di: di Digest, Vol 75, Issue 6

Thu Aug 9 11:51:12 PDT 2018

I’m not a practitioner just a parent that has read a bunch so with that being said - my child, typical of those with special needs - struggled with imitation in all areas - language, fine and gross motor - still does relative to peers but they are available. Imitation is the grease that speeds acquisition of skills. A skill is demonstrated and imitated speeding learning to a larger set of skills demonstrated and repeated in a shorter period of time. When no imitation is present, a skill must be shaped instead. The classic example is a fish in a bowl that is taught to swim through a hoop. Fish is reinforced for successive approximations of behavior closer to the target skill - swimming through hoop when a light stimulus is present. However, I could not imitate a Olympian gymnast. A person needs years of perfecting prerequisite skills to attempt the composite skills of a gymnast. So what skills does your child/student already have that are close to the desired new skill? Are they at fluent levels of performance? Can I use that fluent behavior to reach toward approximating, even accidentally, near the target behavior? Martha Gabler’s book 
“Chaos to Calm: Discovering Solutions to the Everyday Problems of Living with Autism” does a great job of breaking this process down for non practitioners. Add in some reading on precision teaching ... and the hard work begins but is much more pleasant. Adding imitation later is the correct sequence imo.

Best wishes, Aimee Taylor, parent

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 9, 2018, at 12:57 PM, Susan Goodman <susangoodman at optonline.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Aimee - Glad you mentioned Essential for Living.. I have a question about it I’d like to send out to the group.  
> 
> McGreevy has the first Essential 8 skills, then after those 8, he included imitation.  In my opinion, imitation comes first.  What can you learn without imitation?  Wanted to get other peoples thoughts on imitation. 
> 
> Thank so much, ,
> 
> Susan
>> On Aug 8, 2018, at 12:41 PM, Aimee Taylor <littlegreen at ymail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> This was my thought when I responded to the op but my reply never came through to the list. A “verbal” (or sign language but preferably cued speech English or nu vue cue) output that corresponds to the phonemes of the language (and eventually graphemes) would be essential to reading. I suggested low performers manual or a verbal behavior approach similar to VB-MAPP like Essential for Living by McGreevy https://www.essentialforliving.com/
>> 
>> Best wishes, Aimee Taylor, parent
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Aug 6, 2018, at 7:27 PM, Christopher Duss <duss.christopher at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Elissa and DI List,
>>> 
>>> In case it was missed, one replier pointed out the Lower Performers' Manual published on zigsite.com. In that manual, after the assessment on page 72, Zig outlines a detailed program for children who are not only non-verbal but also unresponsive to basic action commands, that aims to take them up to the level required to begin Language for Learning. The implementation appears challenging but effective. 
>>> 
>>> On the original question of teaching reading, my understanding from a DI perspective is that reading isn't typically introduced until a basic level of verbal output is achieved - specifically mastery in the first 40 lessons of Language for Learning. I am unaware of adaptations Zig or other DI designers would make for people with learning difficulties. Would the approach still be to continue working toward that before introducing reading, regardless of how long it takes? 
>>> 
>>> Best regards,
>>> Chris
>>> 
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>>>> Today's Topics:
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>>>>    1. Re:  DI with non, or minimally verbal students (Shanon Sittler)
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> 
>>>> Message: 1
>>>> Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2018 17:23:47 +0000
>>>> From: Shanon Sittler <ssittler at tulpehocken.org>
>>>> To: Beth Lang <elizabethlang.bcba at gmail.com>
>>>> Cc: "DI at lists.uoregon.edu" <DI at lists.uoregon.edu>
>>>> Subject: Re: di: DI with non, or minimally verbal students
>>>> Message-ID: <6F14753D-CDEB-42D5-AFC5-FAEC399CC0BD at tulpehocken.org>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>>>> 
>>>> I agree with this thought entirely!  The proper output system is a critical piece that also needs to be addressed. ELSB has AT built in as an option and can absolutely be used alongside SRA to give the kiddos access to all of the instruction they are entitled to.
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>> On Aug 2, 2018, at 1:02 PM, Beth Lang <elizabethlang.bcba at gmail.com<mailto:elizabethlang.bcba at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Just a thought- non vocal correlates but does not mean low vocabulary. With the right output system... you could find yoursef denying a kid access to needed instruction.
>>>> 
>>>> Cheers
>>>> Beth
>>>> 
>>>> On Wednesday, August 1, 2018, Shanon Sittler <ssittler at tulpehocken.org<mailto:ssittler at tulpehocken.org>> wrote:
>>>> I feel that language for learning requires a lot of language for a non-vocal child to meaningfully participate in instruction. I do believe that it would be very difficult to determine if a skill is mastered.  Has anyone used/considered Early Literacy Skills Builder (ELSB) published by Attainment?  I absolutely love SRA DI, but ELSB captures those low incidence and non-vocal kids in a way that Language for Learning can not.  It is definitely a program worthy of looking into.
>>>> 
>>>> As an aside, it is so encouraging to hear an administrator saying, ?We can do better!?  Thank you for the thought you are putting into this!
>>>> 
>>>> Best Wishes,
>>>> Shanon Sittler
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>> On Aug 1, 2018, at 2:12 PM, Cathy Burner <cathyb1 at aol.com<mailto:cathyb1 at aol.com>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Elissa,
>>>> 
>>>> The Language for Learning CD is a sleeper.  I find this very appropriate for the population of students you have described.
>>>> 
>>>> All the best for a great school year,
>>>> 
>>>> Cathy Burner
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Elissa McKenzie <elissa at stlillian.org<mailto:elissa at stlillian.org>>
>>>> To: DI <DI at lists.uoregon.edu<mailto:DI at lists.uoregon.edu>>
>>>> Sent: Mon, Jul 30, 2018 12:37 pm
>>>> Subject: di: DI with non, or minimally verbal students
>>>> 
>>>> I am an administrator for a small school for children who have communication and learning challenges.
>>>> 
>>>> Our students have diagnoses that include ASD, Down Syndrome, Apraxia of Speech, Cerebral Palsy, and more...
>>>> 
>>>> We have been using Reading Mastery with fair success but feel we can do better.  In our school, we have the support of Speech Language Pathologists, ABA providers, OT's and PT's.  We use communication devices as well as picture boards for communication.  Still, we do find it difficult to assess the progress for students who are non-verbal or minimally verbal.
>>>> 
>>>> We are very creative with students support, but feel our students are limited by mastery being dependent on the verbal performance. Is there a systematic way to assess receptively as well as expressively?
>>>> 
>>>> Or, is there a DI program for non or minimally verbal students.
>>>> 
>>>> Any support or shared experience is appreciated.
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you
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>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> 
>>>> Beth Lang
>>>> 
>>>> Director/Founder
>>>> 
>>>> Smart Sp:)t Educational Services LLC
>>>> 
>>>> 484-935-1111
>>>> 
>>>> www.smartspotlearning.com<http://www.smartspotlearning.com/>
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 202 S. Third St. (Rt. 309)
>>>> 
>>>> Suite 2
>>>> 
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>>>> 
>>>> email: elizabethlang.bcba at gmail.com<mailto:elizabethlang.bcba at gmail.com>
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>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Chris Duss
>>> youtube.com/PicLily
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