Best Autism Classroom Resources Podcasts (2024)

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223. How to Prep for the New Year By the Pool [Getting Ready for BTS] 19:32

2d ago19:32

19:32

July’s here! It’s an interesting month for us teachers. Everyone tends to slow down this time of year, go on vacation, and relax and chill. But those of us in the teaching world take some time out of our summer to gear up for the new school year. So, to move you forward in that direction, I want to give you some idea of materials I’d prioritize as …

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222. What Is an Independent Work System Really? [Listener Favorite] 16:23

9d ago16:23

16:23

If you follow me on social media, you can probably tell that I love independent work systems! Social media has made sharing tasks among each other much easier compared to the days before the arrival of Pinterest and Instagram. But it also means you have access to tons of misinformation, and there's a lot of it out there when it comes to independent…

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221. Teaching Implementation Plan: An Easy Road Map for Your Classroom IEP [Listener Favorite] 13:51

16d ago13:51

13:51

So far, I’ve spent the last few episodes talking about creating a collaborative IEP. So now that that’s done, you have to actually implement the IEP. Start thinking about how to organize your learning environment and incorporate the IEPs for all of your students to meet their individual needs. It takes a well-structured, well-organized classroom de…

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220. Choosing and Developing Effective Special Education Teaching Materials for Learners With Autism [Listener Favorite] 7:32

23d ago7:32

7:32

Creating effective special education teaching materials is more important than you may think, especially for our learners with autism. Students with autism oftentimes focus on details of pictures or learning materials that you may not even notice. Being aware and intentional of the teaching materials you are using is so important in helping them le…

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219. Getting Started With Challenging Behavior in the Classroom [Listener Favorite] 20:31

1M ago20:31

20:31

In this episode, I'm talking about the basic principles of behavior. These principles may be a review for some, but I think even behavior pros will find at least a kernel that they can use to help their team understand how behavior works (and how it doesn't). Sometimes it's unfathomable to those of us who do this all the time why others in the clas…

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218. 3 Data Collection Procedures You Need for Extended School Year Decisions 11:24

1M ago11:24

11:24

When we are considering Extended School Year (ESY) services for our students, collecting and reviewing data is crucial. There are many state and federal regulations about who qualifies for ESY, and data is a key component in determining who needs this additional support and if it's beneficial for the students receiving the services. Whether you hav…

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217. Preparing Students With ASD for College: Interview With Dr. Marc Ellison From the West Virginia Autism Training Center 29:54

2M ago29:54

29:54

For many of our students, high school graduation is not the end of their educational journey. We certainly have a lot more students who are recognized with autism now who are academically able to go on to secondary education. But how can we begin to help our students prepare for college, and what skills should we focus on? Today, our guest, Dr. Mar…

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ATFAQ191 – Q1. New Outlook app w/ Jaws, Q2. Classroom AT, Q3. AT for Elementary Math, Q4. Mounting device to wheelchair, Q5. Wildcard: top 4 tech considerations for college student 43:51

2M ago43:51

43:51

Panelists: Brian Norton, Josh Anderson, Belva Smith ATFAQ191 – Q1. New Outlook app w/ Jaws, Q2. Classroom AT, Q3. AT for Elementary Math, Q4. Mounting device to wheelchair, Q5. Wildcard: top 4 tech considerations for college student. The post ATFAQ191 – Q1. New Outlook app w/ Jaws, Q2. Classroom AT, Q3. AT for Elementary Math, Q4. Mounting device t…

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216. Writing IEP Goals: 5 Things You Need to Ask 17:08

2M ago17:08

17:08

There are many things that we need to think about when writing IEP goals. We need to look at the present level of performance, curriculum goals, and parent input. However, there are other things we should consider when we write IEP goals, regardless of when we write them during the school year. When considering what a student’s goals should be, the…

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215. Discovering the Hidden Curriculum Meaning With Dr. Brenda Myles 32:59

