Autism Activities for Superstar Students

Funded Nov 14, 2024

Thank you so much for supporting our classroom with your generous contributions. Your investment in our project has made a world of difference for my students, and I am thrilled to share the impact it's had so far.

When my students first saw the new materials, their faces lit up – many of them hadn't been able to work with such tools before, and it gave them a real sense of empowerment. They tore through the box unable to decide what to open first.

Since receiving the new resources, my students have been able to engage with learning in fresh and exciting ways. For example, many of my students can identify numbers but are struggling with one-to-one correspondence (i.e., touching each item in a set one at a time, saying "one, two, three, four" as they go along) to understand the connection between a number and it's corresponding quantity. One of the materials you so generously funded included thick wooden rectangles (one for each number 1-10) that had holes for students to place pegs as they were counting. For some of my students, when I would lay out objects for them to count, they would say the numbers faster than they would point to each item, thus preventing them from making the connection between one additional item being associated with each subsequent number. The action of putting the pegs in the holes slowed them down enough to count each peg one at a time. On top of that, these materials made the activity feel more like a game. Their level of excitement and focus was palpable. They were not only learning the concepts but actively applying them. They felt proud and validated in their abilities.

Since receiving the flip books with interactive Velcro pieces, my students have been more engaged with demonstrating their abilities. This has been especially empowering to my students who are non-speaking. They love putting the pieces into the books to demonstrate their understanding of concepts such as letter names and sounds. It was amazing to see how excited they were when they first saw the materials—they couldn't wait to dive in! Their faces lit up as they counted the vibrant pieces and matched the pictures. Their confidence soared, and it was clear that the hands-on materials made the learning feel more real and fun.

Looking ahead, we're moving into more complex activities where students will use these same materials to expand their understanding of identifying beginning sounds in words and practice addition. I'm excited to see them continue to grow, and with the resources you've provided, I know they'll be able to make great strides in their literacy and math skills.

With your support, my students are now equipped to push boundaries and take ownership of their learning in ways that weren't possible before. I can't wait to see how these new tools will continue to inspire them in the future. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We appreciate you for making such a big difference in our classroom.”

With gratitude,

Mx. O’Neill