Asperger SyndromeStrategies for the Classroom Setting

Presented by:Kelley Harrison Pistacchio, PhD

The Groden Center, Inc.

Comprehensive Intervention Approach

• Individualized Therapeutic Interventions

• Group Therapy Approaches• CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

(Today’s focus)

• Family support and involvement• Professional Development• Consultation

Balancing Act

Modify our Teach new

behavior and skills and

environment strategies

Best Practices

• Adherence to sound ethics and human rights philosophy

• Student Opportunities for Learning

• Individualized Assessment and Program Development

• Systematic Instruction and Evaluation

• Comprehensible/Structured Learning Environment

Best Practices (cont.)

• Specialized Curriculum Content

• Functional Approach to Problem Behavior

• Staff Development and Team Collaboration

• Family involvement

• Facilities and Resources: Environment of Care

• Improving Organization Performance

Educational SettingNo “IDEAL” educational placement/setting for ALL

students with Asperger Syndrome– What is ideal for one student might not be ideal for

another

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS• Staff training (not just primary teachers)• Individualized approach• Availability of specialty therapists (e.g., SLP, OT,

behavioral specialist, counselor) with training in AS• Social skills groups/lunch bunch/best buddies• Safe place; place for breaks• Peer education• Opportunities for community/vocational skills training

The Learning Environment

• Organized: labels, color coding

• Quiet, low distraction areas

• Separate work from free-time areas

• Accommodate sensory needs

• Clear display of schedule, rules and expectations

Know Your Student

• ESTABLISH RAPPORT

• Get to know areas of interest,

strengths, values, needs

• Friendships

• Identify stressors and what the student finds relaxing/comforting

• How does student handle stress?

• Sensory needs

• EMBRACE YOUR STUDENT’S UNIQUENESS!

Be Flexible When Necessary

• Students with different way of learning and processing need different teaching approaches

• Ensure that expectations match student capabilities

Communicating with your Students with AS

• Use language appropriate to student’s comprehension and processing abilities

• Be straight forward, specific, concrete and clear. Give ALL information needed.

• Never ASSUME • Teach meaning of more abstract statements • Be brief -- Don’t talk too much!• Use visuals: writing, pictures, prompts, gestures• Allow time for processing of verbal information• Avoid verbal battles

Academic Modifications• Outlines• Pre teaching• Second set of books at home• Sentence/paragraph starters• Flexibility in topic selection• Modified assignments (shorter, fewer items per

page)• Modified homework• Use of computer/ Alpha Smart• Extra time for assignments, tests• Alternative place to take tests• Assistance with long term projects

Emphasizing the Strengths(From Liane Holliday Willey, EdD reprinted in Autism Spectrum Quarterly, Winter 2005 issue)

• Objective (not insensitive)

• Engrossed (not obsessed)

• Tenacious (not obstinate)

• Rule governed (not rule bound)

• Stoical (not unfeeling)

• Precise (not inflexible)

• Diligent (not intrusive)

• Pragmatic (not dogmatic)

• Honest (not blunt)

• Finely tuned sensory system (Not sensory dysfunction)

Common Strengths

• Often have average to above average intelligence

• Strong vocabulary• Strong factual, rote memory• Very knowledgeable about certain topics• Unique and independent way of thinking• Capacity for self-monitoring and awareness • Can participate in goal-setting• Special talents

Building on Strengths and Interests

• Provide opportunities for student to “shine” in front of peers

• Appeal to things they value (e.g., intellect)• Give frequent positive feedback related to

strengths• Provide skill development opportunities when

student is engaged in special interest• Use special interests as part of reinforcement

program• Be flexible in work assignments, allowing student

to utilize his strengths/interest areas

Race Car Reward Track

Move car to next space when you follow these rules in each class:

1. Raise your hand and wait to be called on to speak

2. Do your best on the work assignment

Start

Good start

You’re half

way there

Almost

home

Way to go!

