Tag Archives: learning

Pick of the Week: Sensory Tubes – Reinforcers filled with endless possibilities of stimuli!

Posted on by

We love these Sensory Tubes here at Different Roads to Learning! This set of 4 clear and sturdy Sensory Tubes is remarkably versatile.
What we love about them is that you can fill each one with assorted visual or auditory stimuli that a particular student finds reinforcing, completely individualizing them. This week, take 15% off* your order of the Sensory Tubes by applying promo code TUBES15 at checkout!

Each tube features dual openings with 2 solid lids along with four vented lids that let children explore their sense of smell or even observe little critters.

The lids easily twist off and on, and the solid lids hold liquid securely inside. The tubes measure 12 inches in height and 2.5 inches in diameter. These Sensory Tubes will make your student’s reinforcement possibilities endless!

Don’t forget to save 15%* this week on your set of Sensory Tubes by applying promo code TUBES15 at checkout!

 

*Offer is valid until 11:59pm EST on December 23rd, 2014. Not compatible with any other offers. Be sure there are no spaces or dashes in your code at check out!

Pick of the Week: What Do You Say… What Do You Do… In the Community?

Posted on by

What Do You Say… What Do You Do… In the Community? is our newly added interactive social skills board game that helps teach and reinforce important social skills children need as they interact with their peers, family members, and community helpers. The social questions in the game are ideal for improving reasoning, inferencing, as well as pragmatic, narrative, and conversational skills. This week only, you can save 15%* on your set of What Do You Say… What Do You Do… In the Community? by using promo code SAYDO at checkout!

What Do You Say…What Do You Do… helps build social and decision-making skills appropriate for a variety of situations. Students move around the colorful community game board and answer social-skills questions. With each correct answer, they collect a token and try to fill a token strip. Students will visit places on the game board common to all communities: doctor’s office, police station, library, fire station, hospital, courthouse, city hall, park, grocery store, restaurants, and more.

The Social Situation Cards target several different settings, and the open-ended questions encourage students to problem-solve and are excellent for role-play. The game includes a foldable 18″ x 18″ Game Board, 144 laminated cardboard Community Tokens, 390 color-coded Community Situation Cards, 6 laminated cardboard Community Characters, 6 Token Strips, and a 6-color Die.

Don’t forget to take 15% off* your set of What Do You Say… What Do You Do… this week only by using promo SAYDO at checkout!

Simplifying the Science: Addressing Vocal Stereotypy or “Scripting”

Posted on by

Many parents and teachers struggle with addressing vocal stereotypy or “scripting” in children with autism. Since stereotypy is frequently automatically reinforcing, (meaning that the behavior is maintained by the sensation produced by the behavior) it is especially difficult to address. While this type of behavior does occur in typically developing children (think of a young child singing the same song repeatedly for several weeks or a toddler repeating a newly learned sound) there is concern that this behavior persists in children with autism and other developmental disabilities in such a manner that it interferes with learning.

In 2007, William H. Ahearn, Kathy M. Clark, Rebecca P.F. McDonald and Bo In Chung published a study in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis entitled “Assessing and Treating Vocal Stereotypy in Children with Autism.” The study defined vocal stereotypy as “any instance of noncontextual or nonfunctional speech and included singing, babbling, repetitive grunts, squeals, and phrases unrelated to the present situation.” It focused on four learners (two boys and two girls) who had autism and were referred for the study because their vocal stereotypy interfered with their ability to learn. The children ranged in age from 3-11. Three of them used speech to communicate while one used PECS.

The study describes potential interventions from previous research before introducing its goal of interrupting the vocal response then redirecting. This is called RIRD – Response Interruption/Redirection. In RIRD, when the child made an inappropriate vocalization, the teacher blocked them by interrupting immediately, then redirecting them to another behavior. The redirection involved prompts for vocal behavior such as saying “Where do you live?” or “Say ‘red.’” When a child made an appropriate vocalization, it was always followed by a teacher comment.

RIRD produced substantially lower rates of stereotypy for all four of the children and an increase in appropriate vocalizations for three of the children. One thing that is striking about these results is that “sessions were 5 min in duration, and two to three sessions were conducted 3 days per week.” This is a degree of time commitment that is replicable in the home or school environments.

If your child or student is presenting with stereotypy that interferes with learning, it is valuable to look at this study, as well as similar studies by Cassella, Sidener, Sidener, & Progar (2011) and Athens, Vollmer, Sloman, & Pipkin (2008). Consult with a BCBA or ABA provider for assistance in implementing the intervention.

Pick of the Week: ABA Curriculum for the Common Core for Kindergarten

Posted on by

We’re thrilled to introduce this pioneering curriculum kit containing both the materials and programs to teach each Kindergarten Common Core standard for both English Language Arts and Math. Authored by Sam Blanco, MSEd, BCBA, the curriculum has been created exclusively for students in special education settings using the evidence-based principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

We’re offering this robust curriculum kit for a limited-time introductory price of $499.95.

