Hebrew translations of free resources
Train Conversation Activity for kids with ASD, print-out version
For the computer screen-based, teletherapy version of this resource, click HERE
Related social communication resources to use in combination with the Train Conversation Kit:
Green Zone Picture Cards for Conversation Topics, Common Ground
Green Zone Two-Person Worksheet for Conversation Common Ground
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Train Conversation Activity, with moveable train pictures for teletherapy
For a print out version of this activity, CLICK HERE.
For the free Boom Cards version of this activity, CLICK HERE.
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Chain conversation activity with moveable images for telehealth
For an excellent Boom Card version of this resource, click HERE.
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Green Zone Conversation Picture Cards Activity with moveable pictures for telehealth
For the free Boom Cards version of this activity, click HERE.
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Talk to family picture worksheets for children with ASD’s
(in French): Comment discuter avec les membres de votre famille
(In German): Bildarbeitsblätter für Gespräche mit Familienmitgliedern
(in Spanish): Cómo hablar con un adulto que vive contigo ~ hoja de trabajo
(In Polish): Porozmawiaj z Rodzicami i Rodze?stwem- materia?y do ?wicze?
(In Hebrew): Talk to Family Worksheets, Hebrew Translation
Free check-off worksheets for children with ASD’s to explore conversation topics with family members
Children with autism spectrum disorders often have difficulties having conversations with the people they live with. It really helps to use picture guides. Here is a set of easy-to-use worksheets for classroom, speech room and home.
How to use the worksheets:
1. Have the child put check marks next to the photos they think represent the person’s interests.
2. Go over the images one at a time with the child. Explain that the family member probably has many interests that are different from the child’s own interests.
3. The sheet “Questions, Comments, Compliments” can be used to set up role plays and actual conversation practice with family members.
4. Have family members fill them out for the child to use as a reference.
5. Project the sheets using a smart board or projector – this really helps for small group or classroom discussions about family members.
I hope these worksheets are useful for you.
Joel Shaul, LCSW
For more free materials on facilitating parent/child conversation for children with autism: How Was Your Day? Sheets
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
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Green Zone Conversation Mat – DIY project therapy resource for children with ASD
To download directions to make it, click on the link right below here:
Directions for making a Green Zone Mat
To download the Green Zone Venn Diagram Worksheet and Picture Cards, click on the link right below here:
Green Zone Worksheet & Picture Cards Download
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Using Google Maps for social interaction and conversation for children with autism
This method of teaching social and conversation skills to kids is children with ASD’s is unconventional. But you really should try it if you can – kids like it and it really helps them teach others about themselves and learn about others.
I hope it works out for you.
Joel Shaul
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Head Outline PowerPoint Picture Activity to Learn about Peer Interests
Quick and easy method to help children with autism to learn interests of other people
Children with autism spectrum disorders, or children whose knowledge of peers is affected by isolation, anxiety or intellectual disability, benefit from colorful and concrete learning materials when we are helping them learn about other people. Whether you are working with one child or a whole room full of kids, you really should try this social skills learning activity. It is quick to set up. I give you PowerPoint templates and you just copy and paste images onto them, add some text, and you are ready to go. This social skills activity is screen-based, and many children seem to never get tired of looking at screens. There are options to print out drawing worksheets as well.
Click on these RED links below for the downloads:
The Head Outline Other People’s Interests PowerPoint Download
Brain Outline Drawing Worksheet
Head Outline PowerPoint, German translation
I hope you enjoy enjoy this activity.
Joel Shaul, LCSW
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.
Turn-taking in children with ASD: Visual-based social skills strategies
Turn taking and theory of mind deficits
The diverse social skills associated with taking turns can be very difficult for children with ASD to master. This has to do with theory of mind deficits. A child with ASD may be unable to predict how another person might feel to be interrupted in a video game or given the last turn in a video game. A child on the autism spectrum might not be able to anticipate the positive social consequences for allowing a peer to go ahead of them at the drinking fountain or talk first in a discussion.
Making it visual
It often helps to make it visual when teaching social skills to kids with Asperger’s and other autism spectrum disorders. Here are some visual tools you can either download free from my various blog posts or else buy for very little money.
Thought bubble explanations
Many young children fuss about being first, but quite a few children on the autism spectrum persist in “me first” behavior, in a child-like fashion, well into their teens. Use this panel, which is part of a series of seven of my free panels you can download for free from the website, to show how others might react to someone who always tries to be first. Using your own simple pictures, create other simple thought bubble explanations to demonstrate how others feel in turn-taking situations in play and work.
Using a balance
An inexpensive classroom balance, available for about 18 dollars online, is a very useful gadget for demonstrating reciprocity in relationships and conversation. I have made a nice, illustrated tutorial to show you how to do it – click HERE.
Using a Talking Stick
This is a method of enforcing turn-taking in conversation which is part of Native American lore and tradition. Making simple Talking Sticks and using them can provide a fun and useful series of social skills lessons for young people on the autism spectrum.
Pie charts
For children on the autism spectrum who dominate discussions, pie chart visuals can be extremely helpful. Here is a link that guides you to pie chart visuals like the one shown above as well as blank templates for you to customize.
Conversation turn-taking visuals: chains and girders
I provide you with very simple downloads to create hands-on, visual conversation activities. Just download, print and cut out. I give you explanations and and a Youtube video to learn how to use the chain and girder images.
Conversation turn-taking visuals: chains and girders
Trains are my favorite visuals for teaching back-and-forth and coherence in conversation.
Click HERE to access the free download of the Train Conversation Printable Kit.
I wish you well with your social skills teaching. I hope that introducing some of these visual elements might help in your work.
Joel Shaul, LCSW
Your comments on these resources are most welcome, and often helpful. Click HERE to send an email.