Episodes

  • #196: Stop Quizzing, Start Modeling: AAC Without the Pressure

    #196: Stop Quizzing, Start Modeling: AAC Without the Pressure
    Oct 13 2026
    What color is it? Where's the dog? Show me red. Tell me with your talker. If you support AAC users, you might be really good at quiz mode. I know I was. As an SLP, I was trained to elicit responses. I wanted repetitions. I wanted data. I wanted to know: can they do it? And here's the tricky part: quiz mode feels like teaching. We're trying to help. But communication isn't supposed to feel like a test all day. This is part 3 of our AAC Month series. Last week, in Episode 195 [CONFIRM URL], we talked about why children don't need to prove they're "ready" for AAC. When I asked where you get stuck, more than one in four of you said the same thing: what do I do when I model and the child does absolutely nothing? That's what this episode is about. I'm sharing what modeling without expectation really looks like, why silence doesn't necessarily mean nothing is happening, and what to do in that quiet moment instead of asking again. You'll also hear two clips from my friend Rachel Madel, SLP, whose phrase "inspire, don't require" sums up this whole conversation. Because we're teaching language. We're not administering a test. In This Episode, You'll Learn What modeling without expectation looks like in everyday play, like a car going down a ramp Why "quiz mode" feels like teaching but can make communication harder What it's like to learn a new language while someone keeps asking, "What's this?" Why silence doesn't necessarily mean nothing is happening How heavy prompting can teach children to wait to be asked instead of starting communication themselves Why prompting isn't "bad," and the question to ask about what yours is teaching How to turn questions into comments What to do when you model and the child still doesn't respond Key Takeaways Quiz mode feels like teaching, but it adds pressure. Questions and directives like "Show me red" and "Tell me with your talker" can turn communication into a test. Modeling without expectation means modeling and moving on. The car goes down the ramp, you say and touch GO, and you keep playing. No "Your turn" or "Show me go." Silence doesn't mean nothing is happening. A child may be processing what you said, managing sensory input, or finding a word on their device. Model, then pause, without filling the wait with more questions. Heavy prompting can teach children to wait. Rachel Madel explains how a compliance-driven approach can teach kids to be responders instead of initiators. Prompting isn't bad. It can be a helpful scaffold. The question is what it's teaching: dependence on the adult, or growing independence. Questions can become comments. "Whoa... RED!" instead of "What color is it?" "Mmm... MORE" instead of "Do you want more?" Follow what matters to the child. Rachel shares how she noticed her student had turned to his lunchbox and modeled OPEN instead of sticking to her plan. Every model has value. If the child doesn't respond, that's okay. They still saw and heard language used by an adult who wasn't demanding anything back. Try This For ten minutes, listen to yourself and notice how many questions and directives you give. Pick one and turn it into a comment, modeling the word as you say it. After you model, pause. Give space, not a stare. If the child is focused on something else, model a word for what they care about. Choose one routine this week (play, snack, getting dressed, or circle time). Every time you're about to ask a child to show you something, ask yourself, "Could I model this instead?" Resources & Links AAC Month Series: This is part 3. Start with Episode 195: Stop Making Kids Prove They're "Ready" for AAC [CONFIRM URL]. More from Rachel Madel: Listen to Episode 91: AAC & Modeling Without Expectation With Rachel Madel. Find Rachel at [LINK: Rachel's website]. Too many questions? Episode 178: What If Too Many Questions Are Quieting Your AAC Learners? goes deeper. Keep Learning: Read the companion blog post, Modeling AAC Without Expectation in the Classroom. Free Guide: Get the 3 Simple AAC Shifts for three easy changes you can try in tomorrow's routines. Next Week: We'll go beyond "I want": why AAC isn't a success just because a child can request Goldfish, and a family who celebrates when their daughter says NO.
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    19 mins
  • #195 Stop Making Kids Prove They're "Ready" For AAC

    #195 Stop Making Kids Prove They're "Ready" For AAC
    Oct 6 2026

    As we continue AAC Awareness Month, I want to talk about an idea that kept far too many children from getting access to robust communication for far too long:

    The idea that a child has to be "ready" for AAC.

