Helping children self-evaluate

To help with self-evaluation, we need to help children keep records of their successes - and review their limitations.

In the last post I addressed self-evaluation, one task driven by our executive functioning as identified in the document by Queensland Health. As mentioned, when our executive functioning isn't working as it should, we find it hard to "search" our previous experiences and learning to work out what strengths and difficulties we bring to a situation.

So for children with executive functioning difficulties - including many who have ADHD, Autism, anxiety disorders, cerebral palsy and a range of other conditions - we need to find more visual ways to help them recognise and remember their strengths and limitations.


Rewards and Behaviour Charts

Starting from a very young age we can use reward charts to help children identify and remember their successes. We can use these for social and behaviour skills, as well as learning achievements.

There is a difference between using rewards as a "bribe" and using them as a prompt for their memory. For example, if you say "If you do ...., then you will get..." then the reward becomes a bribe. If you say, "Let's look at our stars. What do we need to do?" then the reward becomes a reminder.

A very subtle difference, but one that is important.

For a reward system to work as a reminder rather than a bribe, it needs to be focused on specific things. See the example below from www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/

If used well, rewards charts can be a visible record of achievements, reminding children of what they are able to do, as well as a reminder of what you want them to do.

For some great, free behaviour charts and records visit www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/ If you know of any others, please share them with us.


Social Stories

I have discussed social stories at length in a previous post, so I won't discuss them in depth here. However, it is important to recognise that social stories can help children recognise their limitations as well as their strengths.

For example, a social story can be used to explain when they should ask for adult help when faced with bullying or other safety issues.

"I will try to find an adult when someone bigger than me says things that make me sad."

Communication Book

I wrote a little about communication books in a previous post. These are not only great ways to keep the communication lines open between home and school when a child has communication and/or memory difficulties. They are also great records to help remind a child of what they have achieved and learnt.

Read the communication book together like a storybook. Read it before your child goes back to school if possible. This can stir their memory and help activate their "search engine" for relevant things to apply to their day.


Hang reminders everywhere...

Hanging reminders (with visuals such as those you can find here) everywhere can also help children self-evaluate.

"I can tie my own shoe laces!"

"I can get dressed by myself!"

"I can carry my own bag."

"I can say, Thank you! when somebody helps me."

In the next post I will explore some strategies for older children, like using diaries and learning journals....

Read more...

Ask Amanda: Writing a Social Story

Question:
My son ..., who has Aspergers, is now 5 years old. He started full time school in September and is making pretty good progress in most areas. There have been a couple of incidents though that have been cause for concern. When the other children play rough and tumble he doesn't really understand how to do it back without hurting them or he even gets upset by it and acts out. He has scratched a boy on two occasions and really left a mark which is upsetting for all parties. I was wondering if you would be able to advise me on how to go about constructing a social story for [him]. ...




Answer:


Here are some key things to consider when writing a social story:



Social stories:

• "Can't teach a new skill


• "Can remind a child where to apply an existing skill" (Smith, 2003)

In other words, make sure you child knows how to act on the things you are writing about in your story. Role play, prompting, rewards, supervision and repetition should be used to teach the skill with a social story being the "script" to remind your child what it is they should try to do.



Have a beginning, middle and end
Like any story, you need to set the scene, develop a theme, hit a climax and find a resolution. It should sound like a story, not a list of instructions or directions.



Cover where, what and who
Your story will need to describe where the behaviour is to occur, what may happen and who is involved. If you address these questions in your story, you are telling your child about the context for the desired behaviour so they know exactly when they are to use it, who they are to use it with and what is expected to happen.



Whose perspective?
The story must be written from your child's perspective. So try and see the event from your child's perspective, and when you are writing what you want your child to do make sure you write it in the first person. Just a note here that Gray (2000) does suggest that for older children/youth a social story should be written from a third person perspective - "Like a newspaper article" (appendix 13.10).



A different perspective
If you are stating a negative (what you want your child to avoid), then you should use a third person perspective.