2M ago32:59

32:59

There are many unspoken rules and expectations that neurotypical individuals pick up on and learn in their everyday lives. But for some people, understanding these unspoken norms of behavior and social interactions can be difficult. That is why it is incredibly important, especially as special education teachers, that we understand what the hidden …

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214. Building Solid Teacher Parent Relationships: From the Parent Perspective With Kelley Coleman 58:22

2M ago58:22

58:22

As special education teachers, we know how important it is to have solid teacher-parent relationships. Strong teacher-parent relationships help us best serve our students by creating a collaborative team approach that helps create a supportive environment for the students both at home and at school. But understanding how we as educators can develop…

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213. The Impact of Students’ Behavior: What Every Paraprofessional (And Professional) Needs to Know (From SEA) 12:21

2M ago12:21

12:21

Behavior is not a one-way street. There is an interconnectedness between student behavior and teacher behavior, which we can sometimes miss. It is so important that we recognize the impact special education teachers and special education paraprofessionals have on student behaviors to avoid any unintentional reinforcement of challenging behaviors. I…

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212. 3 Ways You Can Address Behavior With a Sensory Function 15:05

3M ago15:05

15:05

When a student’s challenging behavior is a result of a sensory function, knowing how to address it can be difficult. We want to help our students cope with sensory experiences in an effective and safe way so that their needs are met and they are not harming themselves or others. Whether students are looking to escape a situation that is causing the…

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211. Are You Asking the Wrong Question About Sensory Seeking Behavior? 18:27

3M ago18:27

18:27

There are many myths about behavior that impact the way we talk about and approach challenging behaviors. Many people look to answer whether a student’s challenging behavior is sensory seeking behavior or intentional behavior but there are several issues with focusing solely on that question when it comes to challenging behavior. As special educato…

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210. Teaching Appropriate Attention-Seeking & Waiting to Replace Challenging Behaviors 19:17

3M ago19:17

19:17

Attention-seeking behavior is a common challenge in classrooms, and addressing it effectively is crucial for the overall learning environment. One possible reason for this attention-seeking behavior is that some of our students do not yet have the effective communication to gain attention in a more appropriate way. For these students, we need to ex…

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209. But We Attend to Them All the Time: Effective Replacement Behaviors for Attention-Seeking 21:14

3M ago21:14

21:14

All attention is not equal. We have likely all worked with students who engage in behavior just to get attention, whether it be positive or negative. Even when students are getting what we feel is a lot of attention, they may still engage in attention-seeking behavior because the attention they receive is on our terms, not theirs. Students often re…

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ATFAQ190 – Q1. Spanish Braille File, Q2. Weather Radios, Q3. Color Identification, Q4. Audio Book Player, Q5. Wildcard: Travel tips for persons with disabilities 45:07

3M ago45:07

45:07

Panelists: Brian Norton, Belva Smith, Josh Anderson ATFAQ190 – Q1. Spanish Braille File, Q2. Weather Radios, Q3. Color Identification, Q4. Audio Book Player, Q5. Wildcard: Travel tips for persons with disabilities —– Transcript Starts Here —– Speaker 1: I have a question. Speaker 2: Huh? Speaker 1: Like what? Speaker 2: I’ve always wondered… Speake…

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208. Strategies for Behavior: When They Can’t Have What They Want 16:13

4M ago16:13

16:13

What do you do when a student asks for something that they cannot have? Oftentimes, when our students request something and they are unable to have it, it can lead to behaviors. There are strategies for behavior we can utilize that can help our students learn that sometimes they cannot have what they ask for. When we are looking at strategies for b…

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207. Replacement Behavior Strategies: Defining a Break to Make It Effective 18:08

4M ago18:08

18:08

Asking for a break is a great replacement behavior for students trying to escape a certain situation. However, not all breaks are going to be effective for every student. Truly understanding the function of a student's behavior and what they are trying to escape from is key to understanding what an effective break would be for that student. When lo…

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206. Teaching Replacement Behavior for Escape Behaviors 29:56

