Surviving difficult behaviour

Since bringing up the issue of dealing with aggressive behaviour I have heard a range of comments from parents, teachers and teachers in training.

 

Some of the concerns for beginning teachers revolved around the fear of whether they could deal with difficult behaviour in the classroom. Both parents and teachers have asked the question, “How can I make sure I support the child displaying the aggressive behaviour whilst still protecting the other children around them?” Other concerns revolve around the issue of the stress and potential harm to themselves.

 

 

The challenge of dealing with ongoing challenging behaviour

 

If we are not careful, the challenge of dealing with ongoing aggressive or difficult behaviour can affect our own mental health. Parents and teachers can become anxious, stressed, tired or even “burnt-out”.

 

 

The Therapeutic Teacher

 

Abrams (2005) wrote an article called Becoming a Therapeutic Teacher for Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders. While he is talking about teachers, it is possible that the ideas expressed in this article could be helpful for parents as well.

 

Abrams discusses research and principles of working with children who have aggressive or challenging behaviour with the aim of balancing the need to manage teacher stress whilst providing adequate support for the students. He argues that the two go hand in hand.

 

If we can set up an environment that helps prevent the escalation of behaviour, then both the students and the teachers are likely to benefit.

 

 

Empathy

 

One of the key characteristics of a therapeutic teacher is the ability to see beyond the behaviour and focus on the whole child. That is, instead of punishing a child for outbursts or tantrums, the teacher first thinks about the triggers, or the emotion behind the outbursts.

 

This approach helps us recognise the function of the behaviour (as discussed in the last post), and thus helps us to change or reduce the incidences of the behaviour. It helps us be proactive instead of reactive. Which, in the end, takes much less emotional energy and is much more rewarding – for both the adult and the child.

 

It also helps us listen and respect children more. It helps us see the child as someone with interests, strengths, needs, abilities… not just an “aggressive child”. As Abrams says, “Therapeutic teachers show respect for each student’s dignity, even when the student engages in antisocial behaviour.” p41

 

 

Consistency and routine

 

One of the most important tools in dealing with behaviour which benefits both adult and child is consistency and routine. Again, this is about preventing difficult behaviour as much as dealing with difficult incidents when they occur.

 

This can be something as simple as designing a few positive rules, rewards and consequences that the students have had a hand in designing. Reinforcing these calmly, consistently, positively and supportively can have a significant influence on the interactions within a classroom or home.

 

Routines, or a set sequence of activities throughout the day, can also be very helpful. Children with anxiety issues, difficulty adjusting to change or new experiences will benefit from set routines. These can be represented in a written or pictorial routine displayed and with which the child can interact. For example, putting a sticker next to a completed task. Or removing a picture from a sequence of pictures stuck on a surface using Velcro. This helps them feel in control, and makes the environment predictable and safe – and can be a good basis for rewards.

 

 

Organisation and confidence

 

But, importantly, the success of our strategies not only relies on our respect for our students or an understanding of their needs. It also requires organisation, confidence and a willingness to continually learn.

 

This means that if something doesn’t work, we don’t feel guilty or beat ourselves up. It is about approaching each day as a fresh start, for both ourselves and our children, and learning from past experiences.

 

 

Being realistic – yet hopeful

 

One of the things that does seem contradictory in Abram’s discussion is his assertion that we need to be realistic while remaining hopeful and optimistic. As discussed in a previous post, it is often a difficult thing to find the balance between high expectations and what we can realistically expect. This is especially difficult when it comes to behaviour.

 

But if we take one step at a time, one moment at a time, we are more likely to be able to celebrate the small steps without being overwhelmed by the difficult times.

 

 

Managing stress

 

I particularly enjoyed Abrams’ recommendations about stress management. Perhaps we should make it a checklist:

 

1. Am I realistic about what behaviour I might encounter tomorrow?
2. Am I approaching tomorrow with a positive attitude?
3. Have I set priorities and scheduled my time?
4. Am I eating well?
5. Am I exercising?
6. Am I having enough rest?
7. Do I have a hobby?
8. Am I flexible and adaptable?
9. Am I keeping my sense of humour?
10. Am I giving myself permission to feel tired/angry/sad/other?
11. Have I debriefed with a friend/colleague/partner/parent?
12. Have I come up with ways to deal with the cause of my emotion?
13. Am I recognising and accepting things I can’t change?
14. Do I realise that I am not superwoman/superman? 

 

I don’t think I could check all the boxes, but it does help a little to know what to aim for…

 

 

 

Reference:

 

Abrams, B.J. (2005). Becoming a Therapeutic Teacher for Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders. Teaching Exceptional Children, 38(2), p40.

 

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Focus on the heart of the matter: Radio interview

Here is a small snippet from my recent radio interview. We discussed the function of behaviour - why children might behave aggressively or in a bullying way towards other children.

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Violence in the Media and aggression…

Over many years, there has been a debate raging around this issue. I don’t want to enter into that debate here, but I do want to talk about the things we need to consider when we are making decisions about what our children watch or what video games they play.

How might aggressive behaviour develop?

There are a number of theories about the development and occurrence of aggression across different stages of child and youth development. Kirsch (2006) provides a good overview if you want to read more. However, here I just want to quickly summarise these.

Some children may be more wired towards aggression
This has to do with personality characteristics and the outcomes of disorders such as Autism, Attention Deficit Disorders and Developmental Delays. These children aren’t necessarily going to act aggressively, but due to impulsivity, difficulties with problem-solving or other aspects of cognition they are at higher risk of developing aggressive behaviour depending on what they see, hear and experience.

We learn many social skills by observing
What we see and hear has a great influence on how we behave. It influences our sense of what is “normal” and acceptable. So if we are constantly seeing others act aggressively, whether in real life or in the media, we are more likely to accept this behaviour as “normal”. We may even start behaving more aggressively. This has been described as de-sensitisation.

The other effect is that we can develop a different definition of what constitutes aggression or unacceptable behaviour. This may lead to us not responding in the same way to aggressive behaviour in others. So if I am exposed to swearing and the yelling of derogatory comments regularly, I am less likely to feel that I am being treated unfairly or being bullied when someone yells and swears at me. And while it does not necessarily follow that this behaviour does not affect me emotionally, it can mean I don’t defend myself or communicate to the other person that this behaviour is unacceptable.

Our experiences reinforce what we see
What we experience in our lives, and what those who we trust and love do around us, can influence whether we take on what we see. For example, Kirsh discusses research that suggests that the effects of what children see in the media can be increased or decreased through discussions with teachers and parents. For example, what children learn from educational shows or documentaries is increased if teachers or parents explicitly discuss the content of the shows with them. On the flip side, the effects of a scary movie can be reduced by the presence of an adult if that adult makes the child feel safe. And violence in the movie can be put into perspective through discussion of social values and/or the difference between real life and what they have seen.

Aggression may not be evident immediately
In some cases, the influence of violent media can be evident immediately. For example, when I was working in a child care centre there was definitely an increase in children playfully or intentionally hurting each other with “karate” moves during the “Ninja Turtle” craze. For the most part this behaviour could be shaped and changed through discussions and behaviour modification techniques, but for some children it became a significant bar to their relationships with their peers.

