Sue Larkey Blog

De-escalation Techniques for Neurodiverse Students (asd, pda, odd & adhd) Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASD************************************** 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 ************************************** ✅ Understanding meltdowns and their different phases ✅Strategies to create calm and manage anxiety ✅ The importance of giving children silence and space: to process, self-regulate and de-escalate ✅Why “No” can cause a meltdown and what to say instead ✅Why I treat meltdowns like seizures ✅ What to do after a meltdown and how to put preventative strategies in place We hate Spam was well. You can unsubscribe at anytime.Recognising and managing meltdowns / shutdowns is vital to support people with an ASD. Every child with an ASD will experience very individual symptoms...

Creating Behaviour Plans That Work: 50% Adult + 50% Student Independence for Diverse Learners Subscribe to this podcast via your favourite app Join my newsletter for more awesome information about ASDDiscussed in this podcast: ✅ Starting with the end in mind  ✅ The 50/50 Learning & Behaviour Plan  ✅ Modelling behaviour and demonstrating Plan B’s ✅ Encouraging independence with timers, visuals and schedules  ✅ Using 3 Rs - rewards, repetition and routines HOW TO USE THE 50/50 PROGRAMYou will need to use a combination of strategies and while at first it may feel like YOU are doing all the work as the student learns to work with what you provide, you will do less and less and eventually move to a 50/50 approach. This is where 50% of the strategies are by the adult and 50% by the student. Children on the spectrum need to be 'taught' to use a combination of strategies. I have seen many examples over the years where people put in place a strategy and just expect the child to...

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 The Power of Diagnosis  ************************************** 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. Check your tone.Tone is everything! The first few sentences and gestures you make are so important to the success of the meeting.2. Say nice things.Start with...

Executive Functioning - The Mini Training With Everything You Need to Know Learn about Improving Executive Functioning Skills Now!  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 timing, students have to manage information and distractions. For in-depth insights see this podcast summary of Executive Function Introduction. Impaired Executive Function can impact significantly on students with autism’s ability to...