Teaching Strategies

• Lectures/New Lessons– Give whole picture before and after a lesson

– Use real life examples to explain new concepts

– Provide opportunity for pre-teaching

– Provide written outline or graphic chart

Ability to keep the BIG PICTURE in mind: Helps us with organizational and time management skills

Allow

enough time

for unexpected

interruptions

Break project

down into

steps-create

work schedule

Make

schedule of

times I can

work

How much

time to do I

actually have

to work on

project?

How much do I have to

do – make

outline of

tasks

BIG PICTURE:

Project Due in 1

week: 4 week

day evenings,

Sat eve., & part

of Sun available

Inability to keep the BIG PICTURE in mind:

Leads to problems with organization and time management

MONDAY Project due in

one week (Create a poster about the state

of RI)

3 days go by-

nothing

done

THURSDAY

Mom reminds child again to

start working

on project

Child argues he

has all weekend to do it (he has to go

to a family wedding Saturday

and church services Sunday am)

Mom

reminds him of weekend activities->

he agrees to

get started

THURS. NIGHT

Child looks up RI on

the internet

Starts reading about Native

American tribes that lived in RI---a

primary interest area—spends 2

hours online

Mom tells child to go to

bed….child argues he needs

to keep

working..

FRIDAY

After school – child

writes detailed

description of

Narragansett tribe and

glues to poster board

along with a couple of

pictures of tribe, taking

up half of the poster

Teaching Strategies

• Daily Structure– Keep class routines as structured/predictable as possible

– age appropriate planner/schedule

– Prepare students for changes

– Teach strategies to cope with change (more later)

Johnny’s Schedule

1. Reading 2. Art 3. Writing

4. Lunch 5. Computer 6. History

7. Independent work

8. HomeWildCard

1. Put pack andlunch away

2. Go sit at desk

3. Take out journal 4. Take out pencil

5. Begin writing in journal

Morning Routine (mini schedule)

Teaching Strategies

• Use multi-modal teaching approach– visual, verbal, manipulatives, rehearsal

• Visual Supports– Use the board, write down assignments– Provide written as well as verbal instructions

– Graphic organizers– schedules, written/picture cues,

More on Visual Supports• Rules and Consequences• Daily and mini-schedules, Calendars• Choice boards; First-Then boards• Instructions, Assignments• Pictures to support text; Graphic organizers• Color coded organizers/bins/notebooks• Scripts• Cue cards• Visual timer• Information sharing

Blue = Math

Green = Science

Red = History

Yellow = English

Ford

Chevrolet

Mazda

Toyota

CARS

Taurus Explorer

Civic

Corolla

MX6

Protege

Corvette

Couger

Semantic Map

Look toward the teacher

I need a break please

Write it down please

In the Hallway 1. Walk 2. Keep pack on

back 3. Use quiet voice 4. Go straight to

class

Cue Card Examples

1-----2------3-----4-----5-----6-----7------8-----9-----10very quiet Regular indoor voice VERY LOUD

Voice Regulation

Voice Meter

Teaching Strategies for Skill Inconsistency

(courtesy of Lorraine Christie, SLP)

• Avoid overestimating the student• Avoid underestimating the student• Remember to even out skills and bring up low

areas, not just push high skills higher• Let assets boost self-esteem while remaining

realistic• Keep activities functional—e.g., hyperlexic

kindergartner can read a recipe to friends while cooking vs. memorizing 3rd grade spelling lists

• Educate others that child has gaps and is not just lazy

• Seek tutoring where appropriate, even if some skills in same subject area are accelerated (e.g. calculation vs. concepts, decoding vs. inferences)

Teaching Strategies for Misunderstandings, Inaccurate

Perceptions, Inferences(Courtesy of Lorraine Christie, SLP)

• Continually discuss assumptions, inferences, perceptions

• Ask for evidence, defend theories (How do you know that? Why do you think so?)

• Teach child to check with others in non-defensive way: Asking why instead of accusing, blaming or attacking

• Teach problem solving strategies (more than one solution for any given problem)

Script Based Strategies

• Cognitive Picture Rehearsal (Groden, Groden, LeVasseur)

• Social Stories, Comic Strip Conversations (Carol Gray)

• Step by step instructions

Picture Rehearsal• Identify Stressors

• Design Script using– Antecedent (The Stressful situation)

– Behavior (The coping strategy to replace maladaptive response)

– Consequence (The POSITIVE consequence of using the coping strategy OR Imagined reinforcer)

“Someone Else Making a Mistake”

I’m sitting at the

table working quietly.

I hear someone

Having a problem.

I take a deep breath

and relax my whole body.

I pay attention to what

I am doing and get

back to work.

I feel good about myself for

staying on task and hope that

my friends can get back

on task too.

Now I imagine being out at

recess and having fun.

C omm uni ty S uppo r t S er vic e s

T he G rod en C en ter , I nc .

B e in g F lex ib le

1 . S om etim es som eone a sks m e to d o som eth ing th a t Id o no t w an t to do

2 . I S TO P … tak e a DEEP BRE ATH… . a nd RE LAX m yw ho le b o d y.

3 . I L IS TEN to w h a t the p e rso n w an ts m e to d o

����4 . I sa y to m yse lf , “I c an b e F LEX IB LE an d d o s om eth in gI do n ’t lik e to d o… It w on ’t ta ke lon g !”

5 . I ta ke ano th er D EEP BRE ATH an d d o w ha t th e p e rsona sked m e to do !

6 . I fe e l P RO UD o f m ys e lf fo r be in g FLEX IB LE .

7 . O th e rs fe e l p rou d o f m e to o !!! ☺☺☺☺ ☺☺☺☺

I c an be

f le x ib le

I t’ s tim e to

_ _________

Dealing with “NO”

1. Sometime I ask to be first in line and the teacher says, “not today”.

2. I take a deep breath and relax my body.

3. I say to myself, “It’s no big deal. I can be first another day”.

4. My teacher is so proud of me for staying calm.

5. Now I imagine playing my favorite computer game.

Comic Strip Conversations(Carol Gray)

• Person Talk Thought

• Child’s interpretation

• New interpretation-Actual

That’s not

right

He’s so

stupid

That’s not

rightI want

to help

him

Joining Others in Play

1. I see other children playing together. I want to play too.

2. I walk closer to the children

3. I walk over and say “Hi, can I play too?”

4. I wait and listen to what the children say.

Hi. Can I play

too?

When someone is feeling bored

1. Sometimes I am talking to someone and they are looking away,they sometimes roll their eyes, and they might have their head intheir hands. I think they are feeling BORED.

2. I say to the person, “Are you bored?”

3. The person might say, “YES” .

4. I stop talking and say, “What do you want to talk about?”

5. I listen to the other person. I take some time to listen and talkabout what they want to talk about.

6. I am proud of myself for paying attention to see that the personwas bored and for taking turns talking about different things.

Peer Involvement

• Education of Peers

• Best buddies

• Lunch bunch

• Peer tutoring

Self Control

• Involve the whole class

• Method to communicate stress level

• Identification of stressors

• Identification of calming strategies

• Classroom based relaxation

• Breaks

• Group Problem Solving

Stress Management

The Stress

Meter

Most stressed!!!

10 Exploding!!!!!

Out of control

OR VERY VERY Nervous!

9

8 Losing control

Very upset or very

worried(could be over

excited)

7 6

Getting stressed

Annoyed/frustrated

OR somewhat nervous

5

4

3 Doing fine, pretty calm

2

1 Most relaxed

No worries, no stress

Progressive Muscle RelaxationR e la x a t i o n E x e r c is e s

1 . D o r e l a x a t io n e x e r c i s e s in q u ie t , r e l a x i n g a t m o s p h e r e . Y o u c a n

p u t s o m e q u i e t s o o t h i n g m u s i c o n a n d p u t t h e l ig h t s d o w n l o w .

2 . S it i n r e l a x e d p o s i t i o n : s i t i n c h a i r w i t h f e e t f l a t o n t h e f lo o r ,

h a n d r e s t i n g i n l a p , b a c k u p a g a i n s t t h e c h a i r , h e a d s q u a r e ly o n

s h o u l d e r s , e y e s c lo s e d

3 . T a k e t w o d e e p b r e a t h s – b r e a t h i n t h r o u g h n o s e , o u t t h r o u g h

m o u t h – v e r y s l o w l y

4 . F o r e a c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g m u s c l e g r o u p s , 1 s t t i g h t e n t h e m u s c le

a r e a ( k e e p a l l o t h e r m u s c le s r e l a x e d ) , f o c u s o n t h e t e n s e

f e e l in g ( a b o u t 5 s e c o n d s ) , t h e n S L O W L Y r e l a x t h e m u s c le

a r e a , f o c u s in g o n t h e r e la x e d , n i c e f e e l in g ( a b o u t 1 0 s e c o n d s )

a . f o r e h e a d – r a i s e e y e b r o w s

b . e y e s – s q u e e z e s h u t

c . n o s e – s c r u n c h

d . m o u t h – p r e s s l i p s a g a i n s t g u m s

e . j a w – c l e n c h t e e t h

f . n e c k / s h o u ld e r s – r a i s e s h o u l d e r t o w a r d e a r s

g . a r m s ( o n e a t a t im e ) – p u t s t r a i g h t o u t w i t h c l e n c h e d f i s t

h . le g s ( o n e a t a t im e ) – p u t s t r a i g h t o u t w i t h t o e t o w a r d h e a d

i . s t o m a c h – s q u e e z e s t o m a c h m u s c l e s ( d o n ’t h o l d b r e a t h ! )

j . b a c k – p u t e l b o w s t o g e t h e r b e h i n d b a c k a n d a r c h b a c k

5 . T a k e t w o d e e p b r e a t h s – f o c u s o n a n y a r e a t h a t s t i l l f e e l s

t i g h t a n d r e la x t h o s e m u s c l e s

6 . I m a g i n e s e lf i n f a v o r i t e r e l a x i n g p l a c e

Breaks• Provide opportunities for breaks for stress reduction - brief relief from overwhelming school day

• Build in to schedule, break cards

• Break activities– quite space to work

– special interest

– walk

– exercise/sensory

– relaxation, other stress management

– talk to aide/counselor, ...

Teach Problem Solving Skills

Problem Solving Worksheet

1. What is my problem? I don’t know how to handle all thehomework I get every night.

2. What do I want? What is my goal? To get my homework donewithout getting so frustrated and losing my temper

3. BRAINSTORM!Possible Solutions RATING (1 – 5)

A. ___Take breaks every 20 minutes_________________

B. __Ask my teachers to give me less homework__

C. ___Just don’t do my homework______________

D. ___Have Mom do my homework____________

E. ___Do Relaxation before I start__________________

2. Write out the Pros and Cons, THEN, give each solution arating (1-5)

PROS

A. I can relax during breaks, I won’t get so frustrated, I’ll get it

done

B. I’ll have less to do__________________________

C. I won’t have anything to get frustrated about_

D. I won’t have to do it and get frustrated___________

E. I ‘ll feel calmer when I start, I won’t get as frustrated, I’ll

think more clearly, I’ll get it done

__4__

_3___

__1___

__1___

___5_______

C O N S A . I t m ig h t t a k e m e lo n g e r t o g e t i t d o n e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

B . T h e y m ig h t n o t a g r e e , I m ig h t n o t le a r n a s m u c h _ _ _ _

C . I ’ l l g e t i n t r o u b le , I w o n ’t l e a r n a n y t h in g _ _ _ _ _ _

D . S h e p r o b a b ly w o n ’ t , I w o n ’t l e a r n a n y th in g , I ’ l l g e t i n

t r o u b le i f t e a c h e r f i n d s o u t

E . n o n e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5 . W h a t i s m y d e c is io n (w h ic h s o lu t io n s w il l I u s e )? A a n d E .

