Sensory Integration: Calming Strategies for the Home

Date: 23 October 2021, Saturday
Time: 9:00am (we are not accepting late-comers)
Register below to get the zoom link.
Deadline of registration is 22 October 2021, Friday at 12nn
This learning event is EXCLUSIVE TO ASP MEMBERS

Sensory Integration October 2021 Poster

Sensory Integration is about how our brain receives and processes sensory information so that we can do the things we need to do in our everyday life. Our brain interprets the information it receives, then uses all of this information to help us respond to our environment. Most persons with autism have problems with sensory integration and this manifests in odd or challenging behaviors. Movement is important in sensory stimulation and we need to make sure our children are moving and active. Participants will learn practical strategies and sensory-rich activities we can do at home that can help PWAs cope or overcome their sensory processing difficulties.

IMPORTANT: Validated members will receive an email with the Zoom details. Send us an email via autismphils@gmail.com if you have not received your Zoom credentials by Friday, 22 October at 1pm. Please do not share your link — only one device per name shall be accepted.

Our Moderator:

Ms Cecile Sicam

Cecile S. 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.

Our Speaker:

Ms Anya Sanchez

Maria Anya Paola P. Sanchez, OTRP works as an occupational therapist at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, QualiMed Surgery Center – Manila, and Independent Living Learning Centre. She is also a contributing writer for the blog of Theracare, a family-centered therapy clinic in Davao. When Anya was the Apple Tree Integrated School’s program consultant, she helped develop the institution’s Blended Learning Program for students with disabilities even before the pandemic. She was also the clinic coordinator of Apple Tree’s school-based therapy center. Together with the Apple Tree staff, Anya pioneered the school’s push-in therapy services, which allowed Apple Tree’s occupational therapists and speech pathologists to shadow their patients during classes and extra co-curricular activities. She also developed many of the guidelines for conducting push-in sessions virtually.

Anya took up BS Occupational Therapy at the UP Manila. This year, she obtained her Diploma in International Health at the UP Open University.

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Posted in: members,seminar

Structured Teaching at Home

Date: 02 October 2021, Saturday
Time: 9:00am (we are not accepting late-comers)
Register below to get the zoom link.
Deadline of registration is 01 October 2021, Friday at 12nn
This learning event is EXCLUSIVE TO ASP MEMBERS

Structured Teaching at Home Poster

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 resource person has been consistently practicing structured teaching at home. This zoominar features application of structured teaching at home from the resource person's personal experiences with her son on the autism spectrum and those of other families she met.

Participants will also be given practical tips on how to create doable routines, conducive learning spaces and visuals supports in small spaces at home.

IMPORTANT: Validated members will receive an email with the Zoom details. Send us an email via autismphils@gmail.com if you have not received your Zoom credentials by Friday, 01 October at 1pm. Please do not share your link — only one device per name shall be accepted.

Our Moderator:

Ms Cecile Sicam

Cecile S. 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.

Our Speaker:

Ms Dang Koe

Dang Uy Koe was honored as the inaugural ASEAN Prize laureate in 2018 for her regional autism advocacy. She is ASP’s Chairperson Emerita and Past Chairperson 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.

Dang is the mother to three boys, including Gio, an adult on the autism spectrum, who propels her to be a passionate autism advocate.

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Posted in: members,seminar

ASP Economic Empowerment Programs

***UPDATE: Due to unforseen circumstances, the ASP Leadership Townhall is postponed to September 11, Sat, 10am. Sorry for the inconvenience. ***

Date: 28 August 2021, Saturday, 10am

Register below to get the zoom link

Deadline of registration is 10 September 2021, Fri at 12nn

ASP Economic Empowerment Poster

The next ASP Leadership Town Hall will focus on economic empowerment opportunities for chapters, parents and persons on the autism spectrum under several ASP programs. Let’s discuss existing programs such as the ASP Autism Works, the ASP AutisMALL, the ASP NegosyAU and explore the potential of more upcoming initiatives. We will also discuss how ASP chapters can develop fund-generation activities that are effective and compliant to ASP governance standards. Mona Magno-Veluz, Helen Cheng and Cenin Faderogao will be our resources for this interactive session.

This online event is EXCLUSIVELY for ASP Chapter leaders in good standing, with updated memberships.

Our Speakers:

Mona Veluz serves as the National President of the Autism Society Philippines. She received degrees in Business Administration, Applied Economics and Strategic Marketing from the University of the Philippines Diliman, University of Asia and the Pacific and the London School of Business. Drawing from her experience as a corporate communications and recruitment professional, she helped grow the national advocacy initiatives such as the 1Pangako, ASP Angel Corps, A-OK Philippines campaigns and the widely-successful ASP Autism Works economic empowerment initiative.

