Kudos to those who's making a difference in the lives of our special needs kids! Setting expectations in your classroom is going to be the number one objective this week. Routines for kids on the Spectrum is not only essential for a positive day, its necessary to build foundations in skills
Executive functioning skills, A.K.A: thought processes, are necessary for the cognitive (thought) control of behavior, attention control, working memory, planning and problem solving. These skills gradually develop and change over a lifespan and can be improved at any time throughout a person's life.
Let's talk about working memory. This is the skill that focuses on memory-in-action: the ability to remember and use important and relevant information while in the middle of an activity. An example of this is like being able to recall steps of a recipe while cooking a meal. You might think of this as "short term memory".
So, how do you help your students who may have EF skill deficits? There are many strategies to sift through, but let's talk about three that can be helpful.
Compensatory (Techniques or modifications for something lacking)
Recall (primarily verbal)
External aids
Compensatory Strategies:
These must be taught using practices that place during learning focusing on explicit instructions. An example of compensatory strategies is if a student has the ability to understand math concepts, such as adding numbers, the activity could use playing cards to help add numbers. This strategy makes it possible to create a variety in learning situations.
Recall Strategies:
This type of strategy is primarily verbal. Using this strategy, students can retrieve previously learned information from their memory. While modeling steps out loud, the teacher is providing two types of sensory intake: verbal and visual. This helps the student learn sequencing of events. A good example is using music and movement to a lesson.
External Aids:
External aids are there to help the student conclude learning and allow for revisiting for recall. This is an example of a visual schedule, a list of tasks for completing a task or a simple anchor chart on the days lesson.
How does this help with routines in your class? Students who are able to use strategies to maximize working memory skills, success will be achieved. Providing a positive, focused environment filled with clear expectations will certainly keep you, as the teacher on track, as well as being a tool for Executive Functioning Skills for the students who are learning in your classroom!
Check out my Pinterest board for ideas! https://pin.it/dcdev3y5zv5gsn
댓글