Everyones Child
Exceptional Children's Department, Scotland County Schools
April 2018 National Autism Awareness Month
Program Specialist Tip of the Month
Featured Evidence-Based Practice: Exercise (ECE)
*From the Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules published by The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder
“Exercise (ECE) EBP Brief Packet.” The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules, 2018.
What are Evidence-Based Practices?
Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are practices that scientific research has shown effective for use with individuals with autism.
What is Exercise (ECE)?
Exercise usually refers to the physical activity in which we engage in order to achieve a healthier level of physical fitness. The integration of daily opportunities for physical activity for learners with ASD is important for improving their basic physical fitness. In addition to physical fitness, exercise also can be used as an intervention for learners with ASD to increase desired behaviors, such as academic engagement, time on task, correct responding, and task completion. Exercise can decrease inappropriate behaviors, such as aggression, self-injury, self-stimulatory/stereotypic behaviors, and time off task.
How is ECE Being Used?
Exercise can be used by a variety of professionals, including teachers, special educators, therapists, and paraprofessionals in educational and community-based environments. Parents and family members also can use exercise in the home.
Steps for Implementation:
1. Identify potential exercise activities.
2. Conduct individualized exercise assessment.
3. Develop an exercise plan.
4. Plan for any needed supports.
5. Obtain and organize all needed materials and equipment.
6. Teach the learner the exercise routine.
7. Reinforce learner engagement and completion of the exercise routine.
8. Fade prompts and any tangible reinforcement as quickly as possible when criterion is met.
9. Collect data on engagement in exercise routine and target behaviors.
10. Determine next steps based on learner progress.
11. Collect data on learner use of target skill.
12. Determine next steps.
For more information about ECE and other EBPs, please follow these links:
The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules-ECE
Movement Based Instruction Professional Learning through NCDPI - View the Professional Learning Calendar
Occupational Therapy Corner--Karen Hunter, Lead Occupational Therapist
OT Corner-April
Many children are resistant to practicing writing for various reasons. One way to assure they are practicing their prewriting shapes, letters, words (think spelling words J) and even sentences is to make it as fun as possible! Below are some examples of ways to practice without use of a pencil/paper.
· Finger painting
· Bath tub paint
· Drawing in sand(wet or dry) with index finger
· Drawing in paint, sand, salt with popsicle stick
· Sidewalk chalk
· Small chalkboards
· Magna doodle
· Aqua doodle
· Paint brush/colored water(great activity at an easel)
· Drawing/writing in flour/powder
· Cooked spaghetti noodles
· Wikki sticks
· Play-doh/modeling clay
· Rainbow writing with crayons/markers(traces over letters/shapes with multiple colors-start with black)
· Macaroni, beans, etc and glue to from shapes, letters
· Stickers
· Cotton balls
· Shaving cream/whipped cream
· Window markers
· Cookie cutter letters in damp sand, cornmeal, play-doh, or real dough
· Magnetic letters/ shapes
Writing should be fun, especially for younger students! If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at khunter@scotland.k12.nc.us
The Speech Room--Amanda Hill, Speech-Language Pathologist
5 Tips for Articulation Carryover in the Classroom
As school based speech-language pathologists, our end goal for articulation treatment focuses on helping students use clear speech in the general education classroom. Ultimately, this carryover of skills during classroom activities affects our students’ academic success. These easy approaches will help teachers—and also families—support generalization of articulation skills:
1. Model clear articulation: The more the student hears a sound correctly, the more likely they’ll say it correctly. Look for opportunities to model target sounds, especially during small group activities. When modeling for a student, say the sound clearly and naturally.
2. Focus on speech sounds: Emphasize the sound a letter makes rather than the letter itself. For example, remind a student to say the “shh” sound, rather the “s” “h” sound.
3. Give specific feedback: Give students’ specific feedback for saying sounds correctly. For example, “Wow! I heard TWO sounds when you said the word “spot!” I heard “ssssss” and “puh”! Avoid criticizing a student for saying a sound incorrectly in front of other students. Speaking with confidence is important and providing too much negative feedback—especially in a large group—can make them overly self-conscious.
4. Ask for repetition: Asking a student to repeat teaches them that speaking clearly is important without putting them on the spot to say a specific sound correctly. For example: “I didn’t understand, can you say that again?” “What you have to say is important, can you repeat that?” If you still can’t understand the student, encourage them to use a communication strategy like saying the word in a sentence to give context or writing it down. Honor the communication even if articulation is incorrect.
