WHY WOULD ZIGGY WANT TO DO THAT?ENGAGING THE SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED LEARNER

Maureen Green and Betty HenryCalifornia School for the Blind

CTEBVI, March 21, 2015

WHO IS ZIGGY?

PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS WORKSHOPSCHOOL-AGE STUDENTS WHO HAVE COGNITIVE SKILLS

AT THE 6 – 24 MONTH LEVEL

SEQUENCE:

• What is motivation?• Characteristics of the Ziggy child• What doesn’t work?• What stands a better chance of

working?

WHAT IS MOTIVATION?

MO

TIV

ATIO

N

“I SEE, THEREFORE I WANT”

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ZIGGY CHILD

• Comprehension

• Motivation

• Intent

WHERE DO WE START?

Behavior, at first, is accidental

CO

MP

REH

EN

SIO

N

Developmental stages

Accidents happen

Focus on internal sensation

Awareness of external sensation

Beginning response

BEHAVIOR HAS MEANING

Pinch Bite Bruise others Chew on Clothing Screech Throw objects Push materials away Lift, topple, and push away furniture

INTEN

T

Click icon to add picture

INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION

Associational vs. Conceptual Language Use

Wouldyoulikeyoursippycup?

COGNITION:WHAT DOES BEHAVIOR TELL US

Pushed a chair Screwed a jar top (“turn it”) Moved cane when it encountered an obstacle Pulled a door handle Reached down to sit on a beanbag Recognized that a low voice meant concern

or correction Responded to short, clear, positive phrases

(hands down, give me five, time to work)

IMITATION

How important is the ability to imitate?

Imitation starts with the adult imitating the child; not the child imitating the adult.

ATTENTION & FOCUSWHAT BEHAVIOR TELLS US

Persisted for as long as 10 minutes with physical activity (walking, climbing stairs, reaching for a bar on the play structure)

Passive or resistant to all counting, pattern, or shapes tasks (“work time”)

Processing time increased with each additional object presented during “work time”

Ten second break between presentations seemed to help

LANGUAGE:WHAT DOES IT TELL US?

Receptive languageExpressive language

SOCIAL INTERACTION

Awareness Recognition of voices Orientation to voices Approach to adults Approach to peers Differentiated approach to others Joint Attention Turn taking/Reciprocal social interaction Initiate requests

ATTACHMENTWHAT DOES BEHAVIOR TELL US?

Did not seek or resist close proximity with caretakers

Did not seek reassurance Did not seek help For safety, was never on his own

DAILY LIVING SKILLS

Toileting Hand washing Eating Dressing Personal Organization

MOTIVATIONWHAT DOES THE BEHAVIOR TELL US?

Enjoyed:

Activities that engage muscles (walking, climbing stairs, swinging, balancing, carrying objects)

Rocking, shaking his head, vocalizing Ringing and listening to bells (not drums) Vibration Listening to music, except rejected drum

sounds

Tolerated: Headphones to listen to music

REINFORCEMENT

Positive Negative

MOTIVATION: WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR ZIGGY?

The harder I try, the more I will get done

I have control over what happens to me

The world should make sense; when it doesn’t, something may be wrong

Thinking is hard work, but worth it.

Seek Protest

Escape (maybe) Avoid (maybe)

“Average” child Ziggy

ZIGGY’S MOTIVATION

Behavior Goal: Use 3 functional communication responses to decrease aggressive behavior (screaming, scratching, and biting).

WHAT DOESN’T WORK (FOR ZIGGY)?

WHAT DOESN’T WORK:

CHOICE

IS THIS ZIGGY?

I study spelling so I can get a good grade on a spelling test.

Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation

I study spelling because I want to learn to spell and write.

GUIDING & PROMPTING

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goals should be:

Measurable AND Achievable

WHAT WILL WORK?

Use routines as a base for comprehension Identify and exploit any preferred behaviors

WHAT STANDS A BETTER CHANCE?

HOW CAN YOU INCREASE DESIRE?

ZIGGY’S MOTIVATION

Vision Goal: Ziggy will explore objects with his hands.

HOW TO MOVE FORWARD

Create Meaning

USE

ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT

LEARNING

“Why would Ziggy want to do this?”

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT?

Task Analysis

Environmental Engineering

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO CONSIDER

Medical conditionsLevels of arousalProcessing timeNeed for breaksGood days, bad daysRole of self-soothingReinforcementExpect it to take time

WHAT IS SUCCESS FOR A CHILD WHO IS BLIND?

Get dressed Have a friend Take a shower, even if it takes an hour Pour milk Play a game Help out at home

Start a multinational business

POSSIBLE LONG TERM GOALS

Live independently in a group home

Assist with self-care

Participate in a day-program

Get along with others

Making Toast

PARENTS & TEACHERS:IMPORTANT PARTNERS!

Parent

Focus on 1 child

Life commitment

Lives with the result of goals

Teacher

Group focusMay miss

changeWrites goals

BEHAVIOR HAS MEANING

How do you feel?

What do you like?

What do you want?

What do you do?

What can you do?

Use this information as a base for shaping behavior

IMAGINE THE CHILD’S WORLD

Find the meaning in the behavior!

MAUREEN GREEN mgreen@csb-cde.ca.gov

BETTY HENRYbhenry@csb-cde.ca.gov