training manual spring 12

KalamazooAutism Center

Training Manual

1Last Revised by: Lisa Brown 9/3/2011

Table of Contents Contact Information……………………….…………………………………………………………...... 3 Syllabus…………………….……………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Required text……………….………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Participation…………………………………………………………………………………………….……. 4 Attendance Policy………………………………………….………………………………………………. 4 Professionalism……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Professionalism Deductions…………………………………………………………………………… 5 Grading Policy……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 Course Schedule……………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Tutor Responsibilities…………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Daily Responsibilities……………………………………………………………………………………… 9 Child Arrival/Departure………..………………………………….……………………………………. 9 Working with Your Child…………………………………….………………………………………….. 10 Error Correction…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 CDC Rules (dress code, incident/health reports, confidentiality, etc.)…….……… 12 Emergency Information…………………………………………………………………………………. 14 Tutor Log Job-Aid………………………………………………………….……………………………….. 15 Mastered Procedure Protocol………………………………………………………….…………….. 16 2-on-1 Protocol……………………………………………………………….…………………………….. 18 Communicating with Parents Protocol………………………………………………….……….. 19 LOR Waiver Form…………………………………………………………………………………………… 21


Contact InformationChase Callard [email protected] (248) 766-0015 Graduate tutorEmilia Knizner [email protected] (989) 948-3370 Graduate tutor

Jennifer [email protected] (989) 506-4329 KAC Junior Manager

Jessica Korneder [email protected] (626) 676-7984 Ph.D SupervisorKelly Stone [email protected] (269) 599-5769 Ph.D SupervisorKhrystle Montallana [email protected] (213) 505-2348 KAC Junior ManagerLisa Brown [email protected] (616) 540-8145 KAC Senior ManagerTim Obertein [email protected] (810) 824-8703 KAC Senior ManagerDr. Malott [email protected] (269) 372-1268 Big ManCDC (269) 349-2445

Syllabus for the KAC3

Last Revised by: Lisa Brown 9/3/2011

Seminar: Wednesdays, 7:00-8:00pmWod Hall 3723Western Michigan University

Text: o Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Mauriceo This novel can be found at the book store under PSY 3570

In seminar we discuss: o Center-wide Announcementso Highs

Highlights from the weeko Report on ELOs and LOso Child-specific groups

Any changes made to procedures Barriers we’re experiencing with each child

-Negative behaviors, self-stimulation, weak motivating operations, prompt dependence, eating problems, toileting issues, etc.

Solutions to these barriers Assignments Procedural or protocol changes Procedure writing

o We will discuss ideas for writing new procedureso Discuss Graduate Student Presentationso Discuss Reading Assignments

You will be graded on: o Participation- 120 points per week

Practicum Participation 10 points per hour Loss of 5 points/15 minutes late

Seminar Participation 10 points Loss of 5 points/15 minutes late

Weekly Homework Assignments 10 points Presentation Questions ELOs and LOs

STRICT Attendance policy After three absences, the fourth results in a half letter grade drop

o 4th absence = ½ letter gradeo The three absences include KAC and Seminar absences.

No call, no show results in an automatic half letter grade dropo No call, no show= ½ letter grade drop


If you know ahead of time that you will be gone:o Talk to the other tutors who work with your child to see if they can

switch shifts (tell a supervisor about your arrangements)o If you cannot find someone to switch shifts, talk to other tutors who

don’t specifically work with your child to see if they can switch shifts (tell a supervisor about your arrangements)

o If you cannot find any other tutors to switch shifts with, tell a supervisor immediately- they will give you further instructions

If something comes up the day of your shift (i.e., car will not start, you wake up with the flu, etc.)

o Call the supervisor on your shift and explain the situationo If they do not answer- call Kelly and/or Jessicao If they do not answer- call another supervisoro If no supervisors answer- Call CDC and explain the situationo Leave a voicemail and/or a text message for everyone!o Do not stop until you have gotten a response from someone.

