Method to the Madness

Hi there everyone! Things have just settled down in my life and I have time to write another blog post..FINALLY!!! WAHOO! I want to share with you how we keep our classroom organized and running smoothly when it comes to data.

Keeping good data can very tricky. I have found that the key to taking good data is to take data that is meaningful, specific and will help you plan instruction as well as implement interventions if necessary.  In our classroom we take data on EVERYTHING (or just about ;) We didn't always take this much data, but as we got more comfortable with the ABA process and the needs of our students, we soon realized that data was our friend! It helps us to determine if what we are doing is working, if we need to change something or keep it up! The data system in your classroom should be clear and organized so that it is easy to read and access.  There is nothing I hate worse than looking for data sheets! That is why this past school year I went binder crazy.... 

...This is my bag before I went home for Spring Break..... 

All of my student binders ready to go home for progress report writing!

 See I told you...It's a lot of binders... but I promise its TOTALLY worth it!

All of my students have TWO binders, one for their ABA programs (purple binders) and one for their other data sheets (I call these DATA Binders).  

First I will explain our 'data binders'.  Each of my students is assigned a color.  This color corresponds with the name tags on their cubbies, the names and pieces of our classroom schedule, as well as their data binder.  In this data binder we keep track of several things: Natural Environment Teaching, Recess, Inclusion, Social Skills, Math, Reading, Behavior (If necessary) and Life Skills. 

 Here is a stack of student data binders just waiting for progress report time!

I will take you on a little tour of a student data binder so that you get get a better idea of how we use them.

Student Data Binder

 In the very front of each data binder is a notebook and folder to match the students color.  The notebook is used for writing any important notes, reminders, or highlights that may not have a place on a data sheet.  The folder is used for storing behavior charts, token economy pieces or just holding important papers.  

Inside Student Data Binder

Each section of the data binder is clearly labeled for easy access

Now we get into the good stuff!!! 

This is a sample NET (Natural Environment Teaching) Data Section.  Each student has a monthly graph to track their progress as well as skills tracking sheets for each verbal operant that we are targeting in the NET.  Each skills tracking sheet lists the skills that the student has mastered in IT sessions.  When the skill is introduced in the NET we write that as the date introduced. Once the target skill has been mastered/generalized in the natural environment, we write the date of mastery in the date mastered column, select another target, and bump up the students graph one point. 

NET Data

Also in this section are the NET cold probe (or initial assessment) sheets.  These sheets allow us to see which target skills have been selected for the student to work on in the Natural Environment and whether or not that student knew the target skill the first time it was presented that day.  If the student responds correctly three days in a row the skill is considered mastered.  It is then highlighted and recorded on the skills tracking sheet as mastered.  

NET Cold Probe Sheet

 Moving on to recess data! I created this data sheet based on the VB-MAPP Scoring Supplement 

 (Amiris Dipuglia, MD, BCBA & Linda Franchock, BS SPLED; June 2009, Revised Feb 2014)

This data sheet is completed for both inside and outside recess.  This data sheet helps  us to easily determine a students placement within the VB-MAPP scoring supplement for Independent and Social Play.  It also helps us to see frequency of problem behaviors as well as a space for other important notes. 

Sample Recess Data Sheet

Moving on to inclusion data! All of my students are included with regular education students for related arts classes (library, gym, music and art).  I created this data sheet mostly because I cannot be 10 places at once.  Typically, I do not have the chance to attend related arts with my students because they all go at different times in the day, so while they are out at specials with support staff, I am in the classroom with other students giving instruction.  This data sheet helps me to see how well students are participating in their related arts classes and how frequently they need the support of our classroom staff.  It also gives us antecedent behavior data so that we can identify causes of problem behavior during inclusion time. 

Inclusion Data

Social skills data. This data sheet is typically used for my students that attend a small social skills group.  One of my teaching assistants (Miss Katie!!) leads the group while another staff takes data on one student each day.  We track the activity that is taking place, whether the interaction was contrived by staff or unplanned, the individuals involved in the interaction, whether the interaction was individual or group and whether or not the student appropriately initiates or reciprocates social interaction with peers.  This is a new data sheet this year. We may make some changes to the sheet for next year so it is a little more user friendly but for now it serves its purpose.  

