Strategies for Modifying Troublesome Activities

Here is a handy little chart that helps with some thoughts about interventions for some of the more common behaviors we see with our students.

                                              

Beginning and Completing Tasks
Problems in this area may be related to: Auditory Processing – difficulty understanding and interpreting the spoken word Motor Planning – difficulties with the ability to plan, organize and sequence strategies	Have you tried . . . ·      Giving one direction at a time? Sometimes if a child is given a three step direction, he will act on only the last direction ·      Using short, simple, one-concept phrases to drive directions? Do not elaborate. Repeat verbal directions slowly, firmly and clearly ·      Waiting? Wait a little longer than you think is necessary to give the child time to analyze the command and put it into action ·      Giving a visual demonstration or physical assistance? ·      Reducing auditory distractions? Be aware of background, white noise (papers shuffling, pencils dropping, etc) and reduce it if possible ·      Practicing verbal direction following using gross motor games? Progress from one to four step directions ·      Insisting that the student does not move until you have finished giving all the directions? Often students hear a direction and begin to follow it without waiting to hear the next steps.  Have the student repeat the direction to you ·      Helping the student identify the steps need to begin? Have the student repeat directions and, if possible, write down the steps ·      Giving a shorter assignment to promote the feeling of success in completion? Document the length of time a student can focus on one task and then structure the assignment so that it can be completed in that length of time ·      A system for checking off steps as they are accomplished? ·      Giving one direction at a time? After one direction is successfully completed, add another ·      Helping the student physically move through the task? ·      Minimizing visual distractions? Check for and get rid of clutter in the classroom environment ·      Playing Simon Says or other games that require imitation to see if the student is able to process directions and copy?
Copying
Problems in this area may be related to: Ocular Control – weak eye muscles can make eyes tire easily when required to repeatedly shift focus from one thing to another	Have you tried . . . ·      Writing small amount to be copied at a time? ·      Alternating those activities with less visually demanding tasks? ·      Scheduling a break to close and relax eyes between tasks? ·      Eye tracking activities?
Visual-Spatial Perception – unidentified acuity problems or difficulty transferring visual-spatial information across two visual planes	·      Checking with parents or school nurse to see if there is an acuity problem? ·      Using a different color to write in or a bolder marker? ·      Copying from one paper to another – in the same plane? Providing the student with an outline of material to be covered? Until the student is independent in copying, try having portions of the material already on his paper.
Cutting with Scissors
Problems in this area may be related to: Coordinating Body Sides Fine Motor Control – hand and finger control	Have you tried . . . ·      Providing opportunities for the right and left arms and hands to work together? Try clapping and hand games, legos, tinker toys, stringing beads, sewing cards, mixing bowl activities (one hand stabilizes and the other mixes) ·      Hand grasp strengthening activities? For example, holding on to the ropes of swings, playing tug of war, using a hole punch, spraying with the trigger type spray bottle can help strengthen grasp. ·      Cutting without demand for precision? Try cutting pieces of straws, grass, strips of paper, etc, to practice the grasp and feel of scissors ·      Consulting a resource for appropriate developmental expectations and pre-requisite skills?
Organizing Personal Belongings
Problems in this area may be related to: Body Awareness – inaccurate awareness of where, how, and with what force body parts are moving in relations to objects Visual-Spatial Perception – difficulty with figure-ground perception can contribute to a problem with sorting and organizing personal belongings	Have you tried . . . ·      Stabilizing school supplies b weighting the student’s pencil box and other containers?  ·      Triangular finger grips on pencils and crayons to prevent them from rolling off the desk? ·      A clipboard and/or large clips to keep papers together? ·      Keeping only necessary item on desktop? ·      Allowing limited number of personal belongings at school? ·      Designating a place or container for each belonging? ·      Scheduling a set time each day to organize belonging? ·      A color-coded filing system? Folded construction paper/folders of different colors can signify different subjects or completed/incomplete tasks. ·      Discussing strategies for organizing personal belongings? Ideas – sort by same or different characteristics, items that are used daily, etc.
Performing Tasks While Seated
Problems in this area may be related to: Body Awareness – deficient strength and muscle tone in muscles may make it tiring to sit erect for long periods	Have you tried . . . ·      Placing a heavy beanbag on the lap? ·      Providing a brief time for movement? Jumping, running in place, etc may be the input the student needs to stay in his seat for longer periods of time
Problems in this area may be related to: Perception of touch - A hypersensitivity to touch may make it difficult for some children to stay in their seat because they are trying to avoid inadvertent touch be the student next to them	Have you tried . . . ·      Spacing students so that they are not sitting near enough to touch one another? ·      Allow the student to wear his favorite sweater or jacket when he is in situations where he will be near other children? ·      Markers to help designate personal space?
Producing Organized Written Work
Problems in this area may be related to: Visual-Spatial Perception – inaccurate perception of the relationship of one’s body to external space can contribute to a disorganized approach to a task	Have you tried . . . ·      Using graph paper for math? ·      Emphasizing spatial terms? ·      A shield or cover to eliminate visual distractions? Cut a hole in a piece of card stock the average size of a word or sentence.  This can be placed over the paper the student is working on and moved when appropriate ·      A Popsicle stick, tongue depressor, or strip of paper to mark a space between words? ·      Pre-marked paper? Try pre-marking paper, indicating space appropriate for name, date, and subject, etc.
Cooperation and Sportsmanship
Problems in this area may be related to: Peer Interactions – poor peer interactions may interfere with ability to cooperate	Have you tried . . . ·      A review of classroom rules?  For example, “Do we have a rule about . . .?” ·      Positive reinforcement techniques? Give immediate honest and positive comments on each small efforts or appropriate social interactions or approximation ·      Ignoring disruptive behavior while complimenting desired behavior?

