These targeted stretches encourage coordination and flexibility. Try these out with students during as a warm up, cool down, or movement break to encourage strength and exploration of the body!
How to help your child understand COVID-19
Author: Kimberly “Kimi” Ramos, Assistant Executive Director
The coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted every aspect of our lives. The day-to-day routines we once knew were thrown out the window and many of us struggle to adjust to this new “normal.” It has created uncertainty and change- both of which children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty coping with. To reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown, it is important to help your child understand what is happening in the world. Here are some tips that will help you talk with your child about COVID-19.
Use descriptive and concrete language.
Children with ASD have difficulty with abstract language. In particular, they have difficulty verbalizing and understanding emotions and feelings. Consequently, it is important to discuss concepts in terms of visible behaviors and events. When talking to your child about the virus, avoid figurative phrases such as “It will make you feel under the weather,” “Be careful not to catch the bug,” “worried sick,” etc. Instead, use clear and direct language that is easy to understand like “The virus is made by germs. When germs get into your body, they make you sick. We can do things like washing our hands to get rid of germs and stay healthy.”
Use social narratives.
Children with ASD have difficulty with narrative comprehension, which impacts their ability to understand happenings of their social world. Social narratives help children with ASD learn more about a specific social situation. They can incorporate visuals and be in the form of a brief written paragraph or even cartoon strip. Particularly, social narratives reduce problem behaviors by discussing appropriate behaviors. To help children better understand the impact of COVID-19, social narratives can be used to teach children about healthy habits and changes to the routine. Read a social narrative with your child and give your child a chance to ask any questions or express their thoughts and feelings. Revisit a narrative again at a later time to reinforce concepts. Narrative topics may include but are not limited to:
Hand washing
Staying 6 feet away from others
Wearing a face covering when outside
Using the computer for distance learning
Playing or other activities to do at home
Social narratives:
Social narrative about COVID-19: https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/sites/afirm.fpg.unc.edu/files/covid-resources/Support%20Understanding-Coronavirus.pdf
Coronavirus Social Story: https://www.flipsnack.com/KeshetChicago/coronavirus-social-story/full-view.html?fbclid=IwAR3YkmmuOpGYKs_xqIAFlY6uqAUrskoDpVZqT7imLhfsYWVLlYS0AxkqlPU
Social narrative about quarantine: https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/sites/afirm.fpg.unc.edu/files/covid-resources/Support%20Understanding-COVID-19.pdf
Social narrative about social distancing: https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/sites/afirm.fpg.unc.edu/files/covid-resources/Support%20Understanding-Giving%20People%20Space.pdf
Social narrative about schools closing: https://www.lexrich5.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=35958&dataid=92523&FileName=scan_aelias_2020-03-16-10-12-26.pdf
Use visual supports.
Children with ASD have trouble with communication. In particular, they may be unable to understand spoken messages. Therefore, visual supports in combination with direct, clear language and social narratives help increase understanding. Visual supports allow children to “see” language, which reduces feelings of uncertainty and enhances learning of new skills/concepts. Visual supports include but are not limited to objects, pictures, videos, and schedules. Use visual supports to help your child understand the complex aspects of COVID-19.
Visual supports:
Video about COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS1t7P_vN50
Home schedule for school closures: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Home-Schedule-for-School-Closures-5333595?fbclid=IwAR1ZGx366LYzlKevAuCSsxEX6MBRGlrTAiYmh-qFzzBkY8MDcdEH4wBDEIc
Distance learning home schedule: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/SPECIAL-EDUCATION-Distance-Learning-Weekly-Home-Schedule-TaDah-5353212
Task analysis for washing hands: https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/sites/afirm.fpg.unc.edu/files/covid-resources/Support%20Understanding-Handwashing%20%28Clipart%29.pdf
“Wash Your Hands” song by the Kiboomers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaePayB_pC4
Create your own visual supports: https://smartysymbols.com/free-30-days-access-for-teachers-therapists-and-families/
Sources
Chojnicka, Izabela, & Wawer, Aleksander. (2020). Social language in autism spectrum disorder: A computational analysis of sentiment and linguistic abstraction. PloS One, 15(3), E0229985.
