Teaching Autism and Special Education by Nikki

In this episode of Teaching Autism & Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about something every SPED teacher has experienced... the student who refuses to cut, write, or glue… and the moment you start wondering if it’s behavior or avoidance.

Most of the time?
It’s neither.

It’s fine motor fatigue.

This episode breaks down what’s really happening in those little hands, why fine motor tasks can feel exhausting or overwhelming, and how to support skill-building without turning your classroom into a daily battle.

In this episode, we talk about:

What fine motor fatigue actually is

Why some students’ hands tire out so quickly

How sensory sensitivities impact cutting, writing, and gluing

Common signs of fine motor fatigue (both physical and emotional)

Why fine motor struggles affect confidence and independence

How to adjust tools without lowering expectations

Simple ways to make cutting less stressful

Supporting writing without pushing through frustration

Why glue can be a hidden sensory trigger

Fine motor alternatives that build the same skills

How to strengthen hands through play, not pressure

Using choice to reduce anxiety and increase engagement

Teaching students to advocate when their hands are tired

Why fine motor progress is slow, and that’s okay

Big takeaways:

Fine motor resistance is often physical, not behavioral

Fatigue shows up as frustration, avoidance, or shutdown

Adapting tools builds success faster than pushing through

Play builds strength better than worksheets

Small wins matter more than perfect products

If you’ve ever watched a student melt down over scissors or handwriting and thought, “Why is this so hard for them?” ... this episode will help everything click.

In this episode of Teaching Autism & Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about how to create a communication-rich classroom - not by pushing students to talk more, but by designing an environment that invites communication naturally.

Because when communication feels safe, visible, and supported, students don’t just communicate more - they connect more, participate more, and start trusting that their voice matters.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why communication is more than spoken language

What “communication-rich” really means in practice

How to make communication visible through labels and visuals

Setting up your classroom to naturally encourage communication

Why modeling communication matters more than prompting it

How to model AAC, visuals, and gestures throughout the day

Using daily routines as built-in communication opportunities

The power of core vocabulary words

Creating communication opportunities instead of communication tests

Encouraging peer-to-peer communication

Why every communication attempt deserves recognition

How team consistency strengthens communication

Small changes that make a big difference

Big takeaways:

Every child can communicate

Communication doesn’t have to be verbal to be valid

When language is visible, students use it more

Modeling builds confidence faster than correction

Communication grows best in safe, predictable routines

If you’re looking to support non-verbal or minimally verbal students - or you just want more meaningful interaction happening naturally in your classroom - this episode will help you rethink how your space, routines, and modeling can do the heavy lifting.

In this episode of Teaching Autism & Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about social connection, and why it’s time to move away from forced friendships and one-size-fits-all “social skills.”

Because real connection isn’t about making students interact the right way.
It’s about helping them feel safe, respected, and free to connect on their own terms.

This episode explores what authentic social connection actually looks like for autistic and neurodivergent learners, and how we can support it without pressure, scripts, or shame.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why traditional ideas of friendship don’t fit every student

What real friendship can look like (and why it’s often quieter than we expect)

Why forced interaction and “go play with your friends” can backfire

How consent should be the foundation of all social teaching

Teaching students how to say yes, no, and maybe later.. and honoring all of it

Why comfort comes before conversation

How parallel play and shared space build safety

Using student interests as natural bridges for connection

Why modeling social interaction matters more than drilling it

Low-pressure ways to scaffold social moments

Supporting communication differences in social settings

Why not all connection needs words

Teaching social routines instead of scripted conversations

Normalizing different friendship styles in your classroom

Helping students repair social moments without blame

Celebrating small, meaningful connections

Partnering with families around realistic social expectations

Big takeaways:

Friendship doesn’t have to look loud or busy to be real

Consent builds safer, stronger social connections

Comfort and trust come before interaction

Parallel play is valid connection

Real inclusion honors differences, it doesn’t erase them

If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable pushing students into interactions they clearly weren’t ready for ... or wondered if you were “doing social skills wrong” - this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

In this episode of Teaching Autism & Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about echolalia - and why it’s not something to stop, fix, or correct.

Because echolalia isn’t “random.”
It isn’t meaningless.
And it definitely isn’t bad behavior.

Echolalia is communication.

This episode breaks down what echolalia really is, why students use it, and how we can respond in a way that honors neurodivergent communication instead of shutting it down.

In this episode, we talk about:

What echolalia actually is (immediate and delayed)

Why repeating language is part of how many autistic students learn

How echolalia supports processing, regulation, and connection

Why scripting often increases during excitement, stress, or overwhelm

What echolalia can tell you about a student’s needs and emotions

Common mistakes adults make when responding to echolalia

How to respond in a neuro-affirming, respectful way

Why “use your own words” does more harm than good

How to model meaning without correcting or pressuring

Using echolalia as a bridge to flexible communication

How visuals and AAC can support scripted language

Why scripting can be a form of self-regulation

How to gently expand scripts without forcing spontaneous speech

What real progress with echolalia actually looks like

How to support families in understanding and embracing scripting

Big takeaways:

Echolalia is language under construction

Repetition is learning, not copying

Communication doesn’t have to be spontaneous to be meaningful

Scripts often carry intention, emotion, and need

Responding with curiosity builds connection faster than correction

💛 Free resources to support communication

If you’re listening and thinking, “I love this, but I need visuals, AAC supports, and ready-to-use tools…”
I’ve got you covered.

I have a Free Resource Library with over 200 free SPED resources you can download and start using straight away.. adapted books, visuals, communication supports, task boxes, crafts, data sheets, and more.

You can access it completely free here.


No fluff. No catch. Just resources to support real communication in real classrooms.

In this episode of Teaching Autism & Special Education with Nikki, we’re talking about communication, and not just speech.

Because every student communicates.
Not every student uses words.

And that doesn’t make their communication any less valid.

This episode is all about teaching communication beyond words... supporting non-verbal and minimally verbal students through AAC, visuals, gestures, body language, and modeling. Because communication is connection, and every child deserves to be heard in the way that works for them.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why communication is more than spoken language

What counts as communication (spoiler: a lot more than people think)

Why speech shouldn’t be the only goal

The pressure students feel when communication doesn’t feel safe

What a total communication environment actually looks like

How to support communication using gestures, visuals, signs, and AAC together

Why AAC gives access to language, not dependence

The importance of modeling AAC all day, not just during “speech time”

How body language is often the first form of communication

Why visuals reduce anxiety and increase understanding

The power of modeling over prompting

Why all communication attempts deserve celebration

How to partner with families around AAC and alternative communication

What to do when communication breaks down

Why connection matters more than correctness

Big takeaways:

Speech is one form of communication.. not the only one

Functional communication is independence

AAC doesn’t replace speech, it supports it

If communication works, students will use it more

Being understood is more important than being verbal

If you’ve ever worked with a student who communicates differently, through gestures, visuals, AAC, or behavior, this episode will help you shift your perspective and respond with confidence and compassion.

🎧 Listen in and let’s talk about how honoring all communication builds trust, autonomy, and real connection.