Autism and the Importance of Play

Children have been learning through play for millions of years. In my opinion most children learn best through play, including children with autism.

Play is extremely important to children with autism, even though they typically have a difficult time understanding the concept of play. The reason is because play is an abstract concept and children with autism are generally more concrete thinkers. In addition, play involves an intense level of communication and eye contact, something children on the spectrum typically have a hard time maintaining.

At the beginning of the school year 2010- 2011, my assignment was teaching a classroom of children with multiple disabilities. There were seven children and they were all of Kindergarten age. Three met the diagnostic criteria for autism. Two of the seven were non-verbal. Three were only partially verbal. The remaining two were verbal but with autism-like verbal skills which included an inability to understand abstract questions or answer "W" questions or who, what, when, where and why.

Reason Number One: Play is important to children with autism because it teaches reciprocity.

Children with autism have a hard time understanding the give and take action of reciprocity, as well as the eye contact which usually goes along with the reciprocity. They tend to play by themselves as a way to isolate themselves, often engaging in self-soothing behavior. This year I witnessed a six-year-old with autism experience her first experience with initiating play be making the simple gesture of "Come chase me." To see her laughter as she understood the concept of initiating play was remarkable.

Reason Number Two: Play is important to children with autism improves communication skills.

Whether it be verbal or non-verbal communication, play naturally increases communication skills because children have to communicate in order to get what they want. Even if the activity is independent, as in each child having their own play doh and tools, or their own sensory bin, they naturally want to talk with each other about what they are doing.

In the case of the child above, we found she does better with silent forms of communication rather than speech. Instead of saying "Throw me the ball," I found it better to simply hold out my hands and wait for her to throw it. It took me time to learn this and also to learn to give the appropriate amount of wait time.

Reason Number Three: Play is important to children with autism improves the ability to think abstractly.

Children with autism tend to be concrete thinkers making imagination difficult. What comes naturally to some children, such as playing with baby dolls or in the housekeeping area, has to be taught explicitly to children with autism.

Reason Number Four: Play is important to children with autism promotes friendships.

Play promotes friendships by creating bonding and communication experiences between children. As children play together, they develop a fondness for each other through laughter and sharing.

Reason Number Five: Play is important to children with autism promotes bonding between caregiver/teacher and child.

Getting down on the floor to play, dancing and singing, running around in the gym, chasing children around on the playground equipment - all of these things promote bonding between the teacher/caregiver perhaps more than anything else.

The joy of seeing a child learn to play who didn't know how to play before is perhaps even more rewarding than teaching a child academic skills. The reason is because play will last a lifetime and provide continuous pleasure for a person with autism or developmental disability.

Reason Number Six: Play is fun!!

Play is important to children with autism because it's fun and it promotes physical exercise and mental well-being. We all need to take time out to play every day.

Dealing in Global Trade - Who Are the Major Players?

For the business person preparing to extend his market, it is necessary to have on hand reliable contacts for the products and services you require. Building your supply chain to ensure your inventories are never depleted is essential when dealing with your customers. Whether you operate a wholesale or retail distribution business, or even operate a busy restaurant, your success relies upon the ability of a supplier to get you what you need at the right price, so you don't have to mark-up your prices too high.

The nature of your business may be conducive to dealing with suppliers outside your country of residence. While one might think dealing with international manufacturers drives up the costs of business, you may be surprised to know you can find deals worthwhile. Registering with a global trade forum is one way to find legitimate companies willing to negotiate with you. When you consult with the top exporters in the world, too, you will discover the professionalism and quality of products that help improve your own services.

Top Exporters of the World

Very likely when you think of export goods, the first markets that come to mind are Asian. Indeed the "Four Asian Tigers" (Hong Kong, Singapore - pictured, South Korea, and Taiwan) produce mass numbers of household and industrial items used daily around the world, and China is a large trading partner with the United States, but it's worth noting that of the top ten countries with the highest export income (as of 2009), three are Asian. These days, Europe dominates much of the export trade:

1) People's Republic of China
2) Germany
3) United States
4) Japan
5) Netherlands
6) France
7) Italy
8) Belgium
9) South Korea
10) United Kingdom

The above nations list export intakes of $350 billion and more each, with the top three each earning more than a trillion dollars. When you search a supply chain forum or online network like Linked In to find the goods you want, starting with these countries may allow you access to the best contacts. Electronics, pharmaceutical and beauty aids, gourmet foods, and machinery are among the most sought-after materials produced in these countries.