Kathy Steffens is a Special Educator with 20+ years experience.  She is available for questions regarding district RTI implementation and staff development training.  You can reach her at RightResponsetoRTI@gmail.com

Summer time thoughts

Now that the school year has come to an end, and the lazy summer days beckon, parents may become concerned that a total break isn't always appropriate for every child.  For some kids, summer break can really mean a loss of progress on essential skills.  Summer break may have both positive and negative effects on children with disabilities.  Some students with special needs adjust well to the break from the routine and structure that school provides, while others seem to need the consistent academic and social stimulation.  As such, it's important for parents to recognize their children's needs and respond appropriately during the summer vacation months.  The following are some ideas that may help your child retain both the academic and social skills learned throughout the school year and avoid that “learning loss” that can occur over summer.

•  Join a neighborhood reading program. Many bookstores and libraries run programs to encourage summer reading, offering badges or books as rewards. Some hold discussion-and-pizza book groups - a great way to promote reading and social skills.

• "Read" a movie. Read books that have been turned into movies, then rent the film or see it at the theater. Discuss how closely the movie followed the book, or chart the similarities on a poster board.

• Send postcards. Let your child buy or make postcards to send to friends, whether he's on a trip or in his own back yard. Encourage him to keep up a running commentary - writing is a critical skill to practice over the summer

• Build a blog. If you tell your kids to write an essay about their daily activities, you can be fairly certain they'll balk. But if you set them up with a blog where they can upload photos, share their stories and get feedback from friends and relatives, well, that's a whole different story. Set aside a few minutes to blog each day -- during dinner prep, for example, or just before bed. Even if their spelling makes you cringe, their typing skills will improve, and far-flung family members will appreciate the updates.

• Make a meal plan. Grab the grocery store circulars when they arrive and ask the kids to help you spend the budget effectively. Build your menus around sale items, in-season fruits and vegetables, and family favorites. Have the kids calculate the cost per meal, or per person, then try to figure out if you can do better next week. For extra credit, you may be able to get your kids to put the information into a graph "for Daddy."

• Plan a field trip.  Heading to the zoo? Make it a big deal. Plan the field trip a few days in advance. Figure out when you'll arrive, when you'll eat and when you'll leave. Go online and plan out the route you'll follow once you get there. Pick a few questions to research and answer while you're there. You can still have a lot of fun -- but your kids will also learn a little more than they might have otherwise

• Above all else – Spend time together. The less hectic days of summer provide the perfect opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with your kids.  Let them take the lead and guide the activities at least once a week.  As for you – you just go along for the ride and enjoy!

References

• Summer Learning Loss: The Problem and Some Solutions, http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-5/summer.htm
• Summer Activities for Children with Learning Disabilities, http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/parents/help/summer.asp
• Summer Enrichment,  http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/814149/the-end-of-the-school-year-summer-enrichment-1

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