{"product_id":"building-social-awareness-in-autistic-children-and-their-peers-using-minecraft®-a-step-by-step-guide-to-running-neurodiversity-affirming-groups-revised-edition","title":"Building Social Awareness in Autistic Children and their Peers Using Minecraft® : A Step by Step Guide to Running Neurodiversity-Affirming Groups (Revised Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eChildren who find social interaction difficult often find it easier when there is something to do together. Minecraft® — familiar, motivating, and endlessly flexible — turns out to be a remarkably effective tool for building exactly the kind of shared experiences that help children develop social awareness. \u003cem\u003eBuilding Social Awareness in Autistic Children and their Peers Using Minecraft®\u003c\/em\u003e by Raelene Dundon is the fully revised and updated edition of her widely used practitioner guide, now rewritten to reflect current neurodiversity-affirming thinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat this book covers\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis manual provides a complete, step-by-step framework for setting up and running a Minecraft Social Group. Each session plan focuses on a different aspect of social development — including cooperation, persistence, perspective-taking, and accepting difference — with the goal of helping children build skills they can carry into the playground and beyond. The programme is designed to work for mixed groups of autistic children and their neurotypical peers, reflecting the understanding that social interaction is a two-way process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis revised edition has been thoroughly updated with neuro-affirmative language throughout, and introduces an age-appropriate exploration of the double empathy problem — the principle that communication challenges between autistic and non-autistic people are not a deficit in one party, but a shared responsibility on both sides. This is a meaningful shift from earlier social skills approaches, and one that will resonate strongly with professionals working in inclusive settings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy it works in schools and clinical settings\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReady to run from day one\u003c\/strong\u003e — with over 100 pages of downloadable session plans and handouts included, this is a true turnkey resource that minimises preparation time and makes it practical to deliver consistent, structured groups.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInclusive by design\u003c\/strong\u003e — the programme supports autistic children alongside their peers, not in isolation, making it suitable for mainstream schools and inclusion-focused settings. It builds shared understanding, not just skills in one group.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRooted in current neurodiversity-affirming practice\u003c\/strong\u003e — the double empathy framework and updated language reflect where the field has moved, making this edition appropriate for practitioners who want their work to align with contemporary best practice on autism and social development.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHighly motivating for children\u003c\/strong\u003e — Minecraft is one of the most widely played games in the world. Using it as the vehicle for group work removes the performance anxiety that structured social activities can create, giving children a genuine reason to engage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWritten by a practitioner with lived experience\u003c\/strong\u003e — Raelene Dundon is a late-diagnosed Autistic ADHDer, an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and a Play Therapist with over 20 years of experience. Her understanding of the work is both professional and personal.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho it is for\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis guide is primarily for professionals — educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, SENCOs, play therapists, and specialist teachers — who work with groups of children in school or clinical settings. It is practical rather than theoretical, and requires no prior expertise in Minecraft beyond a willingness to learn alongside the children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eReady to explore?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are looking for a structured, evidence-informed group programme that meets children where they already are, this revised edition is well worth a close look. Contact our team if you would like to discuss whether it is right for your setting.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jessica Kingsley Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57233363501438,"sku":"BK2556","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0653\/6560\/6649\/files\/9781805018537.jpg?v=1775819498","url":"https:\/\/www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk\/products\/building-social-awareness-in-autistic-children-and-their-peers-using-minecraft%c2%ae-a-step-by-step-guide-to-running-neurodiversity-affirming-groups-revised-edition","provider":"The Dyslexia Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}