Sue Larkey Blog

Early Childhood Strategies to Support Neurodiverse Children  - Includes Free E-Book With Over 100 Tips Learn Early Childhood Tips and Strategies Today!Over 400 Early Child Educators told me their top 2 questions they wanted answered, and I used those to create these Tips & Strategies What you will learn: ✅ Diagnosis / Identifying Signs of Autism ✅ Tips for Toileting ✅ Creating Communication Enriched Environments (non-verbal children) ✅ Different Ways of Teaching ✅ Why and How to Use Visuals ✅ Being a Supportive Communication Partner ✅ Use Rewards and Special Interests to Motivate and Engage in Learning ✅11 Common Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder or Difficulties ✅ Using Sensory Tools to Improve Learning & BehaviourFREE Early Years Ebook -  Listen to me  discuss this in the PodcastLooking for a Book to support and develop communication? Check out Practical Communication Programmes.   Top Resources for Supporting Children in the Early YearsI am always sharing stories and...

************************************** 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 ✅ Sequence, order and routine ✅ Writing skills like recipes and observations ✅ Why cooking for somebody else is important to teach ✅ Sensory desensitisation (you don’t have to do the eating for cooking to be worthwhile) ✅ Motor Skills ✅ The importance of “Backward chaining” ✅ Tips and tools to make it easier to start cooking  Cooking can be used as a tool to teach various skills such as reading, comprehension, sequencing, and even math. Sensory Learning: Cooking can help children understand and navigate their sensory preferences, such as the sound of a frying pan or the feeling of cold items from the fridge.  Math Skills: Cooking can be used to teach fractions, volume, and even problem-solving skills. For example,...

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 ASDA 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 by Understanding Screen Addiction!  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, tiktok Group Chats WHAT TO DO!How to manage these forms of screen addictionOwnership: 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:...

10 Essential Tips to Share to Increase Understanding During April Understanding Neurodiversity Tips Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDNeurodiversity is the concept that neurological differences between people should be recognised and respected. Instead of using terms like ’dys - function’ ‘dis- abilities’ & ‘dis-orders’ neurodiversity is an enabling term that takes into account neurological differences. Neurodiversity - is not one size fits all. We are all different and neurodiversity celebrates difference. In this episode we discuss: ✅ April as an Opportunity to Celebrate & Advocate for Neurodiversity ✅ Why I love the term Neurodiversity✅ Why important to ask about people’s personal preferences for “terminology”✅ During April watch and learn from a Movie, or TV Show. ✅ Connect to Neurodiverse people online to celebrate neurodiversity✅ 10 Top Tips to Understand Neurodiversity to share with your...

Everything you need to know about PDA - Insights & Tips from Educator Teaching Strategies for PDA Students************************************** 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 ************************************** Strategies for Teaching PDA StudentsKey takeaways from this podcast for educators and parents/ carers of a child with PDA: ✅ Understand Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA): It’s a unique autism type that requires a different approach. ✅ The differences between PDA and ODD. ✅ PDA is often misunderstood - these children want to do well but struggle with demands.  ✅ Build relationships through sharing experiences and following their interests. No hierarchies. ✅ Re-evaluate teaching strategies: Traditional autism strategies may not work for PDA students ✅  Avoid power struggles by giving choices and focusing on natural consequences.  ✅ Help...

Have you heard Time Blindness? Did you know it can cause behaviour in Neurodiverse students and what to do? Managing Time Blindness in Neurodiverse Students  ************************************** 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 ************************************** Supporting Neurodiverse Students with Time Blindness Discussed in this Episode: ✅    What is Time Blindness? ✅    Behaviours you might see to indicate Time Blindness ✅    How to make time accessible and visual ✅    Time management is anxiety management ✅    Unless we give the students the tools to manage time, then you're going to get a lot of anxiety and a lot of behavior. ✅    Routines are what give you a sense of time passing. ✅    The now, next, later. Time plus a schedule is what equals success ✅    We need to make time intentional and visual. ✅    If a child was colourblind, we...

