10/30/08 - Expert to teach educators how to work with students with autism

Date: Oct. 30, 2008
Contact: Seth Seymour
423-648-1709
seth.seymour@siskin.org

Autism expert to teach educators how to work with students with autism

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A nationally known autism expert will lead a two-day workshop in January about behavior-based intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. The event, which is Jan. 5-6, 2009, is free for any educators, school therapists, psychologists and counselors in the tri-state area.

The workshop, “ABA Skills Development: Behavioral Techniques and Interventions,” will feature the following techniques and interventions:
-Foundations of effective education;
-Behavior management techniques;
-Curriculum and programming; and
-Evolution of behavioral intervention.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Ron Leaf, a licensed psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in the field of autism. He consults with families, school districts, day programs and residential treatment facilities on an international scale and is co-author of a series of instructional tapes offering training for teaching children with autism.

Dr. Leaf also co-authored “A Work in Progress,” a manual on behavioral treatment. Currently, he is the Executive Director of Behavior Therapy and Learning Center, a mental health agency providing treatment, consultation and related services to parents, program staff and school personnel.

“Children with autism have such great improvement when the people around them understand appropriate support methodologies, so this course will teach educators how to best serve these children,” said Tracey Carisch, director of outreach and adult education at Siskin Children’s Institute. “This type of training typically is very expensive, but schools in our region can send their staff for free.”

The workshop, sponsored by Siskin Children’s Institute and Hamilton County Schools, will be Jan. 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tyner Academy Auditorium at 6836 Tyner Road in Chattanooga.

To register, contact Mary Robbins at 423-648-1724 or mary.robbins@siskin.org. For more information about the workshop, log on to www.siskin.org.

About Siskin Children’s Institute
Since 1950, Siskin Children's Institute has served children with special needs, such as autism, developmental delays and Down syndrome. The Institute achieves its mission in a comprehensive way: a quality preschool education where children with disabilities learn together with typically developing children; family support and community outreach programs; innovative research focusing on early childhood development and special education; and in 2009, developmental and behavioral pediatric health care. For more information about Siskin Children’s Institute, log on to www.siskin.org.

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