I have been on the net this morning viewing teaching options and programs for children with autism. I have decided that the prices that are being charged for the programs/packages are expensive. What are families to do that cant' afford the programs. A large majority of parents with autism are one income families and the children are at times home schooled. Each ad i saw states that our program is the best... our package is the one to use and it works. If you want my opinion and I am sure my opinion does not count for much...Keep your money and use things around your home.
When Matt was little there were no teaching programs to aid with autistic children, if there were we weren't aware and definitely couldn't afford them. I used things around the kitchen, on tv, outside, magazines, anything I could get my hands on.
I remember being in the kitchen and using cans out of the pantry to show Matt pictures of what was on the label and encouraging him to say the words. The best part for him was that he got to pull all of the cans and packages out of the cabinets. He loved it. It was really hands on. We would use magazines and look at pictures and cut them out and paste to construction paper. He loved going outside and touching different things...grass, leaves, flowers anything that he could visualize and touch could be put with words as long as he could relate the word with the experience. Then came the music. Any learning program for children with songs was always on at our house. I hate to say it but Barney the purple dinosaur was one of his favorites and it encouraged him to want to sing along with the show. As the years went by other shows, (Blues Clues, Dora, and Sesame Street) would hold his attention and I would try to help point out colors, words, or objects that he would see on the show and again he would relate to them because he could sing them or associate them with the show. As he got older "country" music has become his love. I am not sure what I can relate to him from that music butI can say that it brings him much enjoyment. Not so much for me because like most teens he likes it LOUD. Encourage your children to participate in daily activities around the house. We would make the beds and play "tent time". This encouraged making the bed and it gave Matt a sense of helping do something which in turn gave him a sense of responsibility and pride.
Now that he is older I have had to incorporate new things for him that hopefully will help him out in the world. I allow him to pay for items at the store, help find items on the shelves, find sizes of clothes by identifying with S,M,L. Some of these "learning programs" may sound corny but I have found that they have worked for us over the years and have saved me a lot of money.
I hope that other parents and teachers for that matter can also use everyday experiences to help teach and identify autistic children's likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses in order to help better aid these children with language skills, social skills, and with the run of the mill activities of daily living that we all must take part in.