However, it is the more long term effects that we can’t predict and are less likely to be able to manage. For example, the American Psychological Association (2003) reports on a 15 year study of 329 people which showed that children who watch a lot of violent media early in life are at greater risk of becoming physical in domestic arguments, or having been convicted of crimes.

There is also the concern that children who have a tendency towards aggression may enjoy watching it, which in turn could lead to a warped view of what is acceptable and what is not.

Triggers for aggression
So if a child comes to think of aggression as being part of life and an acceptable way of dealing with problems, they are more likely to have a physical response to social problems such as arguments, debates, insults, frustration and anger. It is the latter emotions that bring about aggressive behaviour.

What we need to consider for children of differing abilities

Taking things literally
We need to be especially thoughtful about what our children watch if they tend to take things literally. For example, children with intellectual disabilities may find it very difficult to understand that there can be a dual set of values – one for “real” relationships, and one for the shows they watch. They may take statements or modelled behaviour in the media literally. So watching on thing, then hearing another from their parents or teachers, can be a very confusing experience.

Children who have Autism and Aspergers may also struggle with this as they also tend to have a very literal, black and white view on the world.

Difficulties with self-management
Children who have difficulty thinking about consequences or the effects of their actions on themselves or their peers before they act can also be at greater risk of being influenced by repeated exposure to aggression in the media. For example, children with ADHD often act impulsively in response to their feelings due to the difficulty with executive function (see previous post). So they need extra support to get into the habit of controlling their behaviour. Repeated viewing of uncontrolled or inappropriate behaviour could mean that this behaviour becomes habitually seen as acceptable.

Ongoing frustrations and feelings of failure
Children with a wide range of difficulties, including physical and sensory disabilities such as cerebral palsy and vision or hearing impairments, experience many frustrations and challenges throughout the day. They may find themselves tired or unable to effectively communicate what they know, want or need to others. The way they respond to these feelings is not only shaped by their natural, impulsive response. It is shaped by what methods they have learnt to deal with this situation. So, again, if they are seeing inappropriate models in the media, it may influence their behaviour.


Conclusion

So while the media can’t necessarily be blamed for aggressive behaviour, it can be a contributing factor. And for children with differing abilities, we need to make sure that all our hard work teaching positive social skills isn’t being weakened by repeated exposure to media that communicates contradictory values and inappropriate approaches to problem-solving.

So when you are deciding on media use in your family or classroom, consider the content in the context of the values and skills you want your children to learn. Also consider how much/how often they view movies, videos, TV shows and play computer games. And, finally, consider whether they do it unsupervised and how much you talk to them about the content they have seen. Because, in the end, the values and social skills you model and communicate to your child will be a significant factor in helping them process the information in a balanced way.


References:
Kirsh, S.J. (2006). Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research. London: Sage Publications.

American Psychological Association. (2003). Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behaviour, According to a New 15-Year Study: Children Who Identify with Aggressive TV Characters and Perceive the Violence to be Realistic are Most at Risk for Later Aggression. Retrieved 16h August from: http://www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html

American Psychological Association. (2004). Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects: Decades of psychological research confirms that media violence can increase aggression. Retrieved 16h August from: http://www.psychologymatters.org/mediaviolence.html

Want to read more:
http://spil.medieraadet.dk/upload/04a_melb.pdf This is the best article. I recommend reading this.
http://ultimateparenting.com/pdf/violence_in_the_media.pdf
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/impact-media-violence-tips
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/effects_media_violence.cfm
http://www.youngmedia.org.au/mediachildren/index.htm
http://www.psychologymatters.org/videogames.html
http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2005-2009/07BA.pdf

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The Therapeutic Teacher.... or Parent

Image from Dave is Brave. Copyright A.Gray and D.East.

Since bringing up the issue of dealing with aggressive behaviour I have heard a range of comments from parents, teachers and teachers in training.

Some of the concerns for beginning teachers revolved around the fear of whether they could deal with difficult behaviour in the classroom. Both parents and teachers have asked the question, “How can I make sure I support the child displaying the aggressive behaviour whilst still protecting the other children around them?” Other concerns revolve around the issue of the stress and potential harm to themselves.


The challenge of dealing with ongoing challenging behaviour

If we are not careful, the challenge of dealing with ongoing aggressive or difficult behaviour can affect our own mental health. Parents and teachers can become anxious, stressed, tired or even “burnt-out”.


The Therapeutic Teacher

Abrams (2005) wrote an article called Becoming a Therapeutic Teacher for Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders. While he is talking about teachers, it is possible that the ideas expressed in this article could be helpful for parents as well.

Abrams discusses research and principles of working with children who have aggressive or challenging behaviour with the aim of balancing the need to manage teacher stress whilst providing adequate support for the students. He argues that the two go hand in hand.

If we can set up an environment that helps prevent the escalation of behaviour, then both the students and the teachers are likely to benefit.


Empathy

One of the key characteristics of a therapeutic teacher is the ability to see beyond the behaviour and focus on the whole child. That is, instead of punishing a child for outbursts or tantrums, the teacher first thinks about the triggers, or the emotion behind the outbursts.

This approach helps us recognise the function of the behaviour (as discussed in the last post), and thus helps us to change or reduce the incidences of the behaviour. It helps us be proactive instead of reactive. Which, in the end, takes much less emotional energy and is much more rewarding – for both the adult and the child.

It also helps us listen and respect children more. It helps us see the child as someone with interests, strengths, needs, abilities… not just an “aggressive child”. As Abrams says, “Therapeutic teachers show respect for each student’s dignity, even when the student engages in antisocial behaviour.” p41

Consistency and routine

One of the most important tools in dealing with behaviour which benefits both adult and child is consistency and routine. Again, this is about preventing difficult behaviour as much as dealing with difficult incidents when they occur.

This can be something as simple as designing a few positive rules, rewards and consequences that the students have had a hand in designing. Reinforcing these calmly, consistently, positively and supportively can have a significant influence on the interactions within a classroom or home.

Routines, or a set sequence of activities throughout the day, can also be very helpful. Children with anxiety issues, difficulty adjusting to change or new experiences will benefit from set routines. These can be represented in a written or pictorial routine displayed and with which the child can interact. For example, putting a sticker next to a completed task. Or removing a picture from a sequence of pictures stuck on a surface using Velcro. This helps them feel in control, and makes the environment predictable and safe – and can be a good basis for rewards.


Organisation and confidence

But, importantly, the success of our strategies not only relies on our respect for our students or an understanding of their needs. It also requires organisation, confidence and a willingness to continually learn.

This means that if something doesn’t work, we don’t feel guilty or beat ourselves up. It is about approaching each day as a fresh start, for both ourselves and our children, and learning from past experiences.


