Activity Schedules for Children With Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior (Topics in Autism) (Paperback)

by Lynn E. McClannahan; Patricia J. Krantz (Author) "Tim, Jordan, and Kris strike a familiar chord for many of us..." (more)
Key Phrases: Time Date, Potato Head, Princeton Child Development Institute (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Aarons and Gittens are London speech therapists who have taught autistic children for 25 years. Their book is a thorough introduction to autism, covering diagnosis, assessments, history, prognosis, and methods of education. Still, while the background and history are helpful, the intended readership is British. Sections on educational alternatives, British sign language, British education acts, and therapy options in Britain will be of little use to U.S. readers, who need immediate, close-at-hand help. Temple Grandin's Thinking in Pictures (LJ 1/96) and Emergence might be better choices. The McClannahan/Krantz book covers one method of helping autistic children learn: using activity schedules. These schedules teach autistic youngsters to follow words, pictures, or other nonverbal prompts to complete all varieties of tasks. Autistic children, often seen as antisocial, can benefit from a self-motivated plan to complete jobs at home, enjoy leisure time, or simply perform the daily activities of dressing and preparing for school. The book details how to set up activities, relate prompts to action, and follow through so that autistic children can become independent of verbal commands that parents or teachers might give. Illustrated with charts, photos of children, and examples of visual prompts; for larger public libraries.ALinda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Very generously, the authors share their considerable expertise with parents and teachers of children with autism. In this concise and practical work, the authors clearly demonstrate how activity schedules can be used to bring children greater independence, choice, and social awareness in the course of their daily lives."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 117 pages
• Publisher: Woodbine House; 1 edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093314993X
• ISBN-13: 978-0933149939
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,239 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing for high functioning verbal kids, March 5, 2000

By A Customer

Though my youngster could talk, he rarely spoke spontaneously. This book helped enormously in getting my youngster to begin using all kinds of speech...he now comments on his work, invites me to play with him, tells me what he is going to do...its amazing! The structure of the activity schedule facilitated all of this new spontaneous speech. Its hard work but well worth the effort

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference for parents, concise, clear, readable., February 9, 1999

By A Customer

Activity schedules are very useful. They helped our three-year old son (with PDD) talk more appropriately, make choices, become more independent and self-disciplined, engage in less stereotypy, and be meaningfully occupied when he is at home. They are a great complement to a formal behavioral intervention program. The book is great because it explains clearly how to develop them, how to teach them, what to do and what not to do, in plain english. The authors avoided technical jargon without sacrificing the high scientific standards they are respected for. You can use what you have read immediately. A must read, not only for parents of children with autism or PDD, but for special education teachers, therapists and other autism professionals.

61 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Activity Schedules for Children with Autsim, May 21, 2000

By A Customer

This book is a "must have" for parents and professionals who work with children with autism. Activity schedules not only enable autistic children to independently play, but also to independently engage in self-care,school, and prevocational tasks. This book describes the prerequisite skills children must have to use activity schedules, methods for teaching these skills, and provides step by step instruction on teaching the use of activity schedules. Examples of how people of various ages use activity schedules to structure play, school, and work tasks are included.