ACQ_Vol_11_no_3_2009

Resource reviews

Speech pathology resources

learning from the therapy session to home. The workbook is also provided on a disc in PDF format so the individual worksheets can be printed out as well as photocopied. Some of the scenes and activities contain vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to Australian children such as ‘cooler’, ‘soda’ and ‘shopping cart’. However, the worksheets could easily be modified to include Australian terms for most of these items. Overall, the kit is a useful tool for language therapy that is appealing to children and includes good resources for home follow-up. Harper-Hill, K., & Lord, S. (2007). Planning to learn: Creating and using a personal planner with young people on the autism spectrum . Suffolk: Printwise (Haverhill). ISBN 978 1 84310 5619; pp.160. $51.95; www.footprint.com.au.

Goodwin, J., & Prince, A. (2005). MagneTalk Match-up Adventure Kit (with barrier) . Greenville, SC: Super Duper Publications. $109.00; www.brainstormed.com.au Nicole Watts Pappas

The Magne Talk Match-up Adventure Kit is a commercially produced set of barrier games for use with children from 3 - 9 years of age. The feature that makes this resource particularly motivating for children is its use of colourful magnets as the items to be manipulated. The kit includes five different scenes: ‘camping’, ‘grocery store’, ‘outer space’, ‘under the sea’ and ‘picnic’. The kit includes a collapsible magnetic stand

Beverley Joffe

Young people on the autism spectrum stand to benefit from assorted practical strategies described in this book. The many useful suggestions highlight, in a user friendly way, how to help such young people learn functional skills to deal with a variety of situations. There is valuable advice on ways to

which can also be used as a portable white board. Both the barrier game stand and the adventure kit are sold with handy carry bags, so whilst the resource is bulky, it is easily transported. The adventure kit includes a reproducible workbook that outlines activities for each of the scenes. The activities focus on a number of different language skills including: vocabulary (receptive and expressive), basic concepts (e.g., take the fish out of the stream), rhyming (e.g., Do boat and coat sound the same?), deductive reasoning (point to/name the animal

reduce tension in situations and thereby reduce disruptive behaviours related to inflexible responses. Logical coping devices are recommended such as becoming aware of physical sensations and actively using breath, exhalation and touch. These are explained and supported by cue cards and short helpful, ‘visually rich’ messages. Demonstrations of individualized planning and sheets for photocopying are included. Aspects of the material are portable. The clear manner in which the book is written, (including uncomplicated grammar, informal phrases and manageable chunks of information to process, together with a consider­ able number of uncluttered line drawings), is likely to assist in understanding and imparting particular concepts. Many of the ideas shared by the authors in this important workbook appear to have been put into action in actual settings. Notwithstanding sparse coverage of theoretical issues in this book, the authors have accomplished much in producing such a constructive resource to guide young people with autism and their caregivers in taking a proactive approach to being prepared for and dealing with real life challenges. The book also offers meaningful insights, as well as worthwhile and sensible ideas, for professionals and students working with people with autism.

that has feathers and flies in the air), auditory memory and storytelling, and categorising (which things go in the water?). Many of the activities can be adjusted to allow the child to work on either following

or giving directions. The workbook also includes ideas for extension of the activities.

The activities can be used in a number of ways: a) with one adult giving directions to a child, b) with one child and one adult giving directions to each other whilst using identical scenes and magnets on opposite sides of the barrier stand, c) with two children using the barrier stand and, d) with a group of children directed by an adult using photocopied versions of the materials. The reproducible worksheets in the workbook are appropriate to be given to parents as a take-home activity, thus extending the

Visit www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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ACQ Volume 11, Number 3 2009

ACQ uiring knowledge in speech, language and hearing