4M ago29:56

29:56

Finding replacement behaviors for escape-related behaviors can be a challenge. Oftentimes, when we come across a student struggling with a work, social, or other situation in the classroom and are avoiding it, figuring out how to help them may seem difficult. However, there are some ways we can help students learn replacement behaviors for these si…

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ATFAQ189 Q1. Devices for Combatting Social Isolation, Q2. Headsets for Student with Autism, Q3. Apple Vision Pro Accessibility Features, Q4. Gaming for persons with Low Vision, Q5. Wildcard: What is your ... 46:19

4M ago46:19

46:19

Panelists: Brian Norton, Josh Anderson, Belva Smith ATFAQ189 Q1. Devices for Combatting Social Isolation, Q2. Headsets for Student with Autism, Q3. Apple Vision Pro Accessibility Features, Q4. Gaming for persons with Low Vision, Q5. Wildcard: What is your Prediction for the AppleVision Pro The post ATFAQ189 Q1. Devices for Combatting Social Isolati…

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205. What if Your Student Runs Out of Independent Work Time? 18:32

4M ago18:32

18:32

What happens when we have independent work systems set up for our students, but they aren’t completing them in the allotted independent work time? The whole point of independent work systems is for students to get their work done independently and in a certain amount of time so they can do the thing they want to do. But we all know that that is not…

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204. Teaching Students to Work Independently: 5 Ways to Stretch Their Skills 13:25

5M ago13:25

13:25

How do we advance independent work systems once our students know how to complete it on their own? The goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. In order to help our students learn to work independently, it is crucial that we know how to adjust the work system when necessary to bump up the level of independence needed…

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203. 5 Strategies You Need to Know to Teach Students How to Work Independently 17:26

5M ago17:26

17:26

We know the goal of independent work systems is to help students build independence. Both the way these work systems are set up and the strategies we use within them are key to helping our students build independence. It is important that we use effective, evidence-based practices within these independent work systems. When teaching students how to…

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202. 5 Must Haves for Task Box Activities to Teach Independence 17:21

5M ago17:21

17:21

Task box activities are great for practicing independence and maintaining previously mastered skills. But how can we ensure our task boxes are set up to teach independence effectively? Not all task box activities are created equally - some might be great activities but would not work well in an independent work system. There are 5 key characteristi…

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201. How to Start an Independent Task Box Work System 22:12

5M ago22:12

22:12

Setting up independent task box work systems can seem overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin or are unsure what systems to put in place to make them effective. However, once you have them implemented into your classroom, they can be incredibly beneficial for increasing independent work skills for your students. But how can you get started wi…

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200. Best of ACR Podcast 19:46

5M ago19:46

19:46

I cannot believe we are 200 episodes into the Autism Classroom Resources podcast. I am so grateful to each and every one of you for tuning in! We have covered so many topics in the first 200 episodes, from challenging behavior to visual schedules to addressing systemic racism in special education. I am so glad that you have been able to gain valuab…

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ATFAQ188 – Q1. Turn down TV Background Tracks, Q2. Emotional Regulation Apps, Q3. Mouse Options for Limited Dexterity, Q4. Google Extension for Staying focused Q5. Wildcard: Top 3 AT resources 38:54

5M ago38:54

38:54

ATFAQ188 – Q1. Turn down TV Background Tracks, Q2. Emotional Regulation Apps, Q3. Mouse Options for Limited Dexterity, Q4. Google Extension for Staying focused Q5. Wildcard: Top 3 AT resources Panelists: Brian Norton, Josh Anderson The post ATFAQ188 – Q1. Turn down TV Background Tracks, Q2. Emotional Regulation Apps, Q3. Mouse Options for Limited D…

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199. Let's Have the Hard Conversation About Parent Teacher Relationships 17:03

6M ago17:03

17:03

Parent-teacher relationships can be complicated and challenging on both sides. One of the most important things to keep in mind in order to have successful and respectful parent-teacher relationships is that judgment and blame are only going to do more harm than good and will not be beneficial to the student. That is why understanding different per…

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198. How to Start Building Independent Work Skills (For Students Who Aren’t Independent) 19:39