    Maybe they need to point first. Match pictures. Understand cause and effect. Show intentional communication. Sit and attend. Or start with something "simpler" before they can have access to a robust AAC system.

    Many of us were actually trained to think this way. I was too.

    But today we know something really important: there are no prerequisites for robust AAC. Access is the first step — not the reward.

    In this episode, we'll talk about what it really means to give children access to AAC before expecting them to perform with it. We'll also look at some of the things that can make adults wonder whether AAC is "working" — like repeatedly pushing the same button, not responding after we model, or even pushing the device away — and what might happen when we replace judgment with curiosity.

    In this episode, we talk about:

    • Why children do not have to prove they're "ready" for AAC

    • How outdated ideas about AAC readiness have influenced the way we support children

    • Why access needs to come before performance

    • What research tells us about using AAC as an early communication intervention

    • Why AAC does not prevent spoken language development

    • Why children who use some spoken words may still benefit from AAC

    • Why communication should be multimodal — including speech, gestures, signs, pictures, core boards, devices, typing, and more

    • What it might mean when a child repeatedly pushes buttons or explores their AAC device

    • Why AAC "babbling" can be an important part of learning

    • What we can consider when a child pushes their AAC away

    • Why honoring "no" and "not right now" is part of supporting autonomy and communication

    • How presuming competence changes the way we respond to unexpected communication

    • One simple way to remove a barrier to communication access this week

    I also share a story about a three-year-old AAC user I worked with who surprised me one day by telling me, "This is boring." 😂

    It was a powerful reminder that when a child communicates something we aren't expecting, our job isn't to immediately dismiss it as accidental. Sometimes we need to stop, stay curious, and believe them.

    Because a child not knowing how to use something they haven't had meaningful opportunities to learn is not evidence that they're incapable of learning it.

    Our kids shouldn't have to prove they're ready for communication.

    Access is where learning begins.

    Related Resources & Links

    3 Ways To Make AAC Work In Busy Classrooms (free guide)

    Autism Little Learners AAC Resources

    Donaldson, A. L., corbin, e., Zisk, A. H., & Eddy, B. (2023). Promotion of Communication Access, Choice, and Agency for Autistic Students. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(1), 140–155.
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    14 mins
  • #194 Nonspeaking AAC User & Autistic Woman Jordyn Zimmerman on Communication

    #194 Nonspeaking AAC User & Autistic Woman Jordyn Zimmerman on Communication
    Sep 29 2026
    A quick heads up before you listen: Jordyn prepared some answers ahead of time and responded to others in real time, so you'll hear pauses between each question and Jordyn's answer. I challenge you to resist the urge to fast-forward through the wait time. Sitting with that silence is one of the most important skills of a good communication partner — in this episode, and in your classroom. As we get ready to kick off AAC Awareness Month on October 1st, I'm bringing back one of my most meaningful conversations for this special encore episode. I'm joined by Jordyn Zimmerman, an autistic woman who is non-speaking and a full-time AAC user. Jordyn shares her lived experience with communication, education, and what it means to truly presume competence. Jordyn didn't have access to robust AAC until she was 18 years old. In this conversation, she shares what she wishes the adults around her had understood, why communication access should never have prerequisites, and what educators, therapists, and families can do differently for the nonspeaking autistic children in their lives. In this episode, we talk about: Why a lack of speech is not a lack of language — and nonspeaking does not mean non-understanding Why communication is a basic human right, not something a child has to earn Why there should be no prerequisites for access to AAC The differences between PECS, core boards, and robust language-based AAC What an AAC-rich environment can look like What it really means to presume competence in our everyday interactions Why we shouldn't limit a child's vocabulary until they've "proven" they're ready for it The importance of autonomy, choice, and agency in communication Why communication needs to go far beyond requesting — our kids deserve to comment, ask questions, joke, disagree, tell stories, and show us who they are Why wait time is such an important skill for communication partners Jordyn's advocacy work and what she wants educators, therapists, and families supporting nonspeaking autistic children to know Jordyn's perspective is such an important reminder as we head into AAC Awareness Month: communication is so much more than speech. Every person deserves to be heard, respected, presumed competent, and given access to a reliable way to communicate. Whether you heard this conversation when it originally aired or you're listening for the first time, I can't think of a better conversation to revisit as we begin a month dedicated to AAC awareness. Related Resources & Links Jordyn Zimmerman Website Jordyn's documentary Preschool Autism Summit + VIP Day (Jordyn returns for a deeper conversation)
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • #193: Is It Behavior or a Stress Response? Supporting Autistic Children With Compassion

