This week I had the honor of interviewing special education teacher Dawn Ellis for the podcast.  Dawn shares her expertise in the area of adapting curriculum to meet the needs of all children.  Specifically, we talked about using adapted books for science and social studies.  You know how much I love adapted books, so this was such a fun interview.  

• Cultivating Exception Minds Website

• Be The Exception Podcast

• Cultivating Exceptional Minds on Instagram

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

In this episode, I shared information about the 2023 Summer PD Series.  This series provides professional development trainings and resources to get you ready for the upcoming school year!  Here are the links you need:

• Summer PD Series

• July 6, 2023 FB Live

• File Folder Challenge

• Autism Classroom Guide

• Kickstart Back To School Bootcamp 2023

• Adapted Book Guide

• Adapted Book Challenge

• 4 Shifts We Need To Make:  Autism In The Schools Masterclass

• Toilet Train With Compassion Mini-Course

• Toilet Training Guide

• Autism Little Learners Membership Opens

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

In episode 24, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rachel Madel M.A.,CCC-SLP.  Rachel is an LA-based speech-language pathologist dedicated to coaching parents and professionals on incorporating technology to best support speech and language development. Rachel presents both nationally and abroad on the use of augmentative alternative communication (AAC) for children with complex communication needs and coaches clinicians, teachers, and parents on integrating technology in classrooms and at home to support

communication. She co-hosts a weekly podcast called “Talking With Tech” and creates educational resources, therapy materials, and training videos to help support parents and professionals.

In this episode, Rachel Madel and I talk about:

• The definition of AAC 

• Modeling without expectation

• Presuming competence

• Why kids don’t have to “prove they are ready” for AAC

• Different types of AAC

• How to get “buy-in” with AAC

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Rachel’s Free Resource Library

• AAC Ally Course

• Talking With Tech Podcast

• Rachel’s Instagram

• Rachel’s Website

• Rachel’s TikTok

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

In This Episode You Will Learn 5 Ways To Create A Smother Transition To Kindergarten For Your Autistic Child:

• Visit the school’s playground over the summer

• Put together a social story

• Create an “All About Me” document

• Practice adaptive skills

• Meet the teacher and visit the classroom

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Reinforcement Inventory

• Social Story Library

• Going To Kindergarten Social Story

• All About Me Template

• Free Sleep Article From Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine

• Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine - Learn More & Subscribe

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

In this episode,  I’m sharing 10 children’s books that promote self-regulation and support autistic children. So, if you're a parent, educator, or simply someone interested in this topic, you're in for a treat! We'll be discussing some amazing books that will be perfect to add to your home or school library. 

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• 10 children’s books about self-regulation and sensory differences

• Where to learn more about self-regulation

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Sensory Children’s Books Amazon List

• A Day With No Words Children’s Book by Tiffany Hammond

• Self-Regulation Blog Posts

• My Favorite Noise Cancelling Headphones For Kids

• Free Calming Corner Challenge

• Sensory-related Mini-Training Replays On YouTube

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

In today’s Q&A podcast episode, I answered questions from listeners about toilet training young autistic children.  

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• What to do if your child or student uses the bathroom at home, but not at school or in public

• Readiness signs for potty training

• Where to start first with toilet training

• Helping children communicate the need to use the bathroom

• How interoception affects toilet training

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Toilet Training Toolkit Guide

• Toileting Sequence Visual Support

• Interoception Video

• Toilet Training Amazon Recommendations

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

We are on the last episode in this 3 part series on potty training autistic children with compassion.  Today, I’ll be sharing 12 additional tips and tricks that have worked for me and the parents I have supported over the last 2 decades.  Be sure to listen in because one of these tips might just be the one you needed to get over the potty training hump.  

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• 12 tips and tricks for potty training autistic children

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Toilet Training Toolkit Guide

• Potty Time App

• Toilet Training Amazon Recommendations

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

What skills do I even start with as I’m potty training my autistic child or student?  Which strategies will help me best support the child as I begin to teach these skills?  Today we will be talking about which skills you can start with and the types of visual and sensory supports can help you potty train with compassion.  You will also learn where to get the brand new free Toilet Training Guide from Autism Little Learners.  Be sure to listen to episode 18, which was part one of this 3 part series on toilet training.  In that episode we talked about how interoception differences and language delays can make potty training more difficult for young autistic children.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• Where to start with potty training your autistic child or student

• What types of visual supports are helpful

• Which sensory aspects you need to think about

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:

• Toilet Training Toolkit Guide

• Toilet Training Blog

• Mini-Training Replay On Visual Supports For Potty Training

• Video Modeling Blog

• Mini-Training Replay On Video Modeling

• Noise Reducing Headphones

• My Favorite Weighted Lap Pad

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!

One of the biggest skills parents of my students want to work on is potty training, and rightly so.  This skill is huge when it comes to independence! But, many times, ditching those diapers and pull-ups takes a lot more time than with neurotypical children.  Why is that? That’s what we are chatting about it inside this episode of the Autism Little Learners Podcast!

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• Why potty training is delayed for many autistic children

• What the term “interoception” means

• How language delays affect potty training

• Tips to help set the stage for toilet training

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:: 

• Toilet Training Blog Posts

• Potty Journey Book

• Ready Set Potty Book

• Interoception - How I Feel Book

• The Pocket OT Facebook Page

• Autism Potty Training Amazon Recommendations

• Free Visual Sequence For Toileting

• El Potty Nurse Travel Potty Seat

Register for the new mini-course, "Autism:  Potty Train With Compassion" by clicking here.

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes on the first Tuesday of each month.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show.

In this episode, I’m talking about all things TpT Sitewide sales.  Teachers Pay Teachers sitewide sales are a great opportunity to save money on educational resources. By planning ahead, signing up for email notifications, following your favorite sellers, taking advantage of bundle deals, leaving feedback, using free resources, and checking the sale dates and times, you can maximize your savings and get the resources you need for your classroom or home.  

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

• What a TpT sitewide sale is

• How to take full advantage of the sale

• How to write a review to earn $$ toward future TpT purchases

Links Related To This Week’s Episode:: 

• Follow Autism Little Learners TpT Store

• How To Leave a Review Blog Post

You may also be interested in these supports:

• Visual Support Starter Set 

• Visual Supports Facebook Group

• Autism Little Learners on Instagram

• Autism Little Learners on Facebook

Submit a question for the Q&A episodes on the first Tuesday of each month.  Ask me anything and tune in to see if your question is featured on the show!