What Can I Say? What Did You Say? - March 13th & 14th. AANE is sponsoring a two day workshop by Elsa Abele on using language to build social skills. Persons with Asperger Syndrome (AS), High-Functioning Autism, Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities and language-learning disabilities are often in need of services to increase their skills in social communication or pragmatic language. Learn about the challenges and satisfaction of teaching a child with AS (the group of persons whose major problems in school are neurological in origin, and who most clearly exemplify pragmatic language deficits). Learn about the educational implications of Theory of Mind, Central Coherence Deficit, and Executive Function for these children. Learn about the behavioral consequences of the rumbling stage, the meltdown or neurological storm, and the recovery stage. The skills that will be presented in the workshop on Social Interaction/Social Skills development that need explicit teaching can be used in a variety of settings. Classroom teachers, specialists, and special needs personnel can infuse them into regular class settings. Psychologists, guidance counselors, speech/language pathologists, and school social workers can use them not only in group work, but also in family work and in working with individuals. Some children are not ready to learn these skills in a peer group context until they have explored the basics with an adult who can get them ready to learn with their peers. This event will take place at the Espousal Retreat Center, 554 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA. For more information or to register go to www.aane.org.

http://www.aane.org/seminars/WhatCanISay.pdf