[1]Patricia E. Bailey
Childhood Educator & Interventionist
For 45 years, Patricia Bailey worked as an early childhood educator, education assistant, professional storyteller, tutor, academic strategist, and interventionist. She taught language arts and literature for early childhood educators at Langara College in British Columbia and presented workshops at conferences and schools, sharing the importance of communication to being fully involved in life.
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Other presentations include storytelling performances and language arts programs for elementary schools. Patricia ran a home-based business providing educational support services for children with diverse abilities and their families. Another service was tutoring for students in all grades and with and without diverse abilities.
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Her extensive background with children, teens, and young adults is only part of why Patricia’s perspective is unique. She can connect with and speak for children because of her life experiences. Being an introvert and a highly sensitive person, she can pick up on the nuances of non-verbal communication – the subtle looks, the unseen energy, and the connections that go beyond the concrete. She is sensitive to the communication attempts of children who can’t communicate verbally. Having an anxiety and depression disorder helped her understand the students’ difficulties and respect their needs.
Visit her at: patriciaebaileyauthor.com/about-the-book/ [4].
[5]Beyond Expectations Into a World of Possiblilites
Top 5 Gifts For Under The Tree
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RECORDABLE PHOTO ALBUMS
(Talking photo albums)
$67 and up**
Check reviews – some note the microphone is too quiet. Make sure the album is re-recordable.
Available in various places, including Walmart, photoshops, Amazon, and
Find them via Attainment Company [7],
via Say it with Symbols [8] or,via Maxiaides [9].
•Your non-verbal child can interact with friends or adults at school sharing the photos from home.
•Make gifts for grandparents with the album making sure your child vocalizes as well as having messages in the album. Children are excited to have their own voice in the album.
•A child with selective mutism might be able to talk about the photos. Use it for projects or stories that are shared with the class.
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INSTANT CAMERA
$49 – $187
Check the value out on different cameras: Cost of film, quality and size of photo, ease of use, can photos be printed from your phone through the camera?
Film: $20 and up for 60 images or more.
OR
MINI PRINTER
$22 – $139**
Check the value out on different mini printers: What devices connect with the printer (i-phone etc.), cost of film, quality and size of photo, availability of cartridges or ink for refills.
My tips for communication support:
•Great for encouraging communication from school to home. Some children need the visual cue to answer, “What did you do at ____ today?” or similar questions. Your child can interact with friends or adults at school with photos from home.
•Field trips – Instant photos to add to your child’s journal or worksheet. Words or picture symbols can be used under the image for some children. Others can write their own words.
•Projects or science experiments – students can use the images to help them remember the steps to an experiment or the parts of a project.
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BOOKS
Blue Bottle Mystery An Asperger Adventure HC $23, PB $20, ebook $19
Books make affordable under-the-tree gifts.
In my venture to find the top five gifts for under the tree, I came upon a series of books by Kathy Hoopmann. The main characters have ASD or Asperger’s. Find out more about the books on her site Kathy Hoopman.com [12]
•Blue Bottle Mystery – The Graphic Novel: An Asperger Adventure
Hardcover $23; Paperback $20; e-book $19
Although written for 8- to 12-year-olds, teens with diverse reading skills will enjoy it too.
•Haze (for teens) paperback $22
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SWITCH ACTIVATED SPINNER
$130 – $145**
Uses 2 C cell batteries (not included). Easy button to press. (A switch for children/teens who need physical support can be attached.) Available on various sites including enablingdevices.com [14]
•Useful for matching, rolling dice or making random selections, the spinner also teaches turn-taking and visual tracking. Benefits of increased participation and interaction include:
•Students with positive social interactions have better mental and emotional well-being and higher self-esteem.
•Increased social skills: Learning valuable social skills, like turn-taking, improves the ability to make and sustain meaningful relationships.
•Higher achievement desire: Those with disabilities who feel accepted and included are motivated to achieve more.
My tip: Add questions or examples of social skills or situations. When the arrow lands on a topic, the person can answer or the whole group can have a discussion. The children/teen who uses a switch to interact, can also have their prepared answers in their communication system.
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GAMES
SOCIAL SKILLS BINGO $43
CHAT CHAINS $29 and up
These are the two games I liked best out of all the ones I reviewed.
•SOCIAL SKILLS BINGO [17] – $43
The Social Skills Bingo Game for Teens features conversational prompts that will get your teens talking and learning about social attitudes and behaviors. As they play this game, teens will learn to identify: positive qualities, problem characteristics, nonverbal/verbal techniques, getting along better, and skills to help them positively interact with others.
•CHAT CHAINS [18] – About $29 and up
Teaches emotional awareness, improve social skills, make better conversation – Chat Chains teaches players to ask questions about each other to help make friends.
Top Gifts for Stocking Stuffers:
1.Jenga Conversations Starters $5
• This product is an instant digital download. – you will need to have a Jenga game set or stacking blocks. The stacking provides more interaction. “Perfect for middle and high school students engaging in lunch bunch activities, social skills activities, or small groups with peers.”
• A way to use the starters without the blocks: cut and fold the conversation starters to put into a bag, small box.
• More games at Autismgrownup.com [19]
2. Melissa & Doug Scratch Art Rainbow
Mini Notes $13 via Amazon.com [20]
• With Wooden Stylus & 125 notes
• As you write a note (or draw), the colors appear.
3. Thumball $19 and up
• Who Are You? 4 Inch Thumball [21] $17.
Also found on various sites including Amazon.com [22]. Prices from $19 and up
• Stimulates conversation, improves social interactions, prompts focused participation, and develops communications skills.
• The 4” soft ball has 32 panels. Each panel has a different phrase or topic. Throw it, roll it, pass it, or catch it. Look under your thumb. React to the word, phrase such as: favorite toy or game, what makes you mad, cool musician or song, etc.
• Other themes are available. (Emotion Mania; Virtues and Values; Resiliency; etc.)
• One review noted, “4-inch balls are not really for high school students/adult hands. The squares are smaller and I find older boys tend to have their thumbs in two or three squares. However, almost all girls and most boys are able tell which square they are in.”
4. Books
Available at Amazon and elsewhere.
• Elemental Island by Kathy Hoopmann $12 and up.
If the book doesn’t fit in the stocking, make a card with the e-book download number.
• It’s Raining Cats and Dogs Michael Barton
Understanding metaphors and idioms
My tip: E-books cost less and your child may prefer to use electronics to read. I like the permanence the paperback or hard cover. It gives the child a sense of ownership.
5. Table Topics To Go Cards
Available in several places including Amazon.com [22]
• What do you think $9
• Can you Imagine? $9
• Road Trip $9
•Conversation starters that encourage communication and social skills. The questions may be some that your tenor pre-teen haven’t though about. Their world is expanded.
• Each set has 40 cards.
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