Being realistic – yet hopeful

One of the things that does seem contradictory in Abram’s discussion is his assertion that we need to be realistic while remaining hopeful and optimistic. As discussed in a previous post, it is often a difficult thing to find the balance between high expectations and what we can realistically expect. This is especially difficult when it comes to behaviour.

But if we take one step at a time, one moment at a time, we are more likely to be able to celebrate the small steps without being overwhelmed by the difficult times.


Managing stress

I particularly enjoyed Abrams’ recommendations about stress management. Perhaps we should make it a checklist:

Am I realistic about what behaviour I might encounter tomorrow?
Am I approaching tomorrow with a positive attitude?
Have I set priorities and scheduled my time?
Am I eating well?
Am I exercising?
Am I having enough rest?
Do I have a hobby?
Am I flexible and adaptable?
Am I keeping my sense of humour?
Am I giving myself permission to feel tired/angry/sad/other?
Have I debriefed with a friend/colleague/partner/parent?
Have I come up with ways to deal with the cause of my emotion?
Am I recognising and accepting things I can’t change?
Do I realise that I am not superwoman/superman?

I don’t think I could check all the boxes, but it does help a little to know what to aim for…

Reference:

Abrams, B.J. (2005). Becoming a Therapeutic Teacher for Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders. Teaching Exceptional Children, 38(2), p40.

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Responding to bullying: Counselling or punishment? …part 2

One approach to responding to bullying is what has been called the “restorative justice” approach. The aim of this approach is to use supportive communities to hold individuals accountable for their actions and increase student’s sense of safety within their community.

Researchers studying this approach have found it has had some success. However, like any other approach, it is not going to address all types of bullying.

Restorative justice: The key principles as seen in Morrison (2002)

This approach is about using what Morrison (2002) calls “adaptive shame”. This basically means the child who is bullying another is confronted with the effects of their behaviour on the child who is being bullied. They are also confronted with the feelings and emotions of their own friends, family, supporters and the school community. If this is done supportively, then the shame of what they are doing and how they are affecting others will lead to a change in behaviour.

However, this only works if the key principles or beliefs outlined by Morrison drive the process. These principles are:
1 - Bullying behaviour can be changed
2 - It is the behaviour, not the whole child, that is being put down
3 - The harm done by the bullying needs to be acknowledged and repaired.
4 - Both the child who is bullying, and the child being bullied, are valued members of the school community.

If these principles are not adhered to, then the child who is bullying another is more likely to be stigmatised than supportively shamed into changing their behaviour. And stigmatisation will lead to a cycle of increased bullying due to feelings of rejection and loss of self-esteem.

Restorative justice may not work if….
#The supportive network (family and friends) of the child who is bullying another reinforce rather than reject the behaviour

#The child who is being bullied and their support network feel threatened by the support network of the child who is bullying.

# There is a significant, underlying emotional, behavioural or social issue/disorder that is contributing to the bullying behaviour and limiting the effects of “adaptive shame”.

What are the alternatives?

In-school suspension may be the best option for both protecting the child who is bullied and catering to the needs of the child who is bullying if the above factors come into play. It may also be used to protect the child who is being bullied as the process of restorative justice is followed.

In-school suspension means that the student who is bullying others is not fully excluded from learning. But it does mean they are excluded from any social situations at school that provide them the opportunity to bully the other student.

This may also need to extend to transport to and from school if they travel on the same bus as the student being bullied.

Counselling and behaviour intervention may be an essential component of addressing the bullying behaviour. For example, if a student is bullying others due to their need for power over “weaker” students, then it is likely that they have significant issues with self-esteem. Their may be things going on at home, in the community or at school that need to be identified and addressed in order for the student to feel empowered to change their behaviour.

There are many different approaches to dealing with bullying. But in the end, whatever we do, we need to try and balance the need to keep our children safe with the need to address the reasons behind the bullying behaviour. And we need to do all this within the bounds of the standards set by law.

Reference:

Morrison, B. (2002). Bullying and Victimisation in Schools: a Restorative Justice Approach. AIC Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, February 2002. Online at http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/ti219.pdf

Or find her book: http://wilderdom.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=311

Other useful information:

http://www.kenrigby.net/

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/discipline/stu_discip_gov/anti_bul07.pdf These are the guidelines for NSW public schools on dealing with bullying.

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Reporting bullying: How to do it in a way that minimises the chance of backlash on your child and maximises the chance of action

Know the signs

You know your child the best. You will probably be the first one to notice any changes in your child’s behaviour. As soon as you notice any changes, start keeping a diary.

The changes to look out for:
- Refusal or reluctance to go to school
- Requests for you to drive them instead of catching the bus
- Complaints of stomach aches or headaches (could be a sign of anxiety)
- Sleeping in or wetting the bed
- A fall in the child’s grades or reports from the teacher that you child is withdrawing from some activities.

While these could be an indication of other issues that could be causing the child anxiety, make sure that you explore the issue of bullying with your child.

As a teacher, you might notice that the child starts hanging around the staff room, or the library during break times. You might see signs of distress such as crying, irritability, lethargy, withdrawal from class activities or complaints of headaches in class. You should also take these signs seriously and immediately discuss them with the child’s parents.

Know your rights and responsibilities

There are laws about bullying (see my previous post on the Disability Standards for Education 2005 – part 8). There are anti-discrimination laws and standards for practice in Australia, the US and the UK.

All schools should have a discipline and/or an anti-bullying policy. As a parent, don’t be afraid to ask to see a copy of this. If the school doesn’t have one, ask why.

If you are a teacher, you should study the school policy. You could also ask the principal to speak at a staff meeting about the policy so that all staff are aware of what they can do if they come across a case of bullying.

But the bottom line is … if you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask. Ask nicely (Lol), but be persistent.

Keep written records

Keep a diary of what is going on with your child. If possible, ask them to keep a diary. Having written records will help get action faster, and will also act as proof if the case becomes so serious that it needs to be dealt with by the authorities.

If your child has been physically attacked, take photos and put them in the diary as well.

Don’t wait

Any incident needs to be taken seriously and acted on promptly.

Use you written records to regularly and persistently inform the teacher and/or principal about what is happening. For example, with your child’s permission, you might send an email or a letter detailing any incident to the principal on the day it occurs. Follow this up with a phone call.

Alternately, either you as the parent or the teacher can start a “communication book”. This is a book that the child carries between the parent and the teacher. Each time an entry is made and read, both parties must sign and date it. Keep a scanned or photocopied copy just in case your child loses it.

Persistence and tangible evidence usually means that the incidents are taken much more seriously.

Start this process as soon as anything happens. If you can prevent a small thing becoming big it is much better than letting it go because “it wasn’t such a big deal.”

Know what reporting systems are in place at school

Some schools have anonymous ways the child can report bullying. For example, a “Bully Box”. This is usually in a private, safe place. It entails the child writing what happened and who the bully is and placing this in a secure box anonymously.

Other systems encourage the child to report incidents to peers, and the peers report it to higher authority if they cannot resolve the issue themselves. This may be called peer mediation.