For more specialized products, don't rule out other countries of origin. Whatever you want, somebody in the world has it and is willing to talk business.

What to Look for in a Global Trade Forum

If you operate your own business, or have considered looking into wholesale options for your company, access to a global trade portal is a good way to make connection to strengthen your supply chains and forge business success in new markets. With the Internet helping entrepreneurs and corporations expedite trade and financial negotiations, you may discover that a real-time trade environment is beneficial if you are in need of a specific product that is only available in Asia or Europe.

There are caveats, however, to doing business over the Internet. Just as eBay, for example, warns users to exercise caution when making bids on auctions, a business planning to invest thousands of dollars - even more - in a product or service from a unknown quantity should be aware of the legitimacy of the trade. One error in judgment could decide the fate of your company, so it is wise to research where you conduct trades and with whom.

When you browse a supply chain portal, find out who is behind the network. What experience do they have in international trade, and how long has the site been active? Is the registration page secure, and what features are offered? Is there a premium service, and does the site do a good job in filtering fraudulent profiles?

As you make new contacts online, use of a real-time trade forum can help secure the products you need to buy or have available. No matter where you do business, however, always keeps your eyes open and don't hesitate to ask the hard questions.

Google Maps Can Help Promote Your Business Online, A Brief Guide

Sometimes just searching for you company name or category for your business just isn't enough. Especially if you are a new business or you have only recently had your website uploaded to the internet. In most cases this can be remedied by some standard techniques by your web developer or SEO specialist.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and PPC (Pay-Per-Click) are modern methods to gain higher standing on many of the most popular search engines on the internet. This competitive world of online business and advertising, just having a website does not simply mean it will be found easily, as it will need to be promoted using different methods.

The term SEO refers to an organic online marking approach for your website, but it is something you will need to continue with in an effective manner, to see true positive long-term results. Where as PPC is an instant method to gain front page positions for your desired search engine, like Google. But this comes at a cost (per click) and sometimes depending on you market sector or the type of key search terms you are targeting this can be expensive. Also when you cease PPC advertising, your advertisement listing will disappear.

One current method that is reasonably simple to set up and effective in promoting your business online is "Google Places" with the use of Google Maps. It's relatively straight forward, even if you have just a general understanding of computers and the internet you should be able to set up a simple profile on Google Places or alternatively get your web developer to help you with getting this up and running for your business.

First you will need to log-in and setup a Google places profile, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the online form, along with a link to your website and your contact information. At this point you will also be permitted to upload a selection of photos, these should reflect your products, services or your premises.

Once you have submitted your information you will have to wait for a verification code to activate your Google places listing. This is usually sent through to you in the form of a postcard from Google, with your unique activation code. Once entered your unique activation code, your business Google listing will be live and visible on the Google search engine for all to see.

Your Google maps listings can be accessed on a number of devices such as; a personal computer, a tablet or even handheld devices like a smart-phone, this means people can find you even when they are on the move.

Know How to Play Pick 4 For Your Chance at Instant Cash

Many individuals have been attracted and engrossed in the lottery games. These offer lucrative winnings for small wagers. While it is considered to be gambling, there is very little to lose and is well regulated. The chances of developing a gambling problem with lottery is relatively small. To most, it is considered as a form of entertainment while hoping to get a chance to gain some extra instant cash on the side.

There are various forms of lottery games. There is the Pick 3, Pick 4 and many variations of the 6-digit lotto games. The more numbers you play with, the smaller the odds are at winning. This is why the pick 3 and pick 4 are among the most constantly played games. These offer small prizes as compared to the bigger lottery games. However, the chances of winning is bigger. Generally, as long as you are at least eighteen years old, you can have the opportunity to purchase your own ticket at any authorized retailer in your state.

If you would like to know how to play pick 4 to get your chance at winning, this is quite easy. The rules are simple and the stakes are quite small. First, you must decide on four digits that you would like to use as your personal combination. This can be a significant date or perhaps just something that you like. It can be any number between 0000 and 9999. Using the betting slip, you should then diligently plot your chosen numbers and present it to the retailer for them to provide you with your official ticket. In the event that you can not seem to decide on the combination, you do not have to worry. You can opt to use the Quick-pick option that every authorized retailer offers. With this, the computer will randomly provide you with a four-digit combination using a software generator. As soon as you have paid for your wager and the ticket has been given to you, you must inspect it for accuracy and duly sign the back to ensure your ownership of the ticket.

