Supporting Higher Level Communication Skills Folden Supporting Higher Level... · Supporting Higher...

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Supporting Higher Level Communication Skills

in the Classroom, Community, and Home

Jillian Baldwin M.Sc., RSLP, S-LP(C)

604-444-3773

jillian@dsrf.org

Marla Folden M.Sc., RSLP, S-LP(C)

604-444-3773

marla@dsrf.org

Long Term Goals

• What is going to be most important to your

students’ “quality of life” down the road?

�Lasting relationships

�Employment

�Independence

• Focus on functionality

Today’s Goals

Skills

• Communication strengths

• Communication challenges

Demands

• Environmental demands

• Communication opportunities

Strategies

• Build skills

• Compensate

Help

• Professionals

• Resources

What is communication?

• How people

communicate

– Spoken words, sounds

– Voice

– Facial expressions

– Body language

– Gestures

– Pictures

– Sign language

– Writing

– Devices

• Why people

communicate

– Meeting needs

(getting/refusing

things), safety

– Exchange information

– Social interaction

– Build/maintain

relationships

Get to know your child’s learning profile“The profile should inform practice”

Consider:

1. Physical, perceptual, and sensory factors

2. Cognitive factors

3. Communication factors

Identify both strengths and challenges….

Then work from strengths!

Vision (60%)

Hearing (65-80%)

Touch (49%)

Perceptual and Sensory Factorsin Communication

• Attention

• Verbal short-term

memory

• Reasoning / problem-

solving

• Abstract thinking

• Memory for words

• Sequencing /

organization

• Generalization

Cognitive Factorsin Communication

= Communication Profile

Strengths vs. Challenges

Receptive Language

(understanding) + gesturing

Expressive Language (speaking)

+ speech clarity

Visual processing + memory Auditory processing + memory

Vocabulary (especially for

things)

Grammar (putting words

together in sentences)

Concrete words Abstract concepts

Repetitive language Novel sentences

Social motivation Social skills (pragmatics)

Today’s Goals

Skills

• Communication strengths

• Communication challenges

Demands

• Environmental demands

• Communication opportunities

Strategies

• Build skills

• Compensate

Help

• Professionals

• Resources

Health status

Child’s current health status will affect behaviour, skill, and

sensory abilities.

OpportunitiesSkill Demands

Day-to-day interactions

at:

• Home

• School

• Community

Communication

profile:

• Strengths

• Challenges

Include:

• Environment

• Cognitive load

Social & emotional state, and learning

How your child responds to others affects willingness to try something new.

Learning challenges affect skill acquisition

Child factors in Communication

Today’s Goals

Skills

• Communication strengths

• Communication challenges

Demands

• Environmental demands

• Communication opportunities

Strategies

• Build skills

• Compensate

Help

• Professionals

• Resources

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence length Social interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

• Follows directions accurately

• Responds meaningfully

• Respond consistently to similar directions/ requests

Does the child understand me?

• Bored and fidgeting

• Starts doing self-directed things

• Responds incorrectly

Does the child understand me?

• Smile

• Say ‘yes’, ‘ok’, or ‘no’!

• Pick the last choice you gave

• Say the last word you said

Does the child understand me?

When You’re Giving Information

�Reduce distractions

�Length and simplicity

�Use visuals*

Does the child understand me?

Reduce

Distractions

Does the child understand me?

Highlight Your Language

www.hanen.org

Does the child understand me?

Length & Simplicity

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Following

directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence length Social interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

When You’re Giving Directions

�Labels: Be specific

�Visuals: say it AND show it

�Repeat, repeat, repeat!

Following Directions

Labels: Be specific

Hand in your

assignments

Put your chapter 6

definitions in the blue

science homework tray

Following Directions

Labels: Be specific

Put that away. Hang your coat in the

closet.

Following Directions

Following Directions

Demonstrate what you want your child to do

Visuals

Following Directions

Visuals

Low-Tech Picture

Systems can support

verbal directions.

Following Directions

Visuals: First � Then

Keep it simple, clear, consistent

Following Directions

Visuals: Schedules

Following Directions

Visuals: Size

Following Directions

Visuals: write your own schedule

Following Directions

Let your student help write

the list: this

increases motivation,

provides functional practice

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!

PRE-TEACH

new

concepts

PRE-TEACH

new

concepts

REPEAT

key points

REPEAT

key points

REVIEW

concepts

REVIEW

concepts

Following Directions

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence length Social interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

Sequencing – putting events in order

Understanding stories

Identifying WH details

Understanding stories

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

Comprehending

stories

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence length Social interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

Explicitly teach

what type of

information each

question word

seeks

Asking and Answering Questions

Asking and Answering Questions

Harder

(abstract)

Easier

(concrete)

Asking and Answering Questions

Asking Questions

Asking and Answering Questions

Visuals: Asking for help

Asking and Answering Questions

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Communicating

about day-to-

day experiences

Sentence length Social interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

Communicating day-to-day experiences

Visuals

Asking and Answering questionsCommunicating day-to-day experiences

“…evidence that suggests individuals with DS have strengths

in visual processing that can be leveraged to improve relative

weaknesses in narrative language (Chapman et al., 1998;

Roberts et al., 2008).”

Communicating day-to-day experiences

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Sentence

lengthSocial interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

Improving Expressive Language

�Vocabulary (words your student knows)

�Sentences (putting words together)

Sentence Length

Through

Crawl

UnderStart!

Between

Bounce

Your turn!

