Diane Talarico-Cavanaugh, M.Ed.Lafayette School

April 13,2011

Structured Teaching - What is it!

and Various Other Topics as a

Tier 1Intervention

What is Structured Teaching?A specific antecedent based approach

designed specifically for students with autism. This approach utilizes the core strengths of the student with autism to facilitate learning. This approach was born out of the T.E.A.C.C.H. philosophy.

T.E.A.C.C.H. was founded by the late Eric Schoppler, PhD. in the early 1970’s at UNC. It promotes the “Culture of Autism” as a way of thinking about the characteristic patterns of thinking and behavior of these individuals.

Goals of Structured TeachingPromote independence & meaning through

structure.Transform curriculum/learning tasks into

concrete, visual sequences that compensate for Executive Function Disorder and poor communication skills

Structure is not faded or removed but is modified and adjusted

Executive FunctionThe ability to: PlanAnticipateOrganizePredictInhibitExecutive function is the way we monitor and

control our thoughts, actions, emotions and behaviors.

Which students have Executive Dysfunction

For many students, the executive functioning system of their brain is not working properly.

Executive Dysfunctions are intimately connected with Asperger's Disorder, Autism, ADHD, some Learning Disabilities and have also been found in adults with OCD.

Executive Dysfunctions also effect middle schoolers as part of the normal developmental process!!!!

It is also associated with depression, to name but some of the conditions.

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Major areas of impairment in Executive Dysfunction

Inhibitory Control

Working MemoryCognitive

Flexibility

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Executive Dysfunction often leads to Behavior

Causes of Behavior ProblemsConfusionExpectation (inaccurate)Stimulation (over/under)Lack of orderCommunication (receptive/expressive)Driven behaviors

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Behavior Serves a PurposeCompensates for a deficitComfortsCommunicatesUtilizes a strength

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What are some behaviors that you are concerned with

Not completing workNot paying attentionFocused on wrong stuffOverflow of body/hands/mouthForgetting needed materialsPoor organizationSocial issuesPoor impulse control

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Discipline IssuesThere is growing evidence that:

Problems associated with Executive Dysfunction contribute to most disruptive behavior that result in removal from the learning environment.

There is increased demands on executive function skills.

Children are exposed to fewer activities that build executive function skills.

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Executive Function or Hard Work, Discipline and Persistence

Evidence indicates that self discipline accounts for over twice as much variance in final grades as does IQ, even in college.

Duckworth & Seligman( 2005)

EF skills are important for school readiness and are more strongly associated with school readiness than IQ or entry reading or math

(Blair, 2002, 2203, Blair & Razza, 2007; Normandeau & Guay, 1998)

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So what works?

Visual Strategies External StructureUsing Their StrengthsPreferred interests or desired topicsSmaller segments, fewer numbers, tasks broken

downFrequent feedbackTechnology

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Addressing Executive Function Challenges

Why Use Visual StrategiesVisuals are not transient and compensate

inattention, poor working memory, inability to prioritize/organize

Visuals help sort out or point out what is important

Visuals lesson demands on working memory and other executive functions

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Types of Visual supports

Color Coding (like science folder, books, notebooks etc. all blue, even what bin to place work into)

Strips that contain steps in the editing process such as checking punctuation, checking for capitalization, etc.

Visual thought or idea organization (inspiration.com)

Highlighting tape

Structured TeachingAntecedent based NOT reward or

punishment based Uses competence motivation rather than

consequence motivationLevels of Structured Teaching:

Physical StructureSchedulesWork SystemsRoutines and StrategiesTask

Physical structureClearly defined spaces so students can

visually see what the expectations are for that area

Visual structure that supports the task or activity

Answers the questions of why am I here and what do I need to do

SchedulesProvides a visual (objects, pictures or

words) to tell the person what activities will happen and in what order

Sometimes it can be faded or changed to match a student’s skills but not eliminated

Success does not indicate a lack of need

Work SystemsWhat work?How much do I have

to do?How do I know when

I am finished?What comes next?

Traditional FBA’sA-B-C ModelAntecedents (trigger and slow burn)BehaviorConsequence

Looking for Functions of BehaviorTangibleEscapeAvoidanceAttention

The Iceberg ModelThe behavior is just the symptom of the

underlying characteristics of autism.Social RelatednessCommunicationSensory ProcessingDifficulty with ChangeCognitive Learning Style

InitiativeSpecific Behaviors (tip of

the iceberg)Seems lazyUnmotivatedWaits for promptsOverly dependent

Underlying DeficitsUnable to organize

behaviorPoor concept of timeDoes not understand

future rewardsDoes not understand

expectations

StrategiesSee how behavior is misinterpreted as

noncompliant, disrespectful, oppositional, impulsive etc.

Use the Iceberg Model instead of a traditional A-B-C approach to address underlying skill deficits instead of using consequences to manipulate behavior.

Structured Teaching is a behavior regulation system!!

USE VISUAL SUPPORTS.Rely on antecedent based strategies.Teach Self-Regulation

The Incredible 5-Point Scaleby Buron & Curtis A visual scale describing the escalation

phase of behavior or emotion.What the behavior looks like or sounds like.Get student input on what the behavior

feels like.People or strategies that can help.The perception of others (added by Diane)