End of the week

Looking back at the week I think that meticulously drawing stick figure and thought bubble pictures about the student’s schedule has helped reduce lengthy behavioral episodes, even though the days were not agitation free. Sitting down together three different times throughout the day and using the drawing and writing process to discuss “what will happen?” refocused the student.

I also have been using this method during inclusion classes to help the student make connections with the grade level curriculum, though my instruction is not direct in these scenarios. For example, during a science lab where a small student group was working to filter water, I would draw the various actions and stages with the corresponding questions around the steps they used. The student would help with the experiment and then use the drawings to more fully understand what was happening at each stage and as a model of internal dialogue. Overall, the student’s behavior was less agitated and engaged. Evaluating whether or not these are sufficient ways to deliver instruction has yet to be determined. And here I think I am facing the fundamental challenge of creating an environment that centers instruction and learning, as apposed to behavioral intervention. I would like to figure out a way to lead with the learning, to have the learning itself support positive behavior.

The goals remain; help the student understand their own communication and how others comprehend their communication, while bridging the gap between their knowledge and word base in one area to their expressive communication.  It’s the “concept” part of language that I’m working on to put it more succinctly.

This week I increased the amount of time I used to help the student process their schedule or the question “What will happen next?” At the end of the week, I started to include some hand over hand drawings of these cartoon explanations.