Completely unique, this kit contains a curriculum book that drills down into each standard and breaks it into teachable steps. Programs are presented in a format that supports data collection and ease of use. Each Common Core standard is presented on its own page with clear instructions detailing the Teaching Procedure, Discriminative Stimulus (Sd), and Materials required for teaching. Each standard lists several targets that demonstrate the component steps and skills required for mastery.

A thorough “how-to” guide presents the main tenets of ABA, giving staff an accessible understanding of Motivation and Reinforcement, Pairing, Prompting, Generalization, Natural Environment Teaching, Preference Assessment, and Data Collection. In addition, comprehensive Data Sheets are included, along with samples of how to complete them.

Our ABA Curriculum for the Common Core Kit comes with more than 24 quality, versatile manipulatives, flashcards, games and tools. The curriculum book explicitly explains how to use these materials to teach and generalize each standard. The materials included in the kit have been carefully selected to not only assess and teach each standard and prerequisite skill, but also be wonderful additions to any classroom setting. The materials can be used during more intensive group and one-to-one instruction, as well as during center time and independent play.

The goal of this curriculum kit is to make the Common Core standards accessible and relevant to students with autism and special needs. Additionally, by breaking each standard down and drilling into the prerequisite skills, the opportunity exists to use these Kindergarten programs for older students who are not developmentally able to meet grade-level standards. By equipping teachers with teachable steps for each and every standard and pairing the teaching with motivating, versatile materials, the ABA Curriculum for the Common Core Kit puts Kindergarten students in Special Education on the path to achieving success.

 You can also purchase today the Curriculum Book separately for only $64.95 $59.95. This curriculum book is best utilized in conjunction with our ABA Curriculum for the Common Core Kit: Kindergarten and explicitly explains how to use the materials presented in the kit to teach and generalize each standard. Soft Cover, 176 pages, by Sam Blanco, MSEd, BCBA.

 Special educators and consultants are already finding this to be an invaluable resource in the classroom.

 Advance Praise for the ABA Curriculum for the Common Core

 “ABA Curriculum for the Common Core is bound to be the type of reference book every special educator will be reaching for. With its comprehensive, accessible, and task-analyzed programs, ABA strategies, and data collection sheets, Sam Blanco has created a compilation dream for all educators working with children who have special needs.”
– Val Demiri, PhD, BCBA-D

“This highly organized and comprehensive curriculum is a must for all special education teachers working to implement the common core standards in the classroom. Every teacher and student need is anticipated and planned for. With this curriculum as a resource, the common core standards are no longer an obstacle, but instead an accessible program of study for all students.”
– Linda McSorley, Special Education Teacher

Continue reading →

Different Roads to Learning’s “What Goes Together?” App is Now Available on Android!

Posted on by

What Goes Together?Our very own app for matching and sorting What Goes Together? is now available for Android devices*. Find it available now in the Google Play Store, on Amazon, and in the Barnes & Noble Nook Store.

This interactive game develops language, discrimination, and reasoning skills in young learners. Clear, colorful images of everyday objects promote an understanding of functions and the relationships between items that children encounter on a daily basis. With built-in reinforcement and error correction, this game provides a solid foundation in building critical expressive and receptive language skills.

Screenshots captured from a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

In What Goes Together?, images are prompted with the question “What goes together?” Students then drag the prompted object to the correctly associated object among the 3 shown across the bottom of the screen. Correct responses receive visual and auditory reinforcement, while incorrect answers are corrected by a visual prompt of the correct answer flashing. After all targets have been seen once, they are reintroduced in a new, randomized order. The app takes data for the percentage answered correctly across rounds as well as sessions in which the app is in use.

*What Goes Together? runs an Android 2.2 platforms and up. This app is also available in the Apple iTunes Store.

Pick of the Week: Speaker’s Box – Expand expressive vocabulary & language

Posted on by

Ideal for auditory and visual learners, Speaker’s Box helps strengthen oral language skills in whole-class or small-group settings, as well as in one-on-one instruction. This week only, take 15% off* your order of Speaker’s Box by using promo code SPEAKER at checkout.

With Speaker’s Box, students reach into the box, choose a color-coded prompt card, and then start chatting. There are four color-coded categories included:

  • What’s Happening Here?/What Comes Next? has the students talk about what is going on in the picture or what might happen next.
  • Step by Step has students look at the picture and correlating question on the back to give detailed directions on how to do something.
  • Would You Rather? presents questions that students answer with a personal statement based on the first thing that comes to mind.
  • Things You Like Best also asks students questions about their preferences and to explain why.

This is a great teaching tool that fosters receptive and expressive language, peer interaction, perspective-taking, and more. The set includes eighty-six 2.5-inch square write & wipe-cards (14 are blank for customization) in a nifty storage box. This game is recommended for children ages 6 and up.

Don’t forget to use our promo code SPEAKER this week to save 15%* on your set of Speaker’s Box.

*Offer is valid until 11:59pm EST on November 11th, 2014. Not compatible with any other offers. Be sure there are no spaces or dashes in your code at check out!

