Forest School and Autism: A Practical Guide

by Michael James

Forest School's innovative outdoor approach offers specific benefits to learners with autism, including increased social skills, raised self-esteem and improved sensory function. This guide raises autism awareness amongst practitioners by providing practical and easy-to-follow advice for adapting Forest School activities for those with autism.

For those coming from a mainstream Forest School background, the author offers an introduction to autism and shows what Forest School can offer people with autism - both children and adults - with first-person accounts that highlight its success with this group. The guide gives advice on the social and sensory benefits, offers practical advice on safety and on how to set up a Forest School and finally presents specific activities to be incorporated into practitioners' routines.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

208 pages, Paperback

Published April 19, 2018

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Others:
Michael 2^ James: GR Author, Mystery & Thrillers
Michael 3^ James: GR Author, Fiction, Children's, Young Adult
Michael 4^ James: Children's, Brooks Berry series
Michael 5^ James: GR Author, Self Help, Spirituality, Nonfiction
Michael 6^ James: Children's
Michael 7^ James: Religion, Christian
Michael 8^ James: GR Author, Children's Rhyming Storybook
Michael 9^ James: GR Author, Fiction, Romance
Michael 10^ James: Design, Quilt
Michael 25^ James: Chef, Baker, Cookbooks

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book. I've recommended it to people for reasons that have nothing to do with forest schools (although that was why I picked it up) but because I think it engages really well with discussing ways that autism can present and be supported in different circumstances.

[Nick Toner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As useful around Autism as it is around Forest School.

I will be launching my forest school pilot program at the end of the month, and this book will be heavily relied upon, not just for managing my groups and participant, but for recognising and managing myself.

This is an incredibly practical book, which appeals to me (go figure); I have read other books exploring my autism, like Un-Typical, but that book ranges so widely through the autistic experience that there are parts I don't relate to and that then leaves me feeling uncertain about myself.

This book grounds everything in the forest school activities, which makes it all so much easier to relate to as I have been in that situation even if it wasn't me having difficulty.