She speaks publicly on disability advocacy, leadership, and genealogy. Mona is a wife and a mom to three kids. Her eldest, Carl, is an adult on the spectrum who is active in the community -- volunteering, working on his entrepreneurial ventures and finishing an architecture course.

Helen Cheng is a current ASP National Trustee and headed the AutisMALL Pilipinas, a virtual market place for products and services by and for persons on the autism. As a neophyte trustee, she has contributed a lot for ways and means during ASP major events - Angels Walk, National Autism Consciousness Week celebration, World Autism Awareness Day, and others.

Her practical approach to getting things done made a lot of these events easier to execute. Helen graduated from University of Santo Tomas with a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Business Administration. She is currently working with her husband’s family business and at the same time a fulltime mom to her four children including Kenrick Albert, a 25 year old artist with autism. Helen's generous heart includes sharing Kenrick's talents in any way helpful to ASP.

Cenin Faderogao, the “Kuya” or “Sir Cenin” of the ASP’s Pweday every Saturday afternoon, is an advocate of children and youth with disability, and a pro-active agent on their rights and welfare. As Program Coordinator of ASP, Cenin brings unique perspectives gained from his six years’ experience working with the parents and PWA empowering them to unleash the untapped potential of ASP members and program beneficiaries. Using real-world examples, Cenin sheds light on how the invaluable talent each person brings to ASP and can positively impact its mission.

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Posted in: chapters,leaders,seminar

Motivating Communication in Children and Youth on the Spectrum

Date: 04 September 2021, Saturday

Time: 9:00am (we are not accepting late-comers)

Register below to get the zoom link

Deadline of registration is 03 September 2021, Friday at 12nn

This learning event is EXCLUSIVE TO ASP MEMBERS

Motivating Communication Poster

Discover the many opportunities to teach language and communication skills at home. This webinar will help our parents create a conducive home environment that inspires speech in our children on the spectrum.

Our Speaker:

Ma. Cynthia Rodriguez-Quiasonis 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.

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Posted in: members,seminar

Inspiring Positive Behaviors in children and youth on the spectrum

Date: 31 July 2021, Saturday

Time: 9:00am (we are not accepting late-comers)

Register below to get the zoom link

Deadline of registration is 30 July 2021, Friday at 12nn

This learning event is EXCLUSIVE TO ASP MEMBERS

Inspiring Positive Behaviors Poster

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?

IMPORTANT: Validated members will receive an email with the Zoom details. Send us an email via autismphils@gmail.com if you have not received your Zoom credentials by Friday, 3pm. Please do not share your link — only one device per name shall be accepted.

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.

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Posted in: seminar

NegosyAU Basics

The ASP NegosyAU Series is a project of the Autism Society Philippines (complementing the ASP Autism Works Program and the AutisMALL Project), in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Leonard Cheshire Disability Philippines Foundation, towards building autism-centric social enterprises. The webinar is open to adults on the autism spectrum, family members and potential business partners. You may register below to participate via Zoom or you may watch via Facebook Live.

NegosyAU Basics poster

The ASP NegosyAU Series are webinars which offer potential entrepreneurs on the spectrum and their family members a roadmap to building a sustainable business and achieving economic empowerment. The event series aims to provide information and inspiration to create a business mindset, to be informed of statutory requirements necessary to starting a business and to help promising entrepreneurs on the spectrum through coaching and mentoring. The event series will eventually feature stories of hardships and triumphs of autism-inclusive social enterprises; and the sharing of inspiration and support within the autism community.

"NegosyAU Basics"

15 May 2021, Sat

9:30am-11:30am

The FREE webinar "NegosyAU Basics" will handle the following fundamental concepts. Certificates will be issued to those who sign the attendance sheet and surveys during the event.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset. We will discuss the skills that enable people to identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in business.

Business Planning. We will discuss how to put into writing what the business activities are, how to analyze the environment, how it plans to achieve its goals; and how to look at the future.

Business Registration. We will discuss how to register a business in DTI, LGU and BIR in the new normal, as well as other different requirements, depending on the nature of the business.

DTI KAPATID Mentor ME. We will discuss this initiative of the DTI and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) -- where large corporations teach MSEs on different aspects of business operations.

Ms. Glenda Loloy, Trade Industry Development Specialist (TIDS) from Department of Trade and Industry, NCRO will be joining ASP National President Ms. Mona Magno-Veluz as our resource speakers for this webinar.

