Sue Larkey Blog

What every Educator needs to Know about Behaviour for Neurodiverse Students (AS, ADHD, ODD, PDA) neurodiverse children classroom strategies  Discussed in this Podcast: ✅ Talking about my brand new course All about classroom behaviours and the strategies to try. ✅  Give the Spelling List Early: Instead of making a child wait until Monday’s pre-test, give them the spelling list on Friday. This allows anxious children to learn the words over the weekend and arrive feeling prepared rather than panicked. The goal is that the child learns the words — the timing doesn’t matter. ✅  Replace Crosses with “O” for Opportunity: Instead of marking errors with a cross (X), use an “O” for Opportunity — an opportunity to fix it up, look it up, or ask someone else. This reframes mistakes as a learning step rather than a failure. ✅  Photocopy Extra Worksheets: For children who become distressed when they make mistakes, have extra copies of worksheets ready. If a child makes an error and wants...

Understanding Time Blindness: Essential Strategies for Supporting Neurodiverse Students Managing Time Blindness in Neurodiverse Students  Supporting Neurodiverse Students with Time Blindness Discussed in this Episode: ✅    Sit in the student's seat to physically experience their view of the clock, schedule, and classroom—you'll quickly spot accessibility barriers you never knew existed. ✅    Swap analog clocks for digital displays because students navigate phones, train schedules, and real life using digital time, not big hand/little hand interpretation. ✅    Use pausable digital timers so students with ADHD get fair, accurate time tracking when toilet breaks and transitions interrupt their work. ✅    Try "let's see how much we can do" framing to turn time into a curiosity experiment rather than a pressure cooker, while building genuine time-estimation skills. ✅    Establish a Plan B before the timer starts so students know exactly what happens when time runs out—extend, mark...

18 Ways to Set Up Your Classroom for Neurodiverse Success (AS, ADHD, ODD, PDA) classroom setup neurodiverse studentsBehaviour Solutions for Classrooms The best behaviour management strategy isn't about responding to challenges—it's about preventing them through thoughtful classroom setup. This guide shows you exactly how to create an environment that naturally reduces challenging behaviors and supports student success.Classroom Preparation for Different Learning Styles ✅  Place a piece of paper under students arms during writing activities to activatecore muscles and improve posture✅  Set up 25-minute work intervals followed by structured movement breaks forregulation✅  Implement visual schedules combined with timers to help students track time andtransitions✅  Schedule regular hydration and bathroom breaks to support interoception needs✅  Create designated quiet spaces for sensory breaks and regulation✅  Use multiple timer types (Time Timer Plus, digital schedules) for different...

School Camps Without the Stress: A Preparation Guide for Neurodiverse Students (AS, ADHD, ODD, PDA) School Camp Neurodiverse Students Preparation Preparing Neurodiverse Children for CampMany neurodiverse children can find the anticipation of camp to be a source of great stress. Letting the student know as much detail as possible from the food to the different sensory feelings they might encounter, can often help to reduce anxiety and uncertainty. Talking about expectations and concerns can allow staff to tailor their support to the child's specific needs. Learn about preparing neurodiverse children for camp today! In this episode we will discuss: ✅Why camp is so important for curriculum and social learning ✅Tips and strategies to prepare for camp and excursions  ✅ How to use social stories, pre-recorded videos or a visit to explain what camp will be like  ✅ Accommodations about food, sleeping, noise etc. to make at camp Don't forget to follow Sue Larkey on Facebook and Instagram...

Empowering children through mindfulness, this podcast explores how using a fun, magical approach can help children self-regulate and understand emotions.

Conversations with Sue Larkey With Guest Eliza Fricker Understanding PDA: Why Common Strategies Don't Work for Every Child Pathological Demand Avoidance StrategiesDiscussed in this episode: ✅  The Tomorrow Box Strategy - Create a physical "Tomorrow Box" on your desk where students can place work they're not ready to complete today. This gives anxious children an "out" without conflict and builds trust. ✅  Be a GPS, Not a Reactor - Practice maintaining a calm, monotone voice regardless of student behavior—like a GPS that stays calm even when you're frustrated. Consider using a sensory tool (like blue-tac) in your hand to help you stay regulated. ✅  Consistency Over Routine - Instead of rigid schedules and visual timetables, focus on being consistent in how you approach every situation. Your calm, predictable response matters more than a planned routine. ✅  Allow Doodling During Lessons - Recognize that drawing and doodling can help some students focus and process information. As...