o Professionalism 100 points per week Deductions are taken away when necessary You can lose points for the following:

Failure to follow the schedule: 2-5 points Leaving the child unattended: 2-5 points Inappropriate use of aversives: 2-5 points Inappropriate cell phone usage: 5 points Inappropriate attire: 2 points Missed ADL needs: 2-5 points Failure to perform closing tasks: 2 points/task Failure to complete closing checklist: 5 points/person on the shift Failure to update log in child’s procedure book: 2 points Missed/Incorrect codes: 2 points Failure to explain code (in log): 2 points Missed phase changes/percentages/initials: 2 points Failure to clean up after your child once your shift is over: 2 points Failure to clean up for your child after lunch: 2 points Picking up child off of the ground Failure to respond to an e-mail within 24 hours: 5 points for each day late Failure to write in the sign in/out sheet: 2 points *We reserve the right to deduct points for anything we deem unprofessional.

o Monitoring Scores- 200 points per week Approximately 2 scores per week (100 points/each)

o Seminar Quizzes 3 short quizzes per week


Worth approximately 5 points eacho Seminar Assignments

Presentation assignments- 5 points A presentation will be assigned each week. As you go through the presentation,

you will be prompted to answer questions. Write these down and turn them in each week.

ELOs and LOs- 5 points You will also be required to record your average number of ELOs and LOs each

week. The goal is to have you progressively increase these numbers. Student Background Information- 50 points

At the end of the semester, you will fill out a form about your child Final Fiesta Project- 50 points

At the end of the semester, you will create a project about a child’s procedure and your experience at the KAC

o Grading Matrix To obtain an ‘A’ you must earn a 92% or better in the following areas:

Quiz Homework assignments Participation

To obtain an ‘A’ you must also earn a 92% or better in the following areas: Monitoring Scores Professionalism


Quizzes, Participation, and Assignments

Grade 92 87 82 77 72 67 62 <62

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92 A BA B CB C DC D E

87 BA B CB C DC D E

82 B CB C DC D E

77 CB C DC D E

72 C DC D E

67 DC D E

62 D E

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Course ScheduleDate Agenda

Week 1

1/11/12

Training Manual Review No assignments Due

Week 2

1/18/12

Professionalism Presentation Assignment Due ELOs/LOs Due Let Me Hear Your Voice

Read Ch 1-4 for class Week 3

1/25/12

Pacing/Mix-trialing Presentation Assignment Due Let Me Hear Your Voice

Read Ch 5-8 for class

Week 4

2/1/12

Incidental Teaching Presentation Assignment Due

ELOs/LOs Due Let Me Hear Your Voice


Week 5

2/8/12

Working in 3’s Presentation Assignment Due ELOs/LOs Due Let Me Hear Your Voice

Read Ch 13-16 for class Week 6

2/15/12

Prompting Presentation Assignment Due ELOs/LOs Due Let Me Hear Your Voice

Read Ch 17-20 for classWeek 7

2/22/12

Verbal Behavior Presentation Assignment Due ELOs/LOs Due Let Me Hear Your Voice


Week 8 Functional Assessments Presentation Assignment Due

ELOs/LOs Due


2/29/12 Let Me Hear Your Voice Read Ch 25-28 for class

Week 93/7/12

No Seminar! Have a fabulous Spring Break!

Week 10

3/14/12



Week 11

3/21/12


Read Part III: Catherine’s Recovery? &

Some Further Thoughts on Recovery

Week 12

3/28/12

ELOs/LOs Due

Week 13

4/4/12

ELOs/LOs Due Work on Child Background Information Packets

Week 14

4/11/12

ELOs/LOs Due Final Presentations

Week 15

4/18/12

ELOs/LOs Due Final Presentations

Week 164/25/12

Final Exam Week Final Feast No Seminar!

*We reserve the right to make changes/adjustments to the schedule as we see fit.

