Life Skills Instruction: Increasing Student Independence

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Life Skills Instruction Increasing Student
Independence

• PaTTAN Special Education Paraeducator Training
  Series
• August, 2004

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Paraeducator Development Plan Menu(to be used in
conjunction with Paraeducators Personal
Development Plan)
Directions This menu is a tool for you to use as
you progress through the Paraeducator Course.
Whenever you come across topics about which you
would like more information, place a checkmark
next to the topic and indicate in the Notes
column any specifics (for example, in 1 indicate
which disability). For each topic checked make an
entry in the Paraeducator Personal Development
Plan.
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Paraeducator Development Plan
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Local Policy

• Your local districts policies regarding Para
  educator job descriptions, duties, and
  responsibilities provide the final work!

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Participants will be able to

• Define the array of skills that are included in
  the Life Skills domain
• Identify characteristics of students who would
  benefit from instruction in the life skills
  domain
• Task analyze skills needed for independent living
• List and define levels of prompting
• Collect data on the level of prompts provided
  during a sample task

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Agenda

• Opening activity
• Life Skills Domains, Goals and Objectives
• Task Analysis, Prompting and Data Collection

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What are Life Skills?
Activity A
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What are Life Skills?

• Content areas that
• directly prepare a student
• to function in the real world.

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Who are the students who might benefit from Life
Skills Instruction?

• Students who
• Have difficulty performing daily living skills
• Have difficulty in generalizing and applying
  learning
• Have difficulty with social understanding
• Require a lot of instruction and guided practice
  to learn new skills

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Domain areas

• Self-Management / Home Living
• Vocational
• Recreation and Leisure
• General Community Functioning

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Life Skills Instruction

• Sample Instructional Activities
• Sample Goals

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Self Management / Home Living Sample
Instructional Activities

• Primary
• prepare simple snack for self
• pour own drink
• clean area after meal
• Intermediate
• plan and prepare simple snack for self
• serve food items to others
• Secondary
• clear table and do dishes after food preparation
• prepare various types of meals

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Sample Instructional Goals Self Management /
Home Living Domain

• Given food item protected by a wrapper, the
  student will open the wrapper without spilling or
  crushing the food inside by pulling opposite
  sides of wrapper apart until top seam breaks with
  no assistance 4 out of 4 times.
• When preparing to sit down for a meal, the
  student will obtain the necessary utensils from
  kitchen/cafeteria, selecting items based on foods
  to be eaten 3 out of 3 opportunities.

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Grooming and Dressing Sample Instructional
Activities

• Primary
• brush/comb hair with reminders
• get dressed/undressed for school
• Intermediate
• brush/comb hair when needed
• maintain neat appearance throughout the day
• Secondary
• brush/comb and style hair
• get dressed/undressed
• manage skin care

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Sample Instructional Goals Grooming/Dressing

• When presented with a description of a specific
  weather condition, the student will choose
  appropriate clothing to wear 80 of the time.
• The student will be able to coordinate articles
  of clothing when selecting an outfit by
  considering color and print combinations 4 out of
  4 trials.

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Sample Instructional Goals Grooming/Dressing

• Given a front opening shirt, sweater, or coat,
  the student will put garment on by placing each
  arm in correct sleeve, pulling collar to
  appropriate position and pull down 3 out of 3
  times independently.
• Given color coded laces, the student will tie his
  shoes correctly and form a bow correctly 3 out of
  4 times daily.

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Sample Instructional Goals Grooming/Dressing

• The student will wash face thoroughly including
  turning on the water, wetting a cloth, putting
  soap on cloth, and wash all parts of face so
  there is no visible dirt or food and rinse face
  to remove soap 3 out of 3 times daily.
• Given gestural cue by teacher, the student will
  brush hair while looking in mirror and holding
  brush independently 2 out of 2 times daily.

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Hygiene and Toileting Sample Instructional
Activities

• Primary
• use private and public toilets
• wash hands and face with reminders
• Intermediate
• wash hands and face at routine times and for
  specific activities
• manage menstrual care
• Secondary
• locate public and private toilets
• wash hands at appropriate times
• maintain a neat appearance

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Sample Instructional Goals Hygiene/Toileting

• The student will remain dry and unsoiled between
  scheduled toileting, not to exceed 2 hours 5 out
  of 5 days consecutively.
• In preparation for toileting, the student will
  remove pants by undoing fasteners and belt, and
  push waistband of pants and underwear down to
  ankles with only 1 verbal prompt 5 out of 5 times.

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Sample Instructional Goals Hygiene/Toileting

• Given visual routine, the student will
  independently wash hands by turning on the water,
  wetting hands, putting soap on all parts of
  hands, rubbing hands together until lather is
  formed, rinse soap off, and dry hands 5 out of 5
  opportunities.
• Upon recognizing the need to toilet, the student
  will independently ask to go to the bathroom
  (verbally or use manual sign) at least 2 times
  daily.

