Care4autism

 Mini Dwivedi Gopinathan is a RDI consultant, and the founder director of Playstreet. Playstreet  provides educational services to children with special needs. A certified provider of safe and sound protocol based on polyvagal therapy; she is also the co -creator of Play Talk, a comprehensive AAC program to develop language. A certified special educator, trained in language stimulation techniques and sensory integration; she has also received training for oral placement therapy for feeding and speech (level 2).                      An access bars facilitator, she is the recipient of many awards. She is the recipient of women icons awards award 2017 by BERG Singapore for innovation and excellence in special education, and the goodwill ambassador for the year 2018, for spreading awareness on inclusion with special needs with special needs with Sankrakshan Pte. Ltd.Singapore and Faith Foundation, India. Recipient of pioneerin...

  Storytelling. I began with online teaching, chanting and reciting shlokas for our children during the pandemic. The children loved repeating them. There were some who could pronounce it right, while some struggled. But everyone gave it their best. Their dedication was unquestionable. To introduce variation and maintain interest; I began having a story time near the end of the session.         I felt that simply reading or telling the story online may not hold their attention long enough. To make it more interesting, I included some visual cues through pictures. A collection of images from the story. Luckily, it had the desired effect. The pictures helped me to connect with them, and discuss colours, people, places, emotions, likes, dislikes, etc. When they saw the pictures, their curiosity grew. Images of jungles and forests helped to make the stories more concrete and believable. It also helped improve comprehension. And the children started enjoying...

  Padma Ramani, a postgraduate in Chemistry from the University of Delhi, served as a bank officer for 10 years. Her husband’s posting to Muscat Oman brought her in touch with neurodiverse children at a centre at her son’s school in Muscat. That was in 1996. She has  always been associated with special schools wherever they lived, since then. She did her BEd Spl education in 2002-2003. Padma feels blessed to have found a purpose in her life. She has had experience working with multiple disabilities including autism, Down’s syndrome, microcephaly, Cerebral palsy and the visually impaired. She has worked  in schools in Vadodara, Kanpur, Mumbai, and Pune. Her broad exposure has provided her with a diverse range of experience. She stays in touch with all her students and their families.                               She is also inv...

Professor Samuel J. Levine is the director of the Jewish Law Institute and Professor of law. He also advocates for the rights and inclusion of the neurodivergent community. He has published  2 books and over 50 law review articles.  Here is the interview with him. 1. In your book, Was Yosef on the Spectrum,  understanding Joseph, y ou have studied him as a person in greater depth. Could you please elaborate?   A number of years ago, as I read the opening verses of the story, it occurred to me that many of Joseph’s characteristics and behaviors are consistent with those of an individual on the autism spectrum.  As I continued to reread the story through the lens of contemporary understandings of  autism, I observed that, throughout the story, many of Joseph’s behaviors and experiences closely resemble those common among some individuals on the spectrum.  Upon further examination, I realized that understanding Joseph as an individual on the ...

 #Nurturingskills- 2 In conversation with Dasaratha Rama, parent and a TAHD professional.       1)  What is theatre? Can you break it down for us? Essentially, theatre comprises 5 elements. Movement and dance Music and Rhythm Story telling Drama Arts and Crafts Theatre is excellent for holistic development and has its roots in Indian art. Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) is a framework developed by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar, the Founder, Director of RASA India.   TAHD’s learning model encompasses the 4Es (Engagement, Exploration, Experience, Expression, Enjoyment). The term enjoyment intrigued me and drew me to TAHD. As parentsof a child with autism; we have done it all. Enjoyment is not there on anybody’s map, so to speak. Why can’t our children also enjoy.? So the 4 E’s grabbed my attention.  Then there is the Abhinaya- Aangika, Vachika, Aharya, Satvika. The concept of Abhinaya changes our approach to communication. We spend a lot of...

  Dasaratha Rama is a professor, blogger. TAHD (Theatre for Holsitic development) parent and ambassador, technology explorer, project manager, LIFESMART developer, a grandmother and a self proclaimed life long learner. The interview touches upon Theatre, Story Telling, Dance (Bharatnatyam), RDI, and MNRI. It also speaks about a 100 day program which is more of a parental tool, to aid consistency and sustainability in projects that you undertake with your children. It is also the story of a family who tried everything, to finally return home, India, and finding the right resources for their son Ananth. Watch this space for more.

  Empowering through Theatre, Storytelling and Mindset Skills-Alisha Mills #Nurturingskills-1 Alisha Mills, believes, social justice work is important and it must be rooted to a wise heart. She is passionate about Inclusion, building Mindset skills, empowering neurodivergent kids and their families. Also a spiritual leader, she is ordained and endorsed for Chaplaincy by The United Church of Christ. 1. Why is storytelling a good way to enable social-communication and interaction with children on the spectrum?   Narrating life experiences in images or words has always been a core teaching tool.   A relatable, interesting, and interactive story created from life's experiences has the benefit of multi-sensory opportunities in teaching children SEL skills.   A neurodivergent informed storyteller can bring a story to life using images, non-verbal and verbal language, noises, dramatizing the story, and using tactile sensory tools to achieve learning.   Standard scho...