Celebrating Diversity in The Classroom 

With The Gift of Understanding

Celebrating Diversity this Holiday Season

What this Newsletter Contains

✅ 14 tips for Christmas / Holiday Season
✅ Promoting Understanding
✅ Using Picture Books to Educate the Whole Family
Sharing Diagnosis – Why, When and How to tell my Child
✅ Holiday Reading
✅ Using Cooking to Teach – Teaching Diversity through Food
✅ 6 Key Strategies for Creating a Calming Area at School and Home
✅ 12 Essential Tips for Concerts and End of Year Celebrations
Stocking Filler Ideas
✅ Give the Gift of Visual Time – Using Timers to Minimise Stress

Great ideas for Presents for Children with Autism

Newsletter Cover for Gift of Understanding

This is all about celebrating diversity this holiday season, with a focus on providing plenty of tips for end of year activities, such as concerts and big gatherings. In addition, the podcast will cover gifts for autistic children (and other neurodiversity), offering advice on how to choose sensory-friendly toys, books, and puzzles that will bring joy to children with autism during the holiday season. The goal is to help make the holiday season a special and inclusive time for everyone, regardless of abilities or differences.

Why the Holidays are a Great Time to Discuss Difference

Holidays Season is a great time to talk about differences. There are so many different celebrations, traditions, religions, languages, countries, cultures & more. We should always be celebrating difference and this is a great time to be talking about it. Click here to jump straight to ideas for activity!

It’s a great time to start conversions about differences.

End of Year Celebrations can be stressful for Neurodiverse Children. This can be due to Sensory, Change in Routines, large gatherings, Concerts etc. I have a new Holiday Newsletter full of Tips & Strategies to support students with Neurodiversity in the Holiday Season. Use this newsletter to give the gift of understanding today!

How can we Celebrate Diversity This Holiday?

Activities to Build Acceptance and Celebrate Diversity This Holiday!

We can build acceptance by doing activities that explicitly encourage students to understand individuality. 

My Favourite is: “We may all be different fish but in this school we swim together”

Make a display where each child contributes a fish that reflects their individuality. 

In younger children they may just decorate a pre-cut out fish, whereas older children could write descriptive words about themselves on the fish in different coloured pens. 

Celebrate Diversity This Holiday!

Presents for Children with Autism

Have a Discussion

about how successful we can be if we all work together. A great way to do this is watch the snippet of the movie Finding Nemo where the fish are all caught in the net!

Copy the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUTt0LMhyas

A strong classroom community allows for individual differences and celebrates what makes each child unique.

Celebrating Diversity

Cooking to Celebrate Diversity

Another great activity to celebrate diversity is cooking, or even just talking about food preferences.  On page 13 & 14 of the NEW Holiday Newsletter I have 10 Ways to Use Cooking to Teach Everything PLUS how you can use cooking to support and develop communication skills.

Or check out my blog and podcast on cooking here:
Episode 123: Make Learning FUN – Using Cooking to Teach at School and Home

Plus there is the Free Recipe to Try that is also in that Episode

DOWNLOAD PIKELET RECIPE

Cooking is a great way to celebrate different cultures and preferences. It’s a fabulous end of year activity – why not have a class party where everyone brings a family favourite celebration dish! Or even just brining in recipes from their families – be CREATIVE within your school’s restrictions!

FREE Mega Book worth $49.95 when you spend $200*

Holiday Sale: 2 for $55 or $31.95 each

Product Quantity

Inside Asperger's Looking Out

by Kathy Hoopmann | Through engaging text and full-colour photographs, this book shows neurotypicals how Aspies see and experience the world. Each page brings to light traits that many Aspies have in common, from sensitive hearing and an aversion to bright lights and strong smells, to literal thinking and difficulty understanding social rules and reading body language and facial expressions. At the same time, the book highlights and celebrates the unique characteristics that make those with AspergerÕs Syndrome special.

Gus the Asparagus

|  by Kaylene Hobson and Ann-Marie Finn - Meet Gus! Gus might be the only asparagus in his family, but he is happy. However, when he goes to school he starts to realise that he doesn’t always ‘fit in’. Gus is here to help kids understand that it’s okay to be different. He will soon become a favourite with anyone who has ever felt a little bit out of place, kids and adults alike.