    #193: Is It Behavior or a Stress Response? Supporting Autistic Children With Compassion
    Sep 22 2026
    When an autistic child is melting down, refusing, running away, or saying "no," what looks like challenging behavior may actually be a stress response or an important form of communication. In this episode, Tara is revisiting the way we think about behavior in autistic preschoolers and asking us to look underneath what we can see on the outside. Instead of starting with "How do I stop this behavior?" we can get curious about what the child's nervous system may be communicating. Are they overwhelmed? Is the environment unpredictable? Are they trying to tell us no? Do they have a communication system that allows them to advocate for what they need? Because when we understand behavior as communication, our response changes too. Is It Behavior or a Stress Response? What adults call "behavior" may actually be an autistic child responding to stress, overwhelm, an unmet need, or an environment that feels difficult to navigate. Looking beyond the observable behavior helps us understand what the child may be communicating and what support they need. The goal isn't to simply make the behavior disappear. It's to understand what is happening underneath it. How Does Stress Affect Autistic Children? Stress can have a significant impact on an autistic child's ability to regulate, communicate, participate, and learn. Sensory overload, unpredictable routines, communication barriers, demands, and environmental changes can all increase stress. When that stress builds, we may see crying, yelling, running away, shutting down, pushing something away, or other responses adults sometimes label as challenging behavior. Instead of viewing those responses in isolation, we can ask what happened before them and what the child may need from us now. Is Behavior a Form of Communication? Yes. Behavior can communicate needs, discomfort, overwhelm, fear, frustration, or a desire for something to stop. For an autistic preschooler who may not yet have reliable access to spoken language or another communication system in a stressful moment, their actions may be one of the clearest ways they have to tell us something is wrong. When we view behavior as communication, we become less focused on stopping it and more interested in understanding the message. Why Is Protest Important for Autistic Children? Protest is communication, and autistic children need safe, reliable ways to say no, stop, all done, or "I don't want this." A child turning away, pushing something aside, moving away, saying no, or communicating distress may be telling us something important. Honoring protest helps children learn that their communication matters. Self-advocacy starts much earlier than adulthood. It begins when children learn that the people around them will listen when they communicate that something does not feel right. What Is the Difference Between Compliance and Connection? Compliance-focused approaches prioritize getting a child to follow an adult's direction. Connection-focused approaches prioritize understanding the child, identifying unmet needs, supporting communication, and creating an environment where the child feels safe enough to engage. That does not mean children never experience expectations, boundaries, or difficult moments. It means our first question becomes "What does this child need?" rather than "How do I make this child comply?" How Does Co-Regulation Help an Autistic Child? Co-regulation happens when a supportive adult helps a child move through stress by offering calm, connection, predictability, and safety. Young children are still developing their ability to regulate independently. During stressful moments, they may need us to reduce language, adjust the environment, acknowledge their communication, and stay present without adding more pressure. Regulation develops within relationships. We don't have to demand that a child calm down before we offer support. How Can We Support Autistic Children During Stress Responses? Supporting stress responses begins with looking beyond the behavior and identifying what may be creating stress for the child. That might mean making the environment more predictable, providing visual information, reducing sensory demands, honoring a child's protest, giving access to communication, or simply staying close and co-regulating through a difficult moment. The support should respond to the need underneath the behavior, not simply make the behavior stop. In This Episode, You'll Learn • Why behavior and stress are closely connected for autistic children • How stressful environments can contribute to dysregulation • Why behavior should be viewed as communication • How unmet needs can show up through a child's actions • Why protest is a valid and important form of communication • How honoring "no" supports self-advocacy • Why compliance-focused approaches can miss what a child is communicating • How predictable routines can reduce stress and uncertainty • Why co-regulation matters during ...
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    18 mins
  • #192: Why Are Transitions So Hard for Autistic Children? Understanding the Why Before the Strategies

