SIMON DA ROZA Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD A lot of parents have asked me how to deal with screen addictions in their nuerodiverse children. This is especially important during the holidays, so this week in the podcast I speak with ADHD expert Simon Da Roza about executive functioning and managing screen time. Learn how to reduce from 16 hours a day to just 1! 4 Types of Screen Addiction By Simon Da Roza Escape and create - e.g. Minecraft Gaming - solo or social Internet - rabbit-holes e.g. youtube Group  chats What to do! Ownership: make sure the child realises there is a problem so they can start working to fix it. Try getting them to guess how many hours a day they spend on a screen before checking with them. Encourage them to set targets for themself. Plan B: encourage the child to consider other options - different ways they can spend their time to...

what you can do to increase inclusion for  autism awareness month  Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDIn this podcast I talk about fostering acceptance and inclusion at schools and in the workplace. This week I am accompanied by a guest, Randa Habelrih, the founder of Autism MATES.5 Things You Can Change TODAY to Make a Difference From Randa HabelrihTalk about difference. Empathy is a learned skillBefriend the parent of a child with a disability.Be aware how important your attitude is towards a child with a disability. Children will model your behaviour and attitude. Encourage kindness and inclusion by modelling kindness and inclusion.Include the child who is often left out. E.g. If you're organising a party think about how you can be more inclusive. If you're breaking children up into groups think about how you can be fair and inclusive. If you are running activities, think about how accessible they are to all...

HOW TO CREATE A LUNCHTIME CLUB TO BUILD FRIENDSHIPS & DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDIn this podcast I talk about: 🔥 Creating lunchtime clubs - 8 top tips (jump here) 🔥 Passive playgrounds (jump here) 🔥 Buddy benches (jump here) 🔥 Woolworths garden (jump here) 🔥 Cook books (jump here) 🔥 Friendship funnel (jump here) Download a one-page printout of this blog here: Lunchtime Club BlogMany Schools have introduced Lunchtime Clubs and have had Great Success Playgrounds are unstructured, unpredictable places where children with ASD struggle to follow and join in the numerous social interactions surrounding them. Children with ASD frequently return to class from the playground in a high state of anxiety. In addition, their self-esteem frequently takes a battering. In our book Developing Social Skills, co-author Gay von Ess and I have lots of practical ideas and strategies to support...