Tutor ResponsibilitiesThe following are responsibilities of all tutors at the KAC


Daily Responsibilities Sign in/Sign out Sign child in/out if this applies to their shift Fill in corresponding meal bubbles on the attendance sheet Read previous tutor logs and initial all until your last shift Follow cleaning schedule throughout the day Fill out tutor log. See job aid on page 14

Make sure that there are enough empty tutor logs in the procedure book Make sure that new data sheets are put in the procedure book if needed.

Extra data sheets and tutor logs are located in the black tray by the supervisor desk. Fill out cleaning checklist if this applies to you Make sure DVD players and CD player are locked away in the filing cabinet

The key to this cabinet is under the bleach bottle by the sinks Child Arrivals

1. If you are present when your child arrives, you should guide them to their lockers to hang up their coat, backpack, etc. (you should let them do this as independent as possible)

2. Check their backpack for snacks, toys, lunches, notebook, etc. See their child information form in the front of their book for any more relevant information

3. Write down the time that the child arrived on the attendance sheet by the door4. If the child has a notebook, please read any notes/instructions from home.

Alert supervisors to any important notes they should be aware of (i.e., schedule change, new diet, etc.).

5. Before starting procedures, read the logs of previous tutors to see any special notes about procedure

6. If your child is crying/tantrumming when they first arrive to KAC don’t attend to it. As soon as they stop, reinforce, let them play and have fun for about 5 minutes. If they are not crying or upset when they first get there, let them play for about 5 minutes. Our goal is to have it so they’re running into the classroom, not crying.

Child Departures If you are present when your child departs, you should guide them to their lockers to put their

coat and backpack on (you should let them do this as independent as possible). Send home any toys, sippy cups, notebooks, etc. that came from home. See their child

information form in the front of their book for any more relevant information. Write down the time the child left on the attendance sheet by the door. Make sure to clean the booth and anywhere else in the room where your child may have made a

mess. If you are the last tutor of the day, please make sure to follow the closing checklist and complete

all of the tasks.

Working with your child Always make sure the child is attending to you (eye contact) before providing the Sd

Wait for the child to give you eye contact. Do not physically prompt the child or provide ELOs.


You can, however, intermittently reinforce eye contact with tangible reinforcers throughout the session.

If the child does not respond within 3 seconds after you have delivered the Sd, immediately go into error correction and prompt the correct response. Mark a (-) for that trial and also mark an (x) in the OT column.

Do not say their name before every trial. Instead of ‘Susie, match,’ it is just ‘Match.’ If you do say the child’s name and they look at you or come to you, make sure to

reinforce! We are allowed to use mild punishment, but please do not abuse this privilege.

Remember: punishment is a last resort. You may say ‘no’ but you should always redirect the child first. If the ‘no’ was unsuccessful, you should not continuously repeat it.

Intermittently reinforce compliance At least every 5 trials reinforce the child for making eye contact and attending- only if

they are. You should also intermittently reinforce when the child sits when told, does quiet hands

when told, or follows any other direction you have given them. Continuously reinforce ALL responses. This includes mastered procedure trials. No more than 6 seconds for each reinforcer period!

3-6 seconds is appropriate There should be no pauses between trials that are longer than 3-5 seconds. There should be no pauses between sessions that are longer than 10-15 seconds.

During these pauses, the child should always have something to keep them occupied. This could be a direction, puzzle, reinforcer, etc.

Before you take a reinforcer away, have the materials ready for the next trial My turn

Before you remove a reinforcer, say ‘my turn’ and wait 3 seconds for the child to respond independently before prompting them to give you the reinforcer

If they do not respond independently, model it. If still no response, prompt hand over hand.

When doing a preference assessment: Hold out two items for your child to pick from When they pick an item, give the item to them to play with (for only a few seconds) or

eat. When giving any direction make sure you give the child 5 seconds to complete the response

independently before intervening with any prompts (even vocal) Also, when giving any direction make sure that you follow through with the direction. Do not let

the child escape the direction If the child requires a prompt for a new skill, reinforce. If it’s because of noncompliance, no

reinforcement, no good job. Run the error correction procedure and prompt the correct response.

