Developing Motor and Social Skills

A wonderful new resource for special education teams serving students with ASD. Includes a multitude of fundamental and sequentially developmental physical/motor activities to get kids moving, promote health and well being, encourage social skills, and provides a foundation for success in attaining more advanced skills. Detailed instructions and illustrations support occupational and physical therapy team goals and make it easy for teachers, paraprofessionals, and families to help incorporate and reinforce repetition of movement and skill acquisition into the daily classroom and home routine. This is a terrific resource for all team members! -- Jan LaPrade, M.S., OTR/L, Occupational Therapist I always find that physical activity and movement are beneficial for students to increase engagement and ability to focus on an activity. This book helps identify and support why exercise and movement is so important and I appreciated reading the variety of options for how to integrate activities during the school day. -- Krystal Bilodeau, teacher, 2nd Grade Inclusion This is fantastic! I can't agree more that physical activity helps across the board for not just ASD kids, but everyone. I think it would be tremendous for educators to read this and understand the value and benefits better of gross motor movement and physical activity for these kids. How amazing if this was added into IEPs! -- Beth Koyce, parent A growing body of research shows that many children with autism spectrum have significant deficits in motor and physical fitness. This new resource provides practical, step-by-step information that can help both special education teachers and parents create and implement motor and fitness programs specifically geared to the unique learning needs of children with ASD. Readers will particular benefit from chapters explaining the use of visual supports, modeling and other unique teaching methods as well as detailed information on organizing a motor program. -- Martin E. Block, PhD, professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia