Autism Education Trust Good Practice report

[Agnesdipesto]

here
Thought some of you might find this interesting, esp the emphasis on good practice being an autism specific curriculum not just Nat Curriculum.
All research comes from special schools and units though, not mainstream classes.

[moondog]

Thanks Agnes
Very useful.
I like the Core Principles of Good Practice (p. 34)

[sickofsocalledexperts]

Is this the AET which is ferociously anti-ABA, and which has led to all the LAs being ferociously anti ABA?

[moondog]

ABA is mentioned but not to any great extent. It is erroneously described as Applied Behavioural Analysis in the glossary. Nothing is though to be honest. It is a more general document.
The principles of good practice are useful thoguh.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

another wishy-washy TC-involved government document.

So what if they've researched what some schools have done and decided by their own made-up criteria to call it good practice?

Tell me. What has TC ever done? What research has he ever done beyond criticise other peoples?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Theme 8 bangs on about poor parents that are struggling at home and how teachers would like to be able to show them what to do.

complete failure to recognise that usually challenging behaviour at home is BECAUSE THEY have failed to listen to the parents.

[Agnesdipesto]

Star I know I see Sarah Teather is saying they will give free childcare to disadvantaged 2 year olds and particularly want to target children with SEN and disabilities. Because of course a mainstream childcare nursery who have never seen autism before is exactly the right place for a 2 year old child midway through a severe autistic regression - much better than at home with those pesky parents who sit up every night on the internet researching how they can help their child. When we finally got an early years teacher involved they rang the nursery who said 'he talks just fine' (failing to realise he had stopped directing speech at anyone) and the teacher took that as gospel and didn't bother visiting for another 2 months (by which time we had applied for SA and she visited only to get evidence to refuse it).

I can understand that some two year olds are better off in childcare than at home - but am not sure how this relates to SEN / disabilities because unless its a very obvious physical disability the truly crap parent won't have sussed their child is different / delayed by age 2. And why do they think that an 18 year old childcare worker can do a better job than the parents?

However as we are looking to disapply aspects of Nat Curric at DS school this report might come in handy for us if only because its the sort of report worshipped by those in power.

I don't know what TC does either - other than the conference circuit.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

It's a useful document for us too actually. It's still bollocks though.

[moondog]

Yes but never forget it often pays off to work with the dissenters, not against them.
Cherry pick the bits you like and flatter them.
Then they are more inclined to hear what you have to say.

Remember the basic principles of reinforcement.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

At home they get 1:1.

I suspect it is a way to ensure that parents with children with disabilities are given no excuse to claim they are unable to work, and also to ensure that by the time a SA application goes in, there is reams of evidence against it, as this is IMO where LA's currently get caught out. Toddlers, who;s parents are switched on, just have parental and medical evidence.

Thank feck I figured that out too and got a statement before education got their hands on him.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Basic principles of reinforcement - yes absolutely.

The autism specific curriculum recommendation, I believe, is the essential part of this.

[moondog]

I'm talking about reinforcing the folk at AET (whatever that is)

[StarlightMcKenzie]

But but but............they have a lot of learned big words that fool people into thinking they understand things which they don't and I don't think we can have high expectations of their improving their rigidity of thought.....

Bless em though, - they are just trying to fit in!