CHILDREN’S MINISTRY FOR THOSE WITH

DIFFERENT ABILITIESa CLUB H.O.P.E. PRESENTATION

Presented by: Micki Webb, M.S.Hope Community Church Member

School Psychologist/Behavior SpecialistSunday, February 21, 2016 3:30pm – 4:30pm

Everyone has a story. Here’s a bit of mine…

While each parent’s journey is unique, it is the journey of raising a child with different abilities that can feel so unique that it can be isolating, lonely and overwhelming. Let this not be true of parents who are Christians actively participating in a church. Let us be those who care enough and know enough to make the journey joyful.

Ultimately, after all is said and done, every parent wants his/her child to be happy and to feel loved and accepted. When different abilities are celebrated instead of tolerated, then God’s love is manifested in that: Luke 14:12-14 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN A CHILD HAS DIFFERENT ABILITIES?

• Children with different abilities process and respond to information in unique ways• Aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change may be observed• Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words • Repeats words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language – echolalia, jargoning• Laughs, cries, shows distress for reasons not apparent to others • Difficulty reading, speaking, or following directions at the same level as other same-aged

children• Appears overly sensitive to light, sound, smells, tastes and/or touch• Parent discloses it to you (DO NOT ASK!)• Exhibits noticeable talent in one or more particular areas (thus the term “Different Abilities”

instead of “Disabilities”)

Great! Now what to do…

•STRUCTURE

•ANTICIPATE

•SUPPORT

STRUCTURE! Because without it…

BUT WITH STRUCTURE…

STRUCTURE – CAN BE SEEN

• Visual Schedules – either picture or written or both - of events/activities • This is so that questions of "May I...?" "When can I...?"

"Are we going to...?" etc. are minimized and students can anticipate what's coming next which always reduces off task and anxious behavior. This could be either on a video screen or laminated and on a wall where all students can be referred to "Look at the schedule. First we have worship, then we have lesson, then we have arts and crafts" for instance.

STRUCTURE CAN BE SEEN

• The Rules should be in visual form as well - either in writing or picture/icon form or both depending on the age/abilities of the children. Just like the visual schedule, they can also be displayed on a video monitor. • This will not only help the students learn the rules

more effectively but will also keep their attention better and reduce inattention during review of the rules.

STRUCTURE CAN BE SEEN• Carpet squares marked out for where the kids

should sit and/or chairs in main teaching areas and at activity tables• This will reduce touching, poking, laying down, rolling

around, getting up, and subsequent verbal redirection “Sit down,” “Stop that,” etc. that sometimes results

• The designated space of sitting squares or chairs communicates structure and kids will respond accordingly. The unmarked space of open carpet communicates lack of structure and, of course, kids will respond to that as well.

STRUCTURE CAN BE SEEN• Materials and supplies should already be laid out and ready for each

student for any activity before it’s time for that activity and with the children otherwise engaged if this is done during instead of before class. • The downtime that arises from staff going to gather supplies even just across the

room is just enough for a “He hit me!” etc. situation to develop and even for well-behaved children, just isn’t engaging and they may start to remember that they’re sleepy or hungry for snack, or miss their mommies, or were “supposed to be” arguing with a friend or… while the staff is gathering supplies.

• This includes snack items which should be always be prepped and ready prior to the start of class as it’s almost impossible for children of “snack provision age” to hear cookie bags being opened over in a corner of the room while they pay attention to a lesson being presented.

STRUCTURE CAN BE SEEN

• Games for children, especially young children, should be highly structured and include materials if possible. • Games like Toss Across, Tic Tac Toe, Matching on the

monitor screen, or the types of games that are often played in Hope Community’s Children’s Church on Sunday mornings, and in the Game Room of SOZO, etc. will be much more effective in engaging children and minimizing inappropriate behavior than will games that do not involve materials.

ANTICIPATE!

ANTICIPATE – OFF TASK BEHAVIOR

• Know the average attention spans of the children you serve:• Plan for several games/activities that will played over a

15 – 20 minute period to hold engagement of very young children or one game for 15 minutes for older children.

• Make the length of lessons appropriate for the group you are teaching and engage with questions to encourage alertness and, more importantly, learning of the Word.

ANTICIPATE – TRANSITION PROBLEMS

ANTICIPATE – TRANSITION PROBLEMS FOR REWARD TIMES AND ACTIVITIES

• Transitions to King’s House or Game Room, etc. should be supported with priming “It’s time for me to start sending you to King’s House!” and a reminder of the process (for example: “When I call your name, line up at the wall”)

• There should be one staff standing near the wall or door where they wait or enter King’s House, Game Room, etc.

• Staff should have a list, popsicle sticks with each student’s name on them, or some other way to recall who has gone to a “reward activity” like King’s House without having to repeatedly ask the students or each other “Who has gone?”• This type of structure for transitions (routine, priming, visuals,

prompts, staff proximity, etc.) will reduce anxiety for students and prevent staff from having to redirect anxiety related behavior.

ANTICIPATE – TRANSITION PROBLEMS AT THE END OF THE CLASS SESSION• The routine for transitioning to parents should be

communicated clearly to the kids with a reminder each session just a few minutes prior to parents arriving. (For example: “Remember, when your parent comes in, you’ll…..” whatever the process is)• This will reduce the likelihood of young children running over

to parent(s) thereby disrupting others, stepping on others, reminding others that their parents aren’t here yet, etc.

• This will reduce the likelihood of older children trying to break the rules of staying in certain areas, etc.

SUPPORT – ALL CHILDREN, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES

SUPPORT• Make sure that you include games and activities that don’t require higher levels of

dexterity than that of children with different abilities and use special/adapted materials when necessary/available.

• Often auditory games and actives are challenging so be ready with prompts, clues, etc. to support and increase likelihood of success for those with different abilities (For example, looking at Johnny directly, “We will talk about MOSES today. Johnny, we will talk about?” PAUSE and begin to mouth/say “Mo” if necessary.)

• Rules for the games and activities and behavior expectations should be simple and clearly communicated prior to beginning the game/activity.

• Check for understanding but without singling out those with different abilities (proximity, whispering, visual cues, etc.)

• Write notes to parents children who have difficulty with verbal communication• PRAISE WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED, DIFFERENT ABILTIES ARE AWESOME!!!