Social Skills Data

Next up.... Reading and Math Data.  Currently my students who are ready, receive an alternate reading and math curriculum.  We use SRA Reading Mastery for our reading curriculum and SRA Connecting Math Concepts for our Math Curriculum.  For Reading and Math I typically just take lesson mastery data.  I will keep track of the day each lesson started and finished with a skills tracking sheet and graph that information daily. 

Sample SRA Level K Reading Skills Tracking Sheet and Graph

Occasionally, I will have students that struggle with a specific skill or lesson and we get 'stuck'.  When this happens I like to take data on the lesson and exercises that are troublesome.  I will keep track of the number of prompted and independent responses with either tallies or a clicker. I will also keep track of avoidance and problem behavior.  

Sample Reading/Math Response Data Sheet

And last but not least is Life Skills Data! This section contains the monthly data sheets from our life skills centers.  For more info on our previous life skills centers and what data collection for these skills looks like check out some earlier posts: 

March Life Skills Center

January Life Skills Center

Now on to ABA Binders!

Each of my students has a purple binder that is used to keep track of their individual ABA programs.  These binders find their homes on student carts.... YEP they all have their own carts too... 

...have a look!

Student Carts

I'll post later about all of the goodies that go inside the carts... but thats for another time

So each kiddo has a purple binder that looks like this... 

ABA program Binders

In the front of each binder is the students weekly probe sheet.  On this sheet we keep track of the students targets and mastery criteria. At the start of each school day we do what is called a 'cold probe' where we assess the students on their target skills and track their initial response with no prompting from staff.  We  mark each response with either a yes or no.  After three consecutive yes marks we consider the skill mastered , it gets put into maintenance (easy skills) and we select a new target.  

Inside of a student ABA Program Binder

 Within the binder we keep track of every open program running for the student that is present on the weekly probe sheet.  Each operant has its own tab/section within the binder.

Operant Sections 

Within each operant there can be several programs open at once.  For example within TACT there can be Tact Actions, Common Items, Parts and Features of Items, Body Parts and/or Noun Verb Combinations, just to name a few.  These programs are organized similarly to the other data systems.  We keep track of all skills on a skill tracking sheet with spaces for the date introduced and date mastered. We also graph each program every day based on the mastery of skills during the cold probe.  

Here is a sample Tact Actions Skills Tracking Sheet.  The skills marked with PO were 'probed out' meaning that when we completed our initial assessment the student already knew those items. All other skills that have been assessed are marked with a - to note that the student does not yet know them. The skills with no mark next to them mean that they have not yet been assessed at all.  

Sample Tact Actions Skills Tracking Sheet

No two program books are alike.  Each binder is created  to contain programs that the student needs, based on their initial VB-MAPP at the beginning of each school year. 

.....Speaking of VB-MAPP Assessment.. those are also included in the binder!

VB-MAPP Scoring Supplement 

In the very back of the binder we keep all of the student weekly probe sheets.  This way we have a record of every day each student was cold probed and what the results of that assessment were. By the end of the year we have a LOT of these (one for every week we are in school!)

Weekly Probe Sheets 

Well now that you have seen our data collection/organization system you may have more questions than you started with! It's a lot to take in.  

If you would like copies of any data sheet you see here or would like to ask more questions about how we use these in our classroom,  please feel free to e-mail me at alison.huber@casdonline.org

 As always thanks for reading! :) 

March Life Skills Center

Well February flew by and I never had the chance to post about our setting the table center...It was great! The kiddos are now all setting a table for 4 people independently (cups, plates, knives, forks, spoons and napkins). 

For the month of March we are working on the skill of washing dishes.  We are lucky enough to have a sink and work area in our classroom that makes this skill easy for us to teach.

To begin each morning my staff have the task of making a bunch of dirty dishes for students to wash.  We will use lots of fun things to make them dirty, paint...ketchup....icing... whatever we can find that will make a mess ;) To save our sanity, and keep from dirtying dishes all day long, each student is only washing one of each item (one plate, cup, fork, knife and spoon).  The dirty dishes for each student will be placed in a bin next to the sink.

