Initiation

Engagement is the single best predictor of successful learning for children with learning disabilities (Iovannone et al., 2003). Without engagement, there is no deep

learning (Hargreaves, 2006), effective teaching, meaningful outcome, real attainment or quality progress (Carpenter, 2010).

Call on your inner detective: engagement with students on the autism spectrum

Presenter: Sally Jones

The Complexities of behaviour of Children on the autism spectrum

Detectives, inspect your lenses!’

The Engagement Profile gives me a starting point

for Inquiry Based Research.

The Engagement Scales looks at evidence in a systematic,

methodological way.

Through a period of deduction, I formulate my ‘Next Step’ which enables me to develop a learning

plan for the student.

The indicators provide the evidence I need to understand

how the child engages.

Engagement profile

The aim of the Engagement Profile is to provide a snapshot of how the student demonstrates their engagement.Considering when their student is highly engaged, staff should fill in each circle with how that student demonstrates each indicator of engagement, making it a very personalised document. This could be through actions, behaviour, expression, gesture and body language.

Engagement scale

The purpose of the scale is to charts the students’ journey towards meaningful engagement and sustained learning, through a process of staff reflecting on students' learning and their own professional practice.Using the profile as a benchmark for high engagement, staff focus on a target in an area which the student currently demonstrates low engagement. Staff then complete regular scales to assess the student's engagement and highlight ideas for strategies to use next time by breaking the session down into 7 indicators of engagement. Over time, completed scales can show the effectiveness of strategies implemented and the progress students have made, if successful.

Staff have reported that use of the engagement tools has allowed them structured time to consider the individual student and their learning in a more focused and creative way.

Barry Carpenter OBE, Project Director

Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Project

http://complexld.ssatrust.org.uk/

Student Engagement Professor Barry Carpenter, OBE

Point1

Engagement is the single best predictor of successful

..learning for children with learning disabilities (Iovannone et al., 2003). Without engagement, there is no deep learning (Hargreaves, 2006), effective teaching, meaningful outcome, real attainment or quality progress (Carpenter, 2010).

Point2

The Engagement Profile and Scale is a classroom tool..

..developed through SSAT’s research into effective teaching and learning for children with complex learning difficulties and disabilities. It allows teachers to focus on the child’s engagement as a learner and create personalised learning pathways. It prompts student-centred reflection on how to increase the learner’s engagement leading to deep learning.

Point3

Engagement is multi-dimensional.... and encompasses awareness, curiosity, investigation, discovery, anticipation, persistence and initiation. By focusing on these seven indicators of engagement, teachers can ask themselves questions such as: ‘How can I change the learning activity to stimulate Robert’s curiosity?’ ‘What can I change about this experience to encourage Shannon to persist?’

Point4

The adaptations made and the effect on the student’s level of engagement…

.. can be recorded, together with a score on the engagement scale. Over time, it is possible to chart the success of interventions and adjustments, and the effect this has had on the student’s levels of engagement.

Engagement Profile Responsiveness

Curiosity

Investigation

Discovery

Anticipation

Persistence

Initiation

A self-directed request,

m movement or

indication, however

small, which can be

considered to express

an intention, want or

need.

Shows response,

consciousness,

acknowledgement or

recognition.

The need, thirst or

desire to explore,

know about, learn or

make a connection

with.

Actively trying to find out

more within or about an

activity or experience.

‘Light bulb moment’: a new or repeated action or experience (planned or chance) that causes realisation, surprise or excitement, etc.

Show

s exp

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pred

iction

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‘Stic

king

with

it’:

co

ntinu

e eff

ort (

may

be

in sh

ort b

urst

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pers

ever

ance

, de

term

inati

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to g

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up o

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go.

Engagement Profile

Name: Date: Task Undertaken:

IndependentlyWith Prompting

With Support

Based on the work of Barry Carpenter/ Beverley Cockbill, 2013; personalised by Sally Jones

Developing Common Language around the Indicators

What does RESPONSIVENESS/AWARENESS look like?

Shows you Something or engages in any interaction with you or someone else (‘Hey! Come over here and see this!’).

Any Emotional Response (could also be ‘curiosity’)

‘Wow’!

Offer something, including information, speaks to you. (‘here you go! It’s for you!)

Recognition(‘I love the taste of rain!”)

Acknowledgement (‘Hello! It’s you again!’)

Responsiveness/Awareness

Shows response, consciousness, acknowledgement

or recognition.