Davis, Megan, Dautenhahn, Kerstin, Nehaniv, Chrystopher L, & Powell, Stuart D. (2007). The narrative construction of our (social) world: Steps towards an interactive learning environment for children with autism. Universal Access in the Information Society, 6(2), 145-157.
Hume, K., Waters, V., Sam, A., Steinbrenner, J., Perkins, Y., Dees, B., Tomaszewski, B., Rentschler, L., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N., White, M., Nowell, S., & Odom, S. (2020). Supporting individuals with autism through uncertain times. Chapel Hill, NC: School of Education and Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved from: https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/supporting-individuals-autism-through-uncertain-times
Kolpakova, L. (2016). Visual Support in Children with Autism Spectrum Development as a Tool for Changing Problem Behavior. Psihologičeskaâ Nauka I Obrazovanie, 21(3), 77-84.
MAGICAL Me: Diversity and Inclusion Dance Camp
Author: Cassandra “Cass” Cabales, Head of Curriculum & Instruction
Last month on August 11-13, 2020, MAGIC hosted its very first virtual camp: MAGICAL Me. For 3 consecutive days, our students were given the opportunity to gather together as a community to explore ideas of diversity and inclusivity. Every day consisted of a story time, a movement exercise, an activity, and a closing discussion. All the activities and lesson plans were created by our teachers. The camp was led by Miss Myrella, Miss Priya, and Miss Corrine.
Day 1: Self & influences
Starting with the Self, Miss Myrella led inner reflection prompts in which students were invited to think about characteristics that they liked about themselves. Understanding what makes each of us different as individuals is the first step in accepting and appreciating that which makes us different from one another. Through movement exercises and discussions, students reflected on how they can be influenced by their environment yet continue to have their own unique expression.
Day 2: Inclusivity through appreciation
This day was led by Miss Priya, focusing on building inclusivity through appreciation. Moving forward from day one’s discussion of the self, this session was about building appreciation for oneself, then building appreciation for others. Students were able to see how one idea could be interpreted and expressed in many different ways through a creative movement exercise and an art activity. By appreciating each other’s creativity in movement and art, students were able to foster inclusivity for their camp community.
Day 3: Diversity in community
Miss Corinne led the final day with activities that celebrate diversity in our local and global community. Through choreographing movement and learning different ways of communicating, the students were given the opportunity to appreciate the many differences that contribute to the diversity of our world. Students discussed their individual differences and how those differences can be celebrated because they bring diversity to the different communities they are a part of.
It has been found that “inclusive extracurricular activities foster self determination, leadership, and communication skills in children with disabilities,” (Agran et. al). For any child, extracurricular activities allow for experiences that encourage growth. However, it is also known that “few students with intellectual and developmental disabilities participate in extracurricular activities,” (Vinoski, et. al). This lack of an outlet for the population has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Here at MAGIC, we strive to deliver educational and accessible programs for our students to the best of our ability.
While our classes have always had inclusivity and diversity embedded within the curriculum, the political climate of our world today has encouraged our directors to take it a step further by creating a space for our students to have these important conversations. Moving forward, we hope to launch more virtual camps in the future to continue to educate our students to be better citizens of the world.
References
Martin Agran, et al. “Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities: Does Inclusion End at 3:00?” The Journal of the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, The Council for Exceptional Children, Mar. 2017, doi: ISSN-2154-1647.
Vinoski, Erin, et al. “Building Self-Determination Through Inclusive Extracurricular Programs.” TEACHING Exceptional Children, vol. 48, no. 5, 18 May 2016, pp. 258–265., doi:10.1177/0040059915626127.