    #192: Why Are Transitions So Hard for Autistic Children? Understanding the Why Before the Strategies
    Sep 15 2026
    Transitions are often the first part of the preschool day to fall apart for autistic children, especially when routines change, activities end, or expectations shift quickly. Every. Single. Year. In this episode, Tara is talking less about transition tricks and more about why transitions are genuinely so hard for many autistic preschoolers. A transition can involve much more than moving from one activity to another. A child may need to shift their attention, leave a deeply engaging activity, process new sensory input, understand what is happening next, and regulate the emotions that come with an unexpected or unwanted change. Because once we understand the why, the strategies finally have a better chance of sticking. Why Are Transitions So Hard for Autistic Children? Transitions can be difficult for autistic children because they often require several demanding shifts at the same time. A child may need to stop an activity, redirect their attention, enter a different sensory environment, process new language, and manage uncertainty about what is coming next. What looks like refusal or noncompliance may actually reflect overwhelm, difficulty shifting attention, sensory stress, or a need for more time and information. How Does Predictability Affect Transitions? Predictability helps an autistic child understand what is happening now and what will happen next. When a routine changes unexpectedly or a child does not have enough information about what is coming, that uncertainty can make the transition much harder. Consistent routines, visual information, and advance notice can make the day feel more understandable and manageable. This does not mean every part of the day has to happen exactly the same way. It means we give children clear information when something is about to change. Can Sensory Changes Make Transitions More Difficult? Yes. A transition often involves much more than physically moving from one activity or location to another. A child may be moving from a quiet space into a noisy classroom, from dim lighting into bright lighting, or from a familiar activity into an environment filled with different sounds, smells, people, and movement. Even when the next activity looks simple to an adult, the sensory shift may feel significant to the child. Looking at what changes between the two environments can help us understand why a specific transition is difficult. What Does Executive Functioning Have to Do With Transitions? Executive functioning helps us shift attention, organize our next steps, remember what we are supposed to do, and move from one task to another. These mental shifts can require significant effort for autistic preschoolers. A child may understand that circle time is over but still need extra time to disengage, process the next direction, organize their body, and move toward the next activity. Instead of assuming the child is refusing to transition, consider how many separate steps their brain is being asked to manage all at once. What Is Monotropism? Monotropism is a way of understanding the deep, focused attention many autistic people experience. An autistic child may become intensely engaged in one interest, activity, or sensory experience at a time. That deep attention can support learning, creativity, regulation, and connection. It can also make abruptly shifting away from an activity especially difficult. When a child is deeply engaged, leaving that activity may not feel like a simple request to clean up. The child may need time, information, and support to shift their attention. Respecting that deep engagement does not mean transitions never happen. It means we recognize that the transition may require more effort than it appears to from the outside. How Can We Make Transitions Easier for Autistic Preschoolers? Making transitions easier begins with understanding what is making the transition hard for that particular child. Once we understand the underlying need, we can choose a support that gives the child more predictability, processing time, and access. A visual schedule may help a child who does not know what is coming next. A predictable warning may help a child who needs more time to shift their attention. A video model may help a child understand an unfamiliar routine. Sensory support may help when the next environment feels overwhelming. There is not one transition strategy that works for every autistic child. The most effective support is the one that matches the reason the transition is difficult. Transition Supports Mentioned in This Episode • Use a visual schedule so the child can see what is happening now and what will happen next • Give clear, predictable warnings before an activity ends • Use consistent words or visual cues during familiar transitions • Allow additional processing time before repeating a direction • Validate that stopping a preferred or deeply engaging activity can be difficult • Consider the sensory differences between the current ...
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    20 mins
  • #191: 5 Must-Have Visual Supports for Autistic Preschoolers

