You’re Going to LOVE This Kid!®-- Including Students with Autism

1. You’re Going to LOVE This Kid!®-- Including Students with Autism Suzy Dees Bloomington Public Schools District 87

2. STAND UP! • For this activity, as Suzy reads a statement, stand if the statement applies to you. If you stand, please be prepared to share with the group  • Why is this a good

5. I am a GOLD STAR STRATEGY; use me in your classroom!

6. Targets • Identify some key components of Autism • Identify the 4 “Habits of Mind” to consider with students on the spectrum (and ALL kids) • Describe how inclusion will benefit all students in my classroom • Participate in group discussions surrounding the topic of including students with autism in classrooms • Recognize specific tools/supports I can use immediately to assist in including kids on the spectrum (and ALL kids) • Identify how we, can help facilitate legitimate academic and social success for our students on the spectrum in all settings

7. Inclusive Schools from Paula Kluth

8. Pass the plate

9. Habits of Mindfrom Paula Kluth

10. Carly • Carly’s Voice • http://www.goldenhatfoundation.org/about-us/blog/119-meet-carly-fleischmann

12. WHAT IS AUTISM? • Autism is a complex developmental disability that impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

15. Autism from Paula Kluth

16. If I knew you were coming…

18. Teaching Strategies from Paula Kluth

19. STRATEGIES! • How can we stretch our thinkng regarding strategies for integrating students?

20. Individualizing Objectives and Standards Statement: The student will write for five different audiences Adaptations: The student will independently write an e-mail

21. Individualizing Objectives and Standards Statement: The student will be able to explain the causes of the Civil War Adaptation: The student will identify a cause of the Civil War

22. Individualizing Objectives and Standards Statement: The student will know that the Earth is a planet. Adaptation: Given a picture of all of the planets, the student will identify the Earth.

23. Getting it Off the Page

24. Responding to Sensory Needs

25. Employing Positive Behavior Supports • Focusing on Relationships • Evaluating Curriculum and Instruction • Tapping into Interests • Teaching New Skills • Offering Safe Spaces and Breaks

26. Evaluating Curriculum and Instruction • Common Causes of challenging behavior in students with Autism include: • Curriculum that is dull and lacks variety • Curriculum that is not age appropriate • Instruction is a poor match for learning style • Not enough opportunities for conversation, communication and choice making • Not enough social interaction (too much 1:1) • Not enough fun or joy in the day

27. Using Visuals • Activity Schedules • First/Then Boards • Choice Menus • Written Words

28. The more you talk, the less they hear… • Visual cues • Social stories – stable ones that can be laminated and used over and over and over and “on the fly” ones • Visual schedule (see next few slides) • Gestures • Timers • First______ then____________ • High tech and low tech work equally well

29. Courtesy of www.do2learn.com Visual Schedules

33. Schedule Change

34. FIRST THEN First/Then Schedules(home and school) • For especially challenging transitions at school, an “First/Then” mini schedule can be used

41. Creating Peer and Social Supports • Build relationships through activities • Role Play • Social Secrets • Friendship-Focused Individualized Education Program Goals • Lunch Bunch (as seen in the video)

43. Collaborating and Co-Teaching • Duet teaching • One Teach/One Assist • Parallel Teaching

44. Carousel Activity • Successful strategies for including students: • Using technology • First day/first week of school? • In Specials/lunch/recess • Creative/effective use of staff • Communication between adults • School culture

45. Carousel Debrief

46. Thumbs Up/Thumbs down Thumb up = This IS inclusion Thumb down = This is NOT inclusion

47. Inclusion Statement Evaluation Statement: Inclusion is real estate (meaning, it is enough for a student to simply BE in the gen ed classroom) Problems: It is more than an extra chair in the room; a student needs to be an interregnal part of the class, feel welcome from the very beginning, and have a clear purpose for the integration. When the student is not engaged with the content, it is not OK to simply let him color or NOT engage with the content. What can we do to ensure engagement with the content? Rewrite: Inclusion is more than just real estate.

48. Inclusion Statement Evaluation Statement: Inclusion ensures all students have the same learning targets. Problems: Students are included for all different types of reasons. Targets may need to be modified to address the needs of the student. Rewrite: In an inclusion classroom, all students have clear learning targets, but the targets may be modified.

49. Inclusion Statement Evaluation • Statement: Successful inclusion depends on frequent communication and planning among staff. • Problems: None

50. Inclusion Statement Evaluation • Statement: Inclusion is only possible when class sizes are manageable. • Problems: There is always room for one more. Find a way, make a way—over, under, around, or through. Presume competency. Remember the Habits of mind. • Rewrite: Inclusion can benefit all students regardless of class size and manpower.