6 . M a k e a p la n : H o w w i l l y o u p u t y o u r s o lu t io n in t oa c t io n .

a . W h o i s r e s p o n s ib le f o r p u t t i n g t h e s o lu t io n in to a c t io n :

_ _ _ _ _ M e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

b . L i s t t h e s t e p s n e e d e d t o p u t t h e s o lu t io n in to a c t io n : L is tth e m in o r d e r . B e v e r y s p e c i f ic

1 . S e t u p p la c e t o d o r e la x a t io n w it h t a p e b e f o r eh o m e w o r k _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 . P u t t im e r i n h o m e w o r k a r e a g o s e t3 . D e c id e h o w l o n g b r e a k s w i l l b e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _4 . _ T h in k o f l i t t l e t h in g s t o d o t o r e l a x d u r in g b r e a k s

c . W h e n w il l th e s o lu t io n b e c o m p le te l ya t t e m p t e d : _ _ _ M o n d a y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7 . W h a t w a s t h e o u t c o m e ? H o w d id i t w o r k ?

_ _W o r k e d o k , t h e f i r s t t im e . G o t a l i t t le f r u s t r a t e d .

8 . W i l l y o u c o n t in u e t o u s e t h i s s o lu t i o n i f t h e p r o b le m o c c u r sa g a in ? Y e s N o

9 . I f n o t , t r y a g a in . G o t h r o u g h th e s t e p s f r o m t h e b e g in n in g t oc o m e u p w i t h a b e t t e r s o l u t io n !

Natural Teaching Moments

• Opportunities for greeting- teach child to initiate (don’t always greet first)

• Student watching other interacting �prompt how to join conversation

• Student having trouble maintaining conversation � verbal or visual prompts from behind

• Student is not paying attention to nonverbal cues � use visual/verbal prompt

• Call outs/interruptions � teach student to “think with eyes”-look to see where teacher is looking

Incorporating Social Skills Development in the Classroom

Modeling

• Have student watch staff or peers engaged in conversation, or other appropriate social interaction

• Point out specific social skills exhibited by others and the positive outcome of using those skills

• Video modeling

Social Coaching

• Teach skills, prompt, encourage, reinforce, give feedback….teach independence

• Choose appropriate situations – look for teaching opportunities– Lunch, recess, small group activities in class

• When to coach—When to allow alone time– Individualize– Balance– Consider stress level

Activities and Games

• Feelings Game: pass ball - person with ball answers question, “I feel happy when _________”

• Find a person in the class who feels ____

• Guess the Feeling

• Watch video and pause to point out facial expressions (point out all parts of face)

• Talk about feelings expressed in stories the class is reading

• Lunch Bunch

Teaching Positive School Behavior: Minimizing Challening

Behaviors

• FAQ: How do I know if the student’s behavior is “learned behavior” or part of the Asperger Syndrome?

• Short answer: You don’t…and it doesn’t matter-Teach positive behaviors using teaching approach that will work for your student

Teaching Positive School Behavior: Minimizing Challening

Behaviors• Behavioral Assessment

– Identify triggers and possible reinforcers of problem behavior (Need understanding of AspergerSyndrome to identify triggers)

– Identify function of the behavior

Postive Behavior Support Plan

• Proactive strategies (everything we just talked about! ☺ )– Schedules, prep for transitions and changes

– Explicit rules (written) and response to following and breaking rules

– Flexibility in application of rules

– Modification of assignments

– Monitoring system (self and teacher)

• Positive Reinforcement Strategies

–Structured system based on reinforcer assessment (may not respond to typical rewards)

–Utilize special interest areas

Use of Consequences• The more proactive, the less need for consequences

• Loss of reinforcer can be effective consequence

• Avoid reinforcement of maladaptive behaviors

• Effective Consequences– Clear connection to broken rule

– Predetermined – in writing

– Natural/logical

– Immediate

You Can Make a Difference

• Learn about Asperger’s (thank you for being here!)

• Encourage sensitivity and learning among students, parents and colleagues

• Don’t take things too personally• Embrace the uniqueness of your students