Place ‘Post it Notes’ to record information for

‘responsiveness/awareness’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Responsiveness’

Cut along the lines, fold, glue then laminate

FRONT

BACK

The National Partnership Agreement for More Support for Students with Disabilities is an initiative of the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Sally Jones, Project Officer, Autism, NP,MSSD

What does CURIOSITY look like?

Desire to learn more.‘I have a question!!!’

INITIAL Exploration

‘Check this out!’

Make a Connection With‘This is my favorite Game’!

Curiosity

The need, thirst or desire to explore, know about, learn or make a connection with.


‘curiosity’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Curiosity’ (Printable)


FRONT

BACK



What does INVESTIGATION look like? Experimenting with

materials to see how they work‘Ya-whoooooo!’

Touching, manipulating and showing an interest in

materials.‘I love to build stuff’.

SUSTAINED Exploration‘I want to inhale this

sunflower/toy!’

Investigation

Actively trying to find out more within or about an activity or experience.

Place ‘Post it Notes’ to record information on ‘investigation’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Investigation’ (Printable)


FRONT

BACK



What does DISCOVERY look like?

When you see the ‘I get it’ recognition in their face or

through their gestures.“2:30!!!!’

Finding out something new.‘Astronauts have

actually walked on the moon!’

Light Bulb Moment

‘Look out – I am getting another bright idea!’

Discovering new ways to do things.‘I can use daddy as an airplane!’

‘Look at my

shadow!’

Discovery

‘Light bulb moment’: a new or repeated action or experience (planned or chance) that

causes realisation, surprise or excitement.


‘discovery’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Discovery’ (Printable)Cut along the lines, fold, glue then laminate

FRONT

BACK



What does ANTICIPATION look like?

Understands that what they do has an effect (can especially see in cause and

effect technology)“I am going to catch that Pac Man!”

They appear to expect

something to happen.

‘I see dinner!’

AT the ‘ready’ position … awaiting something to happen.

‘Yum… I cant wait to sink my teeth into this!’

‘I wonder if it will taste like REAL strawberries!!’

Anticipation

Shows expectancy or prediction as a result of previous knowledge, experience or skill.

.Place ‘Post it Notes’ to record information for

‘anticipation’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Anticipation’


FRONT

BACK



What does PERSISTENCE look like? EXAMPLES:

• Continuing the task through recess bells.• Requesting to continue.• Remaining focussed when the classroom is busy

and/or noisy.• Ignoring approaches by students or others.• NOT ending the task• Appearing disappointed when task is over.• Difference between perseverance and persistence

(difference between choosing to end the task and not being able to).

Persistence

‘Sticking with it’: continue effort (may be in short bursts), perseverance, determination

refusing to give up or let go.

Place ‘Post it Notes’ to record information on

‘persistence’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Persistence’


FRONT

BACK



What does INITIATION look like?

Asks for Help or Support

Happy to Begin Engagement

Session

Initiates Conversation

about the Task

Initiation

A self-directed request, movement or indication, however small, which can be

considered to express an intention, want or need.


‘initiation’ here.

Observation Card to record information on ‘Initiation’Cut along the lines, fold, glue then laminate

FRONT

BACK



Overview of relevant issues What ‘next action’ are you using from the last scale you completed?

e.g. Environment / learner mood / noteworthy factors or differences e.g. Introduce a computer-based initial activity to reduce demands on student when s/he first arrives at lesson; explain individually to student before lesson what s/he will be doing.

No Focus Emerging/ Fleeting

Partially Sustained

Mostly Sustained

Fully Sustained

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Student’s Name: Age:

Lesson/activity: Target:

Date: Time:

Date for Review: Completed By:

Engagement ScaleMark Total engagement score from sheet overleaf:

EngagementIndicators

Score(0–4) What happened/ what didn’t happen and why?

Next actionsWhat will I do next time and why? How will I make the activity more appealing (see Inquiry Framework)?

Awareness

Curiosity

Investigation

Discovery

Anticipation

Initiation

Persistence

Total score

Key for scoring 0 1 2 3 4

No focus Low and minimal levels – emerging / fleeting

Partly sustained Mostly sustained Fully sustained

Information has been taken from: http://complexld.ssatrust.org.uk/project-resources/engagement-profile-scale.html

Complex needs website

The engagement scales are ‘A Learning Model of Behaviour Management’, Barry Carpenter, 2013

Introducing ‘Lucy’

Engagement Profile: Lucy 11/11/13

A self-directed request,

movement or

indication, however

small, which can be

considered to express

an intention, want or

need.

Responsiveness• Lucy was deeply focused when Lucy e was paying

attention.• She responded to the ‘cause and effect’ nature of moving

her pencils and ‘fixing’ those that fell out of the pattern she was creating.

