What’s the biggest challenge facing teachers today?

Behavior.

And which students present the most unique and misunderstood behaviors?

Our awesome kids on the autism spectrum, that’s who.

We love them, but it can be difficult to understand and deal with their challenging behaviors.

There is an overwhelming amount of behavioral research supporting strategies which have been effective in improving classroom behavior for students with autism.

But teachers understand their own classrooms, what they’ve already tried, and what works and doesn’t work.

The ABCs of Autistic Behaviors in the Classroom: Setting the Stage for Success was written by a now retired behavior analyst (who has never used nor supported Applied Behavior Analysis) and who was also a special education teacher for twenty years, as well as an autism mom. Here you will find evidence-based, research-supported behavioral tools presented in teacher-friendly language. You’ll meet a virtual village of students with problem behaviors you might find in your own classroom. You’ll also read stories shared by kids and adults on the autism spectrum, In Their Own Words.

As teachers, you have an awesome responsibility toward the next generation. I want to thank you for the amazing work you do every day. The difference you make in your students’ lives spreads in ripples beyond what you may ever know.

Now that I’ve written about ten books over approximately ten years, I look back at this, my first book, and see all the things I would change. Maya Angelou wrote, “Do the best you can until you know better, and then when you know better, do better.” I have learned so much about what it means to be neurodiversity-affirming since I wrote this book immediately after retiring from a 40-year career in special education and school psychology. If I were to write an updated version, there would be so many changes I would make. If you read this book, I hope you’ll let me know where you see changes that need to be made by emailing info@WendelaWhitcombMarsh.com with ABC feedback on the subject line. I’m listening, and I’m learning.

Ask for The ABCs of Autism in the Classroom at your public library, local independent bookstore, online, or wherever you go to find your next read.