Social Emotional Learning During School Closure

Modified Social Emotional Learning Activities

Methodology

Methodology describes how a student's instruction can be changed as part of an Individualized Education Program that is designed to provide access to learning. It assumes the student has a handicapping condition symptoms from which make it so the student would not access learning without the changes (otherwise known as specialized instruction.) Methodologies that are recommended by the team for specific students can be found on the Present Level of Education Performance pages (IEP 2 and IEP3.) The below list of sample changes. If you find that these are not allowing your child access to Social Emotional Learning at home, please contact Lisa Hunt, School Psychologist at lisa_hunt@wrsd.net and I will work collaboratively with you to better match your child's educational needs during school closure.

Sample Changes (Some of the below are often listed as accommodations or simply good teaching practices.)

Behavior - Present explicit guidance to help the child with their behavior

Use a visual schedule to set behavioral expectations. (e.g., When you finish this assignment for your teacher, then you can do the fun activity you chose to earn.) Sample on the home page of this website.

Label expectations with "When...then..." or "First this, then you can..." or say, "Now it is time for math...it is not play time..."

When setting limits or behavior expectations, preface with "All done with...now it is time for..." or "I see you are feeling frustrated...because...let's talk about how we can solve this problem together...."

If your child refuses to participate even with support and accommodations, you may simply give them the answer, so to speak. Give your child the script to participate in the activity. For example, when using "I messages", you may fill in the blanks for your child and at the end ask, "is that correct?" ("I feel shy right when the teacher asks questions because I am not sure what the right answer is. I want help so I can answer the teacher's question.")

Visual

Enlarge materials - Contact lisa_hunt@wrsd.net if you need help with this modification.

Present auditory information with visual references.

Use pictures of faces showing feelings.

Use the weather chart to help your child identify how they may be feeling.

"I message" cards and sentence starters.

Use the "Size of the Problem" chart.

Use the "Choice Wheel" to help problem solving.

"Zone Catcher" to illustrate problem solving choices in game format.

Use the transcript feature with Youtube read a aloud.

Auditory

Present visual information with auditory references.

Recorded books to accompany text.

Read the text out loud while your child follows along.

State how the character might be feeling by the expression on their face in the text, e.g., "I see he is feeling...because..."

Present information in rhyme or song format.

Amount - How much is presented at any one time or number of exposures to content and/or task

State main idea and point out details that support the main idea as you go. Help your child make connections.

Explicitly state reason for an activity (e.g., The reason we practice Mindfulness activities is so that we will remember what to do when we need to help our brains and bodies feel calm.)

List the story elements and important details.

Break tasks down to one or two steps at a time. Allow for brief breaks in between.

Provide previews (e.g. story on Youtube prior to reading) and review or repetition.

Shorten the amount of time a student engages in school work.

Level - Match the task to the student's level of skill

Choose tasks your child will find easy and can do with independence (e.g., Listening to a book on audio vs. reading.)

Allow the student to draw a picture rather than write or start with a picture that they then write about.

Have your child do a "picture walk" before reading to him or her. Ask her to recount the pictures and make "smart guesses" about what the story is about based on the pictures.

Use multiple choice or "fill in the blank" questioning.

Interest - Using favorite topics, toys or activities to help practice skills

Help your child find personal relevance. Remind them of events to help make those connections.

Allow your child to have the company of a favorite toy when working.

Playing favorite family games are a wonderful way to practice social skills such as turn taking, paying attention when it is not your turn, asking polite questions and using polite words.

Ideas, Resources and Tools

Mindful Games from Dr. Chris Willard

Mindful Candy Land Dr. Chris Willard

Andy's Social Stories with Boardmaker

Home School Psychologist - Adam Parker

Words I can say when sharing with others