Can We Talk? Supporting Student Communication Marcia Obukowicz CESA 9 AT Consultant 715-453-2141 [email protected].

Can We Talk? Supporting

Student Communication

Marcia ObukowiczCESA 9

AT Consultant715-453-2141

[email protected]

Let’s Take A Moment

Scenarios

• What do you feel?

• What internal options do you have?

• Who do you turn to for help?

• What communication supports are needed and available?

• What do you want to do?

• If you can’t communicate needs, what is your long term outcome?

Asking for something

No Words

Sustaining

Time to go in

Loss of Words

Sequencing

Reading the Flow

I don’t understand

Имел зуд вы couldn' скрест t? Sat тихо для путя слишком длиной? Послушано к жужжанию но смогли приурочить вашу скачку в переговор? Почувствовано разочарован но couldn' t препятствовал любому знать? О что-то из достигаемости но не имено кто-то там помочь вам получить к ей? Счесно одно без одного для того чтобы делить страшное кино или унылые новости с? Были неспособна найти правое слово? Смущено what' s идя на но кому спросить? Что если это случилось изо дня в день, весь день или все время?

The Need to Communicate

• Had an itch you couldn't scratch? Sat quietly for way too long? Listened to the buzz but not been able to time your jump into the conversation? Felt frustrated but couldn't let anyone know? Wanted something out of reach but not had someone there to help you get to it? Found yourself alone with no one to share a scary movie or sad news with? Been unable to find the right word? Been confused by what's going on but not known who to ask? What if this happened every day, all day or all the time?

Communication is not about going to see the SLP!

Communication is everydayIt gets needs metIt conveys feelingsIt creates social bondsIt conveys ideasIt is more than a schedule, more than mere words, It moves us from the sidelines and into the action.It is critical to our participation in the human experience.Building skills in communication is a team effort.

Did you know?

Communication is the most critical skill to master in terms of employment.

Everyone Communicates

Crying Eye contact Sounds Words Pointing Falling asleep Screaming Talking

Communication boards

Picture exchange system

Voice output systems Gestures/signing Hair-pulling Body position

�Silence

Communication needs

Partners

Activities

Supports

Partners

• How patient are you? (The K test)

• How aware are you when sound or voice aren’t used?

• How responsive are you when two other kids start going at it?

• How well do you read the silent signals?

• How can you help a student sustain communication

Watch the partners

Activities

• Start with predictable routines

• Review routines

• Build in practice for skills on how to handle change and surprises

• Social stories to explain flow

Bubble Blowing

Typical Routines in Your Day

Supports

• Manpower

• Access

• To voice or to show

• Tools in the right place

• Tools that have the right words for the job

• Tools that we know how to work

• Tools with back up

Visual Tools and Strategies…Give students information about their activities

Prepare students for what will or will not happen

Reduce the anxiety that comes from the unexpected, especially during transition times

Help students understand the concept of “finished”

Provide the structure for appropriate behavior and participation

Support communication and conversation

Hodgdon, 2002

Access

Let’s come up with an activity that you can try with your students

• Partners

• Supports

• Activities:

Scenario (partner)

Supports needed:

Vocab, structural support, voice output

Activity:

Communication Circles

Closing

Openings

Sustaining

How Can We Support Openings?

Openings

• Managing Flow and sequence• Managing gestures and actions

Social and Personal• Structure and support activities that

require a student to open communication• Think of an activity that you do with your

student that requires them to initiate the communication.

• What supports would you need?

Effective Openings

Using a prompt hierarchy can:

• Provide consistency across partners because of framework

• Give students processing time

• Be individualized

• Provide only as much prompting as is needed

Prompt Hierarchy

• Environmental Cue– PAUSE

• Open Question– PAUSE

• Prompt OR Request for Communication– PAUSE

• Full Model– PAUSE

• Incorporate descriptive feedback into each step

Descriptive Feedback

• Use after the student has produced a communicative response

• Descriptive feedback is specific to the student’s communication“Great, you asked for more juice, here it is.”“You wanted paint. Here’s more paint.”“You want to be all done. We need to do just one more, then we’re all done.”

Descriptive Feedback

• Serves Three Functions– Acknowledges

• Immediately acknowledges that the partner “heard” the student’s communication attempt

– Confirms• Confirms that the message sent by the student is

the same as the message understood by the partner.

– Models• Can be used to model an expanded version of

the communication message.

Prompt Hierarchy Step #1Environmental Cue

• Set up the environment to signal to the student that an activity is about to begin.– Ringing bell– Lining up at the door– Art materials prepared but out of reach– Desired items visible but inaccessible– Cutting the pizza, e.g.

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

Prompt Hierarchy--PausingPause after every step

• Focus your attention on the student (expect communication!)

A N

• PAUSE D

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

Prompt Hierarchy Step #2Open Question

• If the student does not respond to the pause by making a response:– Ask a WHAT, WHY, WHO, WHEN, WHERE,

OR HOW Question• “What do you want?”

