In my bucket this week (ready steady go)

Attention Autism is an intervention approach by Speech and Language Therapist Gina Davies which aims to work on the early fundamentals of language including awareness of others, attention, listening, shared attention, switching attention and turn-taking. It supports all learners that are working on these specific skills, not just those diagnosed with Autism.

The format for the session works in up to 4 stages. You start children at Stage 1 and build up to all 4 stages as they progress. My class are up to 3 stages.

Stage 1: Attention Grabber / Bucket

Stage 2: Attention Builder

Stage 3: Shifting Attention / Turn Taking

In this blog I will share links to what I have included in my session this week;

*The links below are affiliate links, it means I get paid a commission for sharing, it is costs you no more. Win Win. Thank you! This helps support sharing so much information for free on my blog and social media accounts.

Stage 1

I always pick three items from the bucket that will grab my student’s interest and attention in this section.

1. Pecking Bird (purchase here)

2. Water Spray Bottle (purchase here)

3. Silk Fan (Purchase here)

Stage 2

This section is all about supporting your students to hold attention.

I had three different coloured spinning tops, I turned each one at a time, naming the colour and counting down as each one was used. My students ADORE these light up spinners!

(Purchase here)

Stage 3

This section is about supporting your students to shift focus from one person to another an back again. It also involves turn taking practise and waiting for your turn.

This week I used this gorgeous cause and effect toy from Bright Starts. (Purchase here)

I modelled, but having my turn first, my students waited with ‘wait’ visuals in front of each of them. One by one i offered my students the ‘my turn’ visual. They pressed three times to release three balls. For some i focused to the fine motor practise of pushing the spout down to release the balls, with others I focused on the cause and effect aspect- did they notice and anticipate the effect after pressing, with the rest I focused on naming or signing ‘go’ and/ or the colours of the balls released from the whale’s mouth. A gorgeous resource that works and motivates every one of my diverse learners.

We finish our session by all signing and singing the finishing song, before I ask them to check their schedules and we move on.

Find over one-hundred more of my recommended Attention Autism Resources here