FASD Resources for Teachers and Educators

Educational Strategies and Curriculum for Teaching Students with FASD

• 8 Magic Keys  is a short 21-minute animated video that introduces the topic of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). It demonstrates key strategies to help students who experience brain-based disorders become more successful in school and in life.   
• Double ARC, the NOFAS Ohio Affiliate, has developed and tested separate training curricula for parents and teachers. 
• Doorway Online. A collection of free learning activities provided by the Scottish Borders Council. The suite comprises highly accessible educational activities that learners will find easy to use independently. 
• DO2Learn.com Teachers’ Toolbox. Providing proper expectations, interventions, and supports can help individuals with special needs to succeed and learn the skills they need to lead productive lives. 
• Helpful Tips for Working with Students with FASD  It is important to implement strategies that address the needs of the individual with FASD. These strategies across home, school, and community contexts are great recommendations from Do2learn. 
• Students with FASD: Simple Strategies for Behavioral and Academic Success Published on Sep 30, 2015. Presenter: Deb Evensen, MA, an outspoken advocate for those living with FASD, is a master teacher and behavior specialist with more than 40 years of experience teaching children, adolescents and adults. 
• Toward Inclusion: Tapping Hidden Strengths This is a planning resource intended to provide support for student service administrators, principals, classroom teachers, resource teachers, school counselors, clinicians, and other community professionals who will help in assisting schools in developing approaches for students who are alcohol-affected. For more information: Program and Student Services, Manitoba Education, 204-945-7907. Toll-Free in Manitoba: 1-800-282-8069, ext. 7907  Email: pssbinfo@gov.mb.com

Webinars

• National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Webinar: Triumph: Educating Students with an FASD Diagnosis. Presenter: Sr. Suzette Fisher, SND, M.Ed.,Ed.S., Director of Client Services and FASD Specialist; Published on January 21, 2015.
• National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Webinar: Triumph: Through the Challenges of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Attention building games.

Improving Social Skills

• Addressing Social Skills. Use these skills and techniques to help teach a child the social skills necessary to interact with others.

Improving Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Motor skills play an important role in a child’s development, independence and success at school and at home. Below is a list of activities that are both fun and educational to improve a child’s fine and gross motor skills.

• Stretchies Bands for Gross Motor Skills. Using things you already have in your home, download creativity cards to play this fun activity with your child.
• Activities to Promote Fine Motor Skills. Learn about materials that can promote fine motor skills along with some activities to do with them.
• Gross Motor Obstacle Course Jumping Backwards. This very simple to create obstacle course will help your child foster their gross motor skills.
• Activities to Improve Upper Body Strength and Balance. Gross motor activities create an opportunity for lots of fun and games. Some games include bean bags, yoga balls, balancing, and animal games.

Emotional Regulation

Parents and Children Together (PACT): One of the primary struggles that children with FASDs face are deficits in self-regulation and executive functioning.  These deficits can exist in the form of poor impulse control as well as a lack of intrinsic motivation to start or complete tasks, poor memory and inattention. The intervention was designed to help children with FASDs and their parent's team strategies to cope with these difficulties.  For more information about PACT, visit  www.childstudy.org or email irachasnoff@gmail.com. Managing Emotions FASD Tip Sheet Link: http://edmontonfetalalcoholnetwork.org/

Related Emotional Regulation Resources

• Coping Skills Chart
• What Can I Do Problem Solving Wheel
• Most Effective Time-Out Methods 
• Strategies to Help Kids Calm Down 
• The Incredible 5 Point Scale This unique hands-on activity helps students who are highly anxious cope with their stress by systematizing social and emotional information.

Family and Teaching Activities for Children with FASD

• Starfall is a free public service to motivate children to read with phonics perfect for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education.
• Activities When Kids Need a Break When a child needs a break from schoolwork or long activities, tips on how to keep them energized and focused.
• Sound Matching Activity A collection of 10 favorite activities for teaching letters and sounds with the directions for each activity.  
• Grammar Blast for Grades 2-5. Basic sentence, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, capitalization, punctuation, verbs, adverbs, and prepositions. 
• Bright Ideas for Writing from Houghton Mifflin Company, grades 1-2, and 3-5
• Waiting Games for Kids Avoid meltdowns, whining, and crying with these very easy games.

Craft Ideas for All Ages

• KinderArt  Art lessons online by grade level.
• Fun Activities for Children with Disabilities
• Better Safe Than Sorry Curriculum designed to promote education regarding alcohol-related birth defects and their prevention. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(NIAAA) publication.  

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