BEHAVIORS - MyHope

Peer Activity

The objective of this activity is to observe peer interactions and play during unstructured and structured (prompted) activities. We will use two different observation forms during this activity: one is the “Assessment of Play Skills” grid, and the other is the “Peer Activity” form. Part 1: Unstructured play (20 min.) Observe the target child during […]

Characteristics of Ideal Peer Partners

Consistent attendance Good social skills (e.g., spontaneously initiates positive interactions with peers; responds positively to initiations from peers) Good play skills (e.g., shows creative or imaginative play) Follows adult instructions consistently Attends to tasks for 10 minutes Good receptive and expressive language Willingness to participate (e.g., child is interested and parents give permission)

Communication – Resources

Bailey, D.B. & Wolery, M. (1989). Assessing Infants and Preschoolers with Handicaps. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Company. Linder, T. (1990). Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment: A Functional Approach to Working With Young Children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Inc. Quill, K.A. (Ed.) (1995). Teaching Children with Autism: Strategies to Enhance Communication and Socialization. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers. […]

Resource List for Parents and Teachers of Children with Developmental Disabilities: Life Skills

General Interventions for Home and at School The Syracuse Community-Referenced Curriculum Guide For Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities. By Alison Ford, Ph.D., Roberta Schnorr, M.S., Luanna Meyer, Ph.D., Linda Davern, M.S., (Syracuse University), Jim Black, M.S., and Patrick Dempsey (Syracuse City School District. Paul H. Brooks. (1989). A collaborative effort between clinicians and educators. […]

Autism: For Teachers – Play

Play is a wonderful aspect of every life, but can be especially important to a child with an autism spectrum disorder because of its positive impact on socialization skills. Learn how to use play as part of an effective teaching strategy here.

Resources for Families to Support Learning and Independence in School-Aged Children and Teens

Interactive Websites/Computer Resources Brainology. This is a software program designed for late elementary/middle school in particular, with the goal of improving metacognition (i.e., helping students to reflect on their own thoughts and attitudes) and developing motivation and resilience in the face of learning challenges. Brainology.comwww.brainology.us/educator/programDescription.aspxbrainology.com The interactive website may be particularly engaging for science-minded kids. […]

What is behavior?

Behavior is defined as the observable actions performed by an individual; it is what a child does and is usually expressed in verbs (e.g., runs, jumps, waits, requests). For our purposes, there are two kinds of behavior, positive and negative: By negative behavior, we mean those things that your child does that are potentially dangerous, […]

Autism: Family & Friends – Socialization

Socialization – the ability to connect with others – can be especially difficult for children with an autism spectrum disorder. These resources will enable you to help them as they reach out to begin building connections in their world.

Autism: Knowledge Center

Welcome to the Autism Knowledge Center, a collaboration between JFK Partners, University of Colorado (CU) School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, and WebPsychology. JFK Partners is an interdepartmental program combining the insights, research, and scholarship of the Pediatrics and Psychiatry departments of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. JFK Partners has been designated as […]

ASD Symptoms’ Impact on Student’s Educational Performance

How can behaviors associated with ASD impact a student’s educational performance? We suggest that the concept of “impact on a student’s educational performance” can be thought about by considering these 4 aspects of the public education experience which are highly valued in IDEA and other relevant legislation and policies: Health/Safety Some features of ASD pose […]

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities: Tools

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities A Lecture for NSP Special Topics Course NRSC 7670 OV1 (Course Director: K. Gardiner) February 5 & 7, 2013 Presented by Susan Hepburn, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Associate Professor Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics/JFK Partners/University of Colorado DEVELOPMENTAL/INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS (sequenced developmentally) 1. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) (Bricker […]

Thinking Developmentally About Signs of ASD

Autism is a developmental disorder, meaning that the child’s pattern of growth across areas of development is uneven, with different skills growing at different rates than each other. For example, you may observe a 2-year-old decoding words in books, but not speaking spontaneously. Some skills even seem to develop in a different sequence than in […]