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Posted in: business,seminar

Let's take a break and paint with coffee

The Autism Society Philippines and the Centre for Developmental Arts Manila invite stressed out parents and adults from the autism community for a quiet afternoon of "Painting with Coffee". The smell of coffee, the subtle shades of brown, the feel of deliberate brush strokes, the soothing voices of friends and perhaps a cup of your favorite hot beverage -- all will calm our senses as we immerse ourselves in some self-love. A great way to close the National Arts Month!

Teacher Baldwin Kho, PWD advocate and Founder of CDAM will guide us through this unique activity for busy parents on 28 February 2021, Sunday at 2pm.

Paint with Coffee poster

Register via https://bit.ly/3k4DDYP and the Zoom details will be sent directly to you email address.

Participants must prepare their own materials:

1/8 illustration board or Oslo paper

instant coffee powder (NOT 3-in-1)

paint brush (different sizes)

container with water

palette (optional)

pencil and eraser

rag or paper towels

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." In celebration of the month of love, allow yourselves to take a mindful break from work and responsibilities for some all-important "me" time.

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Posted in: 4parents,art,seminar

Promoting Physical Wellbeing of Children with Autism

Physical wellbeing, which is the ability to perform physical activities and carry out social roles without being hindered by physical and biological limitations, is a key contributor to health and development. For children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, promoting physical wellbeing goes beyond allowing kids to move on their own. We need to encourage the participation in physical activities so that children will gain the known associated health benefits. This talk will present the guidelines related to physical activity, behavior when sitting or lying down, and sleep for young children. This will be followed by a discussion of considerations and tips on how to promote physical activity in young people with autism, especially in the context of the current pandemic.

The ASP Education and Empowerment Program serves as a platform to educate Filipino parents and professionals on the various interventions, modalities and theories surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder, through monthly seminars and workshops.

"Promoting Physical Wellbeing of Children with Autism"

06 December 2020, Sunday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Register below and respond to the survey to receive the Zoom link.

Physical Wellbeing poster

How to Register

To attend this FREE webinar is open to the public, specifically, parents of children on the autism spectrum.

(1) Fill out the form below.

(2) Respond to a four-part survey (link to be sent via email), needed in the conduct of a study entitled, “A cross-sectional study on the association of vaccine hesitancy among parents of children with neurologic or neurodevelopmental disorders to vaccine utilization” by Health Sciences students of the Ateneo De Manila University. Researchers would like to understand parents’ understanding and practices towards vaccination. Background information, questions about views in relation to vaccines, clarifying questions, and supplementary questions will be covered.

(3) Receive Zoom details upon receipt of survey response.

About the Speaker

Dr. Catherine M. Capio is an experienced pediatric physical therapist, and has continuing collaborations with developmental pediatricians, therapists, and teachers in the Philippines. She is an expert in the intersecting areas of motor development, physical activity, and health. Prior to joining The Education University of Hong Kong, she served as a Senior Research Advisor in a New Zealand Crown agency, and a Research Fellow in the University of Waikato. Her other previous roles are in the University of Hong Kong and the University of the Philippines Manila. She was also an international scholar in the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium where she trained in the area of psychomotor therapy.

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Posted in: 4parents,seminar

TEACCH-ing Made Easy

TEACCH-ing Made Easy

27 April 2019, Saturday, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentebella,

Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City

Map: http://bit.ly/1LwgklB

Creating an environment conducive for learning and developing independence need not be difficult. Learn how to apply principles of Structured Teaching at home and in the classroom with practical examples and hands on experience in planning and making structured materials. The talk aims to explain the philosophy and significance of structured teaching, provide the different approaches in setting up the home and the classroom to guide the neuro-diverse learners where to be, what, when, and how to do tasks as independently as possible. Participants will be able to take their materials to use at home or in their classroom.

About the Speakers

Ms. Maria Cecilia Zamora

Maria Cecilia V. Zamora or Teacher Ichie received her Bachelor in Secondary Education and Masters in Health Education at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She received her second Master's Degree in Special Education at the Philippine Normal University. Her teaching experience spans 20 years, covering preschool to college levels. From 2011 to 2015, she devoted her time at Bridges Foundation, a school for children with developmental disabilities as a SPED teacher, handling a vocational class comprised of 14 to 21 year old students with various special needs. Presently, she is connected with UP College of Education and serves as the Executive Secretary and DEC member of the ASEAN Center for Preventive Drug Education.

Ms. Mary Rose Genova

Mary Rose Genova is a licensed Professional Teacher. She is a trained special education teacher, teacher-researcher, school kindergarten coordinator, school research committee (SRC) member and Division of Quezon City session guide writer. As a Special Education professional, Ms. Mary Rose handles self-contained programs for students with various learning needs. She prepares learning experiences suited to the needs of her students, including organization and structuring of the learning environment. As a public school Special Education teacher, she is able to accomplish these despite very limited resources.