6M ago19:39

19:39

Independent work systems can be very helpful in helping students learn how to complete a series of tasks on their own, without assistance. However, some of our students may not be ready to work through a fully independent work system right away. We know that not all of our students come to us with independent work skills. So what can we do to help …

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197. What Is the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Why You Should Use It 18:51

6M ago18:51

18:51

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can be incredibly beneficial for helping our students with autism to communicate. Often, the term PECS is misused to talk about using pictures as a form of communication. However, PECS is actually a system that has specific phases that help in expanding the functions of our students' communication. W…

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196. From the Academy: Maintaining the Joy in Teaching 13:19

6M ago13:19

13:19

This year especially, I have noticed that many special educators are struggling to remember why we do this job. This is a challenging job as it is and adding in staffing shortages, increased work requirements, and additional factors can make it even harder. That is why I feel it is important to find ways to help us all find the joy in teaching agai…

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ATFAQ187: Q1. Difficulty with copy/past using Dragon, Q2. Devices for Dyslexia, Q3. Removing ice on wheelchair ramp, Q4. Trackball not working, Q5 Wildcard: Notable Tech advancement for 2023 39:09

7M ago39:09

39:09

ATFAQ187: Q1. Difficulty with copy/past using Dragon, Q2. Devices for Dyslexia, Q3. Removing ice on wheelchair ramp, Q4. Trackball not working, Q5 Wildcard: Notable Tech advancement for 2023 Panelists: Brian Norton, Josh Anderson —– Transcript Starts Here —– Speaker 1: I have a question. Speaker 2: Huh? Speaker 1: Like, what? Speaker 16: I’ve […] T…

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195. From the SEA: Coping Skills for Teachers - Why You Need to Take a Break 13:13

7M ago13:13

13:13

As most of us are entering winter break, it is the perfect time for a little teacher self-care reminder. We hear a lot about self-care and coping skills for teachers, but as teachers, we often think that if we take a break, we will fall behind. The truth is that taking breaks actually makes you a better special education teacher! In this episode, I…

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194. How We Can Effectively Use Social Stories Free Download 23:37

7M ago23:37

23:37

Social stories can be an incredible tool for helping students with autism, but there are elements to consider when writing social stories to make them the most effective they can be. They may not be effective for all students or for all skills and situations, but there is research supporting the effectiveness of social stories. In this episode, I a…

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193. Social Stories for Behavior - What the Research Says 19:33

7M ago19:33

19:33

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and chances are you are seeing more challenging behaviors than usual due to schedule changes and different events and activities. Luckily, there is a great tool that can be used to help students with all of these changes - social stories! You have likely used or been told to use social stories for behavior…

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192. What Is the Next Dollar Up Method and Why Use It? 12:24

7M ago12:24

12:24

Have you ever had a student who struggled to understand the value of money or how to transfer their money skills to real-life situations? Teaching a range of money skills and strategies that will help them be successful in real-life environments is so beneficial to our students. One strategy that is incredibly helpful for students to use in real-li…

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191. 3 Engaging Ways to Teach Real-Life Money Skills 12:34

8M ago12:34

12:34

Understanding money and how to use it is an important life skill for our students to learn, and providing explicit instruction on these skills is incredibly beneficial for our students. Being able to identify money, count it accurately, and use it effectively to make purchases are all valuable life skills. Whether your students need instruction in …

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ATFAQ186 – Q1. Elopement and Location Tracking, Q2. Programmable Smoke Detector, Q3. Adaptive Laser Pointer, Q4. Indoor wayfinding, Q5. Wildcard: Do we need to know how to use a computer these days? 56:58

8M ago56:58

56:58

Panelists: Brian Norton, Josh Anderson, Belva Smith ATFAQ186 – Q1. Elopement and Location Tracking, Q2. Programmable Smoke Detector, Q3. Adaptive Laser Pointer, Q4. Indoor wayfinding, Q5. Wildcard: Do we need to know how to use a computer? —————- Transcript Starts Here ——————- Speaker 1: I have a question. Speaker 2: Huh? Speaker 1: Like, what? […]…

