Positively Autism March 2013 Newsletter

Articles/Resources

March/April Newsletter Topic: Autism and Spirituality - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/marchapril-newsletter-topic-autism-and.html

Worshiping With a Child With Special Needs - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/worshiping-with-child-with-special-needs.html

Autism and Spirituality: Q and A with William Stillman - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autism-and-spirituality-q-and-with.html

Autism and Your Church: Nurturing the Spiritual Growth of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autism-and-your-church-nurturing.html

Autism Sunday: International Day of Prayer for Autism and Asperger's Syndrome - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autism-sunday-international-day-of.html

Autism and the God Connection - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autism-and-god-connection.html

Autism & Alleluias - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autism-alleluias.html

Autism's Hidden Blessings: Discovering God's Promises for Autistic Children & Their Families - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/autisms-hidden-blessings-discovering.html


News

March Positive Autism News - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-positive-autism-news.html


Free Downloads

"When Mom Is On The Phone" Social Skill Story - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-free-download-when-mom-is-on-phone.html

Teaching with Trains! - http://positively-autism.blogspot.com/2013/03/teaching-with-trains.html

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Teaching with Trains!

Many students with autism love trains, and I have used this interest as a teaching tool for many of my students. When I use trains, my students are often more interested in learning, pay better attention, and have more fun learning. Positively Autism has many free educational activities that have a train theme. My students love them, and I bet yours will too!

Travis the Train Learns Colors: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/Colors_StoryTrain.pdf

Travis the Train Delivers Shapes: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/Shapes_StoryTrain.pdf

Train Theme Alphabet Assessment: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/LetterAssessment.pdf

Train Track Tracing Activity: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/Tracing_Train.pdf

Train Reading Flashcard Activity Ideas: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainReadingFlashcardFun.pdf

"Travis the Train" Skip Count Worksheets
Count by 2s: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainSkipCount2.pdf
Count by 5s: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainSkipCount5.pdf
Count by 10s: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainSkipCount10.pdf

Train Phonics:
"an" Family Words: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainPhonics_an.pdf
"at" Family Words: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainPhonics_at.pdf
"ug" Family Words: http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/TrainPhonics_ug.pdf

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New Free Download: "When Mom Is On The Phone" Social Skill Story

A story that lets a child know why it is important to be quiet while mom is on the phone, and suggests some quiet activities to do during that time.

http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/Story_MomOnPhone.pdf

For more Social Stories, check out these great resources:

The New Social Story Book, Revised and Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition: Over 150 Social Stories that Teach Everyday Social Skills to Children with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome, and their Peers

The Social Skills Picture Book Teaching: Play, Emotion, and Communication to Children with Autism

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March Positive Autism News

'Autism Doesn't Hold Me Back. I'm Moving Up the Career Ladder'
Driven New Generation of People with the Condition are Showing Employers There Is No Limit to What They Can Do
March 8, 2013
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/mar/08/autism-career-ladder-workplace

John Elder Robison's New Book Takes a Fresh Look at Autism
March 19, 2013
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/199055231.html?refer=y

Theater Review: 'On The Spectrum' At The Fountain Theatre
March 25, 2013
http://www.neontommy.com/news/2013/03/theater-review-spectrum-fountain-theatre

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Autism's Hidden Blessings: Discovering God's Promises for Autistic Children & Their Families

Autism's Hidden Blessings: Discovering God's Promises for Autistic Children & Their Families

Book Description (From the Publisher)
Publication Date: March 9, 2009

God has a unique and magnificent purpose for every child-a purpose that is no less important for special-needs children. Through the story of her own ongoing struggles and victories raising her autistic son, Kelly Langston brings to light God's promises for exceptional kids and highlights covenants that assure special-needs parents of their children's potential and beauty.

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Autism & Alleluias

Autism & Alleluias

Book Description
Publication Date: February 15, 2010

In the past two or three years, autism has garnered stories in TIME, Newsweek, and USA Today. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures, 1 in 150 American children have autism, and the numbers are growing daily (an increase of 13% over the past ten years). Difficult behaviors, a myriad of specialists, problems with schools, special diets this developmental disability turns a family's world upside-down. What is the role that faith plays in helping families cope? Is it possible to sing alleluia in the midst of a very real adversity? In this series of slice-of-life vignettes, God's grace glimmers through the shadows as Joel, an intellectually challenged teen with autism, teaches those who love him that walking the labyrinth of life requires childlike faith, humility, trust, compassion, forgiveness, and an attitude of openness to all of God s gifts.



Please note that the statistics reflect the time in which the book description was written, which is a few years ago.

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Autism and the God Connection

Autism and the God Connection

by William Stillman

Book Description (from the publisher, 2006):

"Everyone who seeks a more compassionate and wise life will benefit from this wonderful, insightful, and beautiful book. It is a very short step from understanding autism and the God connection to understanding you and the God Connection." --Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul and The Dancing Wu Li Master

"Autism and the God Connection is a compelling, powerful and thought-provoking book. Mr. Stillman describes the discoveries that unfold from conversations that he has with people that have a difficult time with conventional communication. He is able to see, feel and hear people from different perspectives." --Nicki Fischer, executive director, publisher and editor, The Autism Perspective Magazine

Autism impacts one out of every 166 children--ten times higher than just ten years ago. Despite the international scrambling of scientists to provide an explanation, there remains no single known cause for the rise in autism.

Autism and the God Connection views autism through a spiritual prism, unlocking its hidden meaning. Through countless interviews William Stillman documents extraordinary examples of spiritual giftedness.

Autism and the God Connection boldly challenges our traditionally held beliefs about people with disabilities. Readers looking for hope, inspiration and a deeper understanding of their loved ones will appreciate the affirming anecdotes of ordinary families.

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