Early Childhood Education

Emerging Trends in Autism and Early Intervention: Effective Strategies for Positive Outcomes

Insights from the 2025 International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities (CEC), Clearwater Beach, Florida

Early Interventions for the Neurodiverse: Insights from the BASA Conference

At the October 2024 Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) Conference in Ohio, district leaders came together to address a critical issue: ensuring equitable access to quality education for neurodiverse children.

Flexible Furniture in K-12 Schools: Recommendations for Supporting Neurodiverse and Autistic Students

Flexible furniture is increasingly seen as a critical tool in supporting the diverse needs of all students—including those who are autistic or neurodiverse. Research and expert advice underscore that the right classroom furniture can help optimize comfort, support sensory and mo

Optimizing K-12 Classrooms for Autistic Learners: 6 Design Strategies that Benefit All Students

The link between classroom design and learning outcomes is clear. In the past two decades much has been learned about ways to structure classrooms to reduce behavioral challenges and improve learning outcomes for students with autism. We now know that designing classrooms for au

5 Differentiated End-of-Year Activities to Keep Special Education Students Engaged

Adaptable for Multiple Developmental Levels & Learning Styles As the school year comes to a close, maintaining engagement in special education classrooms requires thoughtful planning. Students may be at varying developmental stages, with different learning profiles and support n

Social Skills Deficits: Bridging the Interaction Gap

This article is the third in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

Sensory Processing Issues: Navigating Overwhelming Environments

This article is the second in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

Strengthening the Student-Teacher Relationship as a Foundation for Positive Behavior

This article is the fifth in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors . . . and How to Help

Environmental Factors: Crafting Supportive Learning Spaces

This article is the fourth in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

Addressing Executive Functioning Challenges as a Root Cause of Disruptive Behaviors

This article is the final one in our series on Key Root Causes of Disruptive Classroom Behaviors and How to Help

The Efficacy of Universal Pre-K: The Role of Robust Curriculum in Early Childhood Education

Introduction Universal Pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) has emerged as a pivotal concept across the United States. You may have encountered various terms like Jr. Kinder, Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten (TK), and Kindergarten used in your geographic region. Regardless of the exact term

Cognitive Milestones in 4-Year-Olds

Watching early childhood development unfold is a captivating experience, each year brimming with new surprises and milestones. As children reach the age of four, their world becomes increasingly intricate, particularly in terms of cognitive development. This pivotal phase in a c

How Can I Get Funding for Homeschooling My Autistic Child?

The financial burden of homeschooling special needs or autistic children can be a significant challenge for many families. The cost of educational materials, extracurricular activities, field trips, and membership fees can add up quickly, even more so now with the rising costs o

Leveling Up the Power of Paraprofessionals

Just as a gymnast relies on a spotter, a tree draws strength from its roots, and a musical relies on its stage crew:

5 Considerations for Supporting Autistic Children and Special Needs in Early Education Programs

Recommended learning strategies for early childhood education and special education are sometimes in conflict. By focusing on students’ interests and curiosity, individual needs, realistic development goals, and skill levels educators can support the needs of all students in the

10 Easy Grants for Teachers for Their Autism Classrooms

...and a Quick Guide to Crowdfunding! Due to district funding problems, the pandemic, and rising student needs, teachers are often forced to fund their own classroom materials. According to the Education Week Research Center Survey, 95 percent of teachers report spending their o

Top 3 Strategies for Improving Social Interactions for Autistic Children

Many autistic individuals struggle with developing appropriate perspective-taking, self-awareness, and self-monitoring skills. They may also have difficulty modifying false beliefs about themselves and others. As a result, interventions supporting these areas can provide meaning

Integrated Play Groups and FloorTime

The Top Two Interventions for Improving Developmentally-Beneficial Play in Autistic Children While group play is an important component of child development, autistic children may not develop social interaction and play skills in the same way that their peers do. As a result, it

Supporting Play in Early Childhood: Specific Strategies for Autistic Children

Without a doubt, play is an essential foundation for a child’s development, especially throughout the early elementary years. Engaging in fun, enjoyable, and imaginary play is often a natural part of life for typically developing children; however, for autistic children, the acq

Understanding the Differences Between Receptive and Expressive Languages: Teaching Autistic Children

Understanding the differences between receptive and expressive language can be a difficult task. These words are often used interchangeably, which can be confusing to the learners. More importantly, teaching language skills without a clear understanding of these two language bui

How to Teach Zero to Autistic Children

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: ARIS® Academic Readiness Intervention System complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #175, Receptive Numbers 11+. Download a free copy of the lesson and learn more about ARIS here . Teaching concepts to autisti

Teaching Patterns to Autistic Students

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: ARIS® Academic Readiness Intervention System complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #165, Color Patterns, Lesson #166, Shape Patterns, and Lesson #167, Complex Patterns. Download a free copy of lesson 165, les

The Power of Positive Reinforcement for Teaching Autistic Children

Reinforcement or bribery: Is there a difference? Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator. For autistic children, the purpose of using positive reinforcement in the classroom or at home is to shape better behavior and to help them learn new skills and maintain these skills

6 Great Autistic Characters on Children's Media

6 Great Autistic Characters in Children's Shows Teaching Us All the Language of Acceptance, Diversity, and Inclusion In recent years we have been seeing more authentic representation of autistic characters across all kinds of media, including children’s programming. Here are 6 o

The 7 Benefits of Using Sensory Bins for Autistic Children

Has your family been introduced to sensory bins yet? They are all the rage at our house, and sometimes they keep us busy for hours! If you have not heard of sensory bins, or have not started using them yet, you may want to jump on the bandwagon, and I will tell you why!