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190. What Are Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder? 25:05

8M ago25:05

25:05

We've discussed that discrete trial teaching is incredibly beneficial for our students with autism, but naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions are also very impactful for teaching students with autism. NDBIs allow students to practice skills in their natural, everyday environment, allowing them to generalize skills while initially deve…

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189. What Is Discrete Trial Teaching: What You Need to Know 28:42

8M ago28:42

28:42

There are a lot of myths about discrete trial teaching, like when it is used and how it needs to be implemented. Discrete trial teaching is an evidence-based practice that allows a high level of repetition for students to practice a particular skill. They can be incredibly effective in helping students with autism learn new skills when they are use…

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188. What Are Learning to Learn Skills for Autism and Why Are They Important? 11:52

8M ago11:52

11:52

Many young children come to school already equipped with learning readiness skills or will easily pick them up in preschool or kindergarten. However, for our students with autism, these learning to learn skills may not happen as readily. Because our students often don't take cues from what others are doing around them, we must explicitly teach thes…

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187. 3 Simple Rules for Progress Monitoring: The Importance of Data Systems and Review in Instruction 10:53

9M ago10:53

10:53

Data is a key component of our teaching. When used correctly, data should guide our teaching in order to ensure that our students are getting the instruction, support, and practice they need to learn what we are teaching them. That means that we need to be smart about how we take data, analyze it, and make needed changes to our instruction. By usin…

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186. Using Reinforcement Effectively in Instruction of Students With Autism 9:36

9M ago9:36

9:36

We know reinforcement can be incredibly effective for our students with autism when used correctly. But how can we ensure that we are using reinforcements in the best and most effective way possible? Not every student is going to have the same reinforcers, and not every skill for the student is going to have the reinforcers. To help you implement r…

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185. Errorless Teaching, Error Correction and Prompting in Instruction: Which Should You Use? 10:17

9M ago10:17

10:17

What are our choices when it comes to errors when working with our students? We know that there is no one approach that will work for all of our students with autism because each student is different. However, it may be helpful to have a default approach that we begin with and make adjustments as needed based on the student, their needs, and their …

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184. Effective Teaching Characteristics for Students with Autism: Giving Directions 10:45

9M ago10:45

10:45

As special educators, we understand the importance of clear and concise communication. For our students with autism, the way we deliver instructions can have a great impact on their ability to learn and understand the skills and concepts we are trying to teach them. Because of this, it is key that we deliver instruction in a way that is clear so th…

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183. Choosing and Developing Effective Special Education Teaching Materials for Learners with Autism 7:32

9M ago7:32

7:32

Creating effective special education teaching materials is more important than you may think, especially for our learners with autism. Students with autism oftentimes focus on details of pictures or learning materials that you may not even notice. Being aware and intentional of the teaching materials you are using is so important in helping them le…

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182. Creating the Sequence of Teaching Steps: Using and Tweaking the Task Analysis for Autism 8:17

10M ago8:17

8:17

Breaking down target skills into their component parts and teaching them systematically is so beneficial for our students. These task analyses for autism are used frequently in special ed, and there are different formats of them and different things to consider when choosing which task analysis format to use for a specific target skill. Teaching in…

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181. Choosing Instructional Target Skills and Learning Objectives in the Teaching Program 9:00

10M ago9:00

9:00

Good instruction begins with assessment. It is so important to know what your students can and cannot do in order to determine what it is you actually need to teach them. When we are choosing learning objectives and target skills, we want to be sure we are not just pulling goals from the IEP. When determining what the target skills will be, it is i…

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180. 7 Things to Get Right for Effective Instruction with Any Type of Autism Intervention Strategies 13:47

10M ago13:47

13:47

Good instruction is good instruction. Whether you are using Discrete Trials, Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention, or something else, there are key elements to making your instruction effective. Tweaking these key elements to fit your students is what makes autism intervention strategies effective. There are noticeable differences in …

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