Classroom Assistant Online Training Five week Course - Week Five (this includes all previous weeks)

*Please Note the links will be sent out every Monday for this course. If you sign up during the week this will be picked up during the following Monday User upload. Users will have access to previous weeks courses. Any queries on this course please contact training@middletownautism.com*

Programme Content:

1. Autism in the Classroom

2. The Role of the Classroom Assistant

3. Visual Structure and Schedules

4. What to do in Unstructured Times.

5.  Visual Supports Resources and Samples

This approximately 10-hour programme will be released on a weekly basis from Monday 11 January, however, will remain open and active to support completion until Friday 19 March.

You are asked to attend the sessions when it is convenient to you.

Attendance at all five Webinars and completion of the five Case Study sessions is needed for eligibility for a Certificate of Attendance.

Autism in the Classroom

This introductory webinar offers a comprehensive view of what is autism and discusses many of the issues experienced by autistic children and young people and how we, as education professionals, can support the student, as he or she develops and learns.

The Role of the Classroom Assistant

The Classroom assistant works with but under the guidance and responsibility of the class teacher and a successful, supportive team approach can benefit everyone, the teacher, the assistant, more importantly the children and ultimately, the school.

In this webinar, we will look at your role and how as a bridge builder, you can develop means of supporting the students with whom you work.

Visual Structure and Schedules

Session three, will examine ways of meeting the needs of visual, concrete, explicit autistic learners, yet appreciate that each child is unique and thus, the structure and schedules must be differentiated to meet individual needs.

What to do in Unstructured Times

For many students, the time spent in the classroom with the structure, visuals, and schedules, is incredibly supportive but what happens at break or lunch time, the transition in the morning, the time spent changing between classes, at playtime? This session will look at some of the options available.

Visual Supports, Resources and Samples

This ultimate session will offer a range of supportive visual strategies, which you may wish to download and start use with the students in your particular school environment.

Running alongside each of these webinars is Case Study work.

We have written three Case Studies reflective of the three educational settings, Primary School, Special School and Post Primary School.

Each week different aspects concerning the student featured in the Case Study will be discussed, they have been designed to encourage you to think of how best to meet this student’s needs in the particular scenario.

There will be a Q&A session available on Thursday evenings, beginning Thursday 14 January until Thursday 25 February, where if you have any queries, we can discuss them.

It is not compulsory to attend the Q&A sessions but from the previously offered programme, it has been noted as helpful, where assistants have benefited from the co-operative aspect of sharing ideas, expertise, skills, and advice.