Acting Antics: A Theatrical Approach to Teaching Social Understanding to Kids and Teens with Asperger Syndrome [Paperback]

Cindy B. Schneider (Author), Tony Attwood (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1843108453 | ISBN-13: 978-1843108450 | Publication Date: January 30, 2007 | Edition: 1

This fun and inspiring step-by-step program provides the full set of tools for developing social understanding in children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) through drama. Cindy B. Schneider explains how the central processes in acting - including making and interpreting inferences from non-verbal cues, taking another's perspective, and formulating language - can be highly effective ways of addressing social cognition deficits in children with AS. "Acting Antics" contains a wide repertoire of activities and ideas for immediate application at home, in the classroom, in therapy workshops or social groups, ranging from initial warm up techniques, through paired activities, to larger group scenes and staging an show. Helpful appendices provide questionnaire forms to enable both the child and the program leader to assess and monitor the child's understanding of their roles, along with reproducible scripts and suitable scene designs. This complete, practical program provides a wealth of enjoyable educational ideas for parents, teachers, and therapists of children with Asperger Syndrome.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cindy B. Schneider has been a special education teacher for 20 years. She is currently Director of her own Acting Antics Theatre Company and Autism Consultant for Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania USA. She lives in Morgantown, PA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub; 1 edition (January 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843108453
• ISBN-13: 978-1843108450
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #182,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for teaching Social Skills, January 24, 2010

By 

C. Kellogg (Muskogee, OK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Acting Antics: A Theatrical Approach to Teaching Social Understanding to Kids and Teens with Asperger Syndrome (Kindle Edition)

I used some of the exercises in this book for my boys group, consisting of 1/2 kids on the Autism Spectrum and the other half are kid with ADHD and emotional difficulties. All of the boys loved the exercises. HOwever, I have two kids on the spectrum, who have been reluctant to participate in past activities, but after a few minutes of watching the other kids perform the skits, they begged to take part. It was so exciting to see their enthusiasm and willingness to participate. I can't wait to continue using this activities in the book for future sessions.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good beginning overview, August 9, 2008

By 

Sally D. Bailey (Manhattan, Kansas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Acting Antics: A Theatrical Approach to Teaching Social Understanding to Kids and Teens with Asperger Syndrome (Paperback)

Acting Antics is a good beginning overview of how drama can be used with students on the ASD spectrum. It is written in a very user-friendly manner so it will be accessible to anyone who is familiar with theatre, but not with ASD and accessible to anyone who is familiar with ASD, but not with teaching theatre. It's exciting to see that many people have started discovering how valuable drama is as a teaching tool for people who are on the autism spectrum!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource, September 16, 2010

By 

Mary "psychomom" (North Wales, PA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Acting Antics: A Theatrical Approach to Teaching Social Understanding to Kids and Teens with Asperger Syndrome (Paperback)

This book is well-written and easy to follow. It is a wonderfully creative way to work with kids on the spectrum who need help with nonverbal communication. I love the author's full descriptions of activities to use in group or in class. I have used several of these techniques in social skills therapy and the kids respond well to them.