Other incidents of bullying need to be reported more openly so protection mechanisms can be put in place for the child. Find out who the child feels safe with at school, and encourage them to report what happened in detail. If they report an incident to you, don’t be tempted to brush it off.

“Sticks and stones can hurt my bones
But words can never harm me.”
Not true.

“Boys will be boys.”
Maybe. But they need to be told when they have crossed the line.

“Yes, the girls are a bit catty. It’s just a phase they are going through. She should find new friends.”
Maybe. But they need to know when their behaviour is inappropriate and hurtful.

“Don’t be a cry-baby!”
Everyone has different levels of resilience and different tipping points depending on their life experiences and individual characteristics. We need to be tuned in to this, not base our judgements on our own resilience.

Behaviour should be measured by its affect on a child, not by one person’s opinion of what is acceptable and “normal”.

Whilst the bullying is dealt with, create a safe space

Your child might need a place to escape to if they feel threatened, especially during break times. Some suggestions include:
- a quiet, highly supervised area in the library
- supervised activities in the computer room
- the school counsellor’s office

They will need a circle of supporters. This could include:
- a buddy from a higher year (eg a year 6 buddy for a year 2 student)
- a group of supportive, same age peers
- a sibling or other relative at the school
- a teacher, school counsellor (social worker) or other adult mentor at school
- increased parental involvement at school (canteen, reading groups and any other volunteer opportunities)


Some good resources:
http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au/default.shtml
http://www.kenrigby.net/
http://www.mindmatters.edu.au/default.asp

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When "inclusion" puts children at risk of bullying

Images from Dave is Brave, Copyright Amanda Gray Http://www.learn2bebuddies.com.au

Tom loves being around other children. He loves drawing and music. But he struggles with understanding and learning new things. He has Down Syndrome.

Tom is "included" in a regular classroom. While his peers are guided by the teacher and work in groups, Tom is usually sitting alone working on his learning contract with his teacher’s aide at the back of the room. This contract is a set of worksheets designed by his special education teacher.

On the playground Tom is usually alone. Except when a group of older students invite him to “play” with them, then urge him to do things that will get him into trouble. Tom loves playing with them and doesn’t understand why he keeps getting into trouble, or why his teacher and parents want him to find other friends.

His parents recently found out that the reason why he likes playing with these boys is because they don’t call him names. He said that lots of other kids tease him, saying that Ms G (his teacher’s aide) is his girlfriend.

………..

Emma loves drama. She is good at counting and loves using pictures to tell stories. But she struggles with understanding and learning new things. She has Down Syndrome.

Emma is included in a regular classroom. She sits up the front with four other children. Two of these children benefit from extra help, and two are students who are achieving well. Her teacher’s aide has a desk nearby.

While her peers are guided by the teacher, she and her group of buddies get extra hints and repetition from the teacher’s aide according to the advice of the special education teacher. When the class work in groups, Emma works with her buddies. The two students who are achieving well help to scaffold and support her learning. The teacher’s aide supervises and gives extra help when needed to make sure the other students’ learning isn’t affected by Emma’s occasional difficulties with concentrating or staying on task.

On the playground Emma is usually seen to be with at least one of the four students she sits with in class. With the help of the teacher’s aide they have taught her to play some of their favourite games, like skipping (Emma usually holds the rope), tips (where Emma occasionally has to be reminded who is in), making up plays and sitting in the library (Emma loves picture books).

Once when a group of older boys started calling her names her buddies saw her crying. They went straight to their teacher, who went straight to the principal, who called a meeting with the boy’s parents. The bullying quickly stopped.

Emma loves school.

-----------

While Tom and Emma are fictional characters, they are built from my observations and the experiences of students and families with whom I have worked. Next time I write here I will talk about these a little more....

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Avoiding a culture of bullying

Image from "Dave is Brave" www.learn2bebuddies.com.au Copyright Amanda Gray 2009

There are a number of things that we can do to prevent bullying. But in order to do this we need to understand what puts children at risk of bullying.

Difference or vulnerability can often increase the chance of a child being bullied. Whether they have a disability or not, a child who looks different, or doesn’t conform with the expectations or values of influential peers, or whose interests differ from those peers, is at risk of being bullied.

Carter and Spencer (2006) looked specifically at research about what increases the risk of a child with a disability being bullied. One study highlighted some key factors. It found that children with physical disabilities were more at risk of being bullied if:
- they received extra help at school
- they were alone on the playground
- they had less than two good friends

What does that tell us about preventing bullying?

One of the things it tells us is that it all begins with our attitudes. As adults – parents and teachers – we need to think about how we react to people who are somehow different. Do we respond fearfully? Do we exclude or avoid adults or children in the community whose appearance or behaviour is different to what we expect? Do we exclude people from our schools, classrooms, activities or homes based on difference? Or do we try to understand them and work with their strengths?

Because ultimately our attitudes will build the culture of our homes, schools and classrooms. If we respect and value the contributions of all people, if we look for their strengths and build relationships with them, it will flow into the culture that is created in our homes, communities and schools.

Influenctial rules to create a respectful home, school or community culture

There are many ways of influencing the culture of our homes and schools, but in this post I want to talk about rules. Rules or a code of conduct are required in schools (as mentioned in the first post this month). But there are certain things we need to do to make rules work.

Rules that work

If you say, “Don’t say nasty things!” you may yourself entabled in an argument about what is nasty. An argument that may end with the statement that "you can't tell me what to do!!!".

But let’s say you sat down with your children or students and discussed the issue. For example, you notice that there is a bit of teasing going on. Ask them if they have ever been teased, how that made them feel. Then get them to come up with some rules, or a set of rights and responsibilities. This will give them a sense of ownership of the rules, and will deflate their arguments against the rule because they came up with the rule themselves.

But avoid “Don’t” rules. As soon as a child (or an adult, for that matter) hears the word don’t, there is a great temptation to “do”.

For children who struggle with understanding abstract ideas, empathy, or have language or concentration difficulties, it is also important that your rules clarify exactly what is expected of them.
So instead of a rule that says, “Don’t be nasty” you could end up with rules such as:
- “Say kind things”
- “Treat others like you would want to be treated”

If you show children respect, they are more likely to respect others.

You should also remember that more rules you have, the less likely you will enforce them all. Keeping to a maximum of 5 rules is usually the best approach. Because rules are only useful if you consistently reinforce them. For example, you can remind children of the rule when they are breaking it to help them get back on track. Or you could praise those who are following the rule by saying something like, "That was a kind thing to say! Thank you!".

When you first introduce the rule, you should also have a system of rewards or consequences. The children should come up with these as well - though be careful because children can be harsh when coming up with consequences.

Make sure the consequences fit the action. For example, time out is not going to be an appropriate consequence for teasing or bullying on its own. Instead, the consequence should include apology and reparation of the relationship with the child who was bullied.

Do not tolerate bullying, but you should also make sure that the consequence deals with the underlying reasons behind the behaviour.

I might leave it there (it is getting late)…. Next time I will talk a bit more about how we can protect our children and students from bullying by expanding on the idea of a circle of care.

