Imitation of a peer is what your autistic learners will focus on today. You'll prompt them to imitate a selected peer, either their actions, emotions, or facial expressions. This is done through repetitive trails and positive...

Finish your unit on Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation with a two-part written assessment. As ninth graders refer to their notes, annotations, and discussion guides from the first part of the unit, they prepare for a writing prompt...

Teach the skills, phrases, and responses necessary to help another person. Your autistic learner will practice specific phrases and responses in simulated situations where an adult or peer needs assistance. The exercise includes helpful...

Get creative as you teach a lesson on positive peer and social interactions. Discuss good social interactions through a scenario, brainstorm a positive response to the scenario, then creat a comic book superhero that exemplifies the...

Autism isn't an illness or a disability. In the first chapter of Animals in Translation, we learn about Temple Grandin's unique ability to understand animals through her experience with autism. Having read pages four through eight for...

Explore communication techniques by using the latest video technology.  For this special education lesson, students create a video discussing their own social goals for the future.  Students utilize Flip Video cameras to...

I really like this activity. Learners with special needs play a stoplight game to practice giving and responding to the need for personal space. Each child is given a green light and red light card, when you say, "Go" they walk around...

Team sports are quite social; they involve following rules, playing cooperatively, communication, taking turns, and interpersonal relations. Introduce your special education class to the all-American sport of baseball. They learn about...

Students play Wheel of Fortune. In this Wheel of Fortune lesson, students with disabilities play an online version of the game to earn rewards and small prizes. Students must solve math problems correctly in order to win. 

Students examine language arts by completing a group activity. In this writing styles lesson, students define and discuss the differences between collaborative writing and traditional writing while answering questions in a Smart Board...