Whilst many advances have been made in supporting people with autism, the management of behaviours which challenge supporters is a less well understood area. This presentation will focus on how to manage behaviours of concern using a low arousal approach. This approach was developed to help supporters to practically manage ‘highly aroused’ and stressed individuals. There is an emphasis on verbal and nonverbal strategies to de-escalate crisis situations. In addition, the approach involves ‘reflective practice’ that is, ‘What is my own contribution to the situation? Low-arousal approaches include interaction, diffusion and distraction strategies; coping with challenging behaviours including debriefing – why it is necessary and how to do it, managing versus changing behaviours, physical avoidance skills and physical intervention strategies. The day will include:
1) Background to the development of low arousal approaches.
2) Definition of the approach (Reflective practice)
3) Strategies for managing behaviours of concern (There will be an emphasis on practical de-escalation strategies).
4) Group exercise
5) Plenary session (group discussion)
Dr. Andrew McDonnell is a Clinical Psychologist and Director of Studio3 Training Systems located in Warwickshire, UK. He has a special interest in arousal mechanisms in people with autism and the management of severe challenging behaviours. Other areas of interest are stress management, person centred approaches to behaviour management, arousal mechanisms and their application to human behaviour, and sensory perceptual processing differences. Andrew’s doctoral thesis evaluated the impact of staff training in low arousal approaches and has been the subject of his book Managing Aggressive Behaviour in Care Settings: Understanding and Applying Low Arousal Approaches. The low arousal approach was first developed by Dr. McDonnell. He has lectured on this subject in Europe, Africa and Asia. This is Andrew’s first appearance in Canada teaching the low arousal approach.
What is the Studio III Group? The Studio III Group comprises three individual companies, all of which promote the ideals, philosophies and benefits of non-aversive behaviour management. Studio III Training Systems was the first company to be formed, and with its fusion of skills drawn from academic researchers, applied clinicians, psychologists (educational and clinical), speech and language therapists, doctors, teachers, movement skills trainers as well as nurses with RMN and RMNH qualifications. Its scope broadened to include individualized behaviour management plans and the promotion of other pro-active approaches. From this was born Studio III Clinical Services, a psychology based provider of specialist input to services and individuals alike.
From pre-school to high school and beyond school, this conference explores the social, communication, self-regulation and work related skills that are considered “core needs” for individuals with autism. It targets abilities considered the most basic and essential for eventual success in adult life and explores when and how should these skills be taught. Barbara Bloomfield is a veteran educator and seminar instructor who will offer you a highly practical approach and hands on strategies for integrating skill instruction throughout the school and home day and across a range of age and functioning levels. There will be many practical examples and demonstrations of visual supports that can be used to build portable, “on the go” teaching tools for both school and home. Participants are encouraged to bring a camera to create a more permanent visual record of display items. In addition each participant will leave with a Take and Make Later Kit of visual support projects including color printed patterns and instructions for making and using a group of key visual supports.
Workshop Objectives:
Discover critical skill competencies for post-secondary success and learn to problem solve when and how they should be incorporated into a student’s long-term educational plan.
Explore evidence-based instructional materials that can be used in a variety of learning contexts and challenging situations.
Build a repertoire of everyday tools for promoting student engagement: structuring a supportive learning environment, identifying and utilizing student interests, preferences and passions and developing an “On the Go” teaching style and strategies.
Promote mastery of the school social curriculum including:
Play with a purpose: Accessing successful play and leisure experiences
Unspoken classroom rules and expectations
In-between routines – identifying them and teaching students what to do.
Identify easy to implement structured teaching strategies and visual supports for enhancing work skills and behavioral regulation in classroom, home and community.
Identify the four critical components of a visual support kit for responding to challenging behaviors in the school setting (classrooms, hallways and beyond!).
Learn a working formula for assessing independence in social communication skill acquisition as well as highly portable, “track as you go” strategies for data collection.
Learn to use a group of master templates for generating flexible content teaching displays.
Increase the accessibility and effectiveness of visual teaching materials including timesaving tips regarding design, construction , storage and use.
Learn how to blend structured teaching and the use of visual supports with other intervention models.
Barbara Bloomfield is a veteran speech and language pathologist with more than 30 years’ experience. She has specialized in offering direct services and consultation to individuals with autism spectrum disorders in a variety of settings. Barbara has designed and published numerous commercially available teaching materials for students with special needs including Super Symbols: A Book of Positive Behavioral Directives. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and South Africa as a much sought-after program consultant and trainer. Her teaching suggestions and practical materials reflect her continued involvement as a practicing therapist who “walks the walk” with other special educators and related service professionals. Participants leave Barbara’s seminars inspired and equipped with increased insight into the challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorders as well as exciting intervention strategies and ideas.
