Career Training and Personal Planning for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Practical Resource for Schools

by Lundine, Vicki; Smith, Catherine; Seip, Jo-Anne

• ISBN13: 9781843104407
• ISBN10: 1843104407
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-30
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub

Summary

This training program for teachers and carers assesses ASD students' strengths and abilities, fears and challenges and helps them acquire the skills necessary for a smooth transition from school to employment. The atuhors give guidance on developing life skills for employability and independent living, for example, hygiene, time and money management, communication skills, decision-making and setting and achieving realistic goals. They also clearly define the role of parents, job coaches and employers and stress that students are empowered by appropriate support from collaborative, informed teams. The career program enables students to find out about and explore career options, know how and where to search for a job and how to understand job advertisements. The sections on career preparation include strategies for writing resumes, filling in application forms, compiling career portfolios and conduct at interviews. The authors also cover topics such as punctuality and appropriate behavior in the workplace itself. This practical teaching resource is packed with lesson plans, implementation procedures, interactive activities and photocopiable worksheets, and the course can be taught over one year or three years.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	7	(2)
Foreword	9	(2)
Jo-Anne Seip
Introduction	11	(2)
Overview	13	(12)
Guidelines for placing students with ASD and other developmental disabilities in community work placement
The role of parents
Leadership in the school
The school as a training ground
The role of the employer, Enhancing the environment
The role of job coaches
Self-awareness	25	(32)
I'm special
All about me
Peer perspective
With a little help from my friends
Road map to today
How to share information -- a social skill
My strengths
I know I can -- my abilities
Increasing personal and sexual awareness: Personal Peak Safety Program
Emotions
Life Skills	57	(23)
Personal hygiene
Time management
Money management
Nutrition
Community awareness and access
The positive approach
Conversation skills
Telephone skills
Decision-making, Goal-setting and Problem-solving	80	(16)
Decision-making
Decisions made easy
Setting goals
Achieving goals
Problem-solving
Career Awareness	96	(37)
A--Z
Community awareness
Occupational search
Occupational riddles
Job ads
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Applying for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Application forms
Contacts
How to prepare a resume
A job interview
Job Preparation	133	(13)
What's expected on the job
Positive work behaviors
Attendance rules
Accepting criticism and praise
Signs in the workplace
Confidentiality
Career Portfolios: A Demonstration of Skills, Attitudes and Abilities	146	(29)
What is a portfolio?
What does the portfolio contain?
Who is responsible for helping a student acquire evidence for the portfolio?
Where is original documentation stored? How can the team help students recognize the skills they are acquiring so students learn to reference them?
Understanding the terms
Making connections
Sorting evidence
Sorting information for career portfolios
Collecting evidence
Recording the evidence, Reflecting and selecting critical evidence
Choosing a presentation format
Connections	175	(3)
Appendix	178	(12)
Work experience course checklist
Sample task analysis: Record of student performance
Task analysis: Record of student performance
Career preparation: Student registration form
Work-site agreement of confidentiality
Work experience program: Safety questionnaire
Work experience program: Student daily log
First aid record
Resources	190