Here is another session that I attended at the SC Council
for Exceptional Children Conference in Myrtle Beach. The presenter was Helen Lanier, a preschool
special education teacher, from Burton-Pack Elementary.
1.
If they can’t learn the way we teach, we teach
the way they learn” – O. Ivar Lovaas”
2.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish
by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it
is stupid.”
3.
What is autism? – a brain-based disorder
characterized by social-communication challenges and restricted receptive
behaviors and activities.
4.
No 2 people with autism have the same symptoms
5.
Interventions and Techniques Not to Try
a.
Marijuana therapy
b.
Nicotine Patch therapy
c.
Bleach therapy
d.
Impairments: What does it look like in the real
world
e.
Social interaction
f.
Inability to participate in board games
g.
Inability to participate in gross motor or social
games
h.
Inability to take turns
i.
Difficulty waiting
j.
Dislike large groups
k.
Doesn’t respond to social initiation from a peer
or an adult
l.
Dislike of physical contact
m.
Doesn’t understand nonverbal cues
6.
Communication
a.
Unable to answer direct questions
b.
Unable to recall information and/or events
c.
Unable to make inferences
d.
Unable to understand spoken language
e.
Fails to grasp figurative language and abstract
concepts
f.
Inability to communicate wants and needs in a
socially appropriate and/or age appropriate manner
g.
Unable to follow simple one step directions
h.
Unable to follow directions of more than one
step
i.
No understanding of manners and social niceties
j.
Very literal when speaking
k.
Doesn’t understand conversational rules
l.
Doesn’t understand communication is done with/to
someone else.
7.
Challenging Behaviors
a.
Stubbornness
b.
Insistence on same routine
c.
Transitions
d.
Repetitive sounds
e.
Inability to stay in seat
8.
Sensory Impairments/Overload
a.
Inability to sit still
b.
“crawling out of their skin”
c.
Impulsive
d.
Covering ears with loud noises
e.
Head banging
f.
Biting
g.
Hitting
h.
Climbing
i.
Spinning
j.
fidgeting
9.
Function of Behaviors - determines how you
handle/address the behavior
a.
Why is this happening
i. Attention
seeking
ii. Avoidance/get
out of a situation/end a situation
b.
Find out what the function of the behavior is:
i. Observe
when it happens
ii. What
happens before
iii. What
happens after
iv. What
does the student do once the behavior ceases?
v. Does
this same behavior occur at different times? Different settings? With different
people?
10. Attention
Seeking Problem Behaviors
a.
Any attentions is good attention
b.
Remain calm
c.
Ignore as long as not dangerous
11. Avoidance
a.
Remain
firm and consistent
b.
If student needs to be removed, the student will
need to return to the task before something enjoyable happens
12. Techniques
and/or Adaptions to Try
a.
Visual schedules
b.
Picture Exchange System
c.
Turn Taking Cue
d.
Visual Cues
e.
Short Concise Directions
f.
Choice Board
g.
Repetition
h.
Hand Over Hand Assistance
i.
Transition items
j.
Timers
k.
Busy Boxes
l.
Reward System
m.
First/Then
n.
Pointing
o.
Small Task-Reward-Small Task-Reward
p.
Favorite Toy to Encourage Eye Contact
q.
Nursery Rhyme
r.
Simpler Worksheet/Reading Comprehension
s.
Close Off Areas to Increase Requesting and
Communication
t.
Remove Cue/Triggers
u.
Sound Cue
v.
Weighted Vests and Other Sensory Items (Body
Socks)
w.
Obedience is Freedom
13. Things
to Remember
a.
Pick Your Battles
b.
Don’t issue ultimatums and/or rules you do not
plan to follow through with.
c.
Behavior problems and other issues are more than
likely a part of the child’s disability. These things cannot be taken
personally.
d.
If a child is struggling with a specific skill
that skill may need to be explicitly taught.
i. Task
analysis
ii. Step-by-step
instruction
iii. One-on-one
instruction
e.
Our job is not just to have these students
perform the way we want in our classrooms. We have to prepare them for the real
world and real-life expectations.
f.
We do these students no favors when we let them
“skate by” because it is easier and less work for us.
g.
Communicate with all staff members who teach and
interact with your student. Everyone has to implement!
h.
Consistency, Consistency, Consistency!
14. Desensitization
a.
A student may need to be exposed to something
and/or a situation numerous times before it is no longer an issue
b.
Set up situations where the student has to deal
with the issue.
c.
Help them through it a little at a time.
d.
Increase time/duration and decrease support as
appropriate.
e.
E.g. thresholds, hair brushing, new situations
15. Mind
Set Change
a.
All students with autism are delayed in some
area of development
b.
Even if their cognitive function is at typical levels
their social and communication levels may not be.
c.
All students can learn and acquire new skills.
It just may not be at the pace that is considered normal or on time.
d.
Celebrate small victories and accomplishments
just like you would big ones.
e.
We don’t expect deaf students to change to fit
our skills and abilities. We don’t expect them to learn how to communicate
verbally. We learn sign language.
16. When
teaching children with autism we must be quick to adapt, follow our instinct
and go off plan. – Adele Devine
17. 10
Things every child with autism wishes you knew by Ellen Notbohm
Original photo by Pat Hensley
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