5. Highlight target sounds: Underline or highlight the target sound in advance for read aloud or homework activities to reinforce the student’s awareness of the sound in context. This is also a great carryover activity for older students to complete independently.
-This article was written by Kylie Grace Davis for the American Speech and Hearing Association’s monthly newsletter August 2017.
From the School Psychologist
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) provides numerous resources for psychologists, teachers, other educators, and parents on a variety of topics. Below is the NASP resource that provides talking tips for teachers and parents in talking to children about violence. Additional information for parents and educators on school safety, violence prevention, children’s trauma reactions, and crisis response is available at www.nasponline.org.
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
High profile acts of violence, particularly in schools, can confuse and frighten children who may feel in danger or worry that their friends or loved-ones are at risk. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children feel safe by establishing a sense of normalcy and security and talking with them about their fears.
1. Reassure children that they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Validate their feelings. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.
2. Make time to talk. Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Be patient; children and youth do not always talk about their feelings readily. Watch for clues that they may want to talk, such as hovering around while you do the dishes or yard work. Some children prefer writing, playing music, or doing an art project as an outlet. Young children may need concrete activities (such as drawing, looking at picture books, or imaginative play) to help them identify and express their feelings.
3. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.
· Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Give simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day.
· Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools.
· Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines (e.g. not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers on campus, reporting threats to the school safety made by students or community members, etc.), communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs.
4. Review safety procedures. This should include procedures and safeguards at school and at home. Help children identify at least one adult at school and in the community to whom they go if they feel threatened or at risk.
5. Observe children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can also indicate a child’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some children may be at risk for more intense reactions. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.
6. Limit television viewing of these events. Limit television viewing and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. Adults also need to be mindful of the content of conversations that they have with each other in front of children, even teenagers, and limit their exposure to vengeful, hateful, and angry comments that might be misunderstood.
7. Maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Encourage them to keep up with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed.
Suggested Points to Emphasize When Talking to Children
· Schools are safe places. School staff works with parents and public safety providers (local police and fire departments, emergency responders, hospitals, etc.) to keep you safe. The school building is safe because … (cite specific school procedures).
· We all play a role in the school safety. Be observant and let an adult know if you see or hear something that makes you feel uncomfortable, nervous or frightened.
· There is a difference between reporting, tattling or gossiping. You can provide important information that may prevent harm either directly or anonymously by telling a trusted adult what you know or hear.
· Although there is no absolute guarantee that something bad will never happen, it is important to understand the difference between the possibility of something happening and probability that it will affect you (our school community).
· Senseless violence is hard for everyone to understand. Doing things that you enjoy, sticking to your normal routine, and being with friends and family help make us feel better and keep us from worrying about the event.
· Sometimes people do bad things that hurt others. They may be unable to handle their anger, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or suffering from mental illness. Adults (parents, teachers, police officers, doctors, faith leaders) work very hard to get those people help and keep them from hurting others. It is important for all of us to know how to get help if we feel really upset or angry and to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
· Stay away from guns and other weapons. Tell an adult if you know someone has a gun. Access to guns is one of the leading risk factors for deadly violence.
· Violence is never a solution to personal problems. Students can be part of the positive solution by participating in anti-violence programs at school, learning conflict mediation skills, and seeking help from an adult if they or a peer is struggling with anger, depression, or other emotions they cannot control.
Scotland County Schools' Exceptional Children's Department
Email: acotton@scotland.k12.nc.us
Website: scotland.k12.nc.us
Location: 322 South Main Street, Laurinburg, NC, United States
Phone: 910-276-1138
Reminders:
April 12-Speech meeting at 2:00 in the upstairs conference room
April 12-AU Coaching Team meeting at 2:00 in Mr. Johnson's conference room
April 12-Transition Information Session for EC Teachers of 5th and 8th grade students at 3:00 in PD1
April 13-New EC Teachers Support meeting 8-4:00 in PD2
April 17-Spring Parent Night at 5:30 in PD2
April 20-EC Facilitators meeting 8-4:00 in PD2
April 24 & 26-EC Monthly Meeting 3:30-4:30 in PD1 (Dr. Burris will complete the "catching Kids Up" training from March 9, self-contained EC teachers are not required to attend)
April 30-Transition IEP Work Session for all EC Teachers of 5th and 8th grade students
8-4:00 in PD1
May 1 Special Olympics at SHS