I Hate to Write: Tips for Helping Students with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders Increase Achievement, Meet Academic Standards, and Become Happy, Successful Writers

by Cheryl Boucher, Kathy Oehler

The writing process requires a high level of coordination between various parts of the brain. In individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, the areas of the brain do not communicate effectively with each other, leading to great difficulty coordinating all the skills needed for writing. As a result, many students HATE TO WRITE! Written in a format that appeals to readers brief, practical and to the point this aptly named book focuses on the four areas of writing that are most problematic for students with ASD: language, organization, sensory and visual-motor skills organized under topics such as Getting Started, Knowing What to Write, Getting Stuck, Misunderstanding the Directions, and many more. Take it and use it worksheets make the task of teaching writing easy and fun. What s more, it is aligned with the National Common Core Standards. Strategies are appropriate for students K-12 and beyond.

Genres: Writing, Teaching, Education, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

173 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2013

Reviews

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource for teachers working with students with autism, ADHD, or any language or literacy disability or challenge. Personally, it was preaching to the choir suggesting techniques that are second nature to me since I worked solely with kids with autism for 8 years. But it is aligned to common core with checklists and writing promos and graphic organizers you can copy and use tomorrow. It is researched-based with sensory suggestions with every problem. It is organized based on common complaints of teachers of children with autism and the problems these students encounter. Quick read.

[Erin Gayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, multi-disciplinary guide to teaching writing to students on the autism spectrum. A collaboration between an occupational therapist and a speech pathologist, the authors offer a fabulous, accessible tool-kit for teachers and parents. Sections are organized by common concerns ("he can talk endlessly about the topic but struggles to write a single sentence") and include brief explanations of why these problems happen so often among even verbally skilled kids. Strategies include ways to address sensory challenges, motor deficits, executive processing issues, etc.

[Michael Brockley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I HATE TO WRITE contains a variety of helpful suggestions for scaffolding written assignments for individuals on the autism spectrum. It is book that can be easily used by teachers, parents and caregivers and included in the appendix are useful fact sheets about, for instance, the developmental sequelae of writing and helpful computer programs which address a number of writing-related questions. The graphic organizers which the authors insert in pertinent chapters might also prove of worth to someone who is teaching a student who is on the ASD spectrum to write.