Being literal and logical

Read through your story like a director, imagining each step of what your child would do if they followed the story literally step-by-step. This means that there should be no figurative language or phrases that assume knowledge.

Directing vs. demanding

Children with Autism and Aspergers can become distressed if they are told they "must" do something - and they don't succeed in to doing exactly what it is they have been told to do. However, we do need to have at least one "directive" sentence in our social stories. The way to make sure it is directive rather than demanding is simply by starting the sentence with "I will try..." rather than "I must..." or "I have to..."

The words you use
Make sure that you are using language that matches the language development of your child. Use words that he knows, understands and uses every day. Use picture sequences for young children with language difficulties, or reinforce your story with pictures. You will also need to make sure that your story matches your child's concentration span. The younger and more easily distracted your child, the shorter your story should be.





For some good examples of how to put these elements into a social story, visit http://www.connectability.ca/connectability/pages/lt_tipsheets/creating_social.pdf





References:


Early Childhood Services Team (nd) Tip Sheet: Creating Social Stories. Retrieved 6th March from http://www.connectability.ca/connectability/pages/lt_tipsheets/creating_social.pdf.


Gray, C. (2000). The New Social Story Book: Illustrated Edition. Future Horizons: Texas


Smith, C. (2003). Writing and Developing Social Stories: Practical Interventions in Autism. Speechmark: UK.

Read more...

Teaching pragmatics using Social Stories

(Following on from previous post)
A Social Story: When I want to play with blocks

I like to build with blocks. But sometimes other children are playing with the blocks.

I won’t get mad. I will just ask to play.

I will look at the child who is playing with blocks. I will try to smile. I will say their name.

When they are looking at me, I will ask, “Can I play?”

Sometimes they say, “Yes.” This makes me happy. I will take turns with the blocks. I will share the blocks with my friends.

Sometimes they say, “No.” I will try to stay calm and not get angry. If they say it in a rough voice and tell me to go away, I will go to the teacher and ask for help.

But they are not always being nasty. If they say it in a softer voice, or if they say “Not now” the children might be building something special and I will wait until they are finished.

Sometimes there are too many children playing blocks already. I will stay calm and wait until it is my turn.

While I am waiting I will play on the computer or do some drawing.

Images are from the children's book, Dave is Brave, written by Amanda Gray and illustrated by Daniel East.

Copyright Amanda Gray and Daniel East 2008 http://www.learn2bebuddies.com.au/

Social stories

Social stories were first introduced by Carol Gray (1994). Social stories are a way of helping children, especially those with Autism, learn social skills. They can be used to teach children to recognise facial expressions, body language and other social skills necessary for interacting with their peers.

Social stories aim to give children a concrete description for the very abstract things that occur in social interactions. Wherever possible, they should be accompanied by relevant pictures. They are written specifically for a child and a situation that the child may be finding difficult.

For children who may have a very literal and concrete way of understanding their world, these stories can be very useful. If you want to read more about social stories, you may want to find some of the following books and websites:

Education Queensland Disability Support Services (2006) Social Stories. Retrieved 16/04/2009 at: http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=33083

Gray, C. (1994) The New Social Story Book, Future Horisons: Arlingon.

Latrobe University. (2009). Social Stories. Retrieved 16/04/2009 from: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/hcs/projects/autism/social_stories.htm

Smith, C. (2003). Writing and Developing Social Stories: Practical Interventions in Autism. Speechmark: Oxon


Some other great sites include:

The originator of social stories – find her list of publications and more information at
http://www.thegraycenter.org/

For Aussies, Carol Gray’s My Social Stories Book is easily purchased at:
http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/product/my-social-stories-book

Autism Spectrum Australia at http://www.aspect.org.au/default.asp#logo

The Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support website at
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

Tony Attwood’s website. Here’s a link to his list of useful publications on socialisation:
http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/social.html

Or Sue Larkey’s website at http://www.suelarkey.com/index.php?pr=Home_Page

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