Structured Learning Classrooms

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Structured Learning Classrooms

• Strategies for Success
• August, 2007

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Structured Teaching

• Intervention philosophy developed by the
  University of North Carolina, Division TEACCH
  (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related
  Communication Handicapped Children)
• The structured teaching approach allows for the
  implementation of a variety of instructional
  methods.

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Coop. Philosophy

• Our classrooms are called Structured Teaching
  classrooms, not TEACCH classrooms as we also
  integrate other models and methodologies such as
  Floortime, SCERTS, ABA, Sensory Integration, and
  PECS to create an individualize eclectic approach.

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Culture of Autism

• Visual learners
• Focus on Details
• Time/Organizational difficulties
• Sensory Processing
• Clear
• Familiar
• Driven (specialized interests)

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Characteristics of Autism

• Problems relating to others, prefers being alone,
  difficulty with joint attention, difficulty
  interpreting non-verbal social cues, poor eye
  contact.
• Problems with language and communication.
  Non-verbal, echolalic speech, odd pitch or tones,
  pronoun reversal, literal, difficulty
  understanding verbal directives.
• Sensory issues
• Needs for sameness

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Characteristics

• Difficulty sequencing, detail versus concepts,
  concrete versus abstract, problems connecting
  ideas.
• Poor imitation, concept of finished.
• Uneven patterns of development.

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Individualization

• Meaningful
• Process oriented-INDEPENDENCE
• Develop skills and adapt environment

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What is Structured Teaching?

• It is based upon an understanding of the
• unique features and characteristics
• associated with the nature of autism.
• Communication
• Social Interaction
• Narrow behaviors

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Structured teaching is a system for organizing
the environments, developing appropriate
activities and helping people with autism
understand what is expected on them.
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Structured teaching uses visual cues to focus on
the relevant information.
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Structured teaching addresses challenging
behaviors in a proactive way. Challenging
behaviors may occur due to the characteristics of
autism.
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Structured teaching increases the independent
functioning of the person with autism.
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Strategies

• Use visuals to give information
• Use visuals to sequence
• Specific (focus on detail)
• Use special interests to engage

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Difficulty with Engaging Attention

• How do we engage our kids?
• Prefer neat and organized.
• Clear and specific
• Familiar
• Positive Reinforcement
• Narrow Interests

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Points to Ponder

• Engagement is crucial
• One at a time
• It is more effective to begin with more structure
  and then fade if appropriate.

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Types of Structure

• Physical Organization
• Daily Schedule
• Work System
• Visual Structure

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Physical Organization

• The way we set up, organize the physical
  environment.
• Includes where/how the furniture and materials in
  a variety of environments.
• The amount of physical structure depends on the
  level of self-control
• demonstrated by the child, not the cognitive
  functioning level.

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What does Physical Organization do?

• Add contextual cues
• Clarify boundaries
• Minimizes distractions
• Based on curriculum

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Boundaries

• Clear physical and visual boundaries aid the
  child to understand where each area begins and
  ends. Boundaries establish what will occur in
  that area and segments the environment into
  meaningful parts.

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Minimize visual/auditory distractions to help the
student focus on the concept not the details.

• Paint the entire environment a muted color.
• Limit the amount of visual clutter
• Cover shelves of classroom materials and other
  visual distracting equipment.
• Store unnecessary equipment/materials in another
  area.
• Control the amount of light
• Reduce auditory distractions

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Develop Teaching Areas

• Snack
• Play/Leisure (multiple areas)
• Transition
• Group
• Work
• Individual (One to One)
• Independent
• Domestics, reading, music, vocational

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How to add structure

• Furniture, bookcases, chairs, dividers, file
  cabinets, curtains
• Rugs, carpet remnants, tape
• Table cloths
• Visuals
• Containers
• Label

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Transition AreaWhere daily schedules are placed

• Non-neutral
• Neutral

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• Establish a routine so that the individual
  begins to associate activities with specific
  areas or places.

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Schedules

• The schedule helps the student know where to go,
  when to go, and what is going to happen next.
• It is one of the most important methods of
  reducing anxiety and therefore reducing
  inappropriate behaviors.