Seminar Rates

The Seminar is exclusive to members of the Autism Society Philippines
P 800 - Seminar only (For existing ASP Members)
P 1,200 - Seminar + ASP membership

Seminar fees may be deposited to Autism Society Philippines, Metrobank, Kamias Branch Account Number 047-3-04751874-2. Please email the scan copy of your deposit slip with the name/s of participant/s and contact numbers to autismphils@gmail.com and bring it on the day of the seminar. On-site registrants or walk- in will be accepted depending on the availability of slots. There will only be 70 slots available. No refund will be given to participants who do not show up on the date of the seminar. For more details, please call ASP at 02-903-5496.

The ASP Education and Empowerment Program serves as a platform to educate Filipino parents and professionals on the various interventions, modalities and theories surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their application and implementation are left at your discretion. The views and personal experiences of the speakers are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.

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Posted in: 4parents,4pros,4public,education,seminar

ASP Roxas City launched

The Autism Society Philippines ushers in a new chapter -- ASP Roxas in Capiz!

Ms. Janette Peña, ASP Executive Director facilitated the first family support group meeting for our newbie chapter of 2 September 2017. The parents who attended the meeting felt emboldened to share their autism journey.

Mam Jan Peña gave Family Support Group

The induction ceremony at City Mall Roxas with Atty. Ronnie Dadivas as our inducting officer followed later in the day. All the local ASP officers supported the event through their valuable presence and shared effort prior and during the activity. After the induction ceremony, Ms. Janette Peña delivered a powerful, informative and encouraging message about autism spectrum disorder and an orientation about the ASP advocacy. The attendance or 62 overwhelmed the organizers, since this was unexpected. The attendees were a mix of parents, students, professionals and persons with autism.

About the contributor: Fe Dela Cruz is the ASP Roxas City Chapter President. She is a full time mom of 2 kids and happily married to Jonathan Dela Cruz. She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce.

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Posted in: 4parents,chapters,seminar

Sensory Integration Therapy and Children with Autism Seminar

It’s Too Loud! Don’t Touch Me! That Tastes Funny! Many people on the autism spectrum have difficulty responding appropriately to different stimuli in their environments. They may be classified as hypersensitive (frequently craving different types of sensations) or hyposensitive (lacking or having a low response to sensations). Any of the senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times.

These sensory differences can affect behaviour and learning, and can have a profound effect on a person's life. Understand SI in non-technical terms. Find out its basic principles and application in home and school settings in order to address behavior problems of our special children.

About the 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 several work experiences in Philippines, USA, Australia and China in the past 25 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.

Seminar Fees:
Pre-Registration (until September 19 or until slots last)
ASP Member- P 500.00
Non-Member- P 700.00

On-site Registration
ASP Member- P 600.00
Non-Member- P 800.00

Seminar Details:
Date: 23 September 2017, Saturday
Time: 8:00AM - 12:00NN
Venue: ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentabella, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Quezon City
Map: http://bit.ly/asp-map2

Pre-registered participants may pay to Autism Society Philippines, Metrobank, Kamias Branch Account Number 047-3-04751874-2. Please email the scan copy of your deposit slip with the name/s of participant/s and contact numbers to autismphils@gmail.com and bring it on the day of the seminar. On-site registrants or walk- in will be accepted depending on the availability of slots. There will only be 70 slots available. No refund will be given to participants who do not show up on the date of the seminar. For more details, please call ASP at 02-903-5496.

The ASP Education and Empowerment Program serves as a platform to educate Filipino parents and professionals on the various interventions, modalities and theories surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their application and implementation are left at your discretion. The views and personal experiences of the speakers are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.

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Posted in: 4parents,4pros,seminar

ASP Chair shares principles of structured teaching

ASP Chair Emeritus Dang Koe welcomed parents and teachers who attended the seminar entitled Autism Friendly Learning Environment held at the Autism Society Philippines National Headquarters last 29 July 2017.

Participants of the seminar with the speaker Ms. Dang Koe

Mama Dang, as she is fondly called, acknowledged the principles in her presentation are based mostly on the work of Dr. Eric Shopler who developed the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH) Program or Structured Teaching (ST). The examples she showed were actual applications of ST principles in teaching Gio, her eldest son with autism, at home and in different settings.
She stressed that Structured Teaching is a framework for teaching and is not a curriculum i.e. it shows how to teach, not what to teach. The structure that is provided is like a prosthetic device which in itself is a form of behavior management, is individualized, and can be faded as the child learns to be independent. She showed how ST’s four main components use the relative strengths (e.g. strong visual perceptual skills and rote memory) and special interests of persons with autism (PWAs), to minimize their learning difficulties.