Reference

Carter, B.B, Spencer, V.G. (2006). The Fear Factor: Bullying and Students with Disabilities. International Journal of Special Education, 21(1), p11-24.

For more information about designing rules that work and a culture of respect, you might want to visit: http://www.afcec.org/tipsforteachers/tips_index.html

http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au/ideasbox/we-say/we-say-01.shtml

http://www.mindmatters.edu.au/resources_and_downloads/mindmatters/mindmatters_resource_kit_landing.html

Parenting

http://www.theparentszone.com/parenting/how-to-set-the-rules-of-parenting-discipline-to-make-your-child-respect-and-follow-them/

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A teacher's perspective

Tuesday 26th May 2009 (Image and text copyright Amanda Gray 2009. www.learn2bebuddies.com.au )

Dear Amanda.

As I read the letter on your blog Dear Teacher (May,21) my heart went out to the parent who wrote this letter. In my 13 years of teaching I have heard many similar stories from parents with children with special needs. We as teachers do need to be reminded of the importance of stepping into a parent’s shoes and seeing their child as they see them. Much research and professional writing has been undertaken in the area of understanding children with special needs and challenging behaviours and many strategies for working with these children have been put forward. However, little is heard about supporting teachers who are teaching mainstream classes with several children with ADHD and other challenging behaviours. How does a teacher with no special education training survive and continue to enjoy teaching in this situation?

After 11 years of teaching I was given a class with four children with VERY challenging behaviours. During the course of the year two were diagnosed with having ADHD and it was evident that the other two had significant sensory processing difficulties. All of these children had difficulty interpreting social cues and constantly had social difficulties in the playground. I started the year enthusiastic, having always loved teaching, I saw this class as a challenge. However, as the year progressed the unrelentless situation in my classroom wore me down. I found that I spent my days managing behaviour and despite trying many strategies suggested to me nothing seemed to work with these children. I would end each day exhausted. To survive in this situation I felt I had to water everything I taught down to maintain classroom control. I felt that instead of functioning as a teacher I regularly had to function as a therapist as the individual needs of these children were so demanding that they required more attention than actual syllabus work. In the end I finished the year wanting to leave teaching.

Fortunately I have come out of this and have a great class this year. My love for teaching has returned and I look forward to going to work each day. My question is, how does a mainstream teacher with no special education training, survive this kind of situation and continue to provide a positive learning environment for the other children in the class? How do you address the needs of these children while still maintaining a high quality of pedagogy for all children in the class?


Thank you so much for sharing this. Just as it is important to hear the perspective of parents, it is also important to hear from teachers working with children who have special needs.

This is such a complex issue and one that has no easy answer. No matter how much we talk about innovative practice and extra support, there is always the issue of limited resources, time and the need to balance the needs of all children - and our own sanity.

I have no definitive answers as every situation is different, but in my time as a teacher I found the things that helped me and my collegues included:
- Much preparation and use of student-centred, hands-on learning such as learning centres (today technology is a great resource to use)
- A strict, structured routine (visually displayed and frequently referred to in the classroom)
- A set of rules and rewards negotiated with the students (again, displayed and frequently used)
- A close partnership with executive staff in implementing consistent, supportive and immediate consequences (eg. the child does their work in the principal's office or under supervision in the library when they are having a bad day - not as a punishment, but to help them "cool down").
- A collaborative focus on preventing behaviour issues before they escalated (which can be about asking someone else to come in and observe them in your classroom so you can together identify the purpose or triggers of the behaviour).
- Wherever possible, a close partnership with parents or other family members, respite staff and/or a buddy teacher who had built a rapport with the child/children (a volunteer in the classroom at the most difficult parts of the day, with whom the child has a good relationship, can make a big difference)
- A supportive partnership with another teacher with whom you can debrief

In one particular case a teacher with whom I worked had a great partnership with her student's parent. The student had a contract negotiated between the parent, student and the teacher. This contract set out the expectations of what the child was to achieve each day, a consequence and a reward system in response to their performance. The reward system included immediate points awarded according to tasks completed, and those points went towards a trip to MacDonalds with the child's parents (the child and the family chose the award).

They also had a "crisis management plan" in place. When the child was becoming disruptive, or was distressed, a process was put in place whereby a buddy teacher and/or the assistant principal would become involved.

While these don't "solve" the issues, they provide a network of informal support if the child is not eligible for extra funding support for resources such as a teacher's aide. It may also help to regain the balance between education and behaviour management.

And, believe it or not, special education teachers don't always have the answer either. Our profession is always about collaboration, asking for help and creatively using any resources we can get our hands on.

The bottom line is don't be afraid to ask for help. If you are a teacher in this situation, you might want to ask the principal if you are eligible for a support teacher (behaviour) to come into your classroom and observe what might be triggering difficult behaviour in the child. They may be able to suggest some things (such as those discussed in my previous posts) that can be integrated into the routine of your classroom to reduce the child's difficult behaviour without disrupting your teaching. A school counsellor may also be able to do this. Or you may have a special education teacher, or a support teacher (learning assistance) in your school who may also be able to help.

And to all you teachers out there who are supporting and including children with diverse needs in your classroom, you are doing a great job (and I don't mean that in a patronising way Lol).

You are making a difference.

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Helping children follow your directions

Golden rule:
Give your instructions in different formats in an environment that is as quiet as possible, and reward them for their efforts.

A quiet environment
Some things to think about at home if your child is having problems hearing or focusing their attention on your instructions:

- Turn off the TV before you start talking
- Don’t try and yell over the washing machine, dishwasher or mower – or yelling kids. Turn the appliances off, and wait until your child is quiet before giving instructions.
- A room that is carpeted and has curtains will help cut down background noise
(My Dr, 2005; Neven, Anderson and Godber, 2002)

Some things to think about in the classroom if your student is having problems hearing or focusing their attention on your instructions:
- Negotiate and enforce rules about sitting quietly while the teacher is talking. Enforce the rules through praise and having a visual list of the rules on the wall (AFCEC, nd).
- Have a signal (eg. flicking the light switch for high school, clapping a rhythm which the students then have to copy in primary school) that indicates you are about to speak. Don’t try and yell them to attention (CDI, 2008).
- Wait until you have their attention before giving instructions.
- Use a noise-o-meter to keep children aware of what noise level is appropriate.
- Be aware of how any appliances, floor coverings and other features of the room may increase or decrease background noise.

Different ways of giving instructions:

Verbal
“Okay, kids, collect your Maths books, sit down at your desk and start work on page 6.”

Modelling
As you talk, demonstrate each step.

Visual
This can be hung on the board, or put on the child’s desk.
Written
Give this to the child so they can tick off each step as they complete it.
(Adapted from http://www.do2learn.com/organizationtools/classroom/educationalresources.htm)
Motivation and rewards

"If you do your work, then you can have a sticker." This is a “bribe”.

"Remember that when you finish this you will be able to put a star on your I've Finished chart." This is a negotiated reward that is a natural consequence of task completion.

But maybe we’ll talk more about this another time.

