A New Take on Language Function and Literacy: An Interview with Dr. Ellyn Lucas Arwood

“The bottom-line, is that the programs, materials, and curricula that are sound-based do not match with the way the children think to learn. So, teachers work harder but don’t always receive the positive success they deserve. Older students work harder to produce the sound-based patterns for tests, homework, and so forth without the conceptual learning. Working harder but not smarter stresses everyone–students, families, and teachers.”

December 8, 2010Autism

How Teachers and TAs can help Students with Asperger Syndrome access the curriculum in inclusive classrooms

By Gill D. Ansell, author of Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom: An Insider’s Guide Being a Teaching Assistant is not what it once…

November 25, 2010July 4, 2017Education

BBC documentary features the work of anti-bullying charity, Red Balloon – also the subject of a forthcoming JKP book

Tonight BBC Three will screen the documentary ‘Can’t Bully Me’ about the important work of the charity Red Balloon, which runs a network of schools that cater exclusively for…

November 23, 2010Autism

Securing Appropriate Education Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders – An interview with author Allison Hope-West

“Evelyn often spoke to me about how after her son received his diagnosis that she expected the ‘autism fairy’ to arrive at her house and explain the implications of Jasper having autism to her, as well as helping her secure educational provision which met his needs. Other families also spoke about how prior to diagnosis they were labelled as being bad parents and told that it was their fault that their child was not behaving in school. Almost all stated that they had been through the most emotionally (and often financially) draining time of their lives to try and secure appropriate provision, and that little or no help or advice had been forthcoming…”

November 9, 2010Autism

How Educators Can Help Students with Asperger Syndrome Relieve Anxieties at School (and Avoid Meltdowns at Home!)

By Gill D. Ansell, author of Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom: An Insider’s Guide. Often, a child with Asperger Syndrome (AS) will seem…

November 8, 2010Adoption and Fostering

Kay and Haitham Al-Ghani on ‘Learning About Friendship’ – Stories to support social skills training for children with ASD in the classroom

“One small boy in my class was having great trouble going on school outings because he would not wear a seat belt. The bus driver came to tell me that he would not be allowed to go on any more trips. I thought this was rather harsh and so the very next day I told my class a story about Tedrick the teddy who would not wear a seat belt…We role-played the parts of the driver, the teachers and the other children on the bus. I emphasised how happy the driver was when all the children wore their seat belts and I asked the boy in question if he would mind taking Tedrick on the next trip. Guess what, that boy was the first one on the bus doing up his own and Tedrick’s seat belt!”

October 28, 2010Adoption and Fostering

‘Guerrilla Mum’ on Making Each Half-Term Count for Students with SEN

“It is already half term, and the end of the school year seems to be a long way off, as we plunge into a series of cold wet days. However, in terms of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and statements of SEN the school year is approximately one sixth over. This is time we can never get back, and children with SEN need each half term to really count…”

October 27, 2010Education

Making mouth and tongue exercises fun for children with delayed speech – An Interview with Karina Hopper

“As a parent of children who had speech delay, I would have found this book an invaluable resource and many parents I’ve spoken to have said the same. The real appeal is that it is a fun book that children will enjoy, making these exercises an exciting thing to do every day which I think is important.”

October 25, 2010Adoption and Fostering

‘The One and Only Sam’ wins a 2010 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award!

JKP’s The One and Only Sam by Aileen Stalker has won a Silver Medal in the Health Issues category at the 2010 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards!…

October 13, 2010Autism

Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom – An Interview with former Teaching Assistant and JKP author, Gill D. Ansell

“As a Teaching Assistant I felt able to work closely with the students with AS; to get to know them as a person; to get to see the world the way they see it and from there develop strategies to help individuals. Sometimes, I tried new strategies which in reality were just ideas I had which I thought could work with a particular individual – that’s why it is important to know the student as an individual.”