Sue Larkey Blog
Helping you “Make a Difference”


Tips, Strategies, Time Savers and Inspiration to help make difference for a child with an ASD in your class, home or community.
Episode 101: Setting Up Your Classroom For Success
SETTING UP YOUR CLASSROOM FOR SUCCESS Setting Up Your Classroom with Sue Larkey Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDSetting up your classroom at the start of the year for a new class with diverse learners is always a challenge. I am hoping to help you with a New E-Book, Webinar & Podcast filled with quick tips and strategies to make 2021 a Success. NEW E-book (NO COST) with 97+ Tips & Strategies SORRY THIS DOWNLOAD & LIVE VIRTUAL NOW CLOSED SIGN UP BELOW TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN AVAILABLE AGAIN Download the free E-book so you can read along while I explain in this weeks Podcast. What you will learn: ✅ 18 Ways to Set Up a Classroom / Structures ✅ How to Support Motor Skills ✅ 3 Steps to IEPs ✅ 9 Essential Strategies for Homework ✅ How & Why to use Visuals ✅ Why you need to know about Interception ✅ Understanding Sensory Needs ✅ 6 Key Strategies for Secondary School Start Setting Up Your...
8 Ways I Can Help You & The Kids You Know
8 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU AND THE KIDS WITH AUTISM YOU KNOW E-Newsletter - sign up here. Blogs - read here. If you are looking for a specific topic the quickest way is to use search for your Topic of Interest in the search bar of my website! It is highly likely I have covered the topic you are looking for. If I haven't, let me know - send an email to dearne@suelarkey.com.au. FREE Live Webinar - Setting Up Your Classroom For Success 4.00-5.00 (AEDT) Thursday 11th February 2021 - sign up now. Facebook Groups - join now. Sue Larkey Podcast Community Sue Larkey Parent/Carer Support Group Online Courses - watch now. Click Here to Compare the Courses and choose which one is right for you Live Virtual Events - running MARCH 2021. Available in Your Local Time. Interactive PD Day with certificate upon completion. More information PD Day for your School/Organisation (Virtual or Face to Face) - More information Ask me a question via email (dearne@suelarkey.com.au), facebook etc. I love hearing...
Episode 💯: 13 Separation Anxiety Tips for Children with Special Needs
13 SEPARATION ANXIETY TIPS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Learn 13 Separation Anxiety Tips Today! Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD 🎉 WOOO HOOOO! Episode 💯!!! Can't believe we're here already! 🎉. In this week's podcast I discuss my Top13 Tips for separation anxiety & How I use them. 🎉 As an Episode 💯 special I reached out to my online Facebook community for more advice and solutions. 13 Separation Anxiety Tips By Sue LarkeySeparation anxiety from people, friends, objects and pets is really common for children with special needs. I came up with these 13 tips just for you, as well as reaching out to my online Facebook community for more examples!1. Transition starts the day before. I talk about this a lot - you may recognise it from my Live Virtual Events in 2020! Don't forget I'm running these Live Virtual Events again this term! 2. Use transitional objects. These can be from home or waiting at...
Episode 099: Why Traditional Behaviour Strategies don’t work for Children with Autism
Why traditional behaviour strategies don't work for children with autism Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD Traditional behaviour strategies (including ignoring, consequences, counting to 3 and timeout) often don't work for children with autism, ADHD, ODD and PDA. These strategies are effective for neurotypical children who are better at regulating their own emotions, however children with special needs are often very literal thinkers and struggle with the mind reading and problem solving that these strategies require. 3 Golden Rules By Sue LarkeyNot every strategy works for every child.Strategies wear out. Use them until they stop working but be ready to adapt if they stop being effective.To know someone with autism is not to know autism. Everyone works differently and autism is a big spectrum. Social scripts. (Don't know what social scripts are? CLICK HERE to find out more) Say "what to do" instead of "what...
Episode 098: My Child Just Got Diagnosed with Autism
MY CHILD JUST GOT DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM Discover this episode "My child just got diagnosed with Autism" to help your loved ones and yourself! Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD In this week's podcast I discuss Moving Forward verses Moving On How to create an ‘Elevator Pitch” What to do when people offer “advice” Why grief is different for everyone Further Tipsheets and podcasts on diagnosis Learn from "My child just got diagnosed with Autism" Today! 8 Strategies for Self-Care Excerpt from page 122 of The Ultimate Guide to Home and School By Sue LarkeyIt’s important that parents/carers look after themselves and other relationships when looking after someone on the autism spectrum. Taking care of yourself is not being selfish, it’s a necessity. Don’t feel guilty for wanting some time out! Being emotionally strong allows you to be the best parent you can be for your child.Deal with stress in a positive...
