Sue Larkey Podcast - Autism (ASD), ADHD, ODD and PDA education

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Behavior is Communication: Every action tells us something important.
✅ Environment Shapes Outcomes: Autism plus environment equals behavior outcome.
✅ Transitions Trigger Challenges: Most behaviors occur during transition times.
✅ Visual Supports Essential: Keep visuals ...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Begin With End in Mind: Always consider ultimate independence goals.
✅ Strategy Plus Action Equals Success: Combine planning with implementation.
✅ 50/50 Approach: Teachers provide strategies, students take responsibility.
✅ Model Before Expecting: Demonstrate strategies ...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Schedules must include time to prevent anxiety and rushing.
✅ Physical engagement with schedules improves absorption and understanding.
✅ Digital timers make time accessible for autistic individuals.
✅ Breaking tasks into visual chunks reduces overwhelm significantly.
✅ S...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ 4% of students receive suspensions, many in early years.
✅ Neurodiverse children are three years behind developmentally in regulation.
✅ Current behavior systems don't work for neurodiverse students.
✅ Emotional regulation should be taught like reading recovery programs.
...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Children need sense of belonging in classroom environments.
✅ All students should embrace their own unique differences.
✅ Emotional literacy requires teaching like reading literacy does.
✅ Many children cannot recognize their own emotions properly.
✅ Self-regulation toolk...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Interoception helps children recognize internal body signals like hunger.
✅ Neurodiverse children often don't know when they're thirsty.
✅ Many students can't identify emotions without explicit teaching.
✅ HALT method addresses hungry, angry, lonely, tired states.
✅ Regul...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Neurodiverse kids struggle joining evolving peer groups.
✅ Proactively create lunchtime clubs to foster social connections.
✅ Use shared interests like Lego and gardening.
✅ Clearly define club name, schedule, location, and size.
✅ Teacher aides and older peers facilitate...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Social meltdowns stem from exclusion, misunderstanding, and social anxiety.
✅ Differentiating meltdowns from tantrums guides appropriate responses.
✅ Mind blindness impairs perspective-taking and interpreting social cues.
✅ Sensory overload heightens emotional overwhelm i...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Digital timers reduce anxiety and help manage transitions.
✅ Portable digital schedules support daily routines visually and clearly.
✅ Visual aids like timers improve children's independence and behavior.
✅ Sensory tools and tokens effectively reward and motivate students...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Autism classified into three levels, though spectrum is broader.
✅ Level 1 mirrors high-functioning autism, formerly called Asperger’s.
✅ ODD involves persistent defiance toward authority figures.
✅ PDA denotes extreme demand avoidance, not an official diagnosis.
✅ ADHD s...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Hub provides morning "anchor points" for struggling students.
✅ Five-minute therapuddy session starts each child's day.
✅ Roadmaps offer consistent daily routines reducing anxiety.
✅ Scheduled regulation breaks replace reactive crisis management.
✅ Skill-building "springb...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Masking hides anxiety, causing exhaustion and autism burnout.
✅ Neurodiverse kids often behave differently at home and school.
✅ Frequent meltdowns occur after sustained masking at school.
✅ Regular breaks are essential for sensory and social recovery.
✅ Coping and maskin...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Autistic identity is accepting yourself as you truly are.
✅ Behaviour often signals anxiety or distress, not intentional aggression.
✅ Negative narratives around autism significantly harm self-esteem.
✅ Behaviourist models wrongly focus on modifying autistic individuals.
...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ PDA students respond best to trust and authentic connections.
✅ Anxiety drives PDA behaviors, not deliberate opposition or defiance.
✅ Teachers' emotional states significantly impact PDA student reactions.
✅ Offering controlled choices reduces anxiety for PDA students.
✅ ...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Engagement crucial for neurodiverse students across all settings.
✅ Fear of failure significantly impacts student participation and independence.
✅ Clear directions and routines improve task initiation and completion.
✅ Positive reinforcement increases student engagement ...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Use a "Start and Finish" box for organizing work
✅ Create color-coded schedules for different subjects
✅ Provide photo/video models of organized spaces
✅ Use digital schedules with pause functionality for work periods
✅ Limit pencil case contents to essential items
✅ Brea...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Start conversations positively with families about their child.
✅ Use specific examples to explain concerns clearly to parents.
✅ Meetings should be collaborative, never us versus them.
✅ Offer solutions or clear next steps after raising concerns.
✅ Maintain email trails ...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Using 2B pencils instead of HB for left-handers.
✅ Implementing one-book systems for executive functioning.
✅ Using plastic sleeves instead of glue for worksheets.
✅ Placing time timers next to clocks for visuals.
✅ Using "now, next, later" schedules with timers.
✅ Readin...

Join Sue for an upcoming Live Virtual Workshop where you will learn from Sue practical tips & strategies to make a difference.

In this episode, we will discuss:

✅ Traditional behavior methods often fail neurodiverse children.
✅ Inferred instructions confuse kids lacking theory of mind.
✅ Clear, explicit directions outperform vague prohibitions.
✅ Tailor supports because every child is unique.
✅ Strategies wear out; replace them wit...