At the KAC, we reinforce prompted responses (if it is an un-mastered skill). There are several different types of prompts and many procedures require multiple

prompting strategies. Look at what the procedure calls for!10


Most KAC procedures use least-to-most prompting strategies (i.e. the prompts become more and more intrusive).

Least-to-most prompting generally progresses as follows: Verbal: involve some verbal stimulus provided by the tutor Gestural: tap or point to the correct sample stimulus Model: model the correct response for the child Partial physical: physically guide the student’s body in an approximation of the

correct response (usually done form the elbow) Full physical: physically guide the student’s body through the entire response

(usually done hand over hand) If you do not understand what the procedure calls for in terms of prompting, ask a

supervisor! ERROR CORRECTION: This is a procedure we use when a child does not respond within 3

seconds of the Sd or responds incorrectly. 1. If the child does not respond within 3 seconds of the Sd or responds incorrectly, mark

a – on the data sheet. 2. Re-present the same Sd and prompt until a correct response is made, then socially

reinforce (“good job”) 3. Present the same Sd without prompts: Reinforce correct and independent response

with the maximum reinforcer 4. Repeat steps 2-3 until step 3 results in a correct and independent response.

The independent response is the end of that trial (the “-“ trial) 5. Present a new target within the procedure

This is the start of a new trial Note: On non-prompted trials, use the least restrictive prompt that typically works or the

prompt from the previous phase (This will change depending on how the procedure is written)

If the prompt that you have chosen doesn't work go to a more intrusive prompt. On prompted trials if prompt doesn't work (use prompt from previous phase)

Keep all Sd’s short. Do not say ‘put the same with same,’ instead say, ‘match.’ Never leave you child unattended. If you must leave the room for any reason, please ask

someone to keep an eye on your child. Never be more than 5 feet away from your child (even outside). There are no scheduled bathroom breaks; it is important that you make sure you take your child

to the bathroom frequently. It is highly recommended to take them to the bathroom before going outside or before taking a nap.

Also, there is no set schedule of what procedures to run. Please go through each procedure in the book (start at the front and work your way back and vice versa). Once you have run through each procedure at least once, start over again.

You are not allowed to pick and choose which procedures you would like to run. You should be running them all! If we find that you are not running certain procedures, you will lose points!


Mix-trial everything! Never do more than 5 trail of one procedure at a time (10 if it’s a really easy procedure)

Codes- symbols we use when situations arise. All codes should be explained in the tutor log. Codes should be written in red and initialed A complete code list is displayed at the center for quick references Codes

IP- Implementation Problem- to be used when you don’t finish a procedure MM- Missing Materials- to be used when procedure materials are missing and

cannot be found SLE- Student Left Early- to be used when a child leaves early OT- Off Task- to be used when a child is engaging in problem behavior

Phase Changes Be very conscious of when your child needs a phase change When your child needs a phase change, alert a supervisor so they approve and initial. If no supervisor is present, leave a note in the tutor log and put a note on the supervisor

desk. New data and tutor log sheets

New data sheets- make sure that you write the child’s name and procedure on the top of both sides of the data sheet. Make sure to write in red the phase they are on and then they changed to that phase. This should be written in the upper left-hand corner of the data sheet

New tutor sheets- make sure that you write the child’s name and semester on the top of each side

Child Development Center Rules- The CDC has their own set of rules to be licensed. Please follow these rules as closely as possible. Also, please remember this is not our CDC. Please respect the staff and do not give them feedback. If you are concerned with one of the staff’s performance, please tell a supervisor.

