School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers » (New Edition)

Stephan Silverman, Ph.D., is a highly regarded child/adolescent psychological diagnostician in the Washington, DC metropolitan area with 35 years of years of experience. He has been a field trainer of many young psychologists and currently specializes in the assessment and education of students on the autistic spectrum. Stephan currently acts as a liaison psychologist to several schools specializing in Asperger's Syndrome. He has been recognized for his support to parents of children with a wide range of disabilities. Richard Weinfeld is a national leader in the education of gifted children with learning difficulties. Weinfeld was instrumental in coordinating the Montgomery County, MD, gifted and learning disabled program and is currently an educational advocate in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He has also taught courses on GT/LD at the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of two previous books, one on GT/LD and the other on overcoming the learning challenges of boys.

School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome covers topics such as recognizing and diagnosing Asperger's syndrome, addressing the needs of students with Asperger's, implementing successful practices in the classroom, working with the school system, and providing interventions in the home to help develop needed skills.

VOYA

This book seeks to provide "practical strategies that can be used by parents and classroom teachers" when working with students who have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Written by a psychologist and an educator with experience in the field, the book contains ten chapters of advice for educational intervention along with research findings on how people with AS process information. Six appendixes and an extensive reference section provide readers with avenues for further research and support. The authors compress a surprising amount of information into a relatively small book. Clear guidelines for intervention include straightforward subdivisions that allow for easy browsing. Some points may seem repetitive, but it should not be an issue if readers use the book for reference instead of cover-to-cover reading. The strongest chapter is "Strategies and Interventions That Work in the Classroom," which explains in concrete terms specific techniques that can help alleviate the stress of AS in school. Sections that address the scientific background of the AS diagnosis are less compelling. The authors competently present the research, yet the book dwells perhaps too much on scientific studies in lieu of practical information. In "Recognizing and Diagnosing AS," for example, the chapter largely functions as a review of scientific literature (even though it does contain a handy multi-page chart of AS "soft signs" and characteristics). It is, however, a minor quibble. Overall, the book provides valuable AS assistance for parents and educators. Reviewer: Christina Fairman