Conversations with Sue Larkey With Guest Jed Baker Seven Hidden Triggers Behind Challenging Behavior in Children with Autism behaviour triggers in autism************************************** Join me for an upcoming Workshop: Sue Larkey Workshops Can't make these Workshop dates? Join me for a self-paced on-demand course: Sue Larkey On-Demand Workshops ************************************** Discussed in this Episode: ✅  The Thursday Morning Detective Work: Track patterns in challenging behavior by day/time. The example of a student who had meltdowns every Thursday morning traced back to swimming lessons on Wednesday night causing late bedtime, poor sleep, and skipped breakfast. ✅  The Two-Question Anxiety Strategy: When a child expresses fear, ask: "What is the probability of this bad thing happening?" and "Am I overestimating the severity?" Use real data to help children think through worries logically. ✅  Self-Recording for Routine Reminders: Have students record audio messages...

Conversations with Sue Larkey Guest Author Kate Swenson shares Choosing Joy Over Fear: One Family's Journey with Nonverbal Autism Non-verbal Autism Communication StrategiesKate Swenson’s popular blog “Finding Cooper’s Voice” has provided hundreds of thousands of parents of children with Autism hope and comfort. Kate has now written a powerful memoir “Forever Boy”, to continue sharing her inspiring story about motherhood and unconditional love.  My Top takeaways from reading the book: ✅  Use Written Lists Instead of Pictures Kate found that Cooper didn't respond to PECS (picture exchange communication system), but thrived with written lists. She writes down activities ("we're gonna get dressed, we're gonna have breakfast, we're gonna brush teeth") and checks them off, providing comfort and predictability. ✅  Teach the "Tap on Shoulder" Technique Instead of allowing screaming, biting, or pinching to communicate, redirect students to tap on someone's shoulder or arm. This is a...

How to Navigate Difficult Conversations About Your Child's Diagnosis with Family and Friends - With Parent Anna Tullemans Sharing Autism Diagnosis with Family  Discussed in this Episode: ✅ Assess What They Already Know: Before sharing diagnosis information, determine how much the person understands. Ask yourself: "Do they know there's no 'look' for autism?" This tells you their baseline knowledge and where to start. ✅ Tailor Detail Level to Relationship Closeness: With close family (like parents), provide specific, detailed information: "He needs this quiet time because he needs to be able to quiet himself before he can come and talk to you." With friends who already accept your child, keep it simpler: "Daniel is doing that because of his diagnosis, and his diagnosis means we need to explain things to him more intricately." ✅ Start with Positives First: Before discussing challenges, highlight strengths. Example: "Daniel might be really good at doing puzzles and he can do them...

Understanding Interoception:  Why Neurodiverse Children Need a Different Approach for toilet training Toilet Timing Neurodiverse Children  10 Top Tips From Jacklyn and Her Experience in Toilet Training Creating a special box of bathroom activities 2. Using favourite shows (like Paddington) exclusively for toilet time Tracking progress with ticks and crosses on paper Offering specific rewards (5 M&Ms for wees, Kit Kats for poos) Taking nappies to the toilet to flush contents Starting with morning toilet routines Using special absorbent training pants for outings Maintaining consistency despite setbacks Allowing natural consequences for learning body signals Recognising and adapting to regression during transitions Recommended CoursesEarly Childhood BundleOn Sale!Developing Early Childhood Approaches for Children with Additional NeedsRecommended PodcastsEPISODE 305: A Guide to Toilet Training Neurodiverse Children Including Stool Withholding and Toilet Avoidance with Guest...

Everything you need to know about PDA - Insights & Tips from Educator Neurodiverse Student Support TechniquesIn this episode, I've taken excerpts from my previous interviews with Laura Kerbey:✅ Shift Your Mindset About "Difficult" Students - Recognize that PDA students aren't oppositional - they're anxious. As Laura confessed, "there was nothing wrong with these children. It was the environment and it was me." ✅ Give Students Autonomy Over Tasks - Provide choices and control to students with PDA, as demonstrated with the student who needed autonomy and dramatically improved once staff understood this need. ✅ Recognize "Can't" vs "Won't" - Understand that PDA students often WANT to do tasks but CAN'T due to anxiety, unlike ODD students who WON'T do tasks due to authority issues. ✅ Read Specialist Books Before Students Arrive - Prepare for incoming students by studying resources over summer break, as recommended in the podcast for teachers getting PDA or ADHD students next year....

Celebrating Diversity in The Classroom  With The Gift of Understanding autism classroom inclusion strategiesDiscussed in this Episode: ✅  "We May All Be Different Fish" Display: Have every child make a fish and decorate it with their holiday traditions, foods, music, stories, religious activities, and celebration dates. Display with the phrase "We may all be different fish, but in this school we swim together." (see example below!) ✅ Holiday Calendar Activity: Print out calendars for December, January, and February. Have students mark important dates for their families (Christmas Eve, Epiphany, Chinese New Year, etc.) and learn about different cultural celebrations and their significance. ✅ Taking the Classroom Outside: For students with sensory overwhelm who need to sit outside, bring the other children to that child rather than forcing them into the classroom -a creative approach to true inclusion. ✅ Photographer Role Assignment: Give students who find concerts overwhelming a...