Incident/Health Reports: All injuries have to be documented immediately. Incident and Health forms are located in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. If you use the last one, be sure to tell a supervisor so they can make more copies. Fill out the form to the best of your ability. Ask a supervisor if you have any questions The form must be signed by the parent and returned to Alicia. If the injury was intentionally caused by another child, an Incident Report should also be

completed for that child. Have a supervisor look over the report when you are done. If the injury is on the head, regardless of how minor, you MUST call the parent. Ask a

supervisor or a CDC staff member for the phone number. Ask the supervisor or CDC staff member to call the parent. If neither is available, be sure to call the parent yourself. Refer to the job aid on how to talk to parents on page 18

Playground procedures Ensure that children are dressed appropriately for the weather

Remember to bring sunscreen, drinks, etc. outside during warm weather12


If a child appears to be getting overheated or too cold, bring them inside Always bring the designated backpack outside (on a hook by the end lockers)

This backpack includes a few first aid items, wipes and emergency cards Children should not be allowed to play near the exits, fences, gate, trash, stairs, corners

or shrubs Strangers must not be allowed on the playground when children are outside Staff must never leave the playground unattended Children should not:

Run on payment, climb the slide, stand on swings, hit/kick/wrestle, or put sand/plants/other object in mouth

Smoking/Drug use Smoking is prohibited on the premises This ban includes the building, playground and parking lot CDC reserves the right to inspect all bags and personal belongings if drug or alcohol use

is suspected. Any staff member found with alcohol or drugs on the premises will be terminated immediately

Dress Code Clothing must be clean and in good condition No inappropriate writing on clothes (bars, drinking, drugs, etc.) No sweatpants or pajama bottoms No back-less t-shirts Tank top straps must be at least one inch wide Shorts/skirts must be a professional length (past your fingertips) No visible cleavage, backside, underwear, bra straps, or exposed stomachs

Professionalism points will be taken away for violation of any of the situations directly above

Earrings must be smaller than a dime See a supervisor for approval of any questionable attire

Visitors No visitors other than parents or guardians of enrolled children are allowed into the

facility without permission from the CDC Visitors must have prior authorization to visit Visitors are not permitted to interact with the children

Door Policy Occasionally people will ring the door bell. If so, let a CDC staff member answer. You are

not recommended to ever answer the door for a stranger. If a CDC staff member is not currently available, you may open the door for them. Ask them what they need (‘How may I help you?’) and then ask for an ID. Then lead them in the direction of a CDC staff member.

Confidentiality You should never discuss confidential information with anyone outside of the KAC/CDC

Confidential information includes anything that occurs at the KAC/CDC


If you have a question about what is or is not confidential and what your duties are with regard to confidential information, ask a supervisor immediately

You are only allowed to use the name of your child in seminar and at the KAC. In public, only use the first initial of their first name.


Emergency Situations Fire Drills and Fire Emergencies

o An alarm will sound Regardless if the alarm is real or not, you need to treat this as a real alarm

o You must exit the building as fast as possible!o You need to make sure to grab the outside backpack and the child attendance sheet by the

tutor sign in/out sheeto A supervisor will grab coats for the children if necessary.o Walk out the side door and go all the way to the other side of the fenceo Make sure every child and tutor is accounted foro Do not enter the building until you have been cleared by Alicia

Tornado Drills and Tornado Warnings o You need to seek shelter as fast as possibleo You need to make sure to grab the outside backpack and the child attendance sheet by the

tutor sign in/out sheeto You need to take yourself and the children to the walk-through closet

A supervisor should be present to guide you to this locationo Make sure every child and tutor is accounted foro Do not go back to our classroom until you have been cleared by Alicia

Plan DAN-GER

1. If a violent adult or intruder is in the center and you fear that calling 911 in front of them will only escalate the problem, tell the nearest staff “Will you please make sure to give Dan Gur his medicine right away!”

2. Any staff who is told this statement should go to another location and call 911 immediately

3. Also tell all other rooms/staff members that we may have a potentially dangerous situation

*For any other emergency situations, please see the colored booklet on the wall next to the door

Tutor Log Job-aid


The tutor log is located in the front of every child’s procedure book This log is to be filled out for each shift you work Failure to fill out the log will result in a loss of points Be specific when filling out the log. Talk about behaviors. No vague statements. Main Components

o Fill out name, date and your shift beginning and end timeo What went well?

