Creating Autism-Friendly Home Learning Environments in the New Normal

Families of children and adults on the autism spectrum face unique challenges in building a positive home environment conducive to personal and academic learning. The Autism Society Philippines acknowledges the need for parents to take a hands-on role in their child’s development.

ASP is offering a four-part series of FREE FREE FREE seminars, EXCLUSIVE TO ASP MEMBERS. Each seminar is a pre-requisite to the next one in the series.

The seminars aim to equip families with strategies to thrive in a home-centered school and therapy arrangements in the new normal.

Free Seminar series exclusively for ASP Members

The series consists of the following topics:

Session 1: Inspiring Positive Behaviors
06 June 2020, Sat, 2pm-4pm

The session will answer questions often asked by parents in inspiring cooperative behavior in their children on the autism spectrum. How can you motivate your kids to do unpreferred tasks, be more compliant, preempt aggressive behaviors? THIS SESSION IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE 3 SUCCEEDING SESSIONS.

Our Speaker:

Ms. Cecile Sicam

Cecile Sicam is one of the 11 original founders of the Autism Society Philippines. She has served ASP in many capacities, as Secretary, President from 2001 to 2004; Vice President. Cecile has been teaching children with special needs for more than 2 decades. She taught SpEd for three years Santa Clara County, California; and upon her return resumed her position as Program Coordinator of Bridges Foundation Inc.

She served as BFI's Directress from 2010-2016. She was her son's job coach upon his transition from school. Her adult son, Likas, has been employed for more than a decade. Now retired, she is currently ASP's Board Secretary, Education Committee Head and Project Manager of the Homepowerment Project.

Session 2: Developing Speech and Communication
20 June 2020, Sat, 9am-11am

There is so much opportunity to teach your child language and communication in the home. This webinar helps parents spot those opportunities for language learning given a more conducive home environment.

Our Speaker:

Ms Ma. Cynthia Quiason

Ma. Cynthia Rodriguez-Quiason. Teacher Ting is the pioneer that started it all. As founding President of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists, she opened a venue where we could all learn and grow together, collaborate with each other in ensuring that we continue to improve in our profession, and that every Filipino who needs our help may be assisted by providing quality service. She laid the foundations for the association, which we have grown to respect and love today. Her career speaks of years of dedicated service, not just to clients who need speech and language intervention, but also to her fellow speech pathologists, paving ways to uplift and constantly improve the profession. A graduate of BS Speech Pathology from UP-CAMP in 1985, Teacher Ting's 29 years as a speech pathologist encompasses advocating for the profession in various events and seminars, providing services to both pediatric and adult clients, which she continues to do as a Senior Consultant at Speech Ladder Therapy Center and as the co-owner of the Center for Exploration and Experiential Development, and educating generations of future speech pathologists, formerly in the UP- College of Allied Medical Professions, and currently at the UST-College of Rehabilitation Sciences. Teacher Ting continues to be dedicated to the association's cause, being active in the various activities of PASP. Truly, a model of high standards for current and future speech pathologists.

Session 3: Structured Teaching at Home
27 June 2020, Sat, 2pm-4pm

Structured teaching is a system for: organizing space; change of activities with schedules; work study systems to facilitate learning process; and material organization to promote independence. Its primary purpose is to improve adaptation of persons with autism by modifying or structuring the environment to accommodate learning challenges of those in the spectrum.

Long before the “new normal”, our 3 resource persons have long been emphasizing the need for consistent practice of structured teaching by carers at home. This zoominar features application of structured teaching at home from the resource persons’ personal experiences with their sons with autism and those of other families they met.

Participants will also be given the opportunity to share their own experiences in structuring their home during the community quarantine.

Our Speaker:

Ms Dang Koe

Dang Uy Koe is ASP’s Chairperson Emeritus and Chairman of ASEAN Autism Network. She graduated with degrees in Communication Arts from the University of Santo Tomas and the University of the Philippines. A sought-after speaker who travels to many parts of the country sharing hopes and building dreams with families living with autism, Dang is the recipient of 2013 Apolinario Mabini Award for Rehabilitation Volunteer and UST’s 2009 The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Award for Humanitarian Service for her autism advocacy work.

For her regional advocacy work, she was honored as the 2018 ASEAN Prize Laureate. Dang is the mother to three boys, including Gio, an adult on the autism spectrum, who propels her to be a passionate autism advocate.

Session 4: Meeting Sensory Needs through Movement
04 July 2020, Sat, 2pm-4pm

Even during this lockdown, we need to make sure our children are moving and active. Why is movement so important in learning and brain development? What are the benefits of being active? What are some sensory-rich activities we can do at home, using easy to find materials? Find out all these during our session.

Our Speaker:

Anna Yap Tan Pascual

Anna Yap Tan Pascual is a licensed occupational therapist, registered both in the Philippines and Australia. She took BS Occupational Therapy in 1992 and finished her Master in Rehabilitation Medicine in 2002 both at UP-Manila. Teacher Anna has worked in the Philippines, USA, Australia and China in the past 27 years being a pediatric occupational therapist. She organizes and serves as main speaker and facilitator for numerous seminars and workshops. She works with kids from 0 to 18 years old with various disabilities. Teacher Anna uses principles of sensory integration within a developmental framework to help prepare children to be successful in the school and home settings.

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