    #191: 5 Must-Have Visual Supports for Autistic Preschoolers
    Sep 8 2026
    If you're looking for the best visual supports for autistic preschoolers, these five foundational tools can make classroom routines, transitions, communication, and everyday expectations easier to understand. In this episode, Tara is going back to the basics and sharing five of her favorite visual supports for young autistic children. These are the supports she returns to again and again because they are practical, flexible, and easy to use in preschool classrooms, therapy spaces, and at home. Visual supports can make routines more predictable and reduce the amount of spoken language a child has to process. But with so many different types of visual supports available, it can be hard to know where to begin. That's exactly what we're breaking down today. What Are the Best Visual Supports for Autistic Preschoolers? The best visual supports are the ones that give a child clear, meaningful information about what is happening now, what is coming next, and what they can expect. Tara's five go-to supports are a first-then board, visual schedule, All Done Bucket, Wait Mat, and visual countdown or star chart. What Is a First-Then Board? A first-then board is a simple visual support that shows an autistic child what is happening first and what will happen next. It can make routines and transitions easier to understand without requiring the child to process a long series of verbal directions. A first-then board can be especially helpful when a child is learning a new routine, preparing for a transition, or moving between activities. How Does a Visual Schedule Help Autistic Preschoolers? A visual schedule helps autistic preschoolers see and understand the sequence of activities within their day or routine. This added predictability can support transitions, communication, regulation, and independence. For some children, starting with only two or three pictures is more supportive than displaying a full-day schedule. The schedule can grow as the child becomes familiar with checking it and moving through the routine. What Is an All Done Bucket? An All Done Bucket is a visual and concrete way to show a child that an activity or object is finished. Instead of relying only on spoken directions like "clean up" or "all done," the child has a predictable action that represents the ending. When this system is modeled consistently, it can make difficult transitions easier to understand. What Is a Wait Mat? A Wait Mat is a visual support that gives a child a clear place to temporarily put a preferred or regulating object while participating in another activity. Unlike an All Done Bucket, the object is not finished or being taken away—it is waiting nearby. That distinction can be especially important for autistic children who carry familiar objects for comfort, connection, or regulation. How Can a Visual Countdown Help With Transitions? A visual countdown shows a child that an activity will continue for a little longer and then end. Stars or other symbols can be added or removed so the child can visually see the transition getting closer. The countdown isn't something the child has to earn. It provides information about what is going to happen next. In This Episode, You'll Learn • Why visual supports can be so helpful for autistic preschoolers • How visuals can support routines, transitions, communication, and independence • How to use a first-then board to make what's happening now and next more concrete • Why visual schedules don't have to show an entire day • How an All Done Bucket creates a clear ending to an activity • The difference between an All Done Bucket and a Wait Mat • How visual countdowns can prepare children for upcoming transitions • Why consistency matters when introducing a new visual support Key Takeaways • Visual supports can make spoken information more concrete and easier to process • Predictability can support regulation and reduce uncertainty • Start with the amount of visual information the child can understand right now • Visuals work best when they are modeled consistently • A visual support should provide information, not become another demand • Different children may need different types or amounts of visual support • Simple visuals used consistently can make a big difference throughout the preschool day Try This You don't need to introduce all five visual supports at once. Choose one routine or transition that feels tricky right now. Think about what information might be unclear to the child: Do they know what is happening? What comes next? When something will be finished? Where a favorite object will go? Then choose one visual that could make that information more concrete. Start there. Model it consistently, give the child time to learn what it means, and pay attention to whether it is actually making the routine easier to understand. Related Resources & Links 💚 Visual Supports Starter Set💚 All Done Bucket Podcast Episode💚 Themed Year-Round Adapted ...
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    18 mins
  • #190: Regulation Before Expectation: Supporting Autistic Students in the Classroom

