Assistive Technology

            I have used communication boards as assistive technology in the past.  We used Put-Em-Arounds which is a device that you record sound into and the child presses a large button to play the recorded instruction.  I used this device with a child who had little to no verbal communication skills.  At first we introduced it during meal time.  Each time the child wanted more then she pressed the button and it said “more.”  The speech therapist and I were amazed at how fast she picked it up.  We placed a picture in the device of whatever food she was eating.  Once she had fully grasped the concept we placed a picture of the sign for more in hopes to get her to start signing.  This year she has begun to use more signs and she also uses a more complex communication device which gives her more than one choice.  It has been amazing to see how well this technology has worked for her.  I will continue to use communication boards in the future as I feel they are a wonderful resource to encourage and facilitate verbal communication skills. 

This is a picture of the Put-Em-Around:

Task Analysis

            The skill that I choose to focus on for my task analysis with my student is blowing his nose.  He appears to have really strong allergies and has had a very hard time with his nose constantly running.  However, he never initiates getting a tissue on his own and taking care of his need.  The teacher always has to assist him with getting his nose clean and it happens multiple times a day.  I also know that it frustrates him when someone does it for him.  I feel that it would be very beneficial for him to be able to learn to complete this skill independently.   

These will be my steps:

1. Get a tissue from the box
2. Hold the tissue to your nose
3. Blow out of your nose (not mouth)
4. Wipe your nose and face
5. Throw the tissue in the trash
6. Go to the bathroom
7. Check your face to make sure it is clean
8. Wash your hands

Communication Skills

            Based on my focus child’s Creative Curriculum winter checkpoint assessment he is still in the forerunner stages of development with communication which means he is not yet meeting the milestones of his age level.  The assessment states that he expresses himself using simple three to four word sentences.  However it is hard to understand to what he is saying.  Unfamiliar listeners definitely have a hard time understanding him and sometimes even familiar listeners struggle.   He will answer simple questions with a one to two word response.  He also will ask simple questions such as “go outside” or “time for lunch?”  He actively participates in conversations by responding to comments and questions from others.  At this point, his receptive language skills appear to be higher than his expressive language. 

            My case study child is currently receiving speech therapy twice a week for 30 minutes.  His goals encompass expressive language as well as articulation.  Some of the strategies that I have seen the teachers using in the classroom are things like expanding where the teacher expands on the one or two words that the child uses making it a complete sentence.  Then they will have the student repeat it back to them.  For example, when he says “eat” they say “you want to eat?”  He nods his head and they say “I want to eat” and he repeats it.  I also think it would be beneficial to introduce a choice board for him.  Then when he picks an activity have him say “I want to play with __________.”  My student gets very frustrated when people cannot understand him.  Therefore I know it is very important to model appropriate speech but also not to push him to pronounce thing too many times as he shuts down. 

References:

        Teaching Strategies retrieved from http://www.creativecurriculum.net/

       

Focus Child’s Motor and Self-Help Skills

            Based on my focus child’s Creative Curriculum winter checkpoint assessment both his gross and fine motor skills appear to be age appropriate.  With gross motor skills, I have observed him pedal a tricycle with speed and control.  I have seen him maneuver the tricycle around obstacles with ease.  He can throw, catch, and kick a ball with no problems.  I have observed him show balance by walking along a beam.  He walks, runs, and jumps without falling. 

            When it comes to fine motor development, he can show age appropriate skills if he takes his time and it keeps his focus.  The hardest part is getting him interested and staying engaged in the activity.  He would much prefer to be doing something more active like in the block or dramatic play center.  He can complete difficult puzzles if he wants to.  I do see him get frustrated easily and give up.  He rarely chooses the art center and when it does he only wants to paint.  He likes to write on the marker board and shows great pencil grip when he does.  So with fine motor skills I don’t think it is a lack of skill, I think it is more of a lack of attention and preference.

            He also does very well with self-help skills.  He likes to be independent.  For example he also wants to open his own milk at lunch and juice at breakfast.  He often will assist the friends at his table as well.  When using the bathroom, he is completely independent.  He can put on his coat and zip it with little to no adult assistance.  I think his self-help skills are at or above his age level. 

References:

        Teaching Strategies retrieved from http://www.creativecurriculum.net/

       

Social Stories

            Carol Gray, president of The Gray Center, first introduced Social Stories in 1991.    A Social Story describes a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format. 

The goal is to share accurate social information in a reassuring manner that is understood by its audience. 

