Unit 2 Understanding Behavioral Difficulties in Communication Impaired Children
Objectives
- Participants will compare and contrast unexpected versus expected behavior given a scenario and discussion topic
- Participants will identify the four zones of regulation given text based information and visual supports
- Participants will define 3 relative terms associated with regulation and perspective given vocabulary logs and course content
Introduction
Now that you have a basic understanding on the various social challenges that learners with autism undergo, you have a foundation to understanding triggers. As human beings we all encounter events that elicit an emotional response. However, there are everyday triggers in the ASD population that cause more heightened anxiety than in neurotypical individuals. These triggers may be due to unstructured time (any non-academic task with no rules or limits to create boundaries) such as:
- recess
- Transitional periods(going from class to class)
- Waiting for an event such as the bus
Academic situations(periods of time where students are expected to complete coursework)often triggers anxiety in ASD individuals as well. Some examples of possible stressful tasks include:
- Understanding what to do and how to do it
- Writing
- Reading
- Organization
- Grades
- Answering aloud in class
- Tests
ASD learners may face stress in social situations as well, as communication issues are extremely prevalent in this population. Classroom teachers should note the following may cause distress:
- unplanned and unannounced events
- Changes in routine
- Large gatherings such as school assemblies
- Conversing with a peer
Knowing triggers is critical to how you approach the size of the problem with these special learners. Making them aware of not only their emotional response, but also taking the perspective of those around them is key to figuring out the proper social thinking strategy to approach troubling behavior with. As social thinking is about understanding what qualifies expected behavior during the school day in comparison to unexpected behavior, it is key that students can use emotional perspective to understand their actions and reactions of those around them.
Case Study
"Corey is a freshman in high school. He is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome(a disorder on the ASD), but has an IQ of 110(not so atypical for many students with Asperger's Syndrome!). The district had placed him in a program with a homeroom teacher that provides sort of a "check-in" before he goes out to various mainstream courses. His homeroom teacher,Ms. Ives, is a first year teacher and is still learning the ropes with a lot of ASD behavior. She couldn't be happier with his grades(maintaining a 90 average is all of his classes) but can't help to notice one day on her lunch duty that another boy from her autism-centric homeroom starts yelling at Corey. He yells " stop talking so much!" and runs away from Corey, leaving him bewildered. The other boy has had trouble in the past maintaining peer relationships, but Corey, a very friendly student, is simply beside himself. After interfering, it becomes clear to his teacher he can't understand why the other student was shouting. Corey's deficits in understanding perspectives becomes evident to Ms. Ives. She wants to have a more meaningful discussion with both boys but is unsure how to proceed.
Investigation
1.Read the following social thinking article at goo.gl/Q8Gn94content_copy.
Identify the concrete differences of expected behavior versus unexpected behavior. What distinguishes expected behavior? Why is it critical that those that work with ASD learners use this language rather than appropriate or inappropriate? What role do feelings play in this dynamic?
2.Read the following informational page at http://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html
As you have read the zones are color coded and have a concrete purpose in helping students identify feelings they experience throughout the day. When using this tool it is critical to explain to learners with concrete language.Also take a look at the chart using Zones of Regulation in coordination with appropriate language.(Hint** This WILL help you in your final project)
Example: She is in the ____________ zone because she is doing____________. The way she can get back to the green zone is by doing _____________. This will make others feel good about her!)
3.Discuss in the discussion section of this page why you believe it is important to have students assume responsibility for their emotions? What implications come with having students master their emotional response and how does this connect with managing their behavior?
4. Watch the following video showcasing expected behaviors and unexpected behaviors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDdaZKxrK_I.
Application
You know have knowledge on the need for having students with ASD or other communication disorders understanding perspective( how both oneself and others feel and react to outside stimuli). Working with students who may have severe issues relating to other people, it is so key you define perspective with various concrete and visual information as possible to modify this learning for them. Now in your discussion it's time to think about how you can help Corey from the case study. In the discussion, write from Ms. Ives' point of view about how you can put the other boys in context utilizing the terminology of expected and unexpected disorder. Relate the various zones of regulation to the context to provide a truly meaningful conversation to help these two students build a friendlier relationship
With the knowledge gained from this unit you know can:
1. Describe type of behavior in terms of comparing and contrasting expected behavior versus unexpected behavior.
2. Differentiate the four zones of regulation in terms of their context for understanding emotions.
Reflection
1. On your vocabulary log please define the words with examples of your own personal understanding. (ex. An antecedent happens before a behavior.One antecedent I remember is giving a direction. This caused a student to react negatively and act out.) Feel free to explore the internet for resources for your examples.
2.In the discussion, think back to video showcasing expected versus unexpected behavior. Pretend you are trying to educate a student about a set of behaviors of your choice(ex.throwing rocks at peers on a playground). Act as if the student is demonstrating the unexpected behaviors in the set you choose.Identify the feelings expressed by the individuals throughout that segment in terms of the Zones of Regulation. Explain why the behaviors demonstrated are unexpected as the people within are reacting to the behavior.(Think about the template shown in part 2 of the investigation of this unit. Fill in those blanks as if you were communicating your ideas to a learner with a communication disorder.
As you prepare to move on to the next and final unit you should be asking yourself on how to approach situations where you must make seemingly obvious social rules relevant to the communicatively impaired learner’s life. We will discuss the role of social stories and their connection to using the context of the zones and expected behavior to make a meaningful change in their behavior.
You may now move on to Unit 3 of the mini-course here:
Navigate to other parts of the course here: