LEARNING & EDUCATIONAL BABYSITTING ARE INCOMPATIBLE WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE SEVERE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES

AER/Denver - July, 2000

Mary Morse, Ph.D.
Special Education Consultant
247 Pembroke Hill Road Pembroke, NH 03275
Phone (603) 485-7674
Fax (603) 485-1958
mary@seresc.net

A REMINDER

WE, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS, ALWAYS NEED TO BE PREPARED TO JUSTIFY WHAT WE DO TODAY IN THE EVENT OUR STUDENT(S) COME BACK IN TWENTY YEARS AND ASK US WHY WE CHOSE A PARTICULAR COURSE OF ACTION.

TEACHING CONSIDERATIONS

PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Consider the child's health, stamina, ability to manage sensory-motor demands, levels of arousal, communicative status, etc.
Organize the environment-at-large physically & sensorially
Organize the near work environment for each activity

INSTRUCTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Develop a Meaningful Curriculum
1. Are the goals & objectives functional for the student?
2. Will the tasks be rewarding enough to encourage the student's active participation?
3. What aspects of the activities will be especially difficult for the student?
4. What adaptations or support will be necessary to help the student be successful?
5. Is the manner of presentation CLEAR to the students from his/her perspective?
6. Is the curriculum justifiable?
Implement the Curriculum:
1. Determine priority environments. **
2. Within priority environments, determine priority activities. **
3. Within priority activities in priority environments, determine priority events. **
Using Successful Teaching Techniques:
- Emphasis on associations
- Greeting and departure ceremonies
- Object communication &/or Object-symbol communication
- Personal objects of reference
- Gradual transition from three dimensional to two dimensional
- Schedule system & Sub-schedule Systems
- Scripting words, phrases, signs/gestures & motor actions
- Grounding and use of surfaces
- Activity sequence set-ups
- Motor friendly- materials
- Visual and/or physical accessibility of materials
- Concepts of "saliency", "pausing", rhythm, and "dramatic hands"
- Hand-under-hand vs. Hand-over-hand
- Tangible counters and timers
- Use of natural packaging as teaching tools
- Natural opportunities for problem solving
- Principles of orientation & mobility
- Thematic learning experiences
- Use of journals

SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: A RELATIONSHIP OF EQUALS

Promote equality through active contribution
Promote equality through increased self-help skills
Promote equality through active experiences
Promote equality through INTER-active communication

** Rainforth, B., York, J. & Macdonalt, C. Collaborative Teams for Students with Severe Disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co. 1992.

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Last Revision: March 10, 2005