References:

Alabama Federation Council for Exceptional Children. (nd). Rules for Structuring the Classroom. Retrieved 25th May, 2009 from: http://www.afcec.org/tipsforteachers/tips_b2.html

Child Development Institute. (2008). Suggested Classroom Interventions ForChildren With ADD & Learning Disabilities. Retrived 25th May, 2009 from: http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/teacher.shtml#Suggested

MyDr. (2005). Hearing Impairment and School Children. Retrieved 25th May from: http://www.mydr.com.au/kids-teens-health/hearing-impairment-and-schoolchildren

Neven, R.S., Anderson, V. and Godber, T. (2002). Rethinking ADHD. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest.

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Do you understand what I'm saying?

Image from "Dave is Brave" www.learn2bebuddies.com.au . Copyright Amanda Gray and Daniel East.

Jenny has just arrived home from the gym feeling stiff and sore. Tom has just come inside as the coldness of the evening has made it too uncomfortable to work any longer in his garden.

Jenny rubs her lower back. “Uhhh! I feel old!”

“Brrr. I’m freezing, too! I’m going to have a shower.”

Jenny watches him go with a perplexed look on her face. “What?”
Image from

Interpreting

Even if we hear what a person is saying, and are paying attention, sometimes we don’t correctly interpret what they are saying.

To interpret or work out what a person is saying you have to be able to make sense of the sounds you hear. You need to change the isolated sounds into words, then put those words together based on their sequence and how they are said to get the full meaning of what you have been told (Anderson, 2000).

Minor misunderstandings like that between Jenny and Tom can occur because of trouble hearing. But they also often occur because we all bring our own ideas or context to communication.

Jenny’s context was that she was sore and tired. Tom’s was that he was cold. So he interpreted the word “old” to mean “cold”.


What makes it hard to interpret sounds?

The size of your vocabulary
You need to share the same vocabulary with the person to whom you are talking (Anderson, 2001). Children can have a smaller vocabulary for a wide range of reasons. Children with developmental delays such as that associated with Down Syndrome may take longer to learn words in a way that means they can “retrieve” them easily. This means that they may have a smaller vocabulary (Buckley, 1993; Chapman, 2006).

We pick up most of our vocabulary through experiences with language and conversations (Cross, 2001). Children who have difficulties hearing will have smaller vocabularies due to limitations placed on their language experiences. Children for whom English is their second language will also have a smaller vocabulary.

Some conditions like dyslexia can influence how we process sounds (Stein, 2001). So while children with these conditions may be able to hear the sounds, it might take them longer to work out what these mean. These children may also have a smaller vocabulary, or mix up sounds more often. They may also struggle to hear changes in tone of voice, which will be discussed below.

Children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders may also have a smaller vocabulary. This is mainly due their limitations in social and emotional reciprocity, or empathy (Scott, Clark, Brady, 2000). This means that the motivation for their communication will come from their own interests, not based on an understanding of how communication influences their relationships with others (Autism Association of South Australia, 2009).

For example, a child with Aspergers may have a special interest in Maths and logical problems. This child may then have a big vocabulary relating to this subject. But in the context of other subjects, including language related to everyday tasks and social interactions, their vocabulary might be quite small.

These difficulties can also lead to problems with the other things you need to know in order to correctly interpret what people are saying (discussed below).

Your knowledge of the patterns of language
To understand what people are saying you need to have a good knowledge of how words fit together in a sentence. You also need to know how tone of voice can change what they mean. As discussed in a previous post , this can be difficult if you have trouble paying attention to and interpreting others’ facial expressions and body language.

Your knowledge of the subject being discussed
As mentioned previously, knowing the context of a discussion is important in helping us interpret what is being said (Anderson, 2001). It helps us put the sounds together and chose the right words to fit the context. It also speeds up the process of changing the sounds into meaningful sentences.

So if you have a child who is tired, or bored, or struggling to pay attention they are more likely to misinterpret what you are telling them to do.


The process of interpreting sounds and words relies on our skills in remembering and retrieving information we have learnt (Hick, Botting & Conti-Ramsden, 2005). I will talk more about memory in the next post.


References:

Anderson, C. (2001). Pragmatic Communication Difficulties. In R. MacKay and C. Anderson (Eds), Teaching Children with Pragmatic Difficulties of Communication, p24-38. David Fulton Publishers: Hampshire.

Autism Association of South Australia. (2009). What is Autism? Retrieved 16th May, 2009 from:http://www.autismsa.org.au/html/disorders/autism.html


Buckley SJ. (1993) Language development in children with Down syndrome - Reasons for optimism. Down Syndrome Research and Practice,1(1), p3-9. Retrieved from http://www.down-syndrome.org/reviews/5/

Chapman RS. (2006). Language learning in Down syndrome: The speech and language profile compared to adolescents with cognitive impairment of unknown origin. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 10(2), p61-66. Retrieved from http://www.down-syndrome.org/reports/306/

Cross, L. (2001). Early Communication Development. In M.S. Lue (Ed.) A Survey of Communication Disorders for the Classroom Teacher, p35-54. Allyn and Bacon: Boston.

Hick, R.F, Botting, N., and Conti-Ramsden, G. (2005) Short-term memory and vocabulary development in children with Down syndrome and children with specific language impairment. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 47, p532–538. Retrieved http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FDMC%2FDMC47_08%2FS0012162205001040a.pdf&code=7abb5653813d8fc667d2aaa56a4c8e16

Scott, J., Clark, C., and Brady, M. (2000). Students with Autism: Characteristics and Instruction Programming. Singular Publishing Group: San Diego.




Stein, J. (2001). The Neurobiology of Reading Difficulties. In M. Wolf (Ed) Dyslexia, Fluency and the Brain, p 3-22. York Press: USA.

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Are you LISTENING?

John is boring on, once again, about the latest movie he has seen. He is retailing, in the greatest unnecessary detail (including quotes), the most exciting parts – all of which mean that your intention to see the movie next week is, well, redundant.

But all the sudden there is an ominous silence. It dawns on you that John has asked you a question… and while you heard what he said, you weren’t actually listening.

You frantically search in your memory… but, no, it’s not there.

You may have to admit it…but, instead, you tell a little white lie.

“Sorry, John, I didn’t hear you.”

Unfortunately John knows that is not strictly true. He walks away in a huff, knowing that the reason you didn’t “hear” is because you mentally tuned out.

Picture copyright Daniel East and Amanda Gray. From picture book, "Dave is Brave" www.learn2bebuddies.com.au

To listen, you have to pay attention

To be able to do what someone asks, you have to be paying attention. You have to not only hear what the person said, you also have to concentrate and focus on the relevant information (Hagemann, Hay & Levy, 2002; Moore, 1997).

You have to be able to shut out all the unimportant things happening around you… like the person mowing the lawn just outside the window. Or the pretty, colourful bird that just flew past. Or the music playing, or people talking, or the TV going in the background (Neven, Anderson & Godber, 2002).

This takes effort. It is also a skill that is more difficult under certain conditions.

When is it hard to pay attention?

