Emma Brown is back! Listener Questions on Autism – 210

Tara Elie  welcomes Emma Brown back shortly after her previous visit to answer some questions about autism from podcast listeners. Emma is a Practice Development Coach working in Social Care with clients who have learning disabilities and/or Autism. The answers to the questions posed are equally applicable to those in mainstream settings who come into contact with children with learning disabilities and/or Autism. Emma works with the teams who support people with learning disabilities in their homes, to help them to live as independently as possible. She provides training and coaching for the teams. The Classroom Environment Emma begins with practical tips about the use of classroom space for teachers who work with autistic children. These include the fact that adults are part of the classroom environment themselves and aspects of our classrooms such as lighting are not usually considered – but they can have a dramatic influence on the learning experience for children on the Autism Spectrum. Listener Questions Glenn Martin from Manor School asks: As a classroom teacher how can we support students on the Autism spectrum to be in mainstream education? Jonathon Piltcher from Brompton Academy asks: How can we encourage creativity and unlock it when some autistic children don’t think they can be or have been told they can’t? Restorative Practice for those with Autism Emma shares some remarkable insights in this area including the concept that the best restorative conversations are often with the staff, rather than with the students. Social Stories Finally, Tara explains the idea of Social Stories which can help those with ASD enormously.