Spring Training 1

Individualizing Recreation and Leisure Activities for Youth with Special Needs: 

Individualizing Recreation and Leisure Activities for Youth with Special Needs Sarah Nielsen, MMGT, OTR/L

Possible Special Needs: 

Possible Special Needs Visual Hearing Physical Medical (diabetes, asthma,) Behavioral/emotional Brain injury Learning Developmental

Benefits: 

Benefits Make friends Learn social skills Develop hobbies Meet youth without disabilities Be active and belong Gain confidence Click here to play video

Welcome Youth and Families: 

Welcome Youth and Families Use person first language Welcome as you would anyone else Find out why they joined Ask about accommodations Invite parents to explain if you are overwhelmed Use resource services to trouble shoot Talk to the child privately about concerns Click here to play video

Common Misperceptions: 

Common Misperceptions “Will I need to modify the entire activity?” “What if all of my focus goes to the child with the special need? Won’t the rest of the group suffer?” “Don’t I need special training to work with these kids?” “Aren’t children with special needs more likely to get hurt?” Click here to play video

Balance: 

Balance Be creative! Look at how you can foster participation at different levels. Encourage youth to help each other Modify the environment Use basic behavioral strategies Call your resources if you are stuck!!! Click here to play video

Fostering Participation : 

Fostering Participation Let’s look at a handful of tools and ideas to get us started! These ideas work great for all kids and therefore will be a benefit to everyone, not just the child with special needs Click here to play video

BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION: 

BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION Start by establishing rules. Why? Kids need a clear understanding of expectations: remember what is expected at your house, may not be expected at someone else's! One of the most important aspects of any group for kids is learning social behavior and community expectations Click here to play video

Establishing Rules: 

Establishing Rules Involve the kids! Ask the kids first (you can always hint!) Keep the number small and simple Take time to discuss what the rules mean. State rules positively (Behavior we want) Post the rules so they can be seen clearly. Tell families Review rules Often Click here to play video

Group Rules: : 

Group Rules: Don’t touch anyone Don’t interrupt Don’t lie Don’t leave the group Don’t pick your nose Keep your hands to yourself Take turns talking Tell the truth Stay with the group and your partner Use good manners Follow directions Click here to play video Which Do You Like Better?

You Have Rules - What’s Next? : 

You Have Rules - What’s Next? Keep your hands to yourself Take turns talking Tell the truth Stay with the group Stay with your partner Use good manners Follow directions Click here to play video

Talk About Rules: 

Talk About Rules Review what each rule means. Give examples! 2. “Use good manners: Say please and thank you or excuse me. Take turns.” 3. Explain further. “Take turns talking: We may need to raise our hand, listen to others, wait.” 4. “Keep hands to self: arms length apart, ask before giving a hug.” Click here to play video

Enforcing the Rules: 

Enforcing the Rules Review the rules at the beginning of each meeting Provide positive feedback (tell them often to start with) I like the way you are following directions Shelby Thank you for giving a best effort John Click here to play video

Communicating Rules/Expectations: 

Communicating Rules/Expectations A common feature of many disabilities can be difficulty reading “the look” or “body language” Always state in a matter of fact voice what the rule and expectations are Say what you want the child to do instead of looking or gesturing. This will limit “meltdowns” Click here to play video

New Rules As We Go : 

New Rules As We Go Re-evaluate rules when necessary Examples: a behavior you have never seen before happens. Now we have to address it Going on a trip which requires an extra special rule Click here to play video

What About Rewards: 

What About Rewards Use rewards only if necessary. Stick with verbal praise and acknowledgment as long as possible. Reinforcements should only be provided if the group/individual follows through and they are predetermined Set up ahead of time that the group gets 15 minutes free time for following rules today Don’t give it to them if they didn’t earn it or it becomes a bribe! Click here to play video

Possible Reinforcements Ideas: 