There are many reasons why a child may be struggling to pay attention. For example, a child with a hearing impairment or any other language difficulty can miss any words or sounds that cue other children into the fact that you are about to give them a list of instructions.

For example, you might call a child’s name, or say to a class, “NOW (pause to wait for all eyes to turn to you)… what you have to do is…” This is a verbal cue to get your student’s attention. This will only work if the child is “tuned in” to your voice.

It is not only children with hearing impairments who might find it hard to be tuned in to your voice. Children with attention deficit disorders such as ADD or ADHD may find it difficult to focus on one thing if there are lots of other things to look at or listen to (Kewley, 2005; Neven, Anderson & Godber, 2002).

Children who are tired, hungry, anxious, or simply not interested in what you are saying will also find it hard to pay attention to what you are saying.

I will talk about strategies later in another post, but it is important to remember that triggering the child’s attention through more than one sense (touching their shoulder or standing close to them as well as calling their name) may be the answer.

And always, always, make sure you have their attention first before you start asking them to do things (Educational Psychology Service, 2008).

How can you tell if they are paying attention?

Eye contact is one of the most important things to gain before giving instructions. This will tell you that the child is focusing their attention where you want it. It will also help those who struggle with storing the words or hearing the sounds as they can get clues about what you are saying through your body language, gestures, lips and facial expressions (Queensland Health, 2008).

For children with Autism for whom eye contact may be difficult, do not demand eye contact (Austism SA, 2004). Looking in your direction or tilting their ear towards you may be their way of paying attention.


In the next post I will talk about difficulties children might have in interpreting what we are saying.

Reference list:

Autism South Australia. (2004) Information Sheet 17 Classroom Issues. Retrieved 15th May, 2009 from: http://www.autismsa.org.au/pdf/strategies/IS17_Classroom_Issues.pdf

Queensland Health (2008). Communication with vision or hearing impaired clients. Retrieved 15th May, 2009 from: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/sop/content/comm_vision_hearing.asp

Kewley, G. (2005). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What can Teachers Do? David Fulton Publishers:London.

Neven, R.S., Anderson, V. and Godber, T. (2002). Rethinking ADHD. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest.

Hagemann, E., Hay, D.A., and Levy, F. (2002). Cognitive Aspects and Learning. In S. Sandberg (Ed), Hyperactivity and Attention Disorders of Childhood, p214-241. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Moore, B.C.J. (1997). And Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing. Academic Press: San Diego.

Educational Psychology Service. (2008). Managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) in the Classroom. Retrieved 15th May, 2009 from: http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/education/information_for_parents/PDFs/psychology_service/adhd.pdf

You might also want to check out the following links:
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/abled/docs/RICPubClassIdeasK3.pdf
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/wakefield/files/links/Classroom_Strategies_Accom.doc
http://www.austinschools.org/lifeskills/Classroom%20Management.pdf
http://www.hearing.com.au/communication-tips

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Why aren’t you listening? Disobedient or Distracted?

Picture copyright Daniel East - from "Dave is Brave" www.learn2bebuddies.com.au

“I’ve told him what to do a dozen times, but it goes in one ear and out the other!”

Have you ever heard that said? Well, it might be very near the truth.

But, despite what you might feel, a “good kick up the backside” is not the solution. We need to understand why our words have not stuck with the child.

What is involved in doing what you are told?

When you are told to do something you have to be able to hear, listen, interpret, remember and act on the instructions. If you have difficulties doing any one of these things you can seem “disobedient”.

In this post I want to talk about hearing.

Hearing

I won’t give you a biology lesson on hearing here. You might want to visit the Mayo Clinic if you are interested in how the ear works. For now, I just want to point out some reasons why a child might not be able to hear you.

Conductive hearing loss (ASHA, 2009; Australian Hearing, 2009; Moore, 1997)

Children who have recurring ear infections such as Otitis media, or even a build up of wax in the ear will find it hard to hear clearly. For others the bone and cartilage structure may interfere with the movement of sound through the ear to the nervous system that processes the sounds.

Children with Down Syndrome are shown to be at increased risk of ear infections and conductive hearing loss because of their susceptibility to infections and the smaller ear canal (Moss, nd).

Indigenous Australians have also been shown to be at increased risk of conductive hearing loss (Coates et al).

For some children, the treatment might be through antibiotics or grommets (MyDr, 2008). For others, hearing aids may be used.

Sensorineural hearing loss (ASHA, 2009; Australian Hearing, 2009; Moore, 1997):

This is when the cochlea or the nerves that carry sound to the brain might be affected. The levels of hearing loss may differ, but generally sensorineural loss cannot be fully addressed even if the child is using hearing aids. For children whose cochlea is damaged, cochlea implants can be used. For others, communication will be through the use of sign language.


The levels of hearing loss are described as mild, moderate, severe and profound. If you want to know what a child might hear depending on the level of hearing loss they have been diagnosed with, visit ASHA and the Medical College of Wisconsin (they have a great picture that is easy to understand). The Warren Centre also has a good diagram of what sounds equate to different decibel levels (as seen in the ASHA description).

Disobedience or Distraction?

If a child has an ear infection such as Otitis Media they will struggle to hear you call their name in a noisy room or if their back is turned to you. So if they don’t respond, it is that they haven’t been able to pick out your voice from all the other noises going on around them.

If a child has a hearing aid or a cochlea implant, it doesn’t mean that they have perfect hearing. They will struggle to hear you in noisy rooms, or if there is something or someone making a noise closer to them than you.

You also need to remember that children with hearing impairments may have smaller vocabularies and may struggle with understanding how sentences are put together. This is because their learning of language is interrupted by what they can and can’t hear. This may mean they find it hard to pick out the important bits in your instruction.

For example, if you say "Julie, can you put your book away in your book tray, please?" the child
may know you have mentioned a book and a tray, but not make the connection between the two. So the child may be confused about what exactly you want them to do with the two objects.

Next Time

In the next post I will talk about the difference between listening and hearing. Later I will also talk about some strategies and things to think about when giving instructions to a child who has a hearing impairment.

References
Australian Hearing (2008) Types of Hearing Loss. Retrieved 10th May, 2009 from: http://www.hearing.com.au/types-of-hearing-loss

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2009). Type, Degree and Configuration of Hearing Loss. Retrieved 10th May, 2009 from: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/types.htm

Coates, H.L., Morris, P.S., Leach. A.J., and Couzos, S. (2002). Otitis media in Aboriginal children: tackling a major health problem. Medical Journal of Australia 177 (4): 177-178 Retrieved from: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_04_190802/coa10271_fm.html

Mayo Clinic (2009). How do we Hear? Retrieved 10th May, 2009 from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/hearing-disorders/how.html

Moore, B.C.J. (1997). An Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing. SanDiego: Academic Press.