Good example: “Johnny phase changed on ID Objects, and is having trouble with cat. He usually touches the dog instead. Make sure you mix them up as much as possible when you run this procedure, because he seems to have a left-side bias

Bad example: “Matching went well.”o Not so well?

Good example: “She had trouble attending, so I made sure she had a novel reinforcer for each reinforcement interval. This increased attending and eye contact.”

Bad example: “Imitation didn’t go so great. I think he’s bored with all of his procedures.”

o Good reinforcers? This section is to communicate with other tutors about specific reinforcers that

were/were not effective for the child. Please be specific about certain toys/edibles that were effective for that day.

o Other This section is a place for you to write about any other comments you may feel

are important to pass along to other tutors. Also, explain the reasoning behind any codes you may have used during your shift.

o Total # of LO’s and ELO’s LO’s count as any procedure trial (anything you take data on) ELO’s are skills that have already been acquired and are being run for

maintenance. Child specific ELO’s will be listed on an index card in the mastered materials drawer of each child’s bin.

Only count ELO’s during mastered procedure time. Do not count compliance trials (e.g., sit down, quiet hands) as ELO’s.


Mastered Procedure Protocol Rotate through ALL mastered materials

o Each child has a drawer of mastered materials by their bootho In this drawer there are note cards with procedures on them as well as the materials

corresponding to the procedures Mastered skills should be mixed just like normal procedure trials

o i.e., vocal trial, then a receptive trial, then an imitation trialo i.e., “Say, ‘ahhh,’” then “Arms up,” then “Do this.”o This can be done by mixing up all the mastered materials before you begin

You do not need to take data on mastered skillso Count them as ELO’s on the ELO countero This will be the only time that you will use the ELO counter.

Correct trialso Reinforce and move on to another trial.

Incorrect trialso Use the prompt hierarchy, then reinforce.o If you notice the child is consistently struggling with a particular skill, please make a note of

it so that tutors can focus more on that skill. #1 Rule! - Be CREATIVE! The possibilities are endless

o The goal is for these mastered skills to generalize to new materials, responses, Sds, tutors, environments, etc.

o Examples (suggested, but certainly not limited to): Imitation:

If the child can imitate gross motor movements, try fine motor movements- facial imitation, etc.

ID Objects: vary your Sds (instead of ‘Touch,’ say ‘Find…..,’ ‘Where is the …..?’ ‘Give me

the …..,’ etc.) use new items use pictures instead of objects or vice versa use books instead of picture cards

Matching: Use new objects Use puzzles Match pictures of people to the actual people Match colors

Echoic: Have the child echo new sounds/words/phrases, etc.

Manding:


If the child can mand using one word, start moving to more complex mands (rather than saying ‘M&M,’ have them say ‘Blue M&M.’ or ‘Big, red ball’ instead of ‘Ball’)

Contrive other opportunities for the child to mand that they may not have learned yet (for example, if they are about to walk through a door way, stand in their way and prompt them to say ‘Excuse me.’)


2-On-1 Protocol If possible, try to match kids who will work well with each other.

o Skill level: If we match kids with similar skill levels, it will be easier to work on procedures Match children with the same procedures

o Behavior problems: Try to make a pair of children where one might have more behavior problems than the

other. If we have two children with many problem behaviors paired with one tutor, it might pose a difficult situation

o Think about how each child could benefit the other If we pair a non-verbal child with a verbal child, it might benefit the non-verbal child

Getting Started:o Work at a table. It will be a more structured place for you to maximize your time. o If possible, work at a table that has a wall or surrounding barrier. It will be easier for you as a

tutor if the children cannot just get up and run away.o Grab each child’s cart and wheal them over to the table so you have both child’s reinforcers and

procedure materials available Running Procedures:

o Get reinforcers ready for both children.o Start running procedures with one child while the other one is occupied with their chosen

reinforcero Do 3-5 trials with one child and then switch to running trials with the other childo Try to take as much data as possible, but attending to both children should be your top priority

