Welcome!
This website is designed for early childhood educators and educational professionals working with children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition, this site provides current scholarly research on the importance of integrating play into the classroom setting for students diagnosed
with ASD, an overview of Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s Floortime Approach to facilitate play for students with diverse needs, setting up your classroom for success, and local resources available for you or for families affected by Autism. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (2012), 1 in 88 children are
affected by Autism. More than likely, a child on the spectrum will be a part of your current or future
classroom community. Although children diagnosed with ASD may experience hardships in developing interpersonal relationships, educators can strengthen the socialization skills of students with diverse needs by
integrating opportunity for play. One way to integrate play into the classroom environment for students on the spectrum is implementing Greenspan’s Floortime Approach. Another critical piece to facilitating play for students on the spectrum is setting up a classroom environment and schedule that fosters play; such as, integrating sensory experiences and creating a peaceful space for children to relax and rejuvenate. Additionally, as current and future educators, it is essential to be an advocate for your student
and the student’s family affected by ASD. The diagnosis can be challenging for some families, and it is our responsibility to be empathic and supportive to the needs of our classroom community, as well as, knowledgeable of programs and resources available for students and their families for outreach services. This also site provides resources available in the local Pittsburgh community.
Play is the most valuable tool in fostering growth and development for early childhood students with diverse needs. Play offers each child on the spectrum the opportunity to express feelings, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and enhance socialization and problem-solving skills. I hope some of the information provided
in my weebly inspires you to facilitate play experiences in your everyday classroom setting.
Thank you for taking the time to peruse my website!
Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education. (2012). What is autism. Retrieved from
http://patten.net/
with ASD, an overview of Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s Floortime Approach to facilitate play for students with diverse needs, setting up your classroom for success, and local resources available for you or for families affected by Autism. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (2012), 1 in 88 children are
affected by Autism. More than likely, a child on the spectrum will be a part of your current or future
classroom community. Although children diagnosed with ASD may experience hardships in developing interpersonal relationships, educators can strengthen the socialization skills of students with diverse needs by
integrating opportunity for play. One way to integrate play into the classroom environment for students on the spectrum is implementing Greenspan’s Floortime Approach. Another critical piece to facilitating play for students on the spectrum is setting up a classroom environment and schedule that fosters play; such as, integrating sensory experiences and creating a peaceful space for children to relax and rejuvenate. Additionally, as current and future educators, it is essential to be an advocate for your student
and the student’s family affected by ASD. The diagnosis can be challenging for some families, and it is our responsibility to be empathic and supportive to the needs of our classroom community, as well as, knowledgeable of programs and resources available for students and their families for outreach services. This also site provides resources available in the local Pittsburgh community.
Play is the most valuable tool in fostering growth and development for early childhood students with diverse needs. Play offers each child on the spectrum the opportunity to express feelings, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and enhance socialization and problem-solving skills. I hope some of the information provided
in my weebly inspires you to facilitate play experiences in your everyday classroom setting.
Thank you for taking the time to peruse my website!
Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education. (2012). What is autism. Retrieved from
http://patten.net/