Possible Reinforcements Ideas Earn privileges as a group or individual Individual: help the leader pass out snacks, set up jobs Group: scoop of popcorn in a jar, when jar is full group gets a popcorn and movie Let the group pick an activity, play some extra time Always accompany tangibles with verbal praise or a thumbs up so you can fade the tangibles later Click here to play video

How Do I Redirect Children?: 

How Do I Redirect Children? Teach children to follow the rules - “Jack stop doing x and start doing y.” “Sue please stop eating the glue and start gluing your beads to the paper.” Or -“Sue rule number 4 says follow directions.” “The direction is glue the beads on the paper.” Teach children to correct mistakes “How are you going to fix this problem? (Good for peer issues such as teasing, tattling or running) Click here to play video

Consequences: 

Consequences If you need to list specific consequences, review them at each session Examples: If you do not follow directions you will have to sit out (no more than 1 minute per year of age), stay after to do an extra job or something of that nature A general rule of thumb is give the child a warning and then if they don’t change the behavior then enforce the consequence Click here to play video

When Children Still Don’t Follow the Rules…: 

When Children Still Don’t Follow the Rules… Talk to the child and contact parent and find out if they have concerns 2. See if there are resources such as counselor, extra support staff or NDCPD PLAY staff 701-858-3580 Ask the parent to attend and model or assist with the child Click here to play video

Second Step…: 

Second Step… Set up a behavioral contract. Review policy with your organization List behaviors expected and results if met/not met (set with parents) Ask youth & parents to sign with you Request parent attend if necessary Example: The child will follow group rules, if not following group rules 1) verbal warning 2) time out 3) parent will be called 4) if it happens again at next session child will sit out one session Click here to play video

Special Strategies for VERY oppositional kids: 

Special Strategies for VERY oppositional kids Who? Kids with oppositional defiant disorder, attention deficit disorder Behavior may look like they want power and control You feel annoyed, angry, frustrated These kids often hate praise and positive reinforcement Based on work of: Dr. Doug Knowlton, Randy Sprick, Jim Fay, Rick LaVoie, Corwin Kronenberg Click here to play video

What Will Help? : 

What Will Help? Avoid power struggles (arguing) Pick your battle (is it that important that the kids sit completely still) Offer choices (do you want to do a or b) Defer control (instead of you against me use; the rules say, the clock says its time for) When providing praise do not do so in a pubic direct way Click here to play video

Handling Attention Issues: 

Handling Attention Issues First rule of thumb: Understand what is expected in terms of length of attention for that age group If our expectations are much too high we set ourselves up for behavioral issues. We think the child has the same attention span as we do and they do not Remember they have probably completed a full day of activity, stimulants are likely wearing off Click here to play video

Schedule : 

Schedule Break the session into several activities- you likely already do this to a degree For younger kids plan for periods of 15 minutes before shifting the activity or focus Always review ahead of time the schedule and plan with the kids (decreases anxiety) Click here to play video

Schedule for Today’s Meeting : 

Schedule for Today’s Meeting 3:30 Snack time 3:45 Presentation of colors 4:00 Badge of day: learning about insects: this may be a longer activity but can be broken up with collecting insects, reading about them and so forth) 4:30 Clean up 4:45 Retire colors

Another Schedule Example: 

Another Schedule Example 3:30 Review the rules and do warm up exercises 3:45 Station one: balance beam 4:00 Station two: hand stands 4:15 Station three: cartwheels 4:30 Cool down exercises Click here to play video

Physical Activity: 

Physical Activity It is good to add physical activity throughout your session, especially if you are not a movement based group Start with a brief physical activity such as a song like the hokey pokey or a walk or something of that nature Click here to play video

Physical Activity Continued: 

Physical Activity Continued Build in brief physical activity such as “Boy, we look tired let’s do a few jumping jacks to get ourselves awake,” or “You guys are getting pretty excited, we better burn of some off that energy.” Just a change in position does wonders for a child of ADHD: move from sitting at a chair, to sitting on the floor, up on elbows, to a standing activity and so forth Click here to play video

What About Waiting? : 