Do not forge data Pointers:

o Look at a book. Have children look at a book together and tact different items in the book. Have them point at certain pictures or items in the book. Take turns having the children do this

o You can also work on tacting items on the desk. Put out an array of different items and have the children take turn tacting them or pointing to them.

o You can play a game similar to Simon-Says and have the children follow simple directions.o Use puzzles. Have the children take turns putting pieces of the puzzle together. The children

could say, “It’s my turn!” while the other child waits for their turn. This is a functional way of learning to take turns and waiting.

o Play with toys that require two pieces (i.e., gear toys, pegs, blocks, barbies, etc. ). Have the children mand to each other for the other piece of the toy.

o Work on pretend play. Use some of the manipulative imitation materials and have the children imitate certain actions. You can also use toys and have them imitate ways to play with the toys.

o If the children have the same (or similar) procedures, make the procedure a game. For example, when tacting, make it a race to see who can label the objects first.

o If one child is higher functioning, have that child instruct the other child.


o For children with poor social skills, reinforce all appropriate interactions with the other child.

Communicating with Parents We are fortunate to have some very supportive and involved parents at KAC. It is essential that we

maintain a strong relationship with these parents, as their involvement is key to the success of their child.

Many parents send a notebook with their child. It is your responsibility to read the notebook at the beginning of your shift and to write in it at the end of your shift. You should always write something. You’ve just spent 2+ hours with the child, so there should be something to report! If you are there when your child is picked up/dropped off, it will be your job to update your child’s parent on their progress.

When communicating with parents, always remember to stay calm and stay positive, even if the parent doesn’t. Remember, they are concerned for their child and they only want the best for him/her. Don’t take their concerns as a personal attack on you. Being a parent of a child with autism is hard; much harder than the 2 hours/day you spend with the child. Sometimes they get frustrated, and sometimes they might take it out on you. Do your best to diffuse difficult situations and tell a supervisor immediately so they can follow up with the parent.

DOs and DONTs o DO:

o Use parent-friendly languageo Talk about the child’s progresso Talk about specific behaviorso Explain new procedureso Give lots of exampleso Share cute storieso Ask questions about the child’s behaviors at homeo Alert grad students of important information from the parents (new medications, diet

changes, schedules changes, new school, etc.)o Explain any injuries or soiled clothing (regardless of how minor)

o DON’T:o Make vague statementso Make any scheduling decisions (alert grad students to scheduling issues and they will take

care of it)o Make any promises to the parents (always talk to supervisors)o Talk negatively about the procedures, protocols, children, tutors, staff, KAC, CDC, Dr. Malott,

etc. If you have a problem with any of the above, discuss the issue with a supervisor

o Exampleso Good examples:

“Johnny got a new procedure today. We are teaching him to label objects. Right now we’re working on apple, tree, and elephant. In the first phase, we are holding up the item and asking “what is this?” and immediately prompting with the name of the item. Johnny got 60% correct the first session!”

“Johnny ate all of his lunch today. He needed a little help holding the spoon steady, but is becoming more independent every day.”


“Johnny spilled his milk at lunch, which is why he’s wearing his sweat pants. His other pants are in a plastic bag in his backpack. He is also out of spare clothing.”

“I don’t think Johnny is feeling well today. We took his temperature and he didn’t have a fever, but he didn’t eat much at lunch today, and he kept laying his head on the table.”

“Johnny met mastery criterion for his motor imitation procedure today. Next, we are going to add a manipulative imitation procedure. This is how we will do it…”

“Johnny surprised us today by correctly labeling a cat on the first try! We’ve never worked on that with him. Are you working on that at home?”

o Bad examples: “Johnny did good today.” “Today was rough.” “I couldn’t get him to do anything.” “He was just out of it today.” “Johnny is bored with his procedures. We’ve been working on the same procedure

for the past month. I don’t know why these incompetent grad students don’t add anything new to his book.”

