Full Course Description

Self-Regulation & Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents: Visual Strategies and Hands-on Techniques to Provide Structure, Predictability, and Routines

Program Information

Objectives

Articulate the metacognitive and self-regulation strands for executive functioning components and how a breakdown in one strand impacts the other strands of executive functioning.
Implement visual strategies that support communication, social skills, and behavior skills and decrease dysregulation behaviors.
Utilize case studies to illustrate and evaluate the concepts of inhibitory control, working memory, emotional control, and mental rigidity.
Create treatment strategies to meet the needs of individual students demonstrating a lack of self-regulation skills to improve classroom behavior and performance.
Discriminate between the functions of behaviors in order to determine whether a behavior is a tantrum or an executive function meltdown.
Identify effective interventions and calming strategies when working with students who are overstimulated and experiencing sensory breakdowns.
Implement a “system” of interventions rather than a person dependent intervention to increase the odds of interventions being effective and accessible in multiple settings.

Outline

Self-Regulation and Executive Functioning (EF)

Neuroanatomy of the brain
Mirror neurons
Sensory issues vs. behavior issues
Address communication breakdowns before they become social skills deficits
Structure, predictability and routines to support self-regulation
Research-based interventions

VISUAL STRATEGIES AND HANDS-ON TECHNIQUES TO PROVIDE STRUCTURE, PREDICTABILITY AND ROUTINES

Surprise Cards

Engagement learning: Clock partners
Eloise: Meltdown video

Social Scripts

Caleb
Aaron
Video Monitoring: Case example

Power Cards

Levels of talking: Video examples
Sheldon: High interest area
Power card example
Creating power cards collaboratively
Power cards for different age and developmental levels

Calming Strategies

Emotional control
Anxiety management video
Emotions charts
Relaxation schedules
Calm down cards
Breathe cards: Video

Self-Regulation Techniques

Social stories formats: Video examples
Me-Moves: Experiential practice
T-Charts

Inhibitory Control

Turtle technique
Impulse control
Positive behaviors flip books
1^st then cards
Now and next cards
Key chain rules: Video Example

Target Audience

GEN & SPED Teachers
School-Based Personnel & Paraprofessionals
Curriculum Directors
School Administrators
Speech-Language Pathologists
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Social Workers
Counselors
Psychologists
Nurses

Copyright : 05/15/2019

The Cycle of a Meltdown and Introduction to Strategies

Do you work with children and adolescents with autism who exhibit explosive behaviors that interfere with their ability to effectively and efficiently navigate their environment?

They appear willful, obnoxious, over reactive, and unfeeling. They lose control of their ability to cope or regulate their behavior, which can send them spiraling into a gut wrenching meltdown.

Watch autism expert Kathy Morris, M.Ed., B.S., and learn proven strategies and techniques to help children and adolescents with autism de-escalate before a full blown meltdown ensues, develop self-control and self-management skills to prevent future meltdowns and learn appropriate/replacement behaviors. Dozens of strategies will be taught through dynamic video case examples and demonstrations.

“Teach them in the way they learn” will be a mantra throughout the recording.

Walk away with these interventions and more:

Breathe card and emotions chart to develop self-control and self-management skills
Surprise cards, change of schedule cues and transition markers to alleviate anxiety
Video modeling and role playing to improve social/emotional communication
First person stories and visual cues to promote positive behavior
Visual cues, music and software designed to increase attention and focus
Social stories, social scripts and emotions charts to develop self-regulation
SOCCSS, keychain rules and t-charts to target challenging behaviors

Program Information

Objectives

Discriminate functions of behavior during a tantrum vs. meltdown.
Analyze the connections and breakdowns between communication, social skills and behaviors.
Employ a breathe card and emotions chart to develop self-control and self-management skills.
Design optimal therapy/classroom structure to prevent overstimulation and sensory breakdowns.
Employ SOCCSS, keychain rules and t-charts to prevent, intervene or consequate targeted behaviors.
Utilize surprise cards, change of schedule cues and transition markers to alleviate anxiety.

Outline

Functions of a Meltdown

Tantrum vs. meltdown
Stages of a meltdown
Sensory issues vs. behavior issues
Meltdown intervention video

Sensory Strategies

Easy-to-use sensory tools and apps to calm
Overstimulation and sensory breakdowns
Therapy session and classroom structure for optimal learning

Executive Functioning Strategies

Visual cues, music and software designed to increase attention and focus
High interest areas to strengthen motivation and engagement
Visual reminders for routines and predictability
Visual structures to promote organization

Self-Regulation Strategies

Video modeling, t-charts, social stories, social scripts, emotions charts to develop self-control
Tools that promote self-monitoring of behavior
Power cards and visual checklists as powerful incentives to change behavior

Social/Emotional Communication Strategies

Social scripts and social stories to develop social interaction
Video modeling and role planning to demonstrate appropriate interactions
First person stories for positive behavior changes and affirmations

Explosive Behavior Strategies

Recognize the warning signs of a meltdown in order to prevent it
Surprise cards, change of schedule cues and transition markers to alleviate anxiety
Visual cues to depict expected behavior
Converting the verbal to a visual

Techniques for After the Meltdown

Strategies for instructional consequences
Chart appropriate/inappropriate behaviors
Activities for reviewing behaviors when calm
Cartooning to facilitate feedback
Strategies for providing systematic feedback
Reinforcement for communication strategies
Identify feelings and review behavior

Hands-on Activities

Demonstrate video of a child having meltdown
Appropriate and meaningful replacement behaviors for physical aggression
Instructional consequences for a meltdown

Target Audience

Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Special & General Educators
School Guidance Counselors
School Administrators
Educational Paraprofessionals
Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
School Psychologists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Physical Therapists
Physical Therapist Assistants
Other Helping Professionals that Work with Children