What About Waiting? Do physical activity first prior to sitting Bring along activities for sitting in the car (a bag with fidgets, ideas for car games, books, crossword puzzles and so forth) For sitting presentations a few secret tools for the child: isometrics and relaxation exercises, fidgets Talk with the child ahead of time and develop a plan, possibly a place to sit where the child can get up and get rid of that energy easily without distracting others Click here to play video

Giving Directions to Someone with Attention Issues : 

Giving Directions to Someone with Attention Issues Strategies to try include: Ask for eye contact Have them repeat the direction back to you Give only one step at a time Place hands on child’s shoulder before giving direction (ask first) Give directions both verbally and visually Click here to play video

Modifying the Environment for Attention Issues: 

Modifying the Environment for Attention Issues Limit distractions Keep décor/clutter to a minimum Place the student with attention issues near you or in front of the distractions Remove what they seem to focus in on and can’t ignore Quiet work time: Provide dividers Use white noise Assist the child in organizing by breaking directions into steps and giving one step at a Time Click here to play video

What If Other Kids Comment?: 

What If Other Kids Comment? Example: Johnny is crawling under the table and you are ignoring the behavior and the other child says, “He’s crawling under the table. Why can he do that?” We are going to work on our project and ignore Johnny, he can play again when he follows the rules. Click here to play video

Learning Styles and Abilities: 

Learning Styles and Abilities 1. What are the strength areas of the child? Can we adapt the activity to match this? 2. What is our real goal – is our goal for a child to memorize and repeat or to learn and use ideas? Example: The child has difficulty with writing, but they can tell me all about their project. Can they say it into a tape? Example: The child can’t memorize but other Scouts are. Can we use prompts or cue cards? Click here to play video

Adaptations Continued : 

Adaptations Continued Pair visual/auditory information to address a variety of learning styles Adapt by requiring the child to complete a certain number of steps versus all the steps Example: Give written instructions & say them also Example: Eliminate or assist with difficult steps & have the child do the others

Adaptations Continued : 

Adaptations Continued When selecting groups/pairs think about talents, interests & abilities Example: instead of doing a task individually, match the kids so they can work together Alternate steps in a way that matches the child with a step they can have success with Click here to play video

Adaptations Continued: 

Adaptations Continued If a child has difficulty organizing or making decisions, limit the options to choose from Assist the child in only selecting items for a step at a time Example: instead of saying “What do you want to do today?” Say; Would you like to do a, b or c. Click here to play video

Adaptations Continued : 

Adaptations Continued Most importantly: when your guide book states an activity has to be done a certain way, step back and ask yourself “What is the actual criteria?” Usually there is another way of getting there! Involve the child or parent in asking what has worked for them in similar situations. When adapting the activity, they actually can provide you with the best information!!

What If Other Parents Complain? : 

What If Other Parents Complain? 1. Our goal is to help all children to participate and be successful 2. Modifying steps does not mean children won’t be required to meet the same end criteria 3. The goal of our program is participation and fun first Click here to play video

What If Other Children Complain?: 

What If Other Children Complain? Remember we all do things differently Avoid always pairing the same kids to together “It’s not fair. They don’t have to tie the knot and I do”: Say: “Is it hard for you to tie the knot? Do you need assistance, I can help you?” Fair means we all get a chance to participate in whatever way we can Click here to play video

Most Important of All…..: 

Most Important of All….. Take care of you If you get frustrated, direct the kids to an activity and step aside for a minute to maintain your composure, if you are upset the kids will sense it and some will have behaviors If you do get frustrated and yell or do something you wish you hadn’t, apologize and discuss with the kids what you will do different next time as this is an excellent method of modeling Click here to play video

Don’t Expect Perfection!: 

Don’t Expect Perfection! If you don’t know what to say or do at the moment just say, “I’ll have to think about this. I’m not sure what to do about this situation.” No one expects us to be the expert Click here to play video

Use Your Resources!: 

Use Your Resources! PLAY NDCPD at Minot State University 500 University Avenue W. Minot, ND 58707 701-858-3580 Ask for JoLynn Webster or Cathy Haarstad Click here to play video