Seven Keys to Unlock Autism Making Miracles in the Classroom

by Hall, Elaine; Isaacs, Diane; Shore, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780470644096
• ISBN10: 0470644095
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-11-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

The acclaimed approach to helping kids with autism, profiled in the award-winning documentary Autism: The Musical This groundbreaking book outlines seven integrated keys that show how to best access and make meaningful connections with children on the autism spectrum. The book is based on the unique approach used by Elaine Hall, founder of The Miracle Project, a musical theater program for children with autism and their peers and siblings. The Miracle Project integrates traditional and creative therapies in an interactive, social dynamic. More than simply a theater program, The Miracle Project helps children with autism draw connections and form more meaningful relationships, and helps adults in their lives better understand this puzzling disorder. Reveals the seven-step program that has proven so successful for the children in the Miracle Project Shows how to apply these successful strategies at school and at home to nurture kids' self-expression and social skills Elaine Hall and The Miracle Project were profiled in the two-time Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary, Autism: The Miracle 7 Keys to Unlock the World of Autism offers educators and parents strategies for creating a personal skill set to make their encounters with autistic children as successful and rewarding as possible.

Author Biography

Elaine Hall ("Coach E") is the founder of The Miracle Project. When traditional therapies failed to help her autistic son, she sought out creative people—actors, writers, and teachers—to work with him. The methods Elainedeveloped to reach kids with autism resulted in The Miracle Project and were profiled in the HBO documentary, Autism: The Musical.

Diane Isaacs is the cofounder of The Miracle Project. A successful film producer, she is the former president of Green Moon Productions, which she cofounded with Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. Diane produced The Miracle Project's benefit album, FLY, with artists including Jack Black, Stephen Stills, and Chaka Khan. She is expanding The Miracle Project nationally and internationally, from India to Ethiopia.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
About the Authors	p. xi
About The Miracle Project	p. xiii
Foreword	p. xv
Introduction: It Starts with You	p. xvii
The Seven Keys	p. xviii
How to Use This Book	p. xix
The Keys	p. xx
Elaine's Story	p. xxiii
Autism 101	p. 1
Primer: Autism Through a Different Lens	p. 3
A Brief History	p. 7
Inspirational Stories	p. 11
Autism's Alphabet Soup	p. 13
The Seven Keys	p. 19
Set an Intention	p. 21
Develop Acceptance and Appreciation	p. 37
Diane's Story of Acceptance	p. 51
Understand Sensory Profile	p. 59
Follow the Leader	p. 73
Include the Child	p. 87
Practice and Preparation Make Progress	p. 105
Live Miracle Minded	p. 121
Conclusion: Opening Doors	p. 131
Appendixes	p. 135
The Resource Room: Tools for Using the Seven Keys	p. 137
Primer: Leading Schools of Thought	p. 138
Autism Organizations	p. 139
Films	p. 141
IDEA and IEP	p. 142
Resources	p. 142
Resources	p. 143
Resources	p. 144
Resources	p. 144
Resources	p. 145
Resources	p. 145
Resources	p. 146
Additional Corners of the Resource Room	p. 149
Environmental Factors	p. 149
Classroom Set-Up	p. 151
Proactive Tools	p. 153
Accommodations	p. 157
Creating Consistency Across All Environments	p. 160
Creating a User-Friendly System	p. 161
Seven Keys to a Smooth IEP	p. 164
The Greatest Untapped Resource: The Parent	p. 167
Index	p. 175
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