Hope it's ok to post this here.

[fedup0f]

I have been offered the opportunity to work as a lunchtime assistant at a school for children with learning difficulties, but as I have limited experience I was wondering if anyone could give me any pointers for games etc to play so that the children can have a fun and enjoyable playtime. Thanks for your help in advance.

Each child is different. Is it in a mainstream school with individual children or a special school? If special, what type, moderate, severe, autism?

Hi thanks its a special school for children with severe learning difficulties, incl.autism, speech and language, behaviour difficulties.

I think then that you have to treat each child as an individual. Best bet will be to speak to the teacher and find out what each child likes and most importantly dislikes. Any dislikes can cause anxiety which can impact on behaviour. Be happy enough to run and chase one child and understand that another might just want to be on their own and given time to process what they have learnt in the morning or time to understand what is expected of them in the afternoon. Some might need games to help them eat and others will need supervising to make sure they dont eat too quickly. All types of behaviour is a form of communication.

I would appreciate someone who would try to help my DS to play with another child. He has ASD and wants to play with the other children but really doesn't know how. I would love a lunchtime supervisor to facilitate this. Also, my ASD boy won't eat unless prompted, so someone to keep an eye on that would be great. Good luck with your new post.

Please ensure the teachers introduce you personally to any kids you'll be working with. A poor smuck of 6 foot 4 on his first day was asked to work with my DS last year in the playground. It went like this:-

"Hi I'm X and I'd like to play a game with you"

"No thank you"

"C'mon let's play a game"

"Aaaaaah it's a bad man"

DS ran away screaming into an office an it took 2 hours to get him out from under the desk he'd hidden under, plus he refused to go anywhere near the man ever again as he was terrified.

Not a good first day for someone who was actually really lovely. A simple introduction from DS's class teacher or TA would have avoided the situation totally. Sometimes good manners have a genuine functional purpose!

Noone made the connection between the stranger danger social stories DS had been working on to cure his excessive trust and the new guy until the damage was done. It was so unfair to the new member of staff as well as my son.

Thanks so much for this I really appreciate it