How to Run a Special Needs Daycare

My path from teenage helper to “nanny share” to ABA therapist to opening my own Special Needs Daycare. Special needs daycares provide a wonderful way to provide specialized support for your autistic child. Whether you want to go down this path yourself as a career option or want

Strategies for Teaching Autistic Children Letters

Autistic children can experience delays and challenges in learning letters, letter recognition, and writing letters. Writing and reading are powerful communication skills. Before your child begins to learn to read or write, they must first learn to recognize and identify letters

10 Fun Activities Using Patterns to Teach Early Math Skills for Autistic Children

Red, Blue, Red, Blue: Using Patterns to Teach Early Math Skills Teaching autistic children various patterns is a key foundational skill that will support their later math development. The following activities utilize Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) strategies to provide an eng

Teaching Phonological Awareness and Decoding to Autistic Children

When children learn to read, they need to learn to make letter sounds and manipulate letter blends. For autistic children, developing this skill may be more difficult due to auditory processing difficulties and speech delays. Children must learn that words are made up of individ

10 Gross Motor Skills for Your Autistic Child

Gross Motor Skills 101 Ready, set, let’s go! Walk, run, jump, swim, climb. There are so many ways we can move our bodies. Gross motor skills are those skills that we need to move, skills that are designed to help us survive, but also to thrive. As a baby develops they learn to r

Best Games, Stories, Rhymes and Songs to Support Early Math Skills for Autistic Students

This resource was created as a supplement for the ARIS® Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #168, Recited Counting 1-10, Lesson #173, Receptive Numbers 1-10, Lesson #174, Expressive Numbers 1-10, Lesson #175, Receptive Numbers 1

Arts and Crafts for Autism Awareness

Arts and crafts projects can increase autism awareness and benefit your autistic child at the same time! Why do we need to increase autism awareness?

Teaching Kindness: The Kindness Rock Project

How to Teach Your Autistic Child the Art of Caring and Kindness Teaching caring and kindness to autistic children is an important part of social-emotional development. Having empathy and kindness towards others improves the quality of everyone's life. It also allows us to unders

The Benefits of Playing with Building Blocks for Autistic Children

For autistic children, using building blocks in play is a beneficial activity for their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Building with blocks is a favorite pastime for many young children. They’re available in different sizes, colors, textures, and types, m

5 Ways Sesame Street’s Character Julia Teaches People About Autism Spectrum Disorder

Julia, the new character on Sesame Street can help all children better understand autism. Sesame Street is a treasured TV show that has educated children worldwide for more than 50 years. It has brought characters like Elmo, Big Bird, Abby, and Cookie Monster into children’s liv

A New Curriculum for All Children with Autism

The new Language Builder: ARIS (Academic Readiness Intervention System) was developed to provide a curriculum to any teacher or parent interested in helping a child with autism develop to their full potential. ARIS was designed so that even school districts that cannot afford to

Best Free Resources for Homeschooling Your Autistic Child

Cabin Fever? 5 Effective Activities for Students with Autism During Social Isolation or Quarantine

Note: These 5 activities can be done every day, and we recommend that parents create a schedule so that each of these activities takes place at the same time very day when possible. Having a schedule helps keep children with autism feel more secure and reduces anxiety. We also r

A New Curriculum for Autism: ARIS

Teachers, parents and Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) have been asking for an “all in one” autism education curriculum for years. Language Builder: ARIS (Academic Readiness Intervention System) is now available to support teachers and parents helping children with autism lea

A New Homeschool Curriculum for Autistic Children: ARIS

Homeschooling is not always easy, but it can provide many benefits for children with autism. In the first two years of the pandemic, researchers found that home environments were frequently advantageous for autistic children because they reduced the amount of social and sensory

8 Ways to Promote Socialization Skills in Students with Autism

Socialization is an important skill for all children to learn and develop. Research suggests that by supporting a child’s socialization, children are more likely to develop self-confidence, problem solving skills, and key language skills, all of which are vital skills that they

How ARIS Supports Social Emotional Learning and Whole Child Development for Students with Autism

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and the whole child approach have huge implications for child development and successful learning for all children of all ages, but SEL and whole child are especially critical for teaching children with autism. SEL is defined by the Collaborative