• “Whose turn is it?”

• “Where does that go?”

• AND then…...PAUSE• After student responds, provide...

Descriptive Feedback

Prompt Hierarchy Step #3 Prompt or Request

Communication• Provide a prompt to students

– Choices, carrier phrase, initial sound, visual cue OR

• Request Communication– “Tell me what you need.”– “Tell me what goes next.”

• AND then……PAUSE

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

Prompt Hierarchy Step # 4Full Model

• Provide a full model for student– Use student’s AAC device– Use developmentally appropriate model

• AND then…...PAUSE

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

PAUSE

Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause PausePause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause!

In other words…PAUSE!

Prompt Hierarchy—WHY?

Gives student the necessary time to process information and to formulate a message to communicate

Provides a structure for adults that encourages communication

Can be customized for individual students Organized least to most

To see how hard it is to do this

• Remember Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

• Try video taping yourself

Arrange the Environment to Increase the Likelihood of Communication

Common Strategies…. Use motivating materials and activities Materials should be in view but not accessible Student should need assistance with some materials Provide small or inadequate amounts of materials Sabotage Provide something the student doesn’t like/want Use communication boards/devices & visual tools

How Can We Support Sustained Conversation?

Sustained communication requires partners who stay

How well doesthis board support sustainedcommunication?

Managing Challenges

• Routine review

• Supported activities

• Social stories

• Surprises

Working in flow

First/Then sequence or choice

Sustained opportunities

Turn taking

games

Extending play or activity

“It’s my birthday”

Comment Boards

Waiting in line

Meals

Comment Boards

Using the environment

How can I sustain the conversation?

What symbols or words are needed as supports to sustain the

conversationat a fast food joint?

Choice or song boards

Sustain the conversation as or after we read a story

Flow

How Can We Support Closings

Games For Flow

Table Tent Stories

Closings

Recognizing the flow: Social StoriesHe who goes on and onHe who leaves the conversation

hangingManaging gestures and actionsSocial and PersonalHaving an outSupporting an out

Some Symbols are No Brainers!

All Done

Scripting an out: Assemblies

Many of the samples given involve visuals….

• Why

• What kind of visuals work

In other words…

Using visual tools helps students to

Examples of Visual Supports

�Schedules and Calendars

�Tools to Give Information

�Tools to Make Choices and Requests

�Tools for Protesting and Rejecting

�Tools for Behavior RegulationHodgdon, Linda

Tools to Give Information“Behavior problems emerge because what the student is

expecting and what is really happening are not the same.”

Linda Hodgdon, 2002•Shopping list w/ pictures

•Calming down board

•Rule Cards (“When I get to the gym, I sit on the red line.”)

•International NO

•Lightning Bolt

•Activity Termination Symbols

•Social stories w/ or without picture supports

•Card to hold (WAIT)

Tools to Give Informationwww.usevisualstrategies.com

Choices for Snack

Supports Beyond Visuals

Voice Output

Tools that give voice

Blending our options for success

Making Choices and RequestsHodgdon, 2002

*Student may need to LEARN what it means to make a

choice

*Start with highly desirable choices

*Easy to structure a choice-making activity

*Choices often motivate the student to communicate

*Offer immediate reinforcement for their choice

*Choice-making can be practiced multiple times per day

*Adults can structure the choices provided

Choices/Requests Examples

Food choices (don’t remove their favorite item when not a choice)

Highly desirable vs. neutral for unmotivated choicemakers

What to choose, what to choose…

• Which toy to play with

• Which seat to sit in

• Which person to walk with

• Which cereal to buy

• Which washcloth to use

• Which job to do

• Which CD to listen to

• Which book to read

Teaching NO

Teaching Protest and Rejection Skills

WHY DO THIS?

Teach both verbal and nonverbal strategies– Shaking head NO– Holding up your hand “STOP”– Moving away– Handing an object back – Gently pushing away– Facial expression (grimace)

Hodgdon, 2002

Protesting and Rejecting

• Teach several options good for multiple settings (When someone is bothering you, say “Leave me alone”)

• “I need a break” card• Teach the difference between talking to

peers vs. adults• Teach the variation in rejecting (annoying vs.

really angry)• Use role playing• Use a video camera

• For “good” example• To learn from one’s own behavior

Hodgdon, 2002

Using support tools helps the individual to better understand and navigate flow of a rule or expectation, the sequence or

activity

Closing thoughts

Visuals can be very powerful or very confusing

• Picture Symbols

• are EASY!

• (right?)

What common words/phrases to

these symbols represent?

Answers to “Picture Symbols are Easy” Quiz

1. Like2. Again3. Show me4. Whole5. Past 6. Fast7. Correct8. Short9. Tomorrow10. Word11. Communication12. That’s crazy!