Abstract

Based on twenty-five years of teaching and working with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), Christy L. Magnusen contends that it is those teachers who can blend the 'science' of education methodology with the 'art' of teaching who are best able to reach these children. Examining both these aspects of teaching, she takes a fresh look at established and more recent teaching methods such as structuring spaces, emphasizing language and planning strategies for transition and generalization, and then explores the art of implementation: why, when and how these techniques should be applied. By highlighting workable solutions to everyday problems, and emphasizing that teachers need to understand techniques and have the ability to adapt them to the situation that faces them, this book will be invaluable to all those involved in teaching children with ASDs.
This is another very readable, positive and inspiring book from the Jessica Kingsley stable. The author has an impressive background of experience with teaching pupils on the autistic spectrum (ASD) and of teaching teachers in that specialism. Her audience is those working with pupils with ASD and the philosophy underlying her advice and encouragement is that such pupils are an exciting and challenging group. This is a very worthwhile and practical book, its 98 pages packed so full of ideas that you cannot wait to use them with those fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) pupils who are challenging us daily in mainstream schools.
NAPLIC Newsletter
Aimed at teachers and parents as a guide to the range of choices in education open to individual children. A compact book full of detailed information, which is likely to go on the reference shelf of anyone who reads it.
Current Awareness Service
This book for teachers covers the theories about how children with autism think and learn, and will assist teachers to plan overall curriculum and specific lessons. The book also covers different types of instructional strategies to teach the student with autism in primary and secondary settings.
Autism Victoria Library

Dr Magnusen discusses the important issues of functional communication and social understanding and invites schools to reflect on how teachers can provide opportunities for children with autism to practice these within the school day. She also explains the way sensory integration difficulties affect a child's ability to process everyday information and how these children react and interpret their environment.

I enjoyed this book and it helped me to remember what a huge privilege it is to be working in the field of autism.

NASEN
Dr Christy L. Magnusen was touched and inspired by a child with autism early in her baccalaureate studies almost 30 years ago and has since devoted her professional career to reaching and teaching children with ASDs. She has Master of Science degrees in Speech/Language Pathology and Education Administration, a PhD in Educational Leadership and is the co-editor of Autism: Clinical and Research Issues. Dr Magnusen is currently a state-approved Director of Special Education and works in Belleville, Illinois as a Special Education Administrator. She also teaches graduate level course work at Southern Illinois University and is a mother of four.