Episode 097: 8 Key Ways to Build Rapport with Students with Autism
8 KEY WAYS TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS WITH AUTISM Learn 8 Ways to build rapport with Autistic students Today! Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD The whole team including the teacher, teacher assistant, administration staff and leadership team should work towards building a strong relationship with the student. In our experience often the student only develops a strong relationship with the teacher. This is limiting as the student needs to be able to respond to other staff in the playground and often leadership teams are involved in behaviour management. A strong relationship with the student means that the student will be more receptive to teaching opportunities and will retain more information. Learn How to build rapport with Autistic students Today! 8 Key ways to build rapport Excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to Home and School By Sue LarkeyGet to know the student and his or her...
2020 14 Tips for Christmas
14 Tips for Christmas and End of Year Concerts Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDWhat you will find in the 2020 Christmas / End of Year Celebrations Magazine 🎁 14 Tips for Christmas / Holiday Season 🎁 Beautiful Picture Books to Educate the Whole Family this Christmas 🎁 Holiday Reading Ideas 🎁 6 Key Strategies for Creating a Calming Area at School and Home 🎁 12 Essential Tips for Concerts and End of Year Celebrates 🎁 Beautiful Books to Help Regulate Emotions 🎁 Great Stocking Fillers 🎁 How to Use Timers in the Holiday Period Click on the link below to download the new 2020 Christmas Magazine ...
How to Get Kids with Autism Spectrum Out of Nappies
Subscribe to my podcast via my podcast page to get weekly episodes about ASD just like this one delivered automatically to where ever you listen to podcasts. Tips for Toileting Toilet training your child is a big task even for neuro-typical children. Parents often procrastinate over when to start and we keep delaying it for whatever reason we can think of! My biggest concern for children with ASD is if they are not out of nappies by five years of age then they often start to lose muscle control and can end up with long term bowel and bladder issues. Toileting is not something that the child will grow into or get better with age. We all need to action ASAP – and this includes schools. If a child is attending pre-school or school when the parents are toilet training then we all need to get behind the toileting programme and provide consistency all day every day until the child has mastered it. When to Start Toilet Training Signs of readiness in children with autism are not evident...
Tips for Transitioning in 2021
Tips for Transitioning in 2021 Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDIs the child you know getting ready for a change in 2021? This can be big or small changes: transition includes change in teacher, change in room, change in students in the class not just starting preschool, school, high school and beyond. The nature of autism is such that transition can be extremely stressful, no matter what age or how BIG or SMALL the change maybe. Changing Teacher is like…. Moving to a Foreign Country For the child with an Autism moving to a new teacher, classroom or campus is like moving to foreign country. There is a different language (eg one teacher says ‘pack away’, new teacher says ‘clean up’). Teachers and other students have different facial expressions and body language to interpret, new rules, new schedules, new smells, different pencils just to mention a few changes. This new ‘foreign country’ causes the...
Executive Functioning & Autism/ADHD – What is it? What to do?
Subscribe to my podcast via my podcast page to get weekly episodes about ASD just like this one delivered automatically to where ever you listen to podcasts.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 timing, students have to manage information and distractions. Impaired Executive Function can impact significantly on students with autism's ability to learn and engage in busy learning environments. Students may not struggle with all areas of Executive Functioning to the same degree. It is important to identify which areas the student needs supports, and put in place strategies to support and develop this skill. I find that if the child has had an assessment by a psychologist it is worth checking which areas were identified as impaired and then using these...
Dietician Provides Strategies to Reduce Picky Eating for Children with Autism
DIETICIAN PROVIDES STRATEGIES TO REDUCE PICKY EATING FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM I am so excited to have Caitlin on the Podcast today. Caitlin Arundale - is a dietitian who has completed the SOS Approach to Feeding. I met Cailtin at one of my workshops. She was there with her Mum who is an Occupational Therapist. What a great family combination! I asked Caitlin to send me some tips on helping kids to eat a range of foods as I often get questions and wanted some ideas to send to families. She kindly sent me the Tips which I have included below, but I thought it would be wonderful to also have her on the podcast to talk through the tips and answer your questions. 5 Top Tips for Children with Autism who are Fussy Eaters A child needs to try a food up to 20 times before their body can know if they like it. I find it helpful to remind the child of this. Try breaking down dishes for the kids so they can put it together themselves. For example: deconstructed spaghetti...
8 Ways I Can Help You & The Kids You Know
8 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU AND THE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM YOU KNOW E-Newsletter - sign up here Blogs - read here. If you are looking for a specific topic the quickest way is to use search for your Topic of Interest in the search bar of my website! It is highly likely I have covered the topic you are looking for. Free Webinars open Oct 11th - Oct 25th - watch now. Facebook Groups - Join Now Sue Larkey Podcast Community Sue Larkey Parent/Carer Support Group Sue Larkey Together We Are Stronger Online Courses. Watch now. Click Here to Compare the Courses and choose which one is right for you Virtual Events. Available in Your Local Time. Interactive PD Day with certificate upon completion. More information suelarkey.com.au/autism-workshops PD Day for your School/Organisation (Virtual or Face to Face) More information Ask me a question via email, facebook etc Another way I can help you is my books! Not sure which one - click on the book and it will send you to a video of me...