Stages Connect
Jenna Wharff
ContributorEd.M.
Jenna is a Connect contributor writing on autism education and special-education practice.
Articles by Jenna
ARIS & Curriculum 12 Popular Games Adapted for Children with Autism
This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #73, Playing Games with an Adult. Download a...
Jenna Wharff
Jun 26, 2019 · 14 min read
Classroom Strategies World Autism Awareness Day 2019: A Look Back and a Look Forward
Tracing the journey of improved diagnoses, treatment and educational outcomes for children with autism April 2, 2019 marks the twelfth annual observation of World Autism Awareness Day. As...
Jenna Wharff
Apr 1, 2019 · 6 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Receptive Labeling Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: By touching or pointing to the appropriate card, students show that they recognize the word and can identify the corresponding picture. This activity can be prefaced by the...
Jenna Wharff
Jul 30, 2015 · 4 min read
Language & Communication Expressive Labeling Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: Students will practice expressive language skills by verbally identifying a picture on a card. Skills practiced include expressive language, picture identification and photo...
Jenna Wharff
Jun 30, 2015 · 2 min read
Life Skills & Transitions Talking about Puberty with Children with Autism
All bodies go through puberty, regardless of the developmental "age" of a child or the level of their cognitive or academic skills. It can be startling for parents to see their child with an autism...
Jenna Wharff
Jun 30, 2015 · 11 min read
Classroom Strategies Teaching Stranger Safety to Kids with Autism
Teaching young children about safety around strangers is nothing new. In fact, most adults can remember their own parents and teachers talking to them about the dangers of “taking candy from a...
Jenna Wharff
May 30, 2015 · 10 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Picture ID Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: Students will learn picture identification based on word association. Skills practiced include receptive language and photo discrimination. In a hurry? Download a print-friendly...
Jenna Wharff
May 30, 2015 · 1 min read
Classroom Strategies 3 Ways to Build Skills for Transition Now!
Planning for a young adult with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other special needs to transition from special education to adult services can be overwhelming for children and their parents alike!...
Jenna Wharff
Apr 27, 2015 · 11 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Guess Who Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: Students increase their understanding of jobs, tools used for certain jobs and identify features of particular workers by guessing which occupation the teacher is describing. In...
Jenna Wharff
Apr 22, 2015 · 3 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Grief and Loss: Helping Children with Autism Cope
Coping with the death of a loved one is difficult for everyone. The idea of death can be particularly scary for kids, and the thought of not being able to see or talk to a loved one again may be...
Jenna Wharff
Mar 25, 2015 · 5 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Identical Matching Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: This lesson plan teaches fine motor and receptive language skills in order to have students match identical pictures of familiar objects. In a Hurry? Download a print-friendly...
Jenna Wharff
Mar 18, 2015 · 4 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Functions Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: This lesson plan practices sentence building, picture identification and vocabulary development. Students look at pictures of objects and describe the function of each item. In a...
Jenna Wharff
Mar 16, 2015 · 2 min read
About Autism Autism is on the Rise
Autism – you see it on the news and hear about it from advocacy campaigns and you likely know someone whose life is affected by someone with the diagnosis. Undoubtedly, there are students with autism...
Jenna Wharff
Feb 18, 2015 · 4 min read
ARIS & Curriculum Language Builder from Stages App Updates!
The Language Builder from Stages app was released earlier this year to high praise from long-time Stages Learning Materials customers who were looking for a digital companion to the paper flash...
Jenna Wharff
Dec 7, 2014 · 3 min read
ARIS & Curriculum "I Need Help" Lesson Plan
Lesson Overview: This lesson plan reinforces the idea that sometimes, you just need a little help! Students use their problem-solving skills to identify when they need help, then advocate...
Jenna Wharff
Oct 4, 2014 · 6 min read