Again

Fast

Vocabulary: Teach a Variety of Words

Sentence Length

Pour

Combine

HotStir

Fast

Spatula

Creamy

Mix

Measuring cup

Vocabulary: Teach a Variety of Words

Sentence Length

Wipe

Vocabulary: Personal Dictionary

Sentence Length

Improving Expressive Language

�Vocabulary (words your student knows)

�Sentences (putting words together)

Sentence Length

Building Sentences: Pacing

Sentence Length

Building Sentences: Visual Manipulatives

Sentence Length

Building Sentences: Visual manipulatives

Sentence Length

Building Sentences:

Communication Binders

Sentence Length

AACAugmentative and alternative communication

“Any method that assists with or supplements speech and language, or that replaces speech as the primary communication system.”

– Libby Kumin

HOW

• sign language

• picture

symbols

• Electronic

devices

• voice output

machines

WHY

• low

intelligibility

(speech)

• difficulty

formulating

messages

(language)

Sentence Length

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence

length

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Social

interactions

Fixing

communication

break-downs

• Appropriate greetings (Hi! Bye!)

• Taking turns in a conversation

• Commenting on what someone said

• Compliments, jokes, questions

• Eye contact, facial expressions and body

language

• Proxemics (personal space)

• Repairing communication breakdowns

What are the challenges?

Social Communication

How can we address them?

• Teach directly*

• Model

• Scripts

• Role play

• Visuals

• Prompt

• Specific feedback

• Generalize

Social Communication

Direct Teaching Tool

1. Identify expected and unexpected social communication behaviours.

2. Use social behaviour mapping to teach the consequences of each choice.

Social Communication

Direct teaching tool: Teach Concepts with a

‘Social Story’

Social Communication

Direct Teaching

Social Communication

Conversation: Scripts & Role-Play

Social Communication

Supporting Peer Interactions

• With parents’ permission, talk to the class

about the peer and their differences

• Teach peers the skills and language to use

• Encourage as many INTERACTIONS in a day as

possible – facilitate early on

*Think: Can a peer or the individual can do

this instead of me?

Social Communication

Key Strategies

Understanding

others

Following

Directions

Comprehending

stories

Asking and

answering

questions

Communicating

about day-to-day

experiences

Sentence

length

Social interactions

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

Fixing

communication

break-downs

What to do if you don’t understand

the child’s speechUnderstand it can be frustrating!

• Stay relaxed

• Show that you’re interested and trying to understand

Ask your student to:

• Say it again, say it slowly

• Write it, sign it

• Say it a different way, Tell you the 1st sound

• Show you

Ask questions:

• Choices: “Do you mean X or Y?”

• Yes/no: to narrow it down – “Is it on TV?”

Ask if they want to try again later

Repairing Breakdowns

How to fix it:

Repairing Breakdowns

In summary

Today’s Goals

Skills

• Communication strengths

• Communication challenges

Demands

• Environmental demands

• Communication opportunities

Strategies

• Build skills

• Compensate

Help

• Professionals

• Resources

Resources: Who can help?• Public or private SLP, OT

• Resource teachers

• AAC specialists – usually available through the school board

• Behaviour interventionist

• Medical professionals

Private SLP:

https://www.osla.on.ca/en/childirectory

Resources: Language Development

Books• Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome

– Libby Kumin, 2012

• Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better– Libby Kumin, 2008

• Teach Me to Talk!: The Therapy Manual– Laura Mize, 2011

• It Takes Two to Talk: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children With Language Delays– Jan Pepper and Elaine Weitzman, 2004

• Social stories http://carolgraysocialstories.com/social-stories/– Caron Gray, 1991

• Zones of Regulation http://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html

• Social thinking curriculuum https://www.socialthinking.com/– Michelle Garcia Weiner

Resources: AAC

• Boardmaker Achieve website– www.boardmakeronline.com

• SET BC website– www.setbc.org

• Free sign language videos– www.signingsavvy.org

• AAC RERC (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centre) website– http://aac-rerc.psu.edu/index.php/pages/show/id/44

• Touch Chat app: web resources, manuals, and training videos– https://touchchatapp.com/

THANK YOU!

� Consider skill profiles

• Capitalize on strengths to target challenges

� Goals should focus on long-term functionality

• But go step by step

� Contact an SLP for individualized recommendations and strategies

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of inclusive education. Down syndrome research and practice, 9(3). 51-53.

Breslin, J., Spano, G., Bootzin, R., Anand, P., Nadel, L., & Edgin, J. (2014). Obstructive sleep

apnea syndrome and cognition in Down syndrome. Developmental Medicine & Child

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Bull, M.J. & Committee on Genetics. (2011). Health supervision for children with down

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http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/2/393.full.html

Chen, C.C. (JJ), Spano, G., Edgin, J.O. (2012). The impact of sleep disruption on executive

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http://www.cfpc.ca/uploadedFiles/Directories/_PDFs/Down%20Syndrome.pdf

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Kumin, L. (2008). Helping children with Down syndrome communicate better.

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Lanza, J.R. & Flahive, L.K. (2009). Linguisystems guide to: Communication

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Motley, W.W. Vision and eye issues affecting individuals with Down

syndrome[webinar]. Retrieved from Webinar Web site:

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National Down Syndrome Society. Vision & Down Syndrome. Retrieved from:

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Paul, R. & Norbury, C.F. (2012). Language disorders from infancy through

adolescence: Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communicating.

4th. St. Louis, MI. Elsevier.

References

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