Resources
Resources are essential when working and developing social communication and interaction skills and play a vital role in all the work I do with young people, teenagers and adults.
I adapt and use a variety of resources, so that every resource is specific to each person. I always ensure I use the person's special interest when possible, so that I can help captivate their interest when learning key skills.
Games play a vital role in so much of the work I do. All games are made by myself, with the help of my daughter and sons who openly talk about their own difficulties and struggles with ASD, ADHD, and OCD. Over the years they have given me a unique insight into the lives of people affected by ASD & ADHD, especially as they have grown into young adults and faced numerous challenges along the way, but also had some incredible positive achievements. All the games are unique and fun but all have a relevant teaching and learning theme, whilst using interests and motivators which capture people’s attention over and over again.
Some of the resources I use are specifically designed worksheets which help teach essential social skills related to anxiety, anger, emotional regulation, communication, conversational skills, empathy and idioms. These are very colourful resource sheets, which appeal to everyone and can frequently be used in conjunction with many of my own adapted social skills games.
The resources I use cover numerous areas of difficulty and are aimed to help people learn ways of developing strategies and skills to cope in a variety of situations. I use these resources within 1:1 work. Some of the resources I use are based on the following areas. Please note this is not a comprehensive list, just some examples:
- Emotional regulation
- Conversational skills
- Non-verbal body language
- Managing anxiety
- Empathy
- Friendships
- Understanding my Thoughts/ Intrusive thoughts
- Different ways of thinking and managing emotions
- Shoebox strategies Kit....Make my own survival code
I also use visual aids when required. Here are some quotes from some of the people who have benefited from visual aids:
‘Words are scrambled letters mixed around in my head, said in different tones.’
‘Pictures make sense of the words you use’
‘Words are letters, some loud some quiet. They come from faces which can look funny or scary. Pictures make no noise, they just tell me what I need to hear.’
