[18] Supporting a child with Asperger’s Syndrome with Zoe Short

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In this episode of The School Success Formula, Zoe Short, a former Further Education teacher and mother of a son with Asperger's Syndrome explains how to support a child with special educational needs from both sides of the fence. Zoe shares some really great tips on how to build relationships with your child's teachers, what you can realistically expect in terms of support from a school or college, and how you can help with the transition from one school to another.

About Zoe Short

Zoe Short has 15 years experience in the Further Education sector. She initially taught key skills and some HR and Business modules and then moved into additional learning support, overseeing the support for students with learning difficulties such as autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia. She has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience along the way and has found that often the simplest adjustments make the biggest difference. She also has a son with Asperger’s Syndrome which has added to her understanding of the importance of raising awareness amongst educators, parents and employers of the unrealised potential within people with learning difficulties and their many qualities which are valuable.  

What you can expect to hear on the show

• How Zoe has adapted her working life to enable herself to support her children's needs
• The common problems that particularly summer-born boys have when they leave school: poor concentration (that looked like bad behaviour) and poor organisational skills, and how Zoe helped them to make rapid improvements
• What the first signs of being on the austistic spectrum might be
• What the triad of impairments is and how it can help you, as a parent, to understand if your child might be on the austistic spectrum
  • Social communication – eye contact, use of literal language etc.
  • Social interaction
  • Social imagination – not being good at small good, not being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes
• The common misconception about autistic children that they avoid touch
• Why you should follow your gut instinct if you think your child might have special education needs or be on the autistic spectrum
• What you need to do before you ask for help:
  • Record your child's abnormal behaviour under the headings on the triad of impairments
  • Emphasise their strengths, don't just focus on their weaknesses
• Why having a diagnosis can make things easier for your family
• Why you need to make it easy for teachers and professionals to make adjustments for your child
• Why teachers are ill-equipped to deal with special educational needs and why you as a parent should aim to educate teachers about your child's educational needs
• How parents can make it easier for themselves to get the help that their child needs – particularly when your child transitions from one school to another
• How having a key person can make your child's experience in education more successful

How to reach out to Zoe

Zoe's website is www.sosorted.co.uk

Facebook: So Sorted Decluttering

Twitter: @so_sorted

Join the waiting list for The Exam Success Formula

If you'd like to save £50 on the price of my study skills course for parents and students, The Exam Success Formula, you can sign up for the waiting list. At the end of November I will open up registration and you'll be the first to know when I do. Places on the course are limited so that I can give each family the attention they deserve so this is the opportunity to save money and secure your place on the course.

These are things that parents who are currently taking the course have said about it:

We're having such productive conversations, and I've stopped nagging!

Week 4 exploded ruts of thinking that my son had found himself stuck in… This is the best investment I've made for a long time.

Join The Exam Success Formula waiting list here.

Useful links

My book, The Ten Step Guide to Acing Every Exam You Ever Take.

Ten Steps to Exam Success download.

Supportive Parents, Successful Students facebook group

Lucy on twitter: @LucyCParsons

Contact Lucy by email: lucy@lifemoreextraordinary.com

If you’d like to suggest yourself as a guest for the podcast, please complete this form.