Parent Training Workshop Series Nicole Coneby, LSW, BCBA

A reminder…. §  Confidentiality- What does this mean? §  What if something comes up in this group that I want shared

with my child’s teacher? §  What if I have very specific questions that I need answers to?

Tonight’s topics §  Activities in Franklin Township for your children §  A review

§  Behaviors §  Structure, schedules, and visual cues

§  Strategies to make outings successful §  Tales of “successful” outings §  There’s a “free” app for that. §  Structuring your day during breaks

Franklin Township Recreation Department §  Previous Programs for children ages 5-12

§  Clay Creations §  Music and More §  Bricks for Kids §  Mining and Crafting

§  Ongoing – Friday night drop in for Teens and Adults §  Upcoming Programs

§  Kids Zumba in May for ages 5-12 §  Spring PLAY sports sampler for preschoolers –Ages 3-5 in preschool §  5 Sensory Day – Date to be determined §  Safety Town – for preschoolers ages 3-5 in the summer

TOP Soccer §  For Grades 1 through 10

§  Each participant is paired with a “buddy”. §  Each buddy is a volunteer between the ages of 14-18

§  Encourages participants to become more social with both peers and their buddies while participating in a structured physical activity.

§  Program held Saturdays from April 18- June 20 from 12:30-1:30pm at Sampson G Smith

§  Sign up at http://www.franklinsoccer.com

§  More info: nt.tops.divmgr@franklinsoccer.com

Keys to Success § Put as much information as possible in your application.

§  Include likes, dislikes, behaviors, triggers for behaviors §  Remember “The more they know about your child, the

more successful your child will be.”

§  If you think it costs too much…. §  Many programs have financial aid and stipends available

for your kids. Ask for the application when you apply.

Behavior - Understand why behaviors happen §  Attention

§  Escape or avoid a task

§  Sensory Stimulation

§  Obtain access to a tangible item

Antecedent- Triggers §  Any object, person, or event in the environment that cues a person to do something.

What to ask or observe when looking at antecedents? (Baker, 2008)

§  What triggered the behavior? §  Sensory stimulation §  Lack of structure §  Internal or biological triggers §  Demands §  Waiting §  Threats to self-image §  Unmet needs for attention

Behavior

Definition of Behavior

A behavior refers to a specific action that a person does that can be observed.

Describe behavior in detailed, concrete terms.

Consequence (C)

The word consequence refers to what happens immediately after the behavior occurs.

What to ask or observe when looking at consequences (Baker, 2008)

§  What happened after the behavior occurred? §  Avoiding a situation §  Getting others’ attention §  Getting some desired object §  Self-pleasure or soothing §  Venting of frustration

Consequences Inform Behavior

§  In general, consequences that are pleasant and rewarding result in the behavior occurring more. i.e. Johnny gets to eat ice cream, because he finished dinner.

§ Consequences that are unpleasant or punishing generally result in the behavior occurring less. i.e. Sam runs on a patch of ice and slips and falls.

Change the triggers §  Sensory stimulation

§  Light, Noise, Textures, etc.

§  Timing of situation §  Is the child hungry, tired, sick

§  Think about time of day

§  Task difficulty §  Does the task need to be easier or shorter

§  Visual supports §  Are picture cues needed to remind the child of the steps involved to complete the

task. Think back to last time and the examples used.

Teach skills to deal with triggers §  Demands

§  Ask for help §  Watch others do the task §  Ask for break or to do the task later §  Ask for choices

§  Waiting §  Teach the child how to wait and accept no

§  Threats to self image §  Teaching child the social skills to not perceive negative events as a negative judgment

§  Unmet wishes for attention §  Asking for attention §  Learning to initiate play

§ Provides an individual with a method of selecting activities, providing visual cues, scheduling the time and day for the activity to occur, or teaching new skills.

§ Can be used to facilitate accomplishment of short and long term goals

§ We’ll see an example when we discuss planning outings.

Schedules

§  It increases choices in activities and activity times

§  Allows for choice-making of future activities

§  Can act as a cue for specific behaviors

§  Reduces reliance on others for cues

Advantages of visual and written schedules

Prepare to implement the intervention §  Figuring out what time periods need to be scheduled

and find the easiest way to represent the activity on a schedule or calendar

Implementing Schedules – Step 1

§  Step 2: Help the individual prepare the schedule §  Consider options for items to include on the schedule.

§  Things individual wants to do vs. things individual needs to do §  Make choices in activities.

§  Prompt the individual to consider the pros and cons of each choice.

§  Place activity representation (e.g., photograph of activity, symbol of activity, drawing of activity, or written note) on the calendar as choices are made.

§  Expand self-scheduling across days.

Step 2

§ Step 3: Teach the individual how to follow the schedule § This includes prompting the individual to:

§ Look at the calendar frequently § Self-initiate scheduled activities

Step 3

§ Help the individual to review and revise the schedule § What scheduled activities were completed and what

activities were not completed? § Did the schedule allow sufficient time for each activity? § Activities might be removed, added, or put in different

time slots.