Because some PWAs may be prone to disorganization, cognitive-perceptual difficulties, attention deficit, poor verbal understanding and expression, etc., organizing their physical space, schedules, work systems and tasks, helps them to focus, reduces their anxiety, learn more easily and helps them become more independent.

Physical Space - Through the practical and actual examples in homes and different schools, Mama Dang showed that by arranging furniture, using shelves, rugs, tape on the floor, etc., one can define the purpose and boundaries of each activity space. By providing containers and labels, clutter is reduced and the child is more able to focus and he learns there is an appropriate place for every activity.

Schedule - Giving the child a visual schedule gives him a sense of predictability and teaching him to follow a visual schedule develops flexibility. It also teaches the child the concept of “first-next”, and “finished.” Mama Dang showed the evolution of Gio’s schedule boards, both general schedules and task specific schedules (or task charts), as he grew and as his activities changed. She stressed that schedules need to be individualized both in form and content, depending on the child’s level of functioning.

Work System - By identifying a process or protocol, i.e. always starting from top to bottom, left to right, the child gains independence in doing tasks.

Task Structure - Improving the manner materials used in a task are organized, the child can see what he needs to do with much less instruction. Visual instructions are a big help in communicating to the child the sequence of steps for the task or activity he must do.

As a finale, Mama Dang shared a short video of Gio, how he learned to do tasks independently through the years, a testament to how structured teaching helped him become as independent as he can be.

“The subject is relevant and applicable for parents and teachers.”

“Presentation was well prepared.”

“Very relevant to what I am supposed to do to my child as of his stage now.”

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Posted in: 4parents,4pro,seminar,structure,teaching

Behavior management and sight reading techniques

Managing Behavior through Non-violent Intervention

For the second year in a row, Ms. Thess Aficial, a special education teacher in the US, spent a day of her annual summer break last 01 July 2017 to share with ASP the new on-the-job training that she underwent. Interest in her topic was high as evidenced by the relatively large number of participants who attended.

Two attendees of the seminar
demonstrating some techniques

This year she shared the Non-violent Crisis Behavior Intervention - a program focusing on the safe management of disruptive and assaultive behavior - with ASP participants. Teacher Thess started with showing the 2 kinds of aggressive behavior: Verbal acting out and Physical acting out. She then showed the usual causes and stages of crisis behavior. She explained that crisis behavior starts with fear and anxiety, the child then becomes defensive and then acts out. She stressed that it was important for the interventionist to remain calm, be an empathic listener and get to the cause of the child’s anxiety. Verbal intervention should always be used with verbal acting out and physical intervention should be used only for physical aggression.

She then gave verbal techniques on how to deescalate behaviors at each stage, demonstrating words and tones that could be used to redirect the behavior to a more calm state. She also demonstrated the use of non-verbal behavior techniques such as kinesics (body language, motion, posture), and proxemics (positioning, space) to decrease tension.

However, when the verbal acting out escalates to a physical attack, ensuring the child’s and the professional’s safety should always be the objective of the intervention. T. Thess showed and demonstrated ways of responding to and getting out when the child tries to hit, kick, bite, grab, pull, etc.

She then explained the post-crisis COPING (Control-Orient-Patterns-Investigate-Negotiate- Give) model to be able to prevent or better respond to the individual’s crisis behavior.

Sight Reading Techniques

“Reading is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from them.” Reading is an important means of learning about the world around them. However, persons with autism sometimes find it difficult to learn phonetic reading or to extract meaning from words they are able to read aloud.

Sight reading can become an alternative to phonetic reading. Students who are able to point, say/sign words and understand language, can be taught sight reading and to derive meaning from words. Teacher Thess demonstrated how to teach the child to match object to object, match picture to picture, match object to picture and finally matching word to picture. The sight reading technique she showed was based on the EDMARK Reading Program and the Star Techniques. She showed materials used through each phase of the reading program.

The program is a scientifically based reading program using errorless teaching, positive reinforcement, manipulatives, oral and sight word vocabulary. As the child learns a new word,he will then build phrases and sentences and read stories. There should be continuous progress monitoring and documentation done.

The program can also be used to increase vocabulary, comprehension and fluency. “Very good demonstration. The speaker did a step-by-step process."