“I’ve got a Doctor’s appointment tomorrow; can you bring Johnny at 3 instead of 2?”

“I don’t know why we’re teaching this crap. The procedure doesn’t make any sense, and he doesn’t like doing it. I don’t understand why they make us do this.”

**NOTE: Professionalism when interacting with parents is very important. Instances of unprofessional behavior will be taken very seriously and professionalism points will be removed. You may also be asked to

attend a training session on how to more effectively interact with parents.

Any further questions?

Please contactKelly Stone- [email protected] Korneder- [email protected] Brown- [email protected] Obertein- [email protected] Freeman- [email protected] Montallana- [email protected]


Waiver for Access to Recommendation Forms from Courses by Dr. Malott

Every semester, T.A.s in Dr. Malott’s courses complete recommendation forms for each of their students. These forms are stored and used to write letters of recommendation, when students request them from Dr. Malott. The forms include information on:

Professional and interpersonal skills Participation (attendance and participation in discussions) Percentage and rank in all graded areas Final Fiesta and various activities Whether the student would be a good candidate for graduate school

Students have a right to access any of their academic records, including these forms. However, in order to maintain confidentiality and honesty in the graduate school/job/scholarship application process, students who choose to access their T.A. recommendation forms will not be eligible for a letter of recommendation from Dr. Malott.

Please check one of the options below regarding your choice to maintain or waive your right to access recommendation forms from Dr. Malott’s courses. If you have already signed this form in one of Dr. Malott’s courses, you do not need to sign again.

I waive my right to access my T.A.’s recommendation forms based on my performance in any and all classes under the supervision of Dr. Malott. By waiving this right, I will be eligible for a letter of recommendation from Dr. Malott should I decide to request one.

I do not waive my right to access my T.A.’s recommendation forms based on my performance in classes under the supervision of Dr. Malott. I understand that by retaining my right to access my T.A.’s recommendation form, I forfeit the opportunity to have Dr. Malott write a letter of recommendation for me.

T.A. Name__________________________________________

Semester & Year______________________________

Printed Student Name________________________________________

Student Signature__________________________________________ Date ________


Letter of Recommendation Request for Dr. Malott**you must indicate that you “waive your right” to access to the letter on relevant forms

NAME (include maiden name): Overall GPA: Phone:

EMAIL: PSY GPA: Total GRE Score:

Minor / 2nd Major: Minor/2nd Major GPA: Quantitative GRE Score:

# of math courses taken: Math GPA: Verbal GRE Score:

# of writing courses taken: Writing GPA:

Names & deadlines of the Schools/Scholarships/Fellowships/Jobs, etc. for which you are applying (attach an extra sheet, if necessary):

Name Deadline Add’l forms to complete?

Electronic Letter?

1) Yes No Yes No

2) Yes No Yes No

3) Yes No Yes No

4) Yes No Yes No

5) Yes No Yes No

Area of interest (e.g., Autism, DD, I/O, OBM, etc.)?________________________________________________________

Research projects in which you've been involved:________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Honors you've received from the psychology department or university:____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Malott PSY Course

Semester Year T.A. Name Grade

3600/1000H

Super A A

4600

BSAP/Super P

3570 Regular

3570 Intermediate

3570 Advanced

3980: BRSS

4990: BRSS

Grad/GRE Prep

Self-Mgmt

Pre-Practicum

Date turned in:Please e-mail [email protected] to notify that materials are complete & have been turned in.


Include the following in a file folder or large

envelope:

Photo of yourself Forms (if applicable),

complete including your signature

Addressed envelopes for letters/forms (USE 2 STAMPS)

Copy of WMU transcript (may be unofficial)

Resume/curriculum vita (CV) Personal statement This form An optional, self-addressed,

stamped postcard we’ll mail to you when your letters have been sent

Turn in to Matt Brodhead at either:

Graduate mailbox “K” in Psyc Dept. (Wood Hall, 3rd floor)

Mailbox “Emilia Knizner” or door box in BATS lab (Wood

training manual spring 12

Education