Educator’s Experience of Pathological Demand Avoidance
I realised EVERYTHING I was doing was wrong.
I needed to learn.
I needed to change.
During Laura Kerbey's time teaching autistic children, she had a sudden realisation that those with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) are children like no other! None of her tried and tested autism strategies would work to help them focus or learn and most of her time was spent wondering, what am I doing wrong?
If you feel the same, this short, easy-to-read guide is here to teach you everything you need to know from one educator to another. With an introduction to what PDA is followed by PDA tailored advice on how to connect with your student and create an autonomous, spontaneous environment that is personalised for you both, this guide is here to ensure that you and your PDA student thrive!
Illustrated by the popular Eliza Fricker and packed with entertaining anecdotes (including one about Jabba the Hut's poo), this go-to-guide contains everything you need to start implementing PDA friendly learning to help you connect with your student and help them make the most of their learning experience.
Laura Kerbey is the co- founder of PAST (Positive Assessments Support and Training) Kite Therapeutic Learning and Healthy Happy Me. She has been working with autistic children and young people for over 20 years and provides training to ensure that the needs of autistic and PDA learners are fully met.
Eliza Fricker is an illustrator and a designer based in Brighton, UK. She has a child with PDA.