A Call for Conferences on Autism Spectrum Disorder, Applied Behavior Analysis, Verbal Behavior and Social Skills

Posted on by

Banner_LargeDo you know of any upcoming conference or workshops on Autism?! Please let us know of any ABA, Verbal Behavior or Speech-Language Therapy events and we will share it with our community. We strive to help our readers be informed about resources and events for parents and educators of children with autism or other developmental delays. No matter how big or how small – email info about your event to hannah@difflearn.com. Please include the date, location, scheduled sessions/speakers, registration details, contact information, and anything else you feel would be informative. If you have a flyer or website, send it over!

We’re always happy to send catalogs or a door prize for your attendees so don’t hesitate to contact us. Help us help our parents and teachers educate and inspire!

We’ll let our readers know about your event on our site where we keep a running list of upcoming conferences at https://www.difflearn.com/events.

Different Roads to Learning’s “Clean Up: Category Sorting” App is now available on Android!

Posted on by

Clean Up Cateogory Sorting AppWe’re extremely excited to announce that our very own sorting skills app Clean Up: Category Sorting is now available for Android devices*. Find it available now the Google Play Store, on Amazon, and in the Barnes & Noble Nook Store.

Clean Up: Category Sorting is an interactive game that develops language, reasoning, and sorting and classifying skills in young learners. Players of the game must “clean up” by putting 75 photographic images of toys, food, and clothing away in the correct shopping cart, refrigerator, or toy box. Each target is introduced by its label (“Where does the Apple go?”) in each round, where players see 15 unique images.

Screenshots captured from a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

Correct responses receive visual and auditory reinforcement while incorrect answers are corrected by a visual prompt of the correct answer flashing. After all targets have been seen once, they are reintroduced in a new, randomized order. The app takes data for the percentage answered correctly across rounds as well as sessions in which the app is in use. Clean Up: Category Sorting will help build foundational sorting skills for students just developing their sorting and classifying skills.

*Clean Up: Category Sorting runs an Android 2.2 platforms and up. This app is also available on the Apple iTunes Store. 

Tip of the Week: Communicating with Paraprofessionals to Support Your Learner

Posted on by

Many students with autism and other developmental disabilities have an IEP that mandates a 1:1 paraprofessional (called an instructional assistant or teaching assistant in some states, but referred to as paraprofessional for the purposes of this article). Recently, I had the opportunity to provide a workshop to a large group of paraprofessionals in New York City. I was surprised to hear how some felt disconnected from the families of their students, especially considering how deep their relationships are with their students.

My conversations during that workshop caused me to reflect upon my own experience as a classroom teacher. Fortunately, I always had wonderful paraprofessionals who were essential to making the classroom run smoothly and helping our students achieve success, but I recognize now that they often were working with less information and less contact with the families than the teachers were. As a parent/guardian, you can help bridge that gap.

  • Communicate directly with the teacher and the paraprofessional. If you have critical information about your child, don’t assume that the teacher will share it with the paraprofessional. This can be important for big issues, such as allergies or new medicines, as well as smaller issues, such as an impending vacation or a sleepless night.
  • Share important goals with the paraprofessional. In many schools, the paraprofessional may never have seen your child’s IEP, though they frequently see your child for more time during each day. The paraprofessional also will usually see your child at times when the teacher will not, such as lunch and/or recess. If there are specific concerns about social skills, the paraprofessional likely has more opportunities for implementing social skills interventions than the teacher.
  • When you go to parent teacher conferences, ask both the teacher and the paraprofessional about your child’s performance in school. Because the paraprofessional sees the student in more environments, they may have more specific observations about transitions, special classes such as gym or art, and social interactions outside of the classroom.
  • Sometimes a student responds better to the paraprofessional than the teacher. If they do, find out why. The paraprofessional may be doing things that you and/or the teacher can replicate to help your child’s learning outcomes.
  • Show your appreciation for the paraprofessional. The job of a paraprofessional is very challenging: no preps, the need to adjust to each teacher’s style throughout the day, and the fact that they often end up managing any behavioral challenges during the day. A note of thanks can go a long way. And if you are the type of parent who gives small gifts or handmade items to teachers, don’t leave the paraprofessional out!

WRITTEN BY SAM BLANCO, MSED, BCBA

Sam is an ABA provider for students ages 3-12 in NYC. Working in education for ten years with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other developmental delays, Sam has developed strategies for achieving a multitude of academic, behavior, and social goals. Sam is currently pursuing her PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis at Endicott College.

Just Added! Tiggly Counts – Learn math with fun, interactive apps

Posted on by

Tiggly Counts Feature

A playful world of math learning awaits in the all-new Tiggly Counts! From the award-winning makers of Tiggly Shapes, Tiggly Counts is a set of 5 counting toys that interact with 3 free iPad apps to connect children to a playful world of math learning. The apps and manipulatives work in tandem to develop a child’s number sense, counting skills, understanding of math operations, and more. The 3 free apps include Tiggly Chef, Tiggly Cardtoons, and Tiggly Addventure, and introduce children to a wonderful world of lovable characters that surprise and delight, as they learn essential early math abilities. Designed for children ages 3 and up.