11 Strategies to Help Your Child with Autism Develop Fine Motor Skills

Fine Motor Skill Milestones Fine motor skills are the coordination of small muscle movements. Fine motor skills are the ability to make movements in our eyes, wrists, hands, and fingers. Many everyday tasks require strength, dexterity, and fine motor skills. Fine motor skills ne

The “Why” and the “What” Behind Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS)

ARIS was created with access and implementation in mind: intended to make the principles of ABA easily accessible and easy to implement for educators working with children with autism who may not have formal ABA training. Recent research has highlighted the lack of evidence-base

How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting – For Teachers of Students with Autism

As a teacher, it is likely that you have either held or participated in an IEP meeting. Often times, you have likely interacted with family members who may be nervous or anxious about the process. Some parents may come in to IEP meetings feeling intimidated by the many people si

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 free copy of lesson 73 and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . Play is often

Strategies for Promoting Sensory Integration in Writing

Sensory struggles in a child with autism can hinder his or her ability to grasp a writing implement and to use it correctly. But some marvelous strategies exist that can help children learn to write: countering “floppy” muscle tone, varying implement thickness, trying different

The Most Popular Action and Movement Songs for Children with Autism

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Does My Student Have Autism? A Guide for Teachers

It’s a couple months into the school year. The kids in your class know where to put unsharpened pencils, how to ask to go to the bathroom, and what to expect day to day. You have a strong sense of each child’s personality, strengths, and weaknesses. And you’ve noticed which stud

Positive Pedagogy: How to Bring Positive Psychology into Special Education and Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Autism

How can you help your students discover stillness? joy? authenticity? Positive psychology is the science of well-being, which applied, can bring more positivity and happiness into your classroom. Try investing in these easy “rituals,” or habits, to transform your classroom into

How to Bring Positive Psychology into Special Education and Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Autism

How can you help your students discover stillness? joy? authenticity? Positive psychology is the science of well-being, which applied, can bring more positivity and happiness into your classroom. Try investing in these easy “rituals,” or habits, to transform your classroom into

Music Therapy for Children with Autism

Choosing the Best Program for Your Child Benefits Overview Music has been an enriching and meaningful way for people to engage with each other throughout time, and music can provide powerful, multi-sensory experiences for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is espec

10 Tips for Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Top Tips to Help You Get Started All children have unique learning needs, but children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD require a little extra guidance and support. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, it’s essential to understand what a child with autism needs and how you ca

Research White Paper: Vocabulary Cards for Early Word Learning

Link4Fun Cards are new language-learning tools designed to scaffold preschool language development by synchronizing traditional manipulatives with digital media. Children tap flashcards against the screen of an iPad to display interactive digital content that engages them sensor

Social Thinking: 6 Strategies for Teaching Children with Autism

What is Social Thinking? Social Thinking is a flexible teaching framework that is designed to help individuals ages four and up with autism spectrum disorder and other social and communication difficulties. The framework helps these individuals better understand the process by w

How to Foster Social Skills Development at School: A Guide for Teachers and School Counselors

Social Skills & Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction. This can include challenges in social-emotional reciprocity and non-verbal communication used in social interactions. This can often lead to children with autism

Interactive Bridging Books for Early Literacy: Research White Paper

This White Paper was written by Consulting Services for Education in order to better understand the learning impact of the newest Stages Learning product: Link4Fun Books. These "bridging" books are designed to support early literacy using innovative new technology and research b

Let's Build: How Playing With Blocks Benefits Children

This resource was created as a supplement for the Language Builder: Academic Readiness Intervention System (ARIS) complete early autism curriculum, Lesson #63, Block Imitation - Basic Structures. Download a free copy of the lesson and learn more about the ARIS curriculum . It’s

Building Vocabulary with U-Play Mat Lesson Plan

Lesson Overview Students will use the U-Play Mat to practice identifying, categorizing, and communicating with vocabulary words. Each part of the lesson plan can be extended or shortened depending on the needs of the child.

Choosing Meaningful Gifts for People on the Autism Spectrum

These days nearly everyone knows a friend or family member who is touched by autism. Perhaps it’s your own child or your sister’s child. Perhaps it’s the child of your neighbor, your dentist, your mail carrier, or hair dresser. With the holidays fast approaching, you may be aski

Using Apps to Support Fine Motor Development

Most early childhood classrooms are stocked with blocks, crayons, puzzles, and many other tools that support fine motor development. With the iPad becoming ubiquitous across all subject areas in the classroom, does this mean that the manipulatives and toys we once loved no longe

Puzzles: Playing or Learning?

Puzzles are classic toys that come in many forms: jigsaw puzzles, peg puzzles, framed board puzzles, block puzzles, and more! When a child starts to put together puzzles they are learning about shapes and space.

Language Milestones

How many professionals have been asked: “How do I know if my child is behind in language development?” How many parents have asked the question, or at l east w ondered to themselves? Language development varies from child to child, and there are wide ranges of expected “normal”

Beyond the "Daycare" Trap: How Data-Driven Foundational Skills are Helping Districts Reduce Special Education Outplacements

Across the country, school district leaders are facing a reality that few could have predicted before 2020.