    #190: Regulation Before Expectation: Supporting Autistic Students in the Classroom
    Sep 1 2026
    Supporting regulation in the classroom starts with understanding what an autistic child's nervous system needs before we focus on expectations, participation, or learning. That's why regulation is the focus of Week 3 of our Back to School Foundations series. By early September, you've probably moved past those first days of school when everyone is learning names, exploring the classroom, and figuring each other out. Your routines are starting to take shape, expectations are increasing, and you may also be seeing more dysregulation show up. This is often when we start wondering, What can I do to help this child participate? How do I make circle time easier? Why are transitions suddenly so hard? What changed? Before we add another expectation, I want us to look at regulation. For six weeks, I'm revisiting some of the most important conversations from the Autism Little Learners Podcast and bringing them back when you may need them most. This week's conversation originally aired in early 2025, and it focuses on practical ways we can support emotional and sensory regulation throughout the classroom day. We'll talk about the classroom environment, sensory needs, calming spaces, visual supports, sensory tools, and the important role we play in co-regulation. Most importantly, we'll talk about why regulation isn't something we work on only after a child becomes overwhelmed. When we understand an individual child's sensory needs and build supportive strategies throughout their day, we're creating an environment where they have greater access to communication, participation, connection, and learning. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why the classroom environment can have such a big impact on regulation How reducing sensory overload can support autistic children throughout their day Why calming corners can offer a supportive place for children to manage sensory input and emotions How visual supports can provide information, support communication, and reduce uncertainty Ways sensory tools can help children get the sensory input their bodies need Why co-regulation with a trusted adult is so important for young children How sensory needs can look very different from one child to another Why regulation supports should be woven throughout the day rather than saved for moments of dysregulation How heavy work activities can support children who are seeking more sensory input Why helping young autistic children develop regulation skills has benefits that extend far beyond the classroom Key Takeaways Regulation comes before expectation. Before asking how to get a child to participate, sit, transition, or complete an activity, consider what their nervous system may be communicating. The environment matters. Noise, lighting, movement, visual clutter, proximity to other people, and other sensory input can all affect how accessible a classroom feels to an individual child. Regulation looks different for every child. There isn't one sensory tool, calming strategy, or classroom setup that will work for everyone. Understanding the individual child is essential. Co-regulation comes before self-regulation. Young children develop regulation skills with support from calm, responsive adults. Our job isn't simply to tell a child to calm down. We can help them feel safe and supported as they move through those moments. Calming spaces aren't punishment spaces. A calming corner can provide access to sensory tools and a quieter environment when a child needs less input or a place to regulate. Sensory supports shouldn't only appear during a hard moment. Movement, heavy work, sensory tools, visual supports, and regulation opportunities can be intentionally incorporated throughout the day. The goal isn't a perfectly calm child. We're supporting children in understanding and responding to what their bodies need, not teaching them to hide signs of discomfort or dysregulation. Try This Choose one part of your classroom day when dysregulation seems to happen more often and look at the environment before changing the child's behavior. Notice the sensory input around the child. What are they hearing, seeing, touching, or being asked to tolerate? Watch for what an individual child naturally does to regulate. Do they seek movement, pressure, quiet, repetition, or less sensory input? Think about one regulation support you could make available before the difficult part of the day rather than waiting until the child is overwhelmed. During a hard moment, try shifting from "How do I get them to do this?" to "What might their body need from me right now?" Resources & Links Calming Kit Visuals — Visual supports and tools you can use to create a calming space and support regulation in your classroom. Calming Kit Visuals Visual Support Starter Set — Get started with simple visual supports you can use with young autistic children. Visual Support Starter Set Back to School Foundations Series — This is Week 3 of our six-part ...
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    21 mins
  • #189: Connection Comes Before Teaching