Curiosity• Lucy examined her toys by touching

them, manipulating them while intensely watching cause and effect reactions.

• Lucy experimented by manipulating objects in different ways to see what they would do

• When Lucy stacked her pencils together , she looked at one end and attempted to even them out, then flipped them to see if there were any pencils still sticking out. She then put them in her lap and pushed one of the ends down against her lap and pushed the pieces that were sticking out together.

Investigation• Lucy's keen desire to look at, touch and

experiment with the objects demonstrated investigation.

• Said, ‘what color's red?’• Would play with one stack of pencils; then add

a stack of a different color to them.• Frames: stacking them in various orders and

observing the patterns.• She then put them on the table and rolled them

and listened to the noise they made.

Discovery• After stacking her pencils, she layer them side by side, lined

them up to create a ‘panel’ vs. ‘stack’ of pencils. She brought in a third color; added them to her ‘stack’. She examined the stack by looking at it on the side and ends.

Anticipation• During the ‘settling time’, showed great joy

in being able to play with her preferred items. She showed this by flailing her arms up, clapping and smiling when the materials were put in front of her. She also entered into a conversation with me about the camera; but was redirected back to the task.

• Lucy continually stacked pencils by banging them together as a group.

• Knew how to self correct actions that caused her pencils to fall out o f pattern and self corrected.

Persistence• Lucy was persistent in that she stuck

with the task until she accomplished her desire to ‘line up’ and her pencils. She Also ensured that her frames were stacked in a certain order.

• Lucy shifted attention between the two tasks 27 times.

• Lucy was intermittently distracted by noises in her environment including talking.

• Lucy ended the task when the teacher was transitioning students to the front for morning circle activity.

• When Lucy had added the third color (blue), she dropped one of the stack, then abandoned the task and joined the group for morning group.

Initiation• Lucy showed great excitement at the beginning to play

with her pencils and frames.• On one occasions, she dropped pencils. She

immediately bent down to pick them up and begin playing with them again

Shows response,

consciousness,

acknowledgement or

recognition.

The need, thirst or

desire to explore,

know about, learn or

make a connection

with.

Actively trying to find out

more within or about an

activity or experience.

‘Light bulb moment’: a new or repeated action or experience (planned or chance) that causes realisation, surprise or excitement, etc.

Show

s exp

ecta

ncy o

r

pred

iction

as a

resu

lt

of p

revio

us kn

owle

dge,

expe

rienc

e or s

kill.

‘Stic

king

with

it’:

co

ntinu

e eff

ort (

may

be

in sh

ort b

urst

s),

pers

ever

ance

, de

term

inati

on re

fusi

ng

to g

ive

up o

r let

go.

Engagement Profile

Name: Lucy Date: 9/05/13 Task Undertaken: Coloured Pencils and frames

IndependentlyWith Prompting

With Support

x

Based on the work of Barry Carpenter/ Beverley Cockbill, 2013; personalised by Sally Jones

Object Focus Time(eye gaze should be focussed on task/object)

Quality of Interaction with Task

Materials/ObjectsComments

Looked Away for 0-3 Sec.

Looked Away for a period of 5-10 Sec.

Looked Away for a Period of Over 10 Sec.

Switches focus between objects (tally)

Reason Reason Reason Lucy switched her attention frequently between the pencils and blocks. When she played with the pencils, she did not do so by colouring in even though the materials were there on the table with the pencils. She lined them up, rolled them, and looked at them,

When Lucy was playing with the blocks, she just spun them between her fingers. She touched them, and looked at them. She did not attempt to build something with them.

√ Responded to teacher talking to class. √ Responded to child

approaching and talking to her.

√ Responded to the teacher transitioning to morning group time. Observation ended.

27 – switched from blocks to pencils to people.

√ Responded to teacher calling out her name. √ Responded to teacher

reprimanding the child.

√ Looked up at camera. √ Responded to the SSO calling out her name.

√ Unsure

√ Responded to teacher talking to class.

√ Unsure



Lucy: Object Focus Time, Focus on Task Materials and Quality of Interaction

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Number Line to Tally Shifted Attention

Eye Gaze0-3 SECONDS 3-10 SECONDS0-3 SECONDS 0-3 SECONDS > 10 SECONDS

EngagementIndicators

Score(0–4)

What happened?What happened / what didn’t happen and why?

Next actionsWhat will I do next time and why? How will I make the activity more appealing (see Inquiry Framework)?

Awareness 2• Lucy was deeply focused when she was paying attention.• She responded to the ‘cause and effect’ nature of moving her pencils and ‘fixing’ those that fell out of the pattern she

was creating. • Lucy's attention was split between the two tasks.

