Creating visual behavior plans and Intervention materials

1. Creating visual behavior plans and Intervention materials Michelle Niehaus, LCSW

2. Our Goal today� Take the perspective of individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and/or Highly Visually Oriented Identify key behaviors and social skills targeted in behavior plans Share ideas and create �take homes� to apply �just in time!�

3. What Do you see? Introduce yourself and why you came What perspective do you bring to this work?

4. What does it mean to be �Highly Visually oriented?� Primary means of communication may be in American Sign Language (ASL), a manual-gestural system, or gesture Individuals may have dysfluent language due to developmental or intellectual disabilities or cognitive disorders Students may be primarily visual learners and benefit from these techniques

5. Why should we consider making behavior plans themselves HVO? Teachers, parents, and ARC members want students to follow the plans�.how well are the plans actually communicated to the child? As higher levels of learning and responsibility are expected, behavior plans must go beyond rewards and consequences so that students learn why they are to do certain things and what results Expectations lowered help no one. (Goethe quote) Other ideas?

6. What about language levels? The example of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Highly complex treatment program Adapted to three levels of language Key Concepts Mindfulness Skills Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Getting What I Want / DEAF CAN Taking Care of Relationships Emotional Regulation Model for Describing Emotions

7. Activity Time! Working with the DBT Materials for Warm Up In small groups, take a packet of DBT materials. Divide your packet into the three language levels. Compare and contrast how they are similar and different. Choose one of the key concepts. Together, think about how they would apply to your students and teaching them to be emotionally well-adjusted. Think of one student in particular who would benefit from this kind of information. Work together to adapt the materials to his/her level. Be prepared to share! Note: Work together on one student�s needs. You�ll get time to work alone later! Choose a spokesperson from the group to summarize your discussion to the whole group.

8. I want my students to be able to� The benefit of working backwards�.

9. Right now, _________ gets in the way

10. Activity : Building on the ______ Think of an individual student you have who has a behavior plan. Identify the _______ that gets in the way. Some people may call this anger, inattention, etc. Visually represent this getting in the way. Think about how you would describe this orally, in sign language, and with your visual to your student� Individually With his/her parents In an ARC meeting Be prepared to share!

11. How do conversations about the behavior usually go? Discussion�.

12. Reframing behavior problems as skills not yet learned�Or as�

13. I want my student to be able to� Demonstrate what skills? (Or replace�) Have what positive outcome for themselves if they do this (motivator) ACTIVITY! Thinking of the steps needed to get there, create a visual representation of the positive behaviors the child will show when the skill is attained

14. How do I put that in an iep? That�s great, but�

15. Activity! In teams of two, review your work so far. Now put the steps developed in the last activity into �teacher-terminology.� How would you write it in an IEP? How would you use the visual plan to describe the problem and its possible solutions in an ARC meeting so that all better understand the student�s perspective?

16. Use of Visual metaphor for teaching

20. What Visual Metaphors Work for Your Students? You�re Turn!

21. Open Forum time for collective intelligence

22. Michelle niehaus, LCSW(502) 564-4456 x4521(502) 564-4000 (VP)Michelle.niehaus@ky.gov Keep in Touch!