Sesame Workshop has introduced Julia, a muppet autism, to the world of Sesame Street. Advocates believe that including Julia in the Sesame Street family will increase visibility and acceptance of autism.
In the video below, Laura Anthony, a clinical psychologist the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children’s National Health System, draws upon footage of Julia’s behavior to explain three effective ways that teachers can support children like Julia in the classroom.
Laura Anthony, PhD, specializes in the assessment and treatment of children and teens with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. Her current research is focused on developing classroom strategies to help children with ASD learn cognitive and behavioral flexibility. Dr. Anthony co-authored the book, Unstuck and On Target, an Executive Function Curriculum to Improve Flexibility for Children with ASD (Brookes Publishing)
This story was produced by Education Week, with footage provided by Sesame Workshop.
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