    #189: Connection Comes Before Teaching
    Aug 25 2026
    Building a positive connection with autistic students is one of the most important things we can focus on at the beginning of a new school year. That's why I'm making connection the focus of Week 2 of our Back to School Foundations series. There's something about that second week of school, too. The first few days are behind you, the excitement and whirlwind of getting everyone through the door has settled just a little, and you start realizing, I have a whole room full of children I'm still getting to know. And that takes time. For six weeks, I'm revisiting some of the most important conversations from the Autism Little Learners Podcast and bringing them back at the time of year when you may need them most. This week's conversation originally aired way back in August 2023, during the very first year of the podcast, so there's a pretty good chance you haven't heard this one before. And even if you have, I think it's worth coming back to as you get to know a new group of students. Last week, we talked about what needs to be in place before we really begin teaching. This week, we're slowing down and looking more closely at connection. When a new student walks into your classroom, you might already have an IEP, evaluation reports, goals, and plenty of information about what you're supposed to teach. But none of that replaces getting to know the actual child in front of you. In this episode, I'm sharing simple ways to foster a positive connection with your autistic students and why taking time to learn about their interests, preferences, communication, and cues isn't taking time away from teaching. It becomes part of the foundation for everything you'll do together. Because connection isn't something we check off during the first week of school and move on from. It's something we continue building all year long. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why connection deserves our attention before we become too focused on goals and academics Simple ways to begin building trust with a new autistic student Why a child's interests can be an important doorway into connection How following a child's lead helps us learn more about their communication and interaction Why not every interaction needs to become a teaching opportunity How noticing all forms of communication helps us better understand the child in front of us Why respecting a child's communication, including "no," "stop," and "all done," matters How taking time to build a relationship supports learning throughout the school year Key Takeaways Connection isn't separate from teaching. The time we spend getting to know a child gives us information that can make future learning more meaningful and accessible. An IEP tells us about a student, but it doesn't replace knowing them. Notice what makes them smile, what they move toward, what they avoid, and how they communicate. Interests can be a bridge to connection. Instead of always saving a favorite item or activity as a reward, we can join children in something they already enjoy. Not every interaction needs an agenda. Sometimes we can simply play, imitate, notice, laugh, and enjoy being together without immediately turning the moment into a lesson. Communication comes in many forms. Spoken words, AAC, gestures, facial expressions, body movements, sounds, scripts, reaching, moving toward something, and moving away can all communicate important information. Honoring communication builds trust. When children learn that the adults around them notice and respond to what they're communicating, we're strengthening the relationship. Connection takes time. It isn't a first-week-of-school activity. It's something we continue building and protecting throughout the year. Try This Choose one student you're still getting to know and spend some time simply observing what they enjoy. Notice what they move toward when they have a choice and what they move away from. Join them in something they already love without adding a demand or immediately turning it into a lesson. Look for communication you may have previously missed, including gestures, movement, sounds, AAC, or actions. At the end of the day, instead of only asking, "What did I teach today?" ask yourself, "What did I learn about this child today?" Resources & Links Back to School Foundations Series — This is Week 2 of our six-part series. Start with Episode #188 and follow along as we build from the foundations into connection, regulation, visual supports, transitions, and understanding behavior as communication. Keep Learning — Read the companion blog post about building positive connections with autistic students. New to neurodiversity-affirming language? Read Why We Say "Autistic Child": A Simple Guide to Neurodiversity-Affirming Language. Next Week — We'll continue the Back to School Foundations series with regulation and what it can look like to support it in the classroom.
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    18 mins