Extend her engagement only giving her one set of materials (colouring pencils) and encourage her to colour in a picture.

Curiosity 3

• Lucy examined her toys by touching them, manipulating them while intensely watching cause and effect reactions.• Lucy experimented by manipulating objects in different ways to see what they would do• When Lucy stacked her pencils together , she looked at one end and attempted to even them out, then flipped them to

see if there were any pencils still sticking out. She then put them in her lap and pushed one of the ends down against her lap and pushed the pieces that were sticking out together.

Investigation 2

• Lucy's keen desire to look at, touch and experiment with the objects demonstrated investigation.• Said, ‘what color's red?’• Would play with one stack of pencils; then add a stack of a different color to them.• Frames: stacking them in various orders and observing the patterns.• She then put them on the table and rolled them and listened to the noise they made.• She could have investigated tasks more thoroughly rather than fleeting from one task to another.

Discovery 1

• After stacking her pencils, she layer them side by side, lined them up to create a ‘panel’ vs. ‘stack’ of pencils. She brought in a third color; added them to her ‘stack’. She examined the stack by looking at it on the side and ends

• Not many discovery moments noticed. Most of what she did APPEARED to be predictable to her. Also, if she persisted with the task rather than fleeting back and forth, she may have made a few discoveries.

Anticipation 2

• During the ‘settling time’, Lucy showed great joy in being able to play with her preferred items. She showed this by flailing her arms up, clapping and smiling when the materials were put in front of her. She also entered into a conversation with me about the camera; but was redirected back to the task.

• Lucy continually stacked pencils by banging them together as a group.• Knew how to self correct actions that caused her pencils to fall out o f pattern and self corrected.• I think Lucy did a lot of predictable things; thus, she anticipated actions well. When she didn’t anticipate the falling of

the pencil, she got up and abandoned the task completely.

Initiation 3• Lucy showed great excitement at the beginning to play with her pencils and frames.• On one occasions, she dropped pencils. She immediately bent down to pick them up and begin playing with them again• Lucy returned to task within 10 seconds on the three occasions she was interrupted. I think this time would be less if

Lucy processed information quicker.

Persistence 2

• Lucy was persistent in that she stuck with the task until she accomplished her desire to ‘line up’ and her pencils. She Also ensured that her frames were stacked in a certain order.

• Lucy shifted attention between the two tasks 27 times.• Lucy was intermittently distracted by noises in her environment including talking.• Lucy ended the task when the teacher was transitioning students to the front for morning circle activity.• When Lucy had added the third color (blue), she dropped one of the stack, then abandoned the task and joined the

group for morning group.• Although Lucy was distracted by noise on 9 occasions, she returned to the task in less than 3 seconds most of the time.• Ended the task abruptly (after 4 ½ minutes)

Total score 15

Key for scoring

0 1 2 3 4No focus Low and minimal levels –

emerging / fleetingPartly sustained Mostly sustained Fully sustained

Overview of relevant issues What ‘next action’ are you using from the last scale you completed?e.g. Environment / learner mood / noteworthy factors or differences e.g. Introduce a computer-based initial activity to reduce demands on student when s/he first

arrives at lesson; explain individually to student before lesson what s/he will be doing.• Lucy engaged with the activity while in class; thus, had to put up with the ‘buzz’

happening around her.• Allowing Lucy to play with a choice activity without interruption

• Nothing in particular was happening on the day I was in; but other children seemed quite interested in what was going on with Zoe.

• One of the SSO’s did not know that an observation was in place so intervened which distracted her focus. Given this, she only looked away from her task on 8 fleeting (less than 3 second) occasions; 3 x 3-10 second intervals (all the result of others approaching her) and 1 longer (over 10 second) interval which ended the session at approx. 4 ½ minutes.

• What was more interesting was the number of times she switched attention between the two objects and people (27 times). She was playing with materials in typically autistic ways (e.g., twirling blocks, rolling and lining up pencils).

No Focus Emerging/ Fleeting

Partially Sustained

Mostly Sustained

Fully Sustained

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Student’s Name: Lucy Age: 6

Lesson/activity: Playing with her pencils and blocks (favourite activity) Target: To engage with a preferred activity

Date: 11/11/13 Time: 10:00 a.m. (Video: 39:90 – 5:00:63 (approx. 4 ½ minutes)

Date for Review: January, 2014 Completed By: Sally Jones

Engagement ScaleMark Total engagement score from sheet overleaf:

Engagement: sometimes all it takes is a cardboard box and a little imagination!

Documents

Initiation