Various combination game plays that you can opt to do for each game. Some offer more chances of winning as your combination can be able to match the drawn numbers in any particular order. However, if you opt for this, the prize at stake would be smaller than that of a straight combination where it should match the drawn numbers in precise order. There are different guidelines on how to play pick 4 combination boxes. You should be diligent in understanding the terms for each one for you to avoid any inconsistencies or inconveniences.

Knowing how to play pick 4 is just as important as knowing when to wait for the results. These are drawn twice each day, seven days each week. There is a midday draw (often after lunch hours) and once each evening. The results are also posted on the retailer's boards as well as in the local papers. So that you can be able to check if you are the lucky winner for that draw. The actual prizes vary on fixed or pari-mutuel rates that you would need to know depending on the state that you are playing in.

Beat the Credit Crunch - Get Your Business Online

It seems impossible to avoid the doom and gloom of the recession. Every industry, in one way or another appears to have been negatively affected by the downturn; with mass redundancies and house repossessions becoming an increasingly common occurrence.

But could E-commence be the silver lining on the UK's current dark economic cloud? Well it just might. Competitive prices, easy product comparisons, fuel savings and other convenience factors make online shopping an appealing option for consumers.

IMRG and Capgemini's statistics showed that a number of e-commerce categories saw significant month-on-month growth in March 2009, including the clothing, footwear and accessories market and the gifts segment.

Also, new figures have revealed that total UK e-commerce sales rose by 19 per cent year on year in March 2009.

The fact is, in order to compete in today's ever-challenging economic climate businesses must look for every way possible to reach their target audience. And selling on line provides a whole host of sales and marketing opportunities which would have never been possible before the dawn of the internet.

Therefore it has never been a more important time for small and medium sized businesses, many of whom have managed to make a decent living and avoided the lure of the internet for years, to build a website and start trading online.

These include a radically reduced time to market, improved customer relationships, low cost market entry, easier access to a global market and a significantly wider audience. They are also able to compete with businesses much bigger than themselves, as in the online world, as long as your 'shop front' (website) looks the part, then who is to know that you are not a multi million pound organisation, employing 5,000 staff?

So what draws people to shop on the internet?

o As the internet presents a shopping experience of global proportions, there is unlimited choice.

o Consumers can get what you are looking for and quickly. There's no need to trawl aimlessly round the high street as the perfect product is only a mouse click away.

o Internet shoppers will strive to get the best deals, as the retailers are forced to reduce prices in a bid to beat the competition and win custom.

o There's nothing much more comfortable than armchair shopping, anytime, day or night. If you can provide choice, reduced prices and convenience shopping electronically, there is a substantial slice of the market to be won.

So even with all this negativity across the world, your business can still have the competitive advantage by being online. As long you have a good customer friendly website, email, the framework to get the goods to the customer and a strong web presence, there is no reason why your business can't thrive in the recession.

For web hosting, I recommend Storm Internet http://www.storminternet.co.uk.

How to Open a Tea Shop Online

If you are passionate about tea, opening a tea shop online may be a great idea. It can help you make money by selling tea and at the same time allow you to enjoy various kinds of tea around the world. As a small tea shop owner, you may begin your company with only a computer. It seems easy but making your online tea shop successful is still much challenging. Since four years, we began our oversea door-to-door tea wholesale service, we have gotten to know and cooperate with quite a large number of owners of online tea shops. Some of them now have already had a prosperous business but some of them shut down their shops just one or two years after they launched them. Why? Here, we just listed several steps of opening an online tea shop with some pieces of advice for you.

At first, if you have already had a physical tea shop, you can miss a few following steps but we still suggest you should hurry up if you still haven't had an online shop. You really shouldn't miss the web to cost-effectively reach your countless potential customers and if you are a novice and know little about tea, you should be cautious. Tea is a niche involving a great deal of expertise and you can't expect to earn a lot in a short time.

1. Learn about tea

There are six major types of tea--white, black, oolong, green, dark and yellow tea--and thousands of blends, brews and names within those groups. Tea has significance in various cultures and is touted for health benefits. If you are running a tea shop, you would be expected to be asked questions about it. You'll need to be knowledgeable about the regions tea comes from, the processing methods for tea, health benefits of it and importantly how to store different kinds of them.