Note the dirty dishes in the bin to the right.
 

To begin the students will turn on the water and get their sponge wet.  After wetting the sponge they add the soap and scrub the dish. 

Soap!

Scrub Scrub Scrub!!

After scrubbing, they rinse the dish and then put it in the drying rack. 

Repeat until all dishes are clean :)

When all the dishes are washed they clean and wring out the sponge.

And that's it!

To use this skill at home I am encouraging parents to have their students pre-wash the dishes either before putting them in the dish washer or before their parents hand wash them (until we have better mastery of the skill).

ABA WHAT?

So many times I get asked... "What do you DO in your classroom??" I typically answer with "Well I use Applied Behavior Analysis in my classroom to develop programs for my students to develop their communication skills."... and I get a blank stare... no one seems to know what I'm talking about, but to be honest if I were given that answer 5 years ago my response would have been the same.
Since I entered the Chambersburg Area School District, about 4 years ago, I have had the incredible opportunity to be a part of the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Autism Initiative.  Through this initiative we are bringing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to our students with Autism in public schools! I have experienced so much success with this program and have seen my students grow into confident, expressive individuals that enjoy coming to school each day and are engaged in meaningful, individualized instruction. 
But still we have the overarching questions of What is ABA? and What do you do all day?!?! In this post I am going to try my very best to explain a little bit about what we do in our classroom and the principals that guide our instruction… this will most likely leave people with more questions than we began with, but we have to start somewhere so first let's just use this visual to clear up a few misconceptions of what ABA is NOT...

Here is a link to the PaTTAN Autism Initiative's handbook to Applied Behavior Analysis to also help with this explanation. 

http://pattan.net-website.s3.amazonaws.com/images/2015/05/11/ABA_Intro_booklet0415.pdf

Ok... so now that we have that we have cleared that up... lets talk about what ABA IS... ABA is a science developed by B.F. Skinner in his book Verbal Behavior (1957). ABA is a systematic process of studying and modifying observable behavior through a manipulation of the environment.  The theory characterizes the components of any behavior by an A-B-C model.  The ‘A’ in this ABC model represents an antecedent, or what occurs before behavior, ‘B’ represents the behavior or action that occurs, and ‘C’ represents the consequence, what happens directly after the behavior occurs, or the response to the behavior. Analysis of these components can allow us to create a functional picture of a student’s behavior and then develop a behavior modification program for the student. 

The ABA verbal behavior approach is best used with the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP).  Mark Sundberg’s  (2008) VB-MAPP brings together the procedures and teaching methodology of ABA and Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior in an effort to provide a behaviorally based language assessment program for all children with language delays. In our classroom we assess students with the VB-MAPP assessment twice each school year.  In this assessment we look at a broad picture of a students abilities related to the verbal operants.  We then develop specific and idividualaized programs for each student based on their deficits within each operant.   The main verbal operants we typically target are  the mand, tact, intra-verbal, listener, echoic, and imitation.  
And now for the explanation of the verbal operants: 

A mand is a request.  Mark Sunberg describes the mand as “asking for reinforcers that you want.  Asking for shoes because you want your shoes to go outside”.  A mand can be a request for an item, action, information and even attention. Requests do not need to be vocal; students can also request items by using sign language and even pictures.  The mand is the most critical of all verbal operants.  The mand is most important because it involves some level of motivation on the part of the requestor. Mands are important since the item, attention or information usually given after a mand serves as a direct reinforcer.  If a child is unable to ask for the things he or she wants, this most often causes problem behavior.  For all of these reasons, teaching children to mand needs to be the highest priority.  Mands are also important to teach initially because this helps the student understand that communicating produces positive results! 

The tact is essentially labeling.  Usually, a tact is a label of a picture, but it can also be an action, sound, smell, taste, or even attributes of an item. We will always teach Tacts of items with multiple exemplars (ex. many pictures of a car) because we want students to see any car and be able to label it as a car. 

 Intraverbal responding is the answering of questions.  Initially students will develop fun fill in responses such where the stimulus will be “Peek a...” and the student responds with “boo”. Later, more advanced responses are taught, including answering what, where, who, and when questions. 