            For the student that I have been working with, I feel that developing a Social Story about personal space will work well for this child.  During my observations and from conversations with his teacher we both recognize that this is a big social issue for him.  He has a sensory need for touch and feeling of things, particularly hair and skin.  It is a comfort for him.  He will often sit in my lap or one of his teacher’s laps and play with our hair and/or rub our arms.  He often does this to the other children as well, especially during circle time.  They often get frustrated with him and tell him to “leave me alone.” 

            I think a Social Story that discusses personal space will benefit this child.  I plan to talk about what is personal space and who has personal space, as well as using some concrete examples to show personal space such as a hula-hoop.  In preschool I think we tend to be a little more hands-on especially when it comes to showing affection to our students such as hugging.  I think it is a big transition to Kindergarten and older grades when those types of behaviors are not as acceptable.  I want him to grasp an understanding of that concept of personal space before he enters school. 

References:

        Gray, C. What are social stories?. Retrieved from http://www.thegraycenter.org/social-stories/what-are-social-stories

How Will Goals Be Embedded Into Activities?

               Our text states that “when the program includes children with special needs, an important emphasis on specific skills cannot be left to chance.”  I find this statement very true and helpful when thinking about how to embed goals into daily activities in a classroom with both typically and non-typically developing peers. 

               My case study child only has two goals which are for cognitive and attention.  The first goal states that he will identify, name, and sort objects by color, shape, and size.  This is clearly a skill that is worked on in preschool classrooms daily through play.  It has been very easy for me to go into a center with my focus student and discuss colors, shapes, and sizes.  For example my student was playing in the block center last week and he was building large structures.  I began to build with him and built smaller ones.  This provided a great opportunity for us to discuss tall and short as well as big and small.  I was able to document progress on his goal.  I got so much more out of the student instead of me pulling him to the side, away from what he wanted to do. 

            The second goal is for him to attend to both individual and teacher-directed activities for 10 minutes.  I have been able to monitor this goal just by going into the classroom and observing.  During times such as circle time which is a teacher-directed activity I note how long he attends without being distracted.  During center time I have noted how long he has stayed engaged in one center before moving on to something else.  This goal is definitely embedded into daily routine but I have also worked on helping him increase his attention.  The biggest task has been finding out way he is only able to pay attention for such brief periods of time and then how to overcome the problem.   

            I think it is very important for educators to realize the all goals must be embedded into activities in order to keep the children’s interest.  The text states that “the usefulness of any activity is determined largely by its appeal to children.”  I think this is an extremely important statement.  You cannot say a child is not making progress when it’s not that they don’t know the material, it’s that you have not made it appealing for them. 

References:

        Cook, R, Klein, M, & Tessier, A. (2008). Adapting early childhood curricula for children with special needs. Columbus, OH: Pearson.

Does the Collection of Progress Have an Importance on IEP Goals?

            Progress must be monitored on an on-going basis in order to make adjustments to a student’s individualized education program so that their needs are being met.  Often times I hear record keeping and progress monitoring referred to as a necessary evil.  It is certainly necessary and to some it may be evil because it can be very time consuming.  When it becomes too time consuming it often is not used therefore the text suggest that “the goal of designing a record-keeping systems is that it be simple, efficient, and functional.”    

            Our preschool department uses the Creative Curriculum and we also use this to document children’s progress on their IEP goals.  We write anecdotal notes to document the progress that they are making on goals and objectives. We also document progress with pictures and work samples.  Progress is also monitored by using a developmental continuum in which we rate children three times a year.  This gives parents and the IEP team a good idea of how they are progressing on each of the fifty objectives.  This also allows us to write appropriate goals.  If a child is still in the forerunner stage then this means they are not at the same level as their peers.  Therefore, we write a goal for each objective that they are still in forerunners as a way to assist them with getting up to the same level as their peers.  Once they are out of the forerunner stage and into the steps then we are able to consider that goal mastered and focus on different objectives. 

            I find that using this curriculum really helps me document and monitor progress.  It also is very helpful with writing present levels of performance, goals, and benchmarks.  To me this system is “simple, efficient, and functional.”  Each teacher must find their own system that meets those qualifications.  This will allow them to make appropriate changes and revision to their programs so that each student lives up to their potential. 

References:

        Cook, R, Klein, M, & Tessier, A. (2008). Adapting early childhood curricula for children with special needs. Columbus, OH: Pearson.