Is it behavior or is it sensory?

This is a common question.  I work in the schools, and everyone wants to say that a behavior is sensory based.  Many times this is not true.  Sensory treatment can't solve all issues when there is a true behavior management problem.  Check out this venn diagram to help you determine what is the function of a behavior you are observing.

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Coping Skills in School

     I find that many students need coping skills to handle their emotions.  When students are upset, it is very difficult to reason with them.  I have had good success with teaching students coping skills to help change their emotional state.  The biggest hurdle for these students is to actually put into practice the skills we have practiced when they are calm.  Visual cues can be very helpful for these students.  I made up this visual support.

     I plan on making this a flip book with the "When I feel" page the front cover, and "Now I feel" at the end.  Cut each page in half and attach them together.

I'll let you know how it works.

Click on the picture for downloadable file

Evaluation Checklist

I created this checklist to make sure I cover everything when interviewing parents.  I've included all the information needed to fill out a PEDI for functional skills.

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Vision Therapy

I end up making a lot of referrals to vision therapy, so I correlated some information and made a handout for my students.

Click on the picture for printable handout.

Social Smarts

This is a worksheet meant for younger students.  Using ideas from Michelle Garcia Winner, it explains what "social smarts" are and when we use them.

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Whole Body Listening

I am going to start teaching a Kindergartner some social thinking vocabulary.  She is a very visual learner.  I adapted some of Michelle Garcia Winner's information and picture to make up the following lesson to this student understand how she can listen with her whole body.

Click on picture for printable lesson

Conversation Train

We have been working hard on conversation skills.  This is another lesson to practice conversation skills.  We discussed and brainstormed WHY conversation skills are important.  Some ideas the students came up with include:
- Making friends
- Getting ahead in a job
- Getting along with others

I'm really proud of the students for being able to generalize this information and put it into practice.  I made up a worksheet for them to practice this new knowledge.

Click on picture for printable worksheet.