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Posted in: 4parents,4pros,behavior,seminar

Seminars on Behavior Management and Sight Reading Techniques

Behavior Management

01 July 2017, Saturday, 9:00 am - 12:00 nn

ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentabella,

Brgy. Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Quezon City

Map: http://bit.ly/1LwgklB

Behavior Management is one of the most, if not the most, critical challenge every educator goes through. This seminar aims to provide techniques and principles to handle crisis situations and to resolve potentially violent and dangerous classroom behaviors safely, less stressful, and without damaging the good student-teacher rapport.

Sight Reading Techniques

01 July 2017, Saturday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentabella, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Quezon City

Map: http://bit.ly/1LwgklB

There are various Reading Strategies used to teach a student to read. This seminar provides a supplementary and/or alternative approach to phonics or other Reading programs. This approach gives an organized process to teach Reading to emergent readers from word recognition to reading sentences in a book. This approach aims for students to increase vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and gives students an experience of immediate success.

The Speaker

Ms. Maria Theresa Aficial

Maria Theresa Aficial or fondly called Teacher Tess has taught in college, high school, and Special Education. She has worked with Bridges Foundation Inc. for 4 years before she went to the US as a Special Education teacher. She is now currently teaching Life Skills, a self-contained class of children with Autism and Moderate Intellectual Disability, Kindergarten to 1st grade at Coyote Canyon Elementary School at Bullhead City, Arizona. She has attended various in-state and on-site seminar training including STAR Program (Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research) and CPI (Nonviolent Crisis Intervention). She is using and implementing the programs in her classroom and is receiving further regular training on the topics.

Seminar Fees

Pre-Registration (until June 27 or until slots last)
Single Seminar ASP Member- P 500.00
Single Seminar Non-Member- P 600.00
Double Seminar ASP Member- P 800.00
Double Seminar Non-Member- P 1,200.00

On-site Registration
Single Seminar ASP Member- P 600.00
Single Seminar Non-Member- P 700.00
Double Seminar ASP Member- P 1,000.00
Double Seminar Non-Member- P 1,400.00

Pre-registered participants may pay to Autism Society Philippines, Metrobank, Kamias Branch Account Number 047-3-04751874-2. Please email the scan copy of your deposit slip with the name/s of participant/s and contact numbers to autismphils@gmail.com and bring it on the day of the seminar. On-site registrants or walk- in will be accepted depending on the availability of slots. There will only be 70 slots available. No refund will be given to participants who do not show up on the date of the seminar. For more details, please call ASP at 7-903-5496.

The ASP Education and Empowerment Program serves as a platform to educate Filipino parents and professionals on the various interventions, modalities and theories surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their application and implementation are left at your discretion. The views and personal experiences of the speakers are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.

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Posted in: 4parents,4pros,behavior,education,reading,seminar,sped

All You Need to Know About Autism

Participants of the seminar with our speaker Dr. Mimi Avendano

The Autism Society Philippines welcomed 36 parents and therapists to its monthly seminar entitled “All You Need to Know About Autism,” moderated by Dr. Ermenilda “Mimi” Avendaño, a respected developmental and behavioral pediatrician, at the ASP National Headquarters last 3 June 2017.

Doc Mimi walked us through a lay definitions of typical developmental conditions, what autism is and what it is not; and she helped the participants understand the difference classifications of autism based on the DSM-5 definition. She gamely answered questions typically asked by parents whose children are newly-diagnosed, such as the debate about vaccination. She shared recent scientific research, focusing on environment and genetics as potential causes of autism. Discussion of sleep and diet further enriched the exchange.

“Inviting the right resource person to explain the topic was impotant.” shared one participant. Now I fully understand and accept my child’s condition.”

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Posted in: 4parents,seminar

Free Seminar on Managing Aggression in Autism

This FREE Seminar on Managing Aggression in Autism is exclusively for ASP Members only. To joing ASP, go to http://bit.ly/asp-join.

Topic Description:

There are many reasons for aggressive behaviors especially in adolescent and adult persons with autism. Dr. Reyes will give a background of the different possible factors for aggressive behaviors, and give guidelines on how to analyze and manage these behaviors.

The Speaker:

Dr. Alexis Reyes

Dr. Alexis Socorro L. Reyes is recognized as one of the leading developmental pediatricians in the Philippines. She concurrently concurrently heads the Developmental Pediatrics Section, the Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo Developmental and Behavioral Studies Unit of the Section of Pediatrics of the UP-PGH; and the Center for Autism Medicine of the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig. She is an Associate Professor of the Department of Pediatrics at the UP College of Medicine and is a Special Lecturer at the Department of Pediatrics of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and UP College of Allied Medical Professions.