Unlike other businesses you can choose, there is a lot to learn besides just how to open a tea shop. Read about tea books, join groups and go to seminars and presentations to get a good understanding of all. Some free online resources are also highly recommended such as Tea Guardian, Chinese Teas 101, TeaUSA and Vicony Tea Encyclopedia. It would take a lot of time for you to learn. If you would get bored of it, you should consider whether you should give it up as early as possible.

2. Register your business

Register your business with the Internal Revenue Service. Fill out an application providing applicable details about your online tea shop. Once you're registered, an employer identification number, or EIN, is submitted for tax purposes.

3. Build an online presence

Build an online presence. You can sell tea through established websites such as Amazon and eBay but we recommend you create you own website. Choose a decent company to help you build an attracting online tea shop. Each of them in it should have photos, descriptions and prices. Choose a reliable Web-hosting company to host the online shop. Its service need to be stable.

4. Purchase tea

Purchase tea by wholesale. Carefully select teas that are proven to be popular, along with rare specialties that can attract individual customers. Try to cover more kinds of teas from China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka. Try to include green, black, white, oolong, Puerh and unique blends.

If you're running a business at home, you may not have a big space to store stock (important: different kinds of teas should be kept in the different ways). You can opt for a drop-shipping arrangement but we don't think it is a good idea because you can't keep your customers information confidential and it is also difficult for you to make your products privately labeled and sometimes easily cause a delay in shipment so it is great to cooperate with the companies that can wholesale bulk tea in small quantities. For example, ViconyTeas have a wide range of Chinese teas and you can wholesale from 1KG per kind.

It is a good idea to use packages with your private labels. During the early stage, we recommend you choose common packages such as blank aluminum foil bags or paper bags pasted with your own labels. It is economical and at the same time can show your identity.

Take the storage requirements of different kinds of teas into consideration when you purchase tea. For example, green tea should be put in cold storage so don't purchase too much if your ice chest have already no space to store it. Black teas can be kept well for more than two years at room temperature only when they are sealed properly so you can make a relatively large purchase if you are satisfied with the batch of it.

Remember the proper time to purchase different teas. For example, you can start purchasing the best Chinese green teas of the current year such as Dragon Well or Biluochun in April while you need to wait and buy such as Jasmine tea and Wuyi Rock Oolong of the current year until Mid-September.

5. Promote your online tea shop

Promote your tea shop in various ways such as social networking, creating a tea blog, tweeting daily tea-related posts and creating a Facebook page for your tea shop. Signing up through an affiliate network to create online ads for your tea store is also recommended. Consult with a SEO & SEM specialist to make out a promotion plan and you can also find several books to learn SEO & SEM knowledge and apply them to your online tea shop.

Forex Trading Business - The Advantages of Trading Currencies and How to Make Huge Gains!

Forex trading is a business and anyone can trade from home and win, with the right education and mindset. In this article, we will look at the advantages of currency trading and how to become a successful trader.

A Forex trading business, is the perfect way to make a second income and here are the main advantages you get:

- Anyone can learn to trade and no college education is required and furthermore, you can learn the basics in just a few weeks.

- You only need a hundred dollars, a computer and an internet connection to get started
You don't need staff, stock or to sell anything.

- Currencies are volatile and provide profit opportunities every day and as one currency rises, another must fall which means there is never a recession.

- You can easily trade in around 45 minutes a day, making it the perfect business for busy people

You can leverage your money to enhance profit potential and if you have a $100.00, most brokers will give you 200;1 leverage meaning you can trade 100 x 200 or $20,000!

Now the above are great advantages but of course you need the right education to win, because 95% of all traders fail to make money but they don't fail because they can't learn to win, they fail because they get the wrong education and have the right mindset.

You need to do your homework and never trust anyone who tells you, that you can make money with no effort - you can't. Ignore all the cheap robots and get rich systems because they lose money. Instead learn Forex charting which allows you lock into trends. You don't need to know anything about economics or the news, you just follow price action - you don't care why prices are moving you just want to get in on trends and make money when they do!

If you learn the basics and apply your system with discipline keeping losses small and running the big profitable trends you can make huge gains in 45 minutes a day or less. No other industry offers you the profit potential of Forex trading so learn this exciting business and get on the road to a great second income.