This session will explore ways to support young children with autism in the classroom setting. Attendees will learn practical ways to increase motivation for young learners, which in turn will support language growth and improved social skills. This session will also cover how to work with challenging behaviors and how to use reinforcement to see more positive behaviors in the classroom. Finally, we will discuss how to partner with families to build collaboration and improve outcomes for both parents and teachers.
Melissa Mello has been working with children with autism for the past 15 years in a variety of settings, including as a special education teacher and early interventionist delivering one on one intervention in community-based programs. For the past nine years, Melissa has been supervising early intervention programs as a Clinical Manager using behaviorally based and empirically validated methods to ensure children with autism are improving their behavior, language, and social skills at home and in the classroom. Melissa has been at the UC Davis MIND Institute since 2012, most recently managing a multi-site project teaching Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) to special education teachers. She is certified in the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and has trained both locally and internationally as a certified ESDM trainer. Melissa has a master’s degree in Special Education from San Francisco State University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
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