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Posted in: seminar

Theater Workshop for Young Adults with Autism

Theater Workshop Place

Theatre has been in the service of disability since ages, though it is a recent phenomena, it has been proven effective in certain key areas of development in the case of autism. Theatre is being used as a tool to improve peer interaction and help them to manage social situations. For people with autism, theatre could be used as a method to learn social skills, communicate, develop speech language integration of senses and here in this workshop they would have an opportunity to increase their confidence and develop passion as they practice to improve their skills, feel a sense of community, and have a means of self-expression. Further, theatre can be helpful in practicing real-life situations and conflicts a safe environment as there are no true consequence and a lack of pressure to react ‘correctly’ to a certain situation. Most importantly it would be fun fun with all the lists of our activities that would be a learning process and at the same time, one that they would take delight in.

The Autism Society Philippines and the University of the Philippines Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts brings you a Theater Workshop for Young Adults with Autism. The workshop activities include: Theatre games, Improvisational acting, Puppetry and Storytelling, Props and Set construction and Engaging in an Imaginative play.

Date and time: January 18, 25, February 1, 8 -- Wednesdays -- from 2pm to 4:30pm. The group will present a one-act play on February 11, Saturday as the culminating activity of the National Autism Consciousness Week.

Venue: Autism Society Philippines Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree St., Brgy. Sacred Heart Quezon City

What to wear: comfortable clothes

What to bring: food (snacks), water bottle and extra clothes

To sign up for this FREE FREE FREE worskhop series, here are the requirements:
- PWA must be at least 16 years old, verbal/non-verbal and can take directions (with or without caregiver). Caregivers are welcome to assist.
- PWA must be able to attend all four sessions and the final show.
- Parent must be willing to answer surveys.
- Parent must be willing to sign a release for the young adults with autism to be photographed and filmed.
- Parent must fill out the form below.

For inquiries, please contact Cenin at 7-903-5496.

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Posted in: 4pwas,seminar

Assessment and IEP for Parents

In recognition of the vital role of families in the education of their child with special needs, ASP conducted the seminar-workshop on Assessment and IEP Formulation for Parents. The objective of the seminar-workshop was to empower parents to become effective partners in the development and implementation of their child’s educational program. It aimed at demystifying the assessment and IEP process so that parents could actively participate during each step. Held at the Autism Society Philippines National Headquarters last 19 November 2016, the seminar-workshop was attended by 42 participants, most of whom were students and professionals, i.e. teachers and therapists.

Mr. Jason Reyes speaking in front of the participants during seminar

Dr. Elizabeth Rey-Matias gave a brief overview of the characteristics of autism, the role of parents and professionals in ensuring the child’s development and the importance of partnership and collaboration among families and other interventionists. She stressed that parents are the first and most important teachers since children spend more hours at home than they do in school.

Dr. Antonia B. Blanca then explained the process of educational planning, focusing more on the development of functional skills which are mainly taught at home. The participants were introduced to an assessment checklist which would help assess what skills the child already has and what he/she needed to learn. Participants were then divided into 7 groups, each consisting of at least 1 parent and 5 professionals. Using the child of the parent-participant as an actual case, each group went through the assessment checklist to determine the child’s current level of performance. Each group shared what they learned through the experience and what could be done as follow-through.

After the lunch break, Mr. Jason Reyes briefly discussed how to select, prioritize and break goals into achievable steps using the same assessment form as basis. The groups then had a second workshop to determine priority goals and strategies for implementation at home. Each group shared their experiences and their impressions about the process.

Each workshop was followed by a lively question and answer portion which addressed specific concerns across different age groups of PWAs. Among participants’ feedback:

“Effectively discussed the components of each topic.”

“Through discussion & explanationin Goal Identification. Teacher Annie set the standard! Excellent! Accomodating staffs.”

“Explains each topics very relevant.”

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Posted in: 4parents,seminar

Seminar on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provides a means of communication for school age children who may not be able to use speech effectively to communicate and thereby increasing their participation in classroom activities. As there are only a limited number of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the school setting in the country, helping and collaborating with teachers to support students who are AAC users with complex communication needs in the classroom is a big challenge.

This seminar will provide participants an overview of augmentative and alternative communication; its components; and other relevant concepts such as vocabulary selection and organization. This seminar will also focus on providing participants with strategies that can be used to help their students integrate the use of no-tech or high-tech AAC systems in the classroom. This is in recognition of the crucial role of classroom teachers in the language development of their students and helping AAC users to generalize communication skills learned in the therapy room.

Speaker:

Ms. Barbara Munar

Barbara F. Munar, MRS-SP, CSP-PASP speech-language pathologist Barbara obtained both her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and her Masters in Rehabilitation Science—Speech Pathology from the University of the Philippines—Manila. She is currently taking her Doctor of Philosophy in Education in the field of Reading at the University of the Philippines—Diliman.