Step 4

§  Iphone/Ipod Touch

§  Droid scheduler

§  Windows 7 scheduling

§  Computer based timers

§  Apps – First/Then for iPAD, Kindle fire, and Android

Using technology for teaching

§  Photographs, pictures, illustrations, line drawings, diagrams with text or symbols, and checklists that are arranged in a specific sequence that increased the likelihood of the occurrence of desired behaviors.

§  Do not require reading skills and are frequently seen as prompts in all types of settings in the community.

Visual cues

§  What are some antecedent visual cues we see everyday?

Think about it

First/Then visual cues

Picture schedules

Strategies to make outings successful § Break down the task

§ Use visual cues

§ Use social stories

§  Think of a specific skill (i.e. putting shoes on, packing backpack, etc.)

§  Break down the skills into smaller, easier to learn steps (task analysis)

§  Teach each of the skills

§  Generalize across settings, staff, and materials

Direct Instruction

§  Dissecting” or breaking up the chain into each of its links.

§  Analyzing a chain or task to understand each link or step that form the chain or task.

§  List the steps (number your list) in the order in which they need to be completed in order to accurately complete the chain.

Task Analysis

§ Provides an individual with a method of selecting activities, providing visual cues, scheduling the time and day for the activity to occur, or teaching new skills.

§ Can be used to facilitate accomplishment of short and long term goals

Schedules

§  It increases choices in activities and activity times

§  Allows for choice-making of future activities

§  Can act as a cue for specific behaviors

§  Reduces reliance on others for cues

Advantages of visual and written schedules

Using this information §  Outside Rules visual cue- Let’s see an example!

§  Rules are listed §  Pictures can be included for nonreaders §  Tells the child what you want him to be doing

§  Developed by Carol Gray and colleagues (Gray et al., 1993)

§  Uses stories written in the first person to increase awareness of problematic situations.

§  Describes what is happening, why, and how people feel and think in a situation

Social Stories™

§  Includes Four Sentence Types §  Descriptive

§  Perspective §  Directive §  Affirmative

Writing a Social Story™

§  Review before a situation where the skill would be needed

§  At the beginning of the day

§  After an incident has occurred where skill use is beneficial

§  On a periodic basis to refresh

How to Introduce & Use

•  Using real photos of the staff and/or students doing the appropriate skill (e.g. picture of student raising his hand, student walking appropriately down the hallway)

•  Audiotaping the story being read (by student, teacher, parent, etc)

•  Videotaping the student modeling the skill and/or reading story (voice-over, etc)

Variations

Examples of Social Stories § Going to Shop Rite

§ Going to Dollar Tree

§ How to Eat at a Restaurant

Successful Outings § Mall Trip

§ Target

Free Premade Apps for Community Outings § Model Me Kids 2

§ Attainment’s Community Success Free

Summer planning §  Use schedules and visual cues

§  Keep a calendar

§  Provide predictability

§  Plan ahead

§  Practice, practice, practice

§  Don’t throw all of your routines out the window

Planning for the “great” outdoors §  Travel plans

§  Practice ahead of time- car rides, air travel, etc. §  Some airports have classes that will simulate the security and boarding process. Check with the airport

and airline. §  Beat boredom with a travel bag (make sure it is filled with activities, reinforcers, and treats to keep

your child occupied)

§  Sunblock §  Many of our students are resistant to things like sunblock. §  Start working on this now, by applying the sunblock to small areas of the skin and offering a reinforcer

for tolerating. §  Each day apply a little bit more until they can tolerate sunblock on all needed areas §  Research the kind of sunblock that will be least aversive to your child

§  Sprays §  Creams §  Lotions

Planning activities at home §  Don’t relax the rules or wakeup or bedtime routines

§  If you can’t structure your whole day, choose portions of the day to have routines and schedules

§  Use the tools to plan outings – Call ahead to museums, libraries, your local fire house, nature centers to plan stuff to do.

§  Activities at home – Backyard fun, arts and crafts, music, movie night

One last note - Persistence §  In October, I started with my own story of persistence.

§  According to Merriam Webster, persistence is the quality that allows someone to continue doing something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people.

§  Any child can learn and will learn to try new things if you remain persistent.

§  Our goal is progress, not perfection!

Questions

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Thank you!! §  Thank you for attending the Parent Workshop Series for the 2014-2015 school

year.

§  Do you have further questions or suggestions for topics for next year? Email them to me at nconeby@franklinboe.org

Acknowledgements §  Special thanks to Miss Martinelli and the team at Elizabeth Avenue School for

sharing materials for the presentation tonight.

§  Special thanks to Nancy Llanos for sharing information about the TOPP soccer program.

§  Special thanks to Alice Osipowitz and the staff at the Franklin Township Department of Recreation for meeting with me to provide information for this presentation.