 Echoics are repeating what is heard.  Saying “shoes” after someone else says “shoes”.  Imitation is the copying of motor movements.  Echoics and imitation are a critical skill, and we often see that once we can get vocal children to echo or nonvocal children to imitate sign language, the floodgates sometimes open and language and learning skills improve dramatically. 

Listener, or Listener Responding, is following instructions or complying with the mands of others.  For examples getting one’s shoes when told, “Get your shoes”.   

           Once the VB-MAPP is completed, a program is developed for a student, and intensive teaching trial (ITT) sessions are conducted.  During these ITT sessions we always intersperse easy and hard demands.  Typically the rule is 80% easy, or known skills, and 20% target, or new skills.  ABA also uses errorless teaching procedures. We provide immediate and frequent prompts to help improve the student’s communication.  These prompts become less intrusive as quickly as possible, until the student no longer needs prompting. 

           Another key component to our instruction is Natural Environment Teaching or NET.  During NET we help our students transfer all of the skills they have learned in their ITT sessions to the Natural Environment, or everyday situations and settings. I will elaborate on our NET sessions in another post. 

Here is the video from the PaTTAN Autism Initiative Website that helps to explain all of these opperants and teaching procedures with video examples. If your head is spinning after everything I have just said I suggest you find the time to watch this awesome resource! http://www.pattan.net/Videos/Browse/Single/?code_name=teaching_procedures_assembly. 

WHEW! That was a lot of information to digest…. Check back later for a post on our program organization (I’m pretty proud of my binders, so I’m a little excited for that one), and as always feel free to contact me at Alison.huber@casdonline.org with ANY and ALL questions you have! Thanks for reading friends!

A Snowy Inside Recess

If you have any experience working in an Elementary School classroom, then you know how dreaded  the words "inside recess" can be. These words are especially painful if you haven't been able to take your class outside for the last 3 weeks because it's been too cold, and then you get a record breaking blizzard that dumps 3 feet of snow on your playground and it feels like you'll be stuck inside until May.... Well that was us today... Stuck inside again...

If your students are anything like mine, that precious time they have outside during a long school day is so incredibly needed. A breath of fresh air and the ability to run and play and yell is just what they need in the middle of their day.  I often find that when we are stuck indoors we have a lot more tears and a lot more problem behavior.  So today, in an effort to make inside recess a little more fun, with the help of my SPECTACULAR staff, we brought the outside in... thats right folks... call us crazy... but we filled up bowls of snow and brought them inside so the kids could play. At first I was nervous about the kiddos reactions, would they hate the cold, would they make a huge mess?? Well much to my surprise they LOVED it! We actually sat as an entire class for about 30 minutes and played with the snow!! During this time we allowed students to really take the lead and explore.  We were also able to incorporate a lot of teachable moments, by creating opportunities for students to generalize already mastered skills from their ABA programs(this is also part of our Natural Environment Teaching process which I will elaborate on at another time).  

I am so glad we tried this today! We had such an awesome experience and the kiddos amazed me with how well they were able to handle their excitement and not make a giant mess.  When it comes to my students I am always so analytical when trying something new.. I will often over think it or obsess over whether or not they will be able to 'handle it'... I have found that it's good to take risks... sometimes its a huge disaster, and we learn from that, but other times (and actually most of the time) my kiddos rise to the occasion and make me so incredibly proud.  It's the little things :) 

 Check out the pictures below to see how creative some of the kiddos got with this sensory snow-filled recess!

So Much Snow!!!

Showing the kiddos that it's ok to touch it!

Big Bowl of Snow

Some of my friends wanted to loose the bowl... so we did!!

We 'painted' our snow using food coloring, water and a spray bottle!

A "Snow Puppy" :) 

Snow Ice Cream... Yummm 

Some of the students also experimented with transferring the colors in the snow to their paper towels. 

One clever kiddo used a cookie cutter to make snow cars!

Finished Snow Car

After we finished with our snow I let the students carry their bowls (with help from an adult) outside, where we dumped our snow into the piles on the play ground!

Looking forward to see how many of them ask to play with snow tomorrow!