BURN OUT/MAKING TABLE TIME REAL

[Guest guest]

Hi,

From some of the posts I've been reading for those of you who have switched

from your prior programming to a more S/P model I think, (this is based on

my own child), that since the S/P method is for my child at least much

harder, more language challenges, more independent thinking involved and

not any ability by him to visually cue himself, that for us we run a blend,

easy/difficult/easy/difficult.

If we run programs back to back that are really tough we get whiny and

stress reactions, and the performance drops off. So we alternate some he

can figure out some he cannot so he feels gratified that he knows what's

coming. I think he needs that to fee comfortable.

Also I find that for the stage we are at now I need for programs to provide

useful information to his life and we need to take the " table " information,

and make it real. In other words, if he knows it at the table, e.g. touch

the one you drive, What do you do with a scissors etc. and he answers and

touches correctly, that's great, however, the information does not

necessarily enhance his life in anyway unless we actually do the actions at

the same time.

What do you do with a scissors? (you cut) we then take a scissors and have

him cut something, thereby making him make the association a reality and

when he is holding a scissors he knows what to do with them and what you

call the action, i.e. cutting. If I put a scissors, a toothbrush, and a

book on the table, I want him to know in " real life " that if I say " get me

the one you cut with " or " let's cut this what do we need " and there are

other items on a table, (such as a school setting), he'll grab the scissors.

Just because he knows this at the table, he doesn't necessarily transfer

it. If he knows " touch the one you drive " , and he can do that receptively

and expressively that's just the start for us. Then I take the car

pictures out to the car, and we do an exercise there with me sitting inthe

driver's seat. " What am I doing? " He didn't transfer this, and I had to

verbally prompt -- I AM DRIVING.

I don't know if others of you do this, it's time consuming, but neessary

for us, and we don't do all of this every day, pick certain things to work

on to make his associations transfer from table to real life.

We also use a good bit of visual cuing, with the use of word cards, and I

dont' know if anyone else is using these as well? This is essential for us

to overcome his language deficits.

Cate