Navigating the Path to Diagnosis: A Step by Step Guide for Educators Educators Guide Family Communication  ************************************** 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 Podcast: ✅ It’s important to remember that a teacher’s role isn’t to offer suggestions of a diagnosis, it’s to bring things to the parents’ attention.✅ 8 Steps to Talking for Families about pursuing a diagnosis.✅ Red Flags for Diagnosis.✅ Why students should get a diagnosis. Make sure you listen to this Podcast as each step is discussed in detail including mistakes to avoid and the power of diagnosis.  8 Steps to Talking for Families about pursuing a diagnosis1. Come from a tone of caring for the childTone is everything! The first few sentences and gestures you make are so important to the success of the...

The Mini Training Everything You Need to Know About Executive Functioning Learn about Improving Executive Functioning Skills Now!  ************************************** 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: ✅What is Executive Functioning ✅Why Impaired Executive Functioning Is Impacts on Student’s Learning ✅ 7 Ways to Improve Executive Functioning ✅ Download Fabulous PDF Summary for Executive Functioning Learn more about Improving Executive Functioning Skills!Executive Functioning & Autism/ADHD – What is it? What to do?Executive functioning refers to the part of your brain that organises, prioritises and regulates emotions. However, I prefer to refer to it as the ‘Air Traffic Control,’ as just like air traffic control has to manage thousands of planes on countless runways with perfect...

Dr Tony Attwood -  Understanding Autism Diagnostic Criteria and Why Girls often Overlooked Understanding Autism Diagnostic Criteria Key Insights for Understanding Autism Diagnostic Criteria: ✅ The diagnostic criteria for ASD are laid out in the DSM-5. It requires persistent deficits in social communication/interaction and restricted/repetitive behaviors. ✅ To meet the diagnostic criteria, the symptoms must be present in early childhood even if they are not recognized until later. ✅ There are 3 levels of ASD severity in DSM-5 - Level 1 is "high-functioning" autism without language or intellectual impairments. The transcript refers to this as Asperger's syndrome. ✅ The diagnostic assessment involves exploring social relationships, communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. ✅ Co-occurring conditions like ADHD, anxiety, OCD are common with ASD. An individual may have multiple diagnoses. ✅ Standardized diagnostic tools like the...

  Reduce Behaviour by Setting up your Classroom for Success:  webinar relay Learn Classroom Success Strategies Today!  ************************************** 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 ************************************** My live webinar last week was a success! If you missed it, it's not too late to sign up HERE and watch the replay of the hour of power! FREE sign up includes: ✅ E-book✅ Webinar Replay✅ Handout   Classroom Success Strategies You Will Learn in this Webinar: ✅    How to Structure your Classroom to Reduce Behaviour✅    Quick and Easy Adjustments to Implement e.g. where to position a child✅    How to Make the Most of your Support Time✅    Using Students’ Strengths to Reduce Their Stress✅    Supporting Students Socially and Emotionally✅    How to Identify the Underlying Causes of Disengagement/Behaviour✅    1 hour of POWER –...

Behaviour Solutions for Setting up your Classroom for Success Classroom Preparation and Neurodiverse Learners Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDBehaviour Solutions for Classrooms Did you know the how you set up your Classroom can influence behaviour? I always say "It's easier to change the structure than change the child". Setting up your classroom at the start of the year for a new class of neurodiverse learners is always a challenge. Not sure what 'neurodiversity' means? Listen to my podcast on why I love this term! I always find it is so important to prepare your classroom properly for children who learn and engage differently. This helps get the best out of your students, as well as helping to reduce behaviour. I am hoping to help you set up your classroom with a FREE live webinar and FREE E-BOOK to make sure your 2024 is a success! This free E-book has over 100 tips and strategies to help you this year....