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Benefits of a Daily Schedule

• Increases independence
• Provides predictability for transitions
• Introduces change
• Emphasizes students visual strengths
• Teaches sequencing, time, cause and effect
• Addresses goals and objectives
• Concept development, communication
• Choices
• Prediction
• Clarifies verbal information

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Types of Schedules

• Object
• Object Sequence
• Single picture
• Picture or Photograph cards
• Written and Icon
• Written

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How to individualize?

• Visual cue
• Color coding
• Icon
• Length
• Sequence
• How to check schedule
• Manage

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Developing a Schedule

• Goal is Independence, higher level is not
  necessarily better
• Visual cue match objects, pictures or words
• Manipulation carry picture/object, match to
  place, cross off

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Location of Schedule

• Transition area accessible
• Desk
• Shelf
• Wall
• Hand carry
• Other

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Possible problems

• Doesnt need a schedule because he knows the
  routine.
• Doesnt want to do something that is on the
  schedule.
• Wants to only do something on the schedule.
• Needs lots of prompts to check his schedule.
• Only understands concrete objects as a visual
  representation system.
• Not motivated to use schedule.

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Physical Structure and Schedule

• Establish the connection between the physical
  structure and the schedule.
• Give a clear cue for entering and leaving a
  specific area.
• May require transition card or object.
• If student leaves the area, present card or
  object and redirect back to area.

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Work Systems

• Answers
• What work?
• How much work?
• Concept of finished (progress).
• What happens next?

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Construction of Work Systems

• May require a work schedule
• Containers baskets, boxes, trays, notebooks,
  file folders, magazines holders
• Stabilization
• Left to right to finish
• Where to go when finished
• Productivity increases when the student has a
  way to know how much work and when they are
  finished.

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11 to Independent

• Teach student task in a 11 setting, once
  mastered then move to Independent
• Begin with tasks that the student has easily
  mastered.
• If they dont get it, restructure it

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Suggestions for Independent Work Sessions

• Create or complete task that does not fall apart
• Generally, do not complete the same task more
  than once a day
• Do not take his or others work apart
• Set up the task so the student can begin it
  independently
• Make sure the student has all the skills to
  complete the task accurately as well as
  independently
• Change materials on a regular basis
• As the student requires new skills, change the
  task objective
• Individualize task for each student

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Changing the tasks

• Change the visual instructions
• Increase the length of the task
• Add communication component
• Add quality check component
• Introduce new strengths or interests.

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Types of Work Systems

• Left to Right
• Matching
• Written

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Structuring Tasks

• Provides a systematic strategy for approaching
  and completing a task.
• Written
• Written pictured instructions
• Pictured Instructions
• Cut out jig
• Materials defines the task
• Product sample

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GroupPreschool and Primary

• Layered Group
• Start with the lowest common denominator.
• Start with entire class.
• As demands increase, students who are not at
  the appropriate developmental or language level
  can leave and go to other work areas.

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Looks like

• EVERYONE
• Music, action routines, counting
• Concreteobjects to hold
• SMALLER GROUP
• Calendar, Weather etc.
• SMALLEST GROUP
• Conversation, higher language skills

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Common Activity Groups

• Centers with Structure
• Puzzle groups
• Duplo Groups
• Pegboards
• Tinker toys

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Shared Activity Groups

• Similar to common activity
• Use same activities as common activity groups
• No turn taking
• 2 or more children work on activity
• Child must be able to complete activity by
  themselves before going to shared

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Your Ideas

• Many group activities can be adapted
• Structure is the key
• Make it visual

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Communication

• Everyone needs a way to communicate
• Talking and words are not automatically tied to
  communication
• Must be able to gain attention first
• If it is meaningful, they are more likely to
  request

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Where to teach communication?

• Independent work
• One-on-One work
• Play
• Snack
• Outside
• Transition

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Function of Communication

• Request
• Reject
• Gain attention
• Comment
• Give information
• Seek information
• Other

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Teaching Strategies

• Exchange
• Use familiar routines
• Motivate and structure to initiate
• Multiple opportunities
• Practice across settings
• Minimize language
• Use a shadow
• Incorporate choices

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Picture Exchange Communication System

• Functional objectives
• Powerful reinforcers (1/2 second)
• Communication and Social Skills
• Prevent and reduce inappropriate behaviors
• Generalization

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9 Critical Communication Skills

• Productive Skills
• Asking for reinforcers
• Asking for help
• Asking for a break
• Indicating no to Do you want_____?
• Indicating yes for Do you want_____?