Moss, K. (nd). Hearing and Vision Loss Associated with Down Syndrome. Retrieved 10th May, 2009 from: http://www.deafblind.com/downmoss.html

My Dr (2008). Otitis Media in Children. Retrieved 10th May, 2009 from: http://www.mydr.com.au/kids-teens-health/otitis-media-in-children

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Ask Amanda - response to Paula

I work with a 4th grader who has Down Syndrome. She often sees other children, who are close friends, hugging or pushing each other in joking ways. Since she is not at age level with social skills, she applies this same behavior to other children she doesn't know. She will go up to children in the lunchroom or on the playground and grab or hug them. Most children do not like this. I don't know how to explain the social do's and don'ts to her. Paula D.

Thanks for asking, Paula.

Helping your student understand complex and changeable rules can be difficult, especially if they struggle to understand abstract concepts. One of the best ways to make it more concrete is through visuals.

In this case, you may find that the best way to teach your student about appropriate hugging and touching may be through a picture.

The illustration on below is based on the colours of a traffic light - it could be presented as three separate circles as well. The idea is that the student can write names of people, or illustrate or collect pictures of specific people or types of people (eg teachers) to stick into each circle according to how she should relate to that person.

You can also write (or use symbols) in the circles to clarify under what circumstances and how you might touch a person (eg. shake hands when saying hello).


This process could be used for other social rules, but it is best to focus on one at a time so as not to be too confusing or complex for the child.

I hope that helps a little... Again, if anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to add your ideas as a comment.

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Modelling and rewards

Chris is sitting eating lunch with her peers. They are chatting away. Suddenly, without warning, Chris gets up and leaves. Her peers look very surprised and a little offended.

Applied behaviour Analysis

Pictures and social stories are often used in the process of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). This approach is about analysing what we can see, breaking down behaviour into small steps, and changing it through encouraging, modelling, prompting, and praising changed behaviour

Using ABA for Chris

If we applied this approach to Chris’ situation, we would have to start by looking at what is actually happening. We might start with writing a more detailed observation of what is happening.

Antecedent:
Before Chris walked away, she had been intermittently involved in a discussion with her peers. They were talking about their favourite foods.
Jenny looks at her sandwich then smiles at her two buddies: I love vegemite sandwiches! They are great.
Chris continues looking at and eating her sandwich. Tom smiles back at Jenny: Yeah, I like them, too. But I like cheese better.
Chris (still looking at her sandwich, which is almost finished): I like cheese.
Tom smiles at Chris: Mmmm. It is so good, especially with some tomato. Have you ever had it with tomato?

Behaviour:
Chris has finished her sandwich and walks away.

Consequence:
Chris puts her rubbish in the bin and puts her lunchbox away in her bag.
Tom looks surprised and a little offended.
Jenny looks at Tom: Maybe she didn’t hear you.
Tom and Jenny sit silently until they finish their sandwiches, then quietly pack up.

So what next?

This observation gives some ideas about what is going on. For example, while Chris was listening to Tom and Jenny, she was not paying attention to them. That is, she is not making eye contact. This meant that she missed the body language, facial expressions and social rules that would have told her about whether the conversation was finished or not.

Modelling, prompting, praising

To start teaching Chris the skill of eye contact we may need to draw attention to the importance of eye contact.

For example, when Chris wants something we might wait until she responds to the prompt, “Chris, look at me” before we respond to her. We may also use a physical cue like putting our hand into the line of her gaze, then bringing the hand to our cheek or chin.

Any attempt to make eye contact should be praised. This can be a combination of specific praise (eg. “Thanks for looking at me” said with a beaming smile) and giving Chris what she wants.

And all the time we are doing this, we need to be modelling good eye contact.


Functional behaviour analysis, or behaviour support

Another way of looking at this behaviour is to ask why Chris walked away in the first place. What was the function, or purpose of her behaviour?

Why did Chris walk away?

It wasn’t just that Chris wasn’t paying attention, it was that she was paying attention to something else.

The observation suggests that she was following a routine, and she was focused on this. She had finished eating. And, according to routine, when you finish eating you put your rubbish in the bin and put your lunchbox away.

So what next?

We need to help Chris to balance the routine with her friendships. So, first, we need to help her make eye contact with her peers. We need to help her apply what she has learnt with an adult prompt (“Look at me, Chris”) to her discussions with her peers.
So we may teach her peers to say, “Chris” and wait for Chris to look at them before speaking.

Then we need to teach Chris to use a signal to let her peers know she is going to leave the conversation. So we could teach Chris to say, “I am going to…. now.” before she walks away.

Modelling, prompting, praising

To start with, we might have to practice this skill in the classroom. Or a teacher may need to sit alongside Chris and her peers in the playground.

In the beginning, the teacher may need to encourage Tom and Jenny to say Chris’ name and wait until she looks at them before speaking. The teacher may need to give some immediate praise to encourage Chris to use eye contact. The teacher may also need to use a picture, social story or modelling the sentence “I am going to…. now.” to prompt Chris to use this sentence.

To make sure that this is making a difference, we would need to keep a record of Chris’ successes.

But the end product should go something like this:

Antecedent:
Chris is chatting with Tom and Jenny. They were talking about their favourite foods.
Jenny looks at her sandwich then smiles at her two buddies: I love vegemite sandwiches! They are great. Aren’t they, Chris.
Chris continues looking at and eating her sandwich. Jenny waits for a moment, then says: Chris?
Chris looks at Jenny.
Jenny: Do you like vegemite sandwiches?
Chris shakes her head.
Tom smiles at Jenny and Chris: I like vegemite sandwiches. But I like cheese better.
Chris (still looking at Jenny): I like cheese sandwiches. See! (she holds out her cheese sandwich.)
Tom smiles at Chris: Mmmm. It is so good, especially with some tomato. Have you ever had it with tomato?
Chris has finished her sandwich and is packing up her rubbish.

Behaviour:
Tom: Chris?
Chris looks at Tom.
Tom: Do you like tomato?
Chris: No. (short pause) I am going to put my rubbish in the bin now.

Consequence:
Chris puts her rubbish in the bin and puts her lunchbox away in her bag.
Tom and Jenny continue talking until they finish their lunch. Then they put their rubbish away and join Chris. They all go and play together.


If you want to know more:

Conway, R. (2008). Encouraging Positive Interactions. In Forman, P. (Ed) Inclusion in Action, p198. Thomson: Australia

Moyes, R.A. (2002). Addressing the Challenging Beahviour of Children with High-Functioning Autism/Aspereger Syndrome in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London.

Repp, A.C, and Horner, R.H. (1999). Functional Analysis of Problem Behavior: From effective assessment to effective support. Wadsworth: Canada

Weiss, M.J, Harris, S.L. (2001). Reaching out, Joining in: Teaching Social Skills to Young Children with Autism. Woodbine House: Bethesda


You may also want to visit these links:

http://www.autismsa.org.au/html/strategies/therapies/aba.html

http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=7498

http://www.txautism.net/docs/Guide/Interventions/ABA.pdf

http://www.usu.edu/teachall/text/behavior/LRBIpdfs/Functional.pdf

At the end of every month I want to anwer any questions you might have relevant to the topics discussed in this blog. If you have any questions, post them here as a comment. I will answer them next week....

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