Why Would Ziggy Want to Do That? Engaging the Significantly Delayed Learner

1. Why Would Ziggy Want to Do That?Engaging the Significantly Delayed Learner Maureen Green and Betty Henry California School for the Blind CTEBVI, March 21, 2015

2. Who is Ziggy?

3. Primary Focus of this WorkshopSchool-age students who have cognitive skills at the 6 – 24 month level Sequence: What is motivation? Characteristics of the Ziggy child What doesn’t work? What stands a better chance of working?

4. What is Motivation?

5. “I SEE, THEREFORE I WANT” Motivation

6. Why This is Important

7. Why This is Important

8. Characteristics of the Ziggy child • Comprehension • Motivation • Intent

9. Where do we start? Behavior, at first, is accidental

10. Developmental stages • Accidents happen • Focus on internal sensation • Awareness of external sensation • Beginning response Comprehension

11. Behavior Has Meaning • Pinch • Bite • Bruise others • Chew on Clothing • Screech • Throw objects • Push materials away • Lift, topple, and push away furniture

12. Intent

13. Intentional Communication Associational vs. Conceptual Language Use Wouldyoulikeyoursippycup?

14. Cognition:What Does Behavior Tell Us • Pushed a chair • Screwed a jar top (“turn it”) • Moved cane when it encountered an obstacle • Pulled a door handle • Reached down to sit on a beanbag • Recognized that a low voice meant concern or correction • Responded to short, clear, positive phrases (hands down, give me five, time to work)

15. Imitation How important is the ability to imitate? Imitation starts with the adult imitating the child; not the child imitating the adult.

16. Attention & FocusWhat Behavior Tells Us • Persisted for as long as 10 minutes with physical activity (walking, climbing stairs, reaching for a bar on the play structure) • Passive or resistant to all counting, pattern, or shapes tasks (“work time”) • Processing time increased with each additional object presented during “work time” • Ten second break between presentations seemed to help

17. Language:What Does It Tell Us? • Receptive language • Expressive language

18. Social Interaction • Awareness • Recognition of voices • Orientation to voices • Approach to adults • Approach to peers • Differentiated approach to others • Joint Attention • Turn taking/Reciprocal social interaction • Initiate requests

19. AttachmentWhat Does Behavior Tell Us? • Did not seek or resist close proximity with caretakers • Did not seek reassurance • Did not seek help • For safety, was never on his own

20. Daily Living Skills • Toileting • Hand washing • Eating • Dressing • Personal Organization

21. MotivationWhat Does the Behavior Tell Us? Enjoyed: • Activities that engage muscles (walking, climbing stairs, swinging, balancing, carrying objects) • Rocking, shaking his head, vocalizing • Ringing and listening to bells (not drums) • Vibration • Listening to music, except rejected drum sounds Tolerated: • Headphones to listen to music

22. Reinforcement Positive Negative

23. Motivation: What is it like for Ziggy? “Average” child Ziggy • The harder I try, the more I will get done • I have control over what happens to me • The world should make sense; when it doesn’t, something may be wrong • Thinking is hard work, but worth it. • Seek • Protest • Escape (maybe) • Avoid (maybe)

24. Ziggy’s Motivation Behavior Goal: Use 3 functional communication responses to decrease aggressive behavior (screaming, scratching, and biting).

25. What Doesn’t Work (for Ziggy)?

26. What Doesn’t work:Choice

27. Is This Ziggy? Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation I study spelling so I can get a good grade on a spelling test. I study spelling because I want to learn to spell and write.

28. Guiding & Prompting

29. Goals & Objectives Goals should be: Measurable AND Achievable

30. What Will Work? • Use routines as a base for comprehension • Identify and exploit any preferred behaviors

31. What Stands a Better Chance?How Can You Increase Desire?

32. Ziggy’s Motivation Vision Goal: Ziggy will explore objects with his hands.

33. How to Move Forward Create Meaning

34. Use Engagement to Support Learning “Why would Ziggy want to do this?”

35. How can you support development? Task Analysis Environmental Engineering

36. Additional Things to Consider • Medical conditions • Levels of arousal • Processing time • Need for breaks • Good days, bad days • Role of self-soothing • Reinforcement • Expect it to take time

37. What is success for a child who is blind? • Get dressed • Have a friend • Take a shower, even if it takes an hour • Pour milk • Play a game • Help out at home • Start a multinational business

38. Possible Long term Goals Live independently in a group home Assist with self-care Participate in a day-program Get along with others

39. Making Toast

40. Parents & Teachers:Important Partners! Parent • Focus on 1 child • Life commitment • Lives with the result of goals Teacher • Group focus • May miss change • Writes goals

41. Behavior Has Meaning How do you feel? What do you like? What do you want? What do you do? What can you do? Use this information as a base for shaping behavior

42. Imagine the Child’s World Find the meaning in the behavior!

43. Maureen Green mgreen@csb-cde.ca.govBetty Henrybhenry@csb-cde.ca.gov