• Receptive Skills
• Responding to Wait
• Responding to transitional cues
• Following functioning directions
• Follows a schedule

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Phase 1How to Communicate

• 2 Trainers
• No verbal prompting
• One picture at a time
• 30-40 opportunities throughout the day
• Different reinforcers
• Match picture to motor skills

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Phase 1Target sequence Pick up-Reach-Release

• Communicative Partner
• Entice
• Reinforce (1/2 second)
• Social praise with tangible reinforcement
• Open hand appropriately

• Physical Prompter
• Wait for initiation
• Physical prompt
• Systematically fade prompts

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Phase 2Distance and Persistence

• No verbal prompts
• Teach a variety of pictures-one at a time
• Reinforcer assessment
• Use a variety of communicative partners
• Create opportunities
• New to skill is traveling

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Phase 2

• Communicative Partner
• Non-verbal enticement
• 1 picture at a time
• Gradually increases distance
• No cues
• 1/2 second rule
• labels the item

• Physical Prompter
• Waits
• Physical assistance to comm. partner
• Physical assistance to book then partner
• no verbal prompting

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Phase 3Picture Discrimination

• No verbal prompts
• Reinforcer assessment
• Variety of trainers
• Create many opportunities
• Vary position of pictures until discrimination is
  mastered

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Phase IIIA

• Begin by teaching discrimination by presenting
  two pictures. Use a highly preferred picture
  versus a non-preferred.
• No verbal prompts
• Reinforcer assessments
• Variety of trainers
• Many opportunities
• Vary position of pictures on the book

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Phase IIIA

• Has both preferred and non-preferred items
• Immediate Verbal feedback
• 4 step error correction
• Max 2-3 error correction cycle

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Phase IIIB

• Arranges 2 preferred items
• Use tray or plate
• Do not label
• Offer choice- take it
• Labels item if it corresponds to the icon
• 4 step error
• Teach to the reach

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Phase IVSentence Structure

• Sequence to Learn
• Get book
• Remove I want icon form book
• Put I want icon on sentence strip
• Remove reinforcer picture from book
• Put reinforcer on sentence strip
• Remove sentence strip
• Give sentence strip to communicative partner

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Phase IV

• I want stationary
• Wait for initiation
• Physical prompting only (toward the sentence
  starter)
• Backward Chaining to fade prompts
• Immediate verbal feedback for indep.

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Phase IV

• Have the I want attached to left side of the
  sentence strip.
• Goal is to put the reinforcer picture on the
  sentence strip
• Mastery is when the student is able to attach the
  reinforcer picture to the sentence strip,
  approach the communicative partner and give the
  entire strip without prompting
• Then teach placement of the I want card on the
  sentence strip.
• Teach the read

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Teaching NO

• Empty container
• Offer alternatives
• Lets make a deal
• Not right now
• Schedule reinforcer
• Teach wait
• Just say NO
• Do not take pictures away or hide pictures
  from students!

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2 Path road

• Attributes and Additional Vocabulary

• Phase V
• Then
• Phase VI

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Attributes

• First identify which attribute is important to
  the student
• Simplify the front of the communication book- I
  want picture, target attribute picture and the
  reinforcer picture.
• Continue as Phase III
• Indicate which one, physically prompt to
  preferred icon and place on sentence strip
  between I want and reinforcer picture
• Read it back to him and give him the correct
  reinforcer

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Phase VWhat do you want?

• Continue to verbally and tangibly reinforce each
  correct response
• Use delayed prompting
• Continue to create opportunities to spontaneously
  request and to answer What do you want?
• Create multiple opportunities throughout the day

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Phase V

• Simultaneous presentation of the prompt and the
  question
• 1 second delay
• Gradual increase in the delay

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Phase VICommenting

• Reinforce each communicative act appropriately
• Use delayed prompting to train responses to
  each new question
• Use discrimination training to teach
  discrimination between sentence
• Try for 30 opportunities daily
• (I want, I see, I hear)

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Phase VI

• Simultaneous presentation of the prompt and the
  question
• 1 second delay
• Gradual increase the delay
• Social praise only
• Mix commenting questions with requesting questions

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Additional Critical Communication Skills

• Request help
• Indicate no to Do you want?
• Indicate yes to Do you want?
• Request break
• Respond to wait

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Points to Ponder

• Where are communication books kept in room?
• Reinforcer list available to all staff members
• Reinforcer check every 9 weeks

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Sensory Issues

• Sensory processing systems are unusual.
• Do not process sensory stimuli the same.
• These differences in vision, hearing, smell,
• taste, touch, and other sensations can affect
• the students ability to learn and may
• increase inappropriate behaviors.