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Sample Instructional Goals Hygiene/Toileting

• The student will effectively wipe and blow nose
  by covering nostril area, rubbing back and forth,
  and placing tissue in garbage with only one
  verbal prompt 100 of the time.

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Safety and Health Sample Instructional
Activities

• Primary
• follow safety rules on playground equipment and
  near traffic
• inform adult when sick or injured
• Intermediate
• exit building for emergency and alarm
• take care with utensils, appliances and tools
• make emergency phone calls
• Secondary
• take medicine as needed
• avoid alcohol and other drugs
• know appropriate first aid procedures

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Sample Instructional Goals Safety/Health

• Given his emergency card, coins and a phone, the
  student will call the school office to report
  that he will be late with 100 accuracy over 4
  sessions.

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Budgeting and PlanningSample Instructional
Activities

• Primary
• gather belongings for outings and activities
• carry lunch/milk money
• Intermediate
• plan and gather items for outings
• carry money for small purchases
• Secondary
• manage budget to cover personal expense
• manage weekly/monthly schedule
• take care of personal belongings

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Sample Instructional Goals Budgeting/Planning

• Given visual cue card of food item at restaurant,
  the student will request item at register and
  indicate choice of beverage with no assistance
  from adult 3 out of 4 opportunities.
• In preparation for a shopping trip, the student
  will prepare a list by writing each item to be
  purchased in list format with all items included
  5 out of 5 times.

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Sample Instructional Goals Budgeting/Planning

• When presented with a single item labeled with a
  price tag, the student will select the exact
  change required for the purchase from coins and
  bills and present it to the teacher 5 out of 5
  trials.
• Upon entering a bus, the student will pay fare
  owed and be seated within 5 seconds 5 out of 5
  trials.

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Classroom/School Job and Community- Based Work
Experience

• Primary
• carry out classroom chores
• take attendance slip to office
• Intermediate
• carry out assigned school jobs,
• work in school store,
• do clerical tasks in office,
• Secondary
• enroll in specific job training program
• community-based work experience

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Sample Instructional Goals School Community
Work Experience

• When presented with a task involving packaging no
  more than 4 items, the student will start work
  within 15 seconds and complete task correctly
  with 80 accuracy.
• After completing a work assignment, the student
  will clean up own work area by putting materials
  away, and cleaning any dirty materials within 5
  minutes of completion of assignment 4 out of 5
  times.

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Task analyzing

• Ways to figure out the steps involved
• Think through how you would do it
• Ask the students teacher
• Watch a student who has mastered the skill
• Watch the student who needs to learn the skill

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If a student cant perform a step

• Three options
• Teach them to do the step
• Adapt the step so that they can do it
• Change the motor demands of a task
• Change the rules or sequence of steps
• Modify the materials or use different materials
• Assist them to complete the step
• Work with a peer or in a small group
• Adult assistance to complete a step

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Task Cleaning the Table

• Review each step of the task
• Think about
• Possible difficulties a student might have with a
  step
• Ways you could instruct or adapt to get around
  the difficulty

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Cleaning the Table

• Get Rag
• Get Gloves
• Get Cleaner

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Cleaning the table

• Take all items off the table

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Cleaning the Table

• 5. Put gloves on

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Cleaning the table

• 6. Spray table with cleaner

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Cleaning the table

• 7. Wipe the table with back and forth motion

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Cleaning the Table

• 8. Let table dry

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Cleaning the table

• 9. Put all items back on table

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Practice Task Analyzing
Activity B

• Using the worksheet, work with a partner or in a
  small group to generate a list of the steps
  involved in completing the task
• Playing go fish
• Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Sorting mail into mailboxes
• Brushing your teeth

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Activity B
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Activity B
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Task Analysis Brushing Your Teeth

• Go to bathroom
• Get toothbrush, toothpaste and cup
• Open toothpaste
• Hold toothbrush with one hand
• Get toothpaste and squeeze on brush (size of pea)
  
• Put brush in mouth on top teeth, brush down

• 7. Put brush on bottom teeth, brush up
• Spit in sink
• Get cup/fill with water
• Place water in mouth
• Swish and spit
• Dry mouth with paper towel
• Put towel and cup in garbage

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Task Analysis Sorting Mail in Mailboxes

• Walk to office
• Get mail from secretary
• Say thank you
• Put mail in bin
• Go to mailboxes
• Pick up one piece of mail

• 7. Match name on mailbox to envelope
• Put mail in matching mailbox
• Pick up another piece of mail
• Match name on mailbox to envelope
• Repeat sorting until completed
• Ask secretary to check work

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Task Analysis Playing Go Fish

• If friend says no, go fish, pick up card from
  pile
• Check cards to see if you have a matching card
• If you do, put match on table
• Listen to your friend ask for a card
• If you have the card, give it to your friend
• If you dont, say go fish
• Play until one person has no more cards