Out of stock

My Friend with Autism (Enhanced Edition)

| by Beverly Bishop | With vivid illustrations and a charming storyline this book will foster tolerance and understanding among peers. A peer narrator explains that his friend with autism is good at some things and not so good at others Ð just like everyone else. In an informative, positive tone, he addresses issues such as sensory sensitivity, communication differences, unique ways of playing and insistence on routine.

I am an Autistic Girl

A book for young girls with autism spectrum conditions

Lizzie is an Aspie Girl - she has Asperger's Syndrome, which means that her brain works differently to her friends, and even to boys with Asperger Syndrome. In this book, Lizzie explains what it's like to be an Aspie Girl, including how she has a special talent for blending in with her friends, how she gets really tired after being at school all day, how she worries about making mistakes, and how she finds it hard to understand how she is feeling.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

| by Michael Barton | An autism spectrum guide to the confusing world of idioms, metaphors and everyday expressions. This book illustrates why people on the autism spectrum have difficulty making sense of common phrases and idioms that others accept unquestioningly as part of everyday language. The quirky drawings will entertain and inspire those on the spectrum, providing memorable reference points for figures of speech, and will help their friends, families, teachers and colleagues to better understand the ASD way of thinking.

All Dogs Have ADHD UPDATED and REVISED

This revised edition of All Dogs Have ADHD takes an inspiring and affectionate look at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), featuring all-new images from the canine world. These charming photographs bring to life a variety of traits that will be instantly recognisable to individuals with ADHD, including being restless and excitable, easily distracted and acting on impulse.
This book reflects the difficulties and joys of raising a child with ADHD with humour and understanding, celebrating what it means to be considered “different.”

All Cats Are On the Autism Spectrum UPDATED and REVISED

This updated edition of the bestselling All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome provides an engaging, gentle introduction to autism.

All-new cats take a playful look at the world of autism, and these fun feline friends will strike a chord with all those who are familiar with typical autistic traits, bringing to life common characteristics such as sensory sensitivities, social issues and communication difficulties.

Touching, humorous and insightful, this book evokes all the joys and challenges of being on the autism spectrum, leaving the reader with a sense of the dignity, individuality and the potential of autistic people.

In stock

Holiday Sale: 2 for $70 or $41.95 each

Product Quantity

The Red Beast

| by K.I. Al-Ghani | This vibrant, fully illustrated children's storybook is written for children aged 5+, and is an accessible, fun way to talk about anger, with useful tips about how to tame the red beast and guidance for parents on how anger affects children with Asperger's Syndrome.

The Panicosaurus

| by K.I. Al-Ghani | This fun, easy-to-read and fully illustrated storybook will inspire children who experience anxiety, and encourage them to banish their own Panicosauruses with help from MabelÕs strategies. Parents and carers will like the helpful introduction, explaining anxiety in children, and the list of techniques for lessening anxiety at the end of the book.

The Disappointment Dragon

| by K.I. Al-Ghani | The Disappointment Dragon sometimes comes to see us all and, if we let him, he can make us feel sad or angry. The fun characters in this charming, fully illustrated storybook will help children to cope with, and discuss openly, their feelings of disappointment. There are many creative suggestions on how to banish the Disappointment Dragon and an introduction for adults explaining disappointment in children and how they can help.

The Green-Eyed Goblin

This illustrated storybook explains jealousy through the story of Theo and his Green- Eyed Goblin. It will encourage children to talk about their feelings and learn how to subdue their own Green-Eyed Goblin for good. A section of tried and tested techniques for using with children, and a helpful introduction for parents and carers is included.

Super Shamlal - Living and Learning with Pathological Demand Avoidance 

Super Shamlal - Living and Learning with Pathological Demand Avoidance | by K.I. Al-Ghani | Shamlal the Camel finds it almost impossible to do all the normal, everyday things that the other camels do. Her first word was 'NO!' and this is still the word she repeats the most through every day. Luckily, Shamlal's parents take her to a psychologist who explains that she has PDA, and gives her tips for how to live and learn with the syndrome.

Are You Feeling Cold, Yuki?

A fun and enlightening book to explain interoception to children. Often such a misunderstood fundamental cause of many 'out of sorts' behaviours. Beautifully explained and Illustrated book to help everyone understand this vital concept. - Sue Larkey

In stock

Related Podcasts

https://suelarkey.com.au/episode-75-dean-beadle-discusses-autistic-identity-and-what-it-means-for-him/
https://suelarkey.com.au/episode-81-how-embracing-autistic-strengths-changed-chris-bonnellos-life-life/

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