$10 Classroom Strategies Seminar - Register Today

[Guest guest]

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES SEMINAR

Saturday, October 23, 2010, 9am-4pm

Sponsored by: Autism Society - Greater Georgia

and SPECTRUM Autism Support Group

Hosted by: Duluth First United Methodist Church,

Health and Wellness Ministry

3208 Duluth Hwy. 120, Duluth, GA

$10.00 pre-registration fee

$15.OO at the door (based on space availability)

Please visit www.asaga.com or call for more information or to

register.

Please note that even though this seminar focuses onclassroom strategies for

educators, it will be beneficial to anyone that works with, lives with, or cares

for an individual with ASD.

Schedule:

8:15am-8:45am - Arrival

Check in and receive materials

9:00am-Noon Session 1

A conversation on behavior – and what to do about it

By: Crimmins, Ph.D. and Stacey , M.o.M.

Center for Leadership in Disability, Georgia State Univ.

Noon-1:00pm Lunch

Bring your own or pre-order for and additional $6.00

1:00pm-4:00pm Session 2

Research validated teaching strategies:

The Art and Science of Teaching Social Skills

By: n Joiner, MS, CRC, NCC,

The Model Classroom and Skills for Life

Presentations and Presenters:

Session 1: A conversation on behavior – and what to do about it

When children hit others or themselves, run away, or tantrum, we generally refer

to these as problem behaviors. If these occurred only occasionally, we may

shrug them off and chalk it up to " just the way this kid acts. " When these

behaviors occur frequently, we often find ourselves getting pulled into a

vicious cycle of stronger reactions leading to higher levels of behavior.

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) can help break this cycle. Problem behaviors

are commonly seen in the lives of children with autism spectrum disorders. We

think that this is due partly to difficulties in learning and communication, but

may also be due to limited choices and low expectations.

The PBS approach has three components – Understand, Prevent, Replace! It starts

with analyzing how problem behaviors can be functional – that is, we look at how

behaviors may serve as a means of communicating or getting one's way. Parents

and teachers then develop plans to prevent the behavior by anticipating the

needs of the child before the problem occurs. And, finally, they begin to teach

the child new skills or behaviors that will replace problem behaviors by helping

him or her meet those needs independently.

PBS has been shown to be effective in extensive field testing with families and

in schools. Our goal is that children should experience the greatest level of

independence possible and participate fully at home, school, and community; they

are more likely to be successful if they don't have behavior problems, and are

likely to do better still, when they have the skills to respond to troubling

situations.

This presentation will provide a forum for a discussion about PBS and how it can

help children with behavior problems. We represent the perspectives of parent

and professional. In addition to presenting the Understand-Prevent-Replace

model, we will also provide concrete examples of how this can be applied at

home. Our discussion will also look at how this model can – and should – be

used at school.

Crimmins, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Leadership in

Disability at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In this role he oversees a

range of research, training, and technical assistance programs that have the

goal of improving services for individuals with disabilities of all ages. Dan

has worked in direct service settings, in the schools, and at the university

level for more than 30 years, focusing on the dissemination of positive behavior

support and effective educational practices for students with autism and related

disabilities.

Stacey is the Director of Individual and Family Supports for the Center

for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In this

role she develops and delivers training programs on person-centered planning,

autism, and advocacy. Stacey has worked as a parent mentor in Cobb County and

for the Georgia Office of Developmental Disabilities.

Session 2: Research validated teaching strategies: The Art and Science of

teaching Social Skills.

A well founded social skills program is essential to the future success of your

student with autism. His academic strengths and her cognitive abilities do not

necessarily lead to the successful and purposeful life we are all pursuing.

Research suggests that a lack of ability to be with others, read their social

messages, and respond accordingly is the most frequent reason for

underemployment and lack of employment for our students, clients, and family

members. Social abilities remains one of the most challenging instructional

areas.

The educational community calls for researched and validated teaching methods

for academic subjects across age groups. Still many educators struggle to find

proven methods and researched back techniques to meet the need of learners with

autism.

Today we have the benefit of good research that leads to effective practices to

better prepare students. The presenter and participants will discuss the

outcomes of current research and the practical application of validated methods

to improve the success of social skills instruction.

Seminar will introduce research driven methods, and focus on the practical

application of these findings.

n Joiner, MS, CRC, NCC directs The Model Classroom and Skills for Life

programs. Her primary role is the development and implementation of social

learning groups for adults with ASD. For more than 30 years n has served

as an educator, counselor, and advocate, for individuals across the asd

spectrum, their families, and educators.

Please forward this information to your list(s).