MSI Press Blog

  Excerpt from  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism  (McNeil) - Chapter 2 No Running   Raise your hand if you have found yourself plugging along on a multiple-choice test when you were stopped cold, or at least had to slow down and look more carefully at a question stated in the negative: “Which statement is NOT correct?”  Or worse yet, a double negative: “Which answer does not disagree with the following statement?”  Huh?  Okay, slow down. I’m looking for the incorrect answer and the answer that agrees with the statement. Why did the instructor have to be so tricky? As my hand is elevated along with yours, I admit to having gotten more than a few of these answers wrong throughout my education. In my groove, working steadily along, I was busy looking for the correct answers, not the incorrect ones, and I didn’t read the question carefully enough. As scholars, it is our responsibility to read carefully and decipher the nega...

  Excerpt from Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism (McNeil) - Chapter 3 When No Means Yes   Augustus One Summer Day in a Class for Elementary School Students with Autism Story originally printed in Autism Parenting Magazine, June, 2017    “Good work, Josiah. You are all done! Let’s check your schedule.” Josiah smiles brightly and hurries to his schedule, knowing swimming is next. As he and Miss Leaky walk through the quietly bustling classroom, a small voice calls out, “Miss Leaky, swimming?”  “Yes, Augustus, first work then swimming. Hurry up and finish your work.”  Augustus smiles and continues working. Miss Leaky and Josiah walk outside and across the courtyard to the restroom.  Returning, the pair is met with a commotion of loud crying, pounding noises, and the sight of Augustus lying on his back kicking his feet.  Miss Leaky inquires, “What happened?” Miss Ellie shares, “Augustus is mad because he was not allowed to ...

  San Juan Books is the hybrid division of MSI Press LLC. It allows first-time writers to become published in a traditional way through the reduction of risk by sharing publication costs. All other publishing features are traditional in nature, and most SJB authors go on to be offered traditional contracts for their subsequent books. SJB publications are available as paperback, hard cover, and e-book versions. SJB authors' books very much hold their own against their contemporaries in the traditional publishing division. Indeed, a number of them have outsold their traditional compatriots. Today, San Juan Books presents author Colette McNeil. Colette McNeil aspires to develop confidence in individuals with autism by expanding the perspectives of their parents, families, teachers, and caregivers. Experience: Colette McNeil has worked with children and adults with disabilities for 30 years.  She spent 20 of those years teaching students with autism and related disorders ages 3-22...

Dennis Standing in the kitchen, cabinet door open, Dennis and Dad are seeking a snack. “Well, Dennis, it looks like we need to make a trip to the store soon. We are out of your favorite items.” Holding his picture communication support device, Dennis requests cookies.  Dad shows Dennis a bag of crackers and a granola bar, “No cookies, how about one of these?” Dennis repeats his request for cookies and Dad replies, “No. No cookies.” A typical snack time in Dennis’ house is usually pretty casual. Dennis may receive a package of whatever snack he wants as long as he uses his communication device to make the request. Following his training and routine, Dennis persists with his request for cookies, creating a picture sentence, “I want cookie, please.” Dad answers more firmly, “No cookies.”  Feeling confused and reprimanded, Dennis becomes agitated, screams out and stomps his foot.  Opening the cupboard wider, Dad encourages Dennis to look inside, “Look Dennis, we...

We are proud to have learned that MSI Press author, Colette McNeil, has been named Top Communication Advisor by Autism Parenting Magazine. Colette is the author of two books: Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism has earned the following awards: Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Medal Adult Classics Kops-Fetherling International Books Legacy Award Education Choice and Structure for Children with Autism has earned the following awards: Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Medal Parenting

Colette McNeil published a helpful article on apps and other tools for parents of children with autism in the September issue of Autism Parenting Magazine . The title is "Personal Communication Supports for Nonverbal Children with Autism." The article focuses on specific tools and support for communicating with nonverbal children. To ready the article, you will need to subscribe to Autism Parenting Magazine , but if you have a child with autism (or are a teacher of one), it should be worth it. Colette is the author of two books on autism that have been published by MSI Press.  For more information about this book, click HERE . For more information about this book, click HERE . For more posts on Colette, click HERE . For more posts on autism, click HERE .

  Congratulations to Colette McNeil on her book,  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism , being selected as the  Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards  legacy award in the category of education.   “The author invites you on a journey in unfolding small layers of awareness,  illuminating how thoughtfully chosen vocabulary can greatly enhance your relationship with a child with autism. The pages within are filled with teachable tales exploring the communication, emotional regulation and relationship difficulties that common habitual language may trigger when engaging children with autism. Each tale absorbs the reader in a typical life scenario related to specific usage of the word, no, creating an engaging, informative, and personally relatable experience. Discussions following embed autism education and psychology theories to promote conceptualization and offer suggestions for enriched interactions.” Read more posts about Cole...

  Colette McNeil, who writes about autism, has an updated website on the topic: Share Perspectives Support. Check it out HERE . Read other posts about Colette and her award-winning books HERE . Choice and Structure for Children with Autism Gold Medal, Education, Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Medal, Parenting & Family, Reader Views Literary Awards Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism Legacy Award, Education, Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards Silver Medal, Adult Classics Nonfiction, Reader Vies Literary Awards

  Congratulations to Colette McNeil, whose book,  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism   has the silver award for the classical non-fiction category in the 2020 Reader Views Literary Awards.  This is the second of Colette's books to be selected for this distinction.  Choice and Structure for Children with Autism  has also won awards -- stay tuned.  To read more posts about Colette and her books, click  HERE .

  Congratulations to Colette McNeil, whose book,  Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism has been selected as a finalist for the 2020 Reader Views Literary Awards. We wish her success in the final competition. This is the second of Colette's books to be selected for this distinction. Choice and Structure for Children with Autism is also a finalist.  To read more posts about Colette and her books, click HERE .

  MSI Press author, Colette McNeil, has an article in the February issue of Autism Parenting Magazine : "How Counting to 20 Can Help Your Child with Autism." For information about other contributions Colette has made to this magazine, as well as posts about her and her books, click HERE .