The Hidden Curriculum: Practical Solutions for Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations
The Hidden Curriculum was written with a specific audience in mind children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) but the content could be useful to any educator working with students who need additional coaching on how to behave around others.    -National Education Association (NEA)A few years ago, I was speaking with a friend who is on the spectrum when he noted that life would be much easier if someone would just show me the rules. With the publication of The Hidden Curriculum, Myles, Trautman, and Schelvan have done just that. Utilizing concrete examples of hidden curriculum items across myriad potential environments, the authors have provided families, professionals and persons on the spectrum with a truly practical approach to understanding the hidden rules associated with the complex social dialogue of life at home, in school and in the community. The Hidden Curriculum should be considered necessary reading.   -Peter F. Gerhardt, EdD, Gerhardt Autism/Aspergers Consultation Group, LLCThe Hidden Curriculum is a must for all the parents of children who struggle with day-to-day situations. My daughter Lindsey and I found this book to include many wonderful tips. These tips are taken for granted by many, but they can make all the difference for a child with an autism spectrum disorder.  -Deb Grammas, parent of child with Asperger SyndromeNavigating our dynamic social world is one of the greatest challenges individuals with autism spectrum disorders have to deal with every day, hour, and minute. This book is filled with the practical and critical information that will provide individuals with autism the opportunity for a higher quality of life. This book should be required reading for all professionals working on transition planning for individuals with autism. A must read!   -Shawn A. Henry, executive director, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence; co-author, The Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS) for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Disabilities: Integrating Best Practices Throughout the Student s DayTeaching the hidden curriculum of social rules is one of the most helpful things we do to support individuals with autism. We build social success by identifying the subtle rules and expectations embedded in social situations and providing guidance as to how to follow them. The Hidden Curriculum is an invaluable tool in these efforts. It tells you what to teach, how to teach it, and how to adapt your instruction to fit different situations. This book is useful for new parents, teachers, and professionals just learning how to help people with autism and remains a vital resource to experienced providers who have been working in the field for years. It is a versatile guide, applying to a wide range of situations and individuals with different needs. And this new edition contains even more curricular content, examples, and strategies to apply. It is a user-friendly, practical guide that helps us to provide the building blocks of social development. --Jim Loomis, PhD,What an invaluable resource for family members, service providers, and friends supporting individuals who have difficulty navigating the unwritten rules of different environments and who struggle with everyday social situations. This is your go-to resource! The short vignettes provided throughout each chapter allow readers to understand the true complexity of the hidden curriculum. Quick to read, yet filled with examples and practical tips for addressing and teaching the hidden curriculum, this is one book that you will definitely recommend to others. Enjoy!  -Amy Bixler Coffin, MS, Autism Center program director, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence; co-author, Out and About: Preparing Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders to Participate in Their CommunitiesThis remarkable guidebook is invaluable for helping persons with social-cognitive difficulties make sense of unspoken rules and expectations that govern how we interact with others in everyday life. In a well-written, straightforward and friendly style, the authors provide excellent insights and sensible tools that draw from a wealth of research and experience. The Hidden Curriculum is sure to rank high on my list of recommended resources.  -Pamela Wolfberg, PhD, San Francisco State University & Autism Institute on Peer Relations and Play; author, Peer Play and the Autism Spectrum: The Art of Guiding Children s Socialization and ImaginationThe Hidden Curriculum clarifies exactly what cues and mores are invisible to us who have Asperger Syndrome and related disorders. In addition to individuals who have social-cognitive disorders, this is a recommended read for every muggle, excuse me, non-autistic person, who interacts with those of us on the autism spectrum. --Jennifer McIlwee Myers, Aspie-at-Large