Sunday, February 12, 2012

A key...

What do you do in a data-driven special ed world to show that a child with autism understands basic skills so you can declare a goal mastered?  So you can "prove" to those that "want to know" that this child is super smart.  Has so much potential if only the key could be found to unlock his world.

A 4 year old child that screams rather than tells you an answer.
Recites rote phrases and entire songs.
Can't answer a "simple" question like "what is this?"

You KNOW he knows the answers.  You have goals that you need to show progress on.  You KNOW he knows it-but can't prove it.

You search and search for the key....and, if you are lucky, it comes to you one day, perhaps accidentally when that 4 year old cute-as a-button child reads aloud a word on a paper. You write more words. He reads them aloud.  You write a sentence- let's say,  "No Screaming"-and show it to him when he screams--and he immediately stops.  Then says. "No screaming" and walks away quietly.

I have a key...maybe not the key to his entire world-but its a key.

So I made these:
Match the function of objects to the picture:

function of objects


Match the action to the picture:
actions

And he matches them.  It holds his interest for an entire session.
AND
he is beginning to verbalize the answers, too!

This is opening up a whole new world of how to teach him and how to find out what he knows.

2 comments:

  1. awesome! I have an app I got for free that does function matching too. I have yet to find a good student to use it with... but that's another matter! ;)

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  2. I have apps for this, too. I forgot to put that we don't use anything electronic with this little guy. He stims on it. It becomes the only thing in the room to him-focuses on it so completely he could be knocked over and wouldn't notice. He throws major screaming, throwing, hitting fits when it goes away. Then his whole day is ruined. There is nothing we have found to get him back into a "good" mood. It's just not worth it when we get so much more in "traditional" ways. We strip the room every day he is here. No blinking lights. No talking toys. No smartTable, etc.
    As a plus: He is just now beginning some imaginative play. :) !!

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