Day 1: Social Cognitive Deficits Across the School and Home Day: The ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition Designed for parents & professionals to understand the inner mind of persons high on the Autism Spectrum (Asperger Syndrome, PDD-NOS or High Functioning Autism), with ADHD, Non-Verbal Learning Disability or have no working diagnosis but they fit the clinical picture! Participants will learn not only functional treatment strategies they can use both at school and at home, but they will also better understand why these students' react and respond the way they do.
On this day we will introduce the I LAUGH model of Social Cognition which helps to demonstrate how social processing difficulties impact not only social skills but also the ability to work as part of a group and focus on specific academic tasks such as written expression, reading comprehension and organizational skills for many of our students.
We will also address how best to approach writing IEP goals that impact real, albeit, slow change in how students understand the world around them. Concepts related to assessment will also be introduced and the problem with using only standardized tests to qualify these students will also be explored. This workshop is noted for its depth in explaining WHY students with social skills difficulties have related academic challenges, which impact them across their school and home day.
Day 2: Thinking About YOU Thinking About MEAll participants, whether they be parents or professionals leave this workshop day with not only new insights into the treatment for their students but also with a new awareness of their own intuitive perspective taking skills. Michelle believes that when adults learn more their own social thinking skills they become better teachers to students who need coaching to develop these skills.
Persons with social cognitive deficits, which include those with diagnoses such as Asperger Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, PDD-NOS, NLD and ADHD often have difficulty efficiently considering and responding to the perspective of those around them. Perspective taking is referred to as "Theory of Mind" in the research. This workshop will explore how central the skill of "perspective taking" is to all social contact and interpretation, be it non-verbal or verbal.
This workshop day is an exploration of what it means to be able to "take perspective" and how a deficit in this area impacts students heavily in every environment in which they participate be it school, home, community, and/or work. Perspective taking as a social executive functioning skill will be discussed. Michelle will introduce a model of explaining 3 different levels of perspective taking deficits along with overall prognosis for each of these levels.
Functional educational strategies to facilitate growth in thinking about how other people think and the related social skills will be reviewed to teach to students who function higher on the autism spectrum or with related deficits. A four-step model of developing social communication skills will be introduced. The audience is encouraged to be active participants across the day. Videotape examples of treatment strategies will be heavily utilized. |
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