• Hold cards in hand
• Put any matches down on table
• Name a card you have and ask do you have
  any?
• Wait for friend to say yes or no.
• If friend says yes, take card
• Put match on table
• Ask friend for another card

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Task Analysis Making Peanut Butter Jelly
Sandwich

• Wash hands
• Get knife, peanut butter, jelly, bread, plate
• Open bread
• Take 2 slices out
• Place bread on plate
• Open peanut butter and put knife in to jar

• 7. Scoop out peanut butter and spread on 1
  piece of bread
• Open jelly and put knife in
• Spread jelly on other piece of bread
• Put two pieces of bread together
• Clean up

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Difficulty Possible adaptation
Activity C
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Types of Prompts

• Physical
• Full
• Hand over/under hand
• Partial
• Supportive guidance
• Modeling show student, they imitate
• Gestures pointing, facial expression, using a
  motion

• Verbal
• Direct a clear statement of what student should
  do
• Indirect ask a question, such as what should
  you do next?
• Independent No prompts/assistance are needed

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Examples of Prompting

• Full Physical Assistance
• Hold pencil with student to write name
• Hold students hand to assist with holding a cup

• Partial Physical Assistance
• Support student at wrist to stabilize handwriting
• Tap elbow of student to initiate spoon to mouth

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Examples of Prompting

• Modeling
• Write students name and then they write it
• Show student how you take a drink, then they take
  a drink

• Gesture
• Put your finger on your mouth to remind student
  to be quiet
• Point at the correct item to pick up next

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Examples of Prompting

• Direct Verbal
• Tell student to come here and get pencil
• Tell student to keep working until timer rings

• Indirect Verbal
• Ask What do we do next?
• Ask now what?
• Say remember. you need how many forks?

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Prompting Two Ways

• Give enough prompts to prevent student from
  making a mistake and then fade prompts
• Wait until student makes an attempt, then prompt
  if they make an error, giving least amount of
  assistance needed

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Decisions about prompting should be made in
consultation with the students Teacher.
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Recording Data Two Methods

• Record each step of the task analysis as correct
  or incorrect
• Record the level of prompting or assistance that
  is provided to the student for each step of the
  task analysis

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Take some data!
Activity D

• Use the Practice Data Sheet
• Watch the video clip
• Score each step by marking the box which
  indicates the level of prompt needed to complete
  that step (model, gesture, etc.)

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Scoring the video check your answers

• Get the rag. Score 5 (independent)
• Get gloves. Score 4 (verbal prompt)
• Get cleaner. Score 5 (independent)
• Take items Score 5 (independent)
• Put gloves on. Score 3 (gesture/model)
• Spray table Score 5 (independent)
• Wipe table Score 3 (gesture/model)
• Let table dry. Score 5 (independent)
• Put all items Score 5 (independent)

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Data collection form packet

• There are two data collection forms in your
  packet
• Form A allows recording of level of prompt for
  each step and is self-graphing
• Form B allow recording of EITHER
  correct/incorrect performance OR level of prompt
  for each step.

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Data Collection Form A
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Data Collection Form B
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Visual reminders of steps
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Visual reminders of steps
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Visual reminders - Making choices
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Reminders

• Task analysis varies from learner to learner and
  task to task
• In most cases, give the least amount of
  assistance needed
• Visuals can be used to increase independence
• Data helps us make instructional decisions

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Participants will be able to

• Define the array of skills that are included in
  the Life Skills domain
• Identify characteristics of students who would
  benefit from instruction in the life skills
  domain
• Task analyze skills needed for independent living
• List and define levels of prompting
• Collect data on the level of prompts provided
  during a sample task

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Resources

• Ford, A. et al. (1989) The Syracuse
  community-referenced curriculum guide for
  students with moderate and severe disabilities.
  Baltimore Brookes
• Romanczyk, R., Lockshin, S. Matey, L. (1998)
  Individualized Goal Selection IGS Curriculum.
• Writing with Symbols software. Mayer Johnson,
  Inc. www.mayer-johnson.com

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Wrap Up

• Complete the Paraeducator Development Plan
• Complete Evaluation Form

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Upcoming Paraeducator Trainings

• Videoconferences for 2004-2005
• Supporting Students in Inclusive Settings
  October 14
• Paraeducators Role in Mathematics Instruction
  December 14
• Strategies for Helping Students Become
  Independent January 25
• Paraeducators Role in Reading and Language Arts
  Instruction April 27
• Videoconferences are presented at sites across PA
  and are scheduled from 4 to 530

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Upcoming Paraeducator Trainings

• Paraeducator Spring Seminar at a Hotel
• April 1 and 2, 2005
• Topic Progress Monitoring
• Location to be Determined
• PaTTAN Website www.pattan.k12.pa.us