My students are children with Autism who attend inclusion programs in general education elementary schools.
My students (ages 5-10 yrs) often have difficulty navigating the social world of the general education setting. I have found that one effective way to help the children develop those social skills is to make social story books. The children create their own social scenario, work through the problem, and develop a strategy to cope with the situation. We utilize picture programs, Internet images and the children's own drawings and words to make these books. The books are printed out, laminated and bound so the children can keep them and reread them with their families and friends.
However, because I travel to different schools to provide this counseling service, I rarely have access to a working printer or laminator and have to finish the book at home or at my main site. The children are always disappointed that they cannot take their creation home that day, and some children I only see once a week! So you see my dilemma. A mobile printer and self-adhesive lamination sheets would be so helpful! I have a laptop and binding materials, but these additional materials would be so fantastic to have for my very hardworking children!
Envision my children creating their own books, not only for the joy of reading and creating, but also so they can share with their friends and families the problems they bravely face on an everyday basis, the ways they perceive this confusing social world and the ways they are learning to cope! You'll make a real difference in their lives!
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