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Guidelines for Implementing Sensory Processing
Interventions

• Occupational therapist and/or physical therapist
  are on the students IEP
• Usually the domain of the O.T. but the P.T. can
  have an abundance of knowledge
• Will assess to help identify sensory issues
• Provide appropriate activities
• Creates an unique plan

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• Therapists are their role to play, but the
  teachers and para-educators are in the trenches
  to incorporate the interventions.
• Do not hesitate to call the therapist with
  questions or to notify of a change.
• Give the interventions some time (2-6 weeks
• If the intervention does not make a significant
  change, try something else
• Different needs on different days
• Must targeted to a specific behavior and a
  functional goal. Documents and be specific

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Tactile System

• Strategies to help the tactile defensive child
• Allow students to self-initiate touch. Use
  enclosed areas, heavy objects, vibrating objects,
  deep pressure materials on large body surfaces.
• Override the tactile system by using highly
  visual tasks.
• Introduce calm caring manner
• Keep a long of behaviors after interventions
• If a child shows negative effects from tactile
  stimulation, use slow rocking, pressure on back
  and visual focus on task.

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Hyposensitive Student

• Use other sensory channels to alert the child
  that tactile input is also present
• If self-abusive, light touching and stroking to
  the affected areas may be implemented
• The child who is under-responsive to touch almost
  always has elements of tactile defensiveness.

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Points to Ponder

• For a student with significant aversion and/or
  defensiveness, it is possible to do more harm
  than good s you impose unwanted sensory input.

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CAPS

• Comprehensive Autism Planning System
• Developed because teams were changing and
  knowledge was not shared
• Reinventing the wheel
• Who is involved?
• Teachers, parents, slp, ot,
  paraprofessionals, consultants, other support
  personnel
• Based on evidence based practices for students
  with ASD.

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Challenges for Educators

• ID learning characteristics
• Combine effective and diverse strategies as
  needed
• Teachable moments
• Entire day programming

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How does it work?

• Team gathers information learning style,
  motivators, communication, sensory,
  generalization, other factors.
• Complete data sheet for typical day
• Looks at materials, social and communication
  skills, sensory needs, how to generalize
• Answers the question What supports does the
  child need for each activity?

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CAPS Components

• Time-when each student activity takes place
• Activity-all tasks and activities throughout the
  day in which the student requires supports
  (academic, nonacademic, transitions)
• Targeted skills-IEP goals, standards, general
  skills
• Structure-classroom, visual supports, peers,
  instructional strategies
• Reinforcement
• Sensory strategies
• Communication/Social skills
• Data collections
• Generalization

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• The CAPS is a interdisciplinary team
  multifaceted program that looks at what the
  student with ASD needs to order to be more
  successful.
• It is intended to support compliance with the
  students IEP as well as reduce the teachers
  workload.

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Putting it all together

• Look at your space and look at what you need
  dividers, shelves, finished baskets, boundaries,
  organizational tools
• Have a system to keep each childs visual
  supports, information sheets, reinforcer list,
  additional communication cards etc. together.
• Have a system to keep yourself organized.
• Have a system for keeping your classroom
  organized
• Know when to ask for HELP!

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This-n-That

• Effective classrooms are well organized and
  engaging that includes developmentally
  appropriate practices, activities and materials.
• If kids are engaged, they will less likely to
  engage in challenging behaviors
• Effective teachers are team players, are
  flexible, are good role models, continue to
  educate yourself, and look for the positives in
  their students, team members and self.

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Fragile-Handle With Care

• Even though there are many things about me
  that are unique, in the ways that really matter I
  am just like other children. I learn best from
  people I trust, and I learn to trust when I sense
  that people like me. Please try to see the world
  through my eyes, for I cant see it through
  yours. And please know that even though it may
  not seem so, I really am trying to adapt to a
  world that my neurological challenges prevent me
  from understanding without your help. If you
  keep these things clearly in mind, you will be
  less apt to label me a behavior problem, and more
  likely to teach me things I need to know so that
  I can function with greater understanding and
  competence in a world that is often inhospitable
  to my needs.