A full-time clinician with 20 years of clinical experience, she has worked extensively with children and adolescents with various developmental speech and language disorders including those with complex communication needs. She has actively pursued continuing education endeavors in the area of child speech-language development and disorders and has received an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) certification from the College of Allied Medical Professions (UP-Manila) and TINIG-AAC Project.

She is currently the managing partner of Core Skills Therapy Center—a company she had helped put up in 1998 that provides speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and behavior therapy services to pediatric clients with special needs. She is likewise a clinical supervisor and a special lecturer in the speech pathology undergraduate and graduate programs of the College of Allied Medical Professions, University of the Philippines—Manila.

Barbara has presented in local conferences. To date, she has turned her research interests towards oral language and literacy development, AAC and literacy in children with language disorders, and the narrative language of both typically-developing children and children with language disorders. She is focused towards the development and promotion of intervention practices that are designed specifically for Filipino children with special needs.

She had served as a member of the board of directors of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists from 2001-2004. She had assisted in establishing the speech-language pathology curriculum under the Technical Panel for Health Professions Education of the Commission on Higher Education in 2008.

Seminar Fees:
Pre-Registration (until October 19)
Member- P 600.00
Non-member- P 800.00

On-site Registration
Member- P 700.00
Non-member- 900.00

Seminar Details:
Date: 23 October 2016, Sunday
Time: 8:00AM - 12:00PM
Venue: ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentabella, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Quezon City
Map: http://bit.ly/1LwgklB

Pre-registered participants may pay to Autism Society Philippines, Metrobank, Kamias Branch Account Number 047-3-04751874-2. Please email the scan copy of your deposit slip with the name/s of participant/s and contact numbers to autismphils@gmail.com and bring it on the day of the seminar. There will only be 60 slots available. On-site registrants will be accepted depending on the availability of slots. No refund will be given to participants who do not show up on the date of the seminar. For more details, please call ASP at 7-903-5496.

The ASP Education and Empowerment Program serves as a platform to educate Filipino parents and professionals on the various interventions, modalities and theories surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their application and implementation are left at your discretion. The views and personal experiences of the speakers are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.

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Posted in: seminar,speech

Coaching for Positive Sexual Mindset in Adolescents with Autism

September 24, 2016

9am-12nn

The Autism Society Philippines Diliman Chapter brings you a seminar relevant to many parents with adolescent children on the autism spectrum on 24 September 2016, Saturday, 9am at the ASP National Headquarters.

There is more to learn about sexuality of persons with disabilities, as common perception is often inaccurate or inadequate. People incorrectly believe that persons with autism are sexually immature or do not experience sexual attraction. Even parents are slow to recognize that that their children have typical sexual needs. The need for repetition and their tendency to inflexibly adhere to routine may result to the development of ritualistic sexual behaviors among PWAs. Because of their sensory fixation and echolalic speech, some persons with autism may utter sexual terms which appear out of context to others. This seminar will help participants develop a coaching approach to acknowledge the PWAs sexuality, to allow them to express their sexual needs in a socially-acceptable context and to eliminate aberrant sexual attitudes. This seminar is best for parents, teachers and care-givers. Another seminar for PWAs will be arranged soon.

Mr. Desiderio Catiman IV

Moderator:

Desiderio “Dex” Camitan IV finished his Masters in Education major in SPED in UP-Diliman. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Makati Medical Center College. He is also a Behavior Coach at Empty Chair Psychological Services and an Associate at MindSet. He recently presented his research on ‘Sexuality and Inappropriate Behavior of Adolescents with Autism’ at the International Congress of Psychology, in Yokohama, Japan on 24-29 July 2016.

Seminar Fee: *inclusive of snacks
Pre reg until September 16
P300 ASP Members
P400 Non Members

Onsite Registration
P400 ASP Members
P500 Non Members

Activity Details:
Date: 24 September 2016, Saturday
Time: 9AM - 12NN (Registration starts at 8am)
Venue: ASP National Headquarters, #9 11th Jamboree Street cor. Sct. Fuentabella, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Quezon City
Map: http://bit.ly/1LwgklB

There will only be 60 slots available. Please deposit your payment to Account Name: Kaakibat ng Autism Society Philippines QC Credit Cooperative, Account Number: 0431-0159-78 Bank of the Philippine Islands West Delmonte Branch Quezon City.No refund will be given to participants who do not show up on the date of the seminar. For more details, please call ASP Diliman Chapter at 0922-847-2776 or Ms. Baby at 0922-855-8279.

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Posted in: 4parents,4pros,seminar