As a mom of a child who had some significant "holes" in his development, I had no idea how tackle them. I really didn't have a clue to help him go from point A to point B. Point A was his skill level and point B was independent proficiency in what I wanted him to learn. This was not easy. It was tedious and took much longer than I wanted.
The question many parents ask is where do I even begin? One thing I learned quickly is that my son was not going to move on my schedule. As hard as it was to accept, he was unable to do this. I had to accept the role as his resident problem solver. That was the only way he could move off of point A toward point B. The goal at point B is that my son can be his own resident problem solver. After 13 years of interventions, he is getting close to point B. There are areas that he can handle well. Mother areas still need some work.
One of the keys that made a difference was task analysis. That's a fancy way of saying:- Is what he is being asked to do, too hard?
- Could the demands be reduced in some way to promote initial success?
- Could the task be presented in a way that makes it feel less overwhelming?
- Does he understand what he is suppose to do?
- Is he confused or overwhelmed by the task itself or how it is communicated?
- Is the task or instructions overwhelming his sensory systems?
- If it is non-preferred or new, is there significant motivation to move him out of his comfort zone? Remember, new is usually non-preferred.
- Can the skill be broken down into smaller increments with each being taught separately? Once he is comfortable with one part, then the next part is taught. The two "subskills" are put or "chained together" to make 1 skill. Once subskills 1 + subskills 2 are chained together, they become one skill. The next subskill is taught and then added as before. This is continued until all subskills have been added and the total skill is in place.
- How can other variables (could there be more visual cues and less auditory in teaching process) be changed to help the child have initial success demonstrating the skill that is being taught?
Please join me next week as we look at some potential skills to begin your child's journey toward independence!
Posted with Blogsy