Teaching Your Child About Emotions

Identifying, understanding and responding to the emotions of others are very important social skills for all of us to have. These skills help us to understand and develop relationships with other people.

When we know that someone we care about is sad, we might offer them a hug or a few kind supportive words to cheer them up. When we think that someone is afraid, we may try to comfort and support them. These types of interactions help us bond with each other.

Most of us learned skills such as how to “read” other people’s facial expressions, tones of voice and/or body gestures very easily and naturally when we were very young. We learned through social interactions with peers, parents and other adults. We somehow picked up this important social information without it being explicitly taught to us.

For some children, identifying and understanding emotions does not come so easily. Some children might not notice important nonverbal cues (such as the shape of a person’s eyebrows, the movements of the body or the tone and pace of the voice) that are used to tell the difference between emotions. Without being able to correctly identify and understand the emotions of others, children are more likely to respond inappropriately during interactions.

For these children, emotions must be taught explicitly or very clearly.

By four to six years old, most children can recognize and understand the basic emotions: happy, sad, angry and afraid. More complex emotions (such as pride, guilt and shame) are built on the basic emotions. A child should have a good understanding of the basic emotions before she is introduced to the more complex emotions.

As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional you can try these games and activities with your child to introduce and practice the recognition of emotions.

1. Bringing your child’s attention to emotions

Some children need to be taught to look at faces to get social information. Find as many opportunities as possible for your child to practise recognising, labelling and responding to her own emotions, as well as other people’s emotions. Here are a couple of examples:

If your child is angry because she can not have a second popsicle, say, “You are angry right now because you want another popsicle and I said ‘No’. Your hands are folded and you are using a big, loud voice.”
If your child is happy that she gets to colour, say, “You are happy because you get to colour.” Your mouth is smiling and your eyes are big and wide. You are using a happy voice.

Use naturally occurring opportunities to help your child recognise emotions. When someone in your child’s environment is expressing an emotion, point this out for her and say, “Look, Janet is smiling. She feels happy.”

Here are some other suggestions:

- While watching TV or videos use your remote control to pause a scene and point out and label a specific emotion.
- When someone (family members, teachers, friends, etc) is expressing an emotion, use this opportunity to label the particular emotion

2. Learning the Names of Emotions

Once your child is looking closely at faces, it is time to teach the names of the emotions. Start with the basic emotions: happy, sad, angry, and afraid.

Start by using realistic photos. You can use familiar faces through photographs, pictures from magazines, etc.
Show your child a picture and label it, “happy”, “sad”, etc. Depending on your child’s ability, you could say, “The boy is feeling happy.”
Place two different emotion pictures on the table in front of your child and ask her to point to or give you an emotion (e.g., you can say “Give me a happy face”). At first, you may need to help your child give you the correct picture.
When your child can select the correct picture without any help, introduce a new emotion.
Increase the number of pictures your child has to choose from until there are four different emotion pictures for her to choose from.
When your child has learned the names of the basic emotions using realistic pictures, use a variety of other pictures and drawings of emotions to help her “generalize” the emotion and the name. In other words, to recognize the emotion on different faces and in various settings.

3. Saying the Names of Emotions

When your child knows the names of the four basic emotions, it is time for her to try to say the names.

Show your child a picture of someone expressing an emotion and ask, “How is she feeling?”
You might have to help your child at first by saying (modeling) the name of the emotion for her to copy.
Introduce a new emotion when your child can successfully label the emotion on which you are working.

4. Acting out the Emotions

Now it is time for your child to try acting out the emotions.

Stand in front of a mirror with your child and take turns “making faces”. For example, make an angry face and ask, “How do I feel”? If your child can label your emotion, tell her, “Now you make an angry face”.
Explain to your child what you are doing to make the emotion (“My eyes are getting smaller and my mouth is getting tight, like a little ball”).

5. Role Playing

Depending on your child’s ability, you could try to “role play” situations in which certain emotions are likely to be felt. For example, you could pretend that you are going to buy ice cream and feel happy about this.

Take turns with your child acting and guessing the emotions.
Use exaggerated nonverbal language, gestures and facial expressions at first. As your child becomes more comfortable with recognising emotions, you can act more naturally.
Set up dramatic play situations at home to practise expressing and recognising emotions.

6. Video Modelling

Many children love to watch TV. You can use this interest to help teach your child more about emotions.

Make short videos of other adults or children expressing an emotion in an appropriate situation.
Watch the video with your child and help her label the emotion.
Point out the important features such as the shape of the mouth, eyes and eyebrows, specific body movements and gestures and the sound of the voice.

7. Games

If you child enjoys playing board games, use this great opportunity to practise what you’ve already taught about emotions. Take a look at the For More Information box for a list of fun games that can help you teach emotions.

8. Story books

Books are another great way to help your child learn about other people’s emotions in different situations. Look for books with your child’s favourite television or movie character to make the learning fun. Here are a few other books that you may find helpful to read with your child:

“How are you peeling?” by S. Freymann, J. Elffers
“The social skills picture book: Teaching play, emotion and communication to children with autism.” by J. Baker

Activities that Encourage Sharing and Co-operating

“It’s MINE!” We have all heard children scream this at one point or another. Young children often feel that a toy belongs to them just because they want it to. Children who are learning to share may become angry and frustrated when they cannot “get what they want.” They may show these feelings by grabbing items from other children or refusing to let go of toys.

Some children need extra support from adults when learning to share. As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, you can do this by teaching your child which play materials belong to him, showing him how to share, and coaching him during play with other children. One of the best ways to show your child the benefits of sharing and working together is to have him participate in fun and co-operative activities he can enjoy.

Make Sharing Easier

Sharing Rules

Here are some simple sharing rules that can be put on a poster with pictures:

Ask when you want to use something.
Wait until someone is finished before you start using something.
Help each other.

Introduce these rules by using puppets or dolls. You can also create a simple story involving a favourite cartoon character and how they share. Here is an example using “Bert” and “Ernie” from the television show “Sesame Street”:

Bert is using the scissors to cut a picture from the newspaper. Ernie wants to use the scissors. “Bert, can I use the scissors?” asks Ernie. “I am using the scissors right now. You can use the scissors when I am finished,” answers Bert. Ernie waits until Bert is finished. Bert hands Ernie the scissors and says, “Ernie, I am finished now.” “Thank you, Bert”, says Ernie.

You can replace the word “scissors” with a toy that your child likes. Praise him when he follows the sharing rules during activities with you or other children.

Special Toys

Your child may have a special stuffed animal that goes everywhere with him. He may rely on this toy for comfort and get very upset if another child shows interest in it. Most young children find it difficult to share their favourite toys. It may be a good idea to put away special toys in a specific place. At home he can put it in a bin in his room before friends come over to play. At the classroom or child care program, he can be encouraged to put the special toy away in the cubbie when coming in. It will be there when it’s time to go home.

Plan Activities

You can involve your child by allowing him to choose two or three activities that he would like to share with his friends.

Show him how to ask for, and pass, materials to another person. Here are some expressions you can teach him:

“I want”

Point to object and show person the palm of his hand.
Point to a picture of the object.
Point to ‘want’ picture.
Touch the object and say, “want”.

“Give”

Pass object to person.
Hold object in front of person and say “take” or “here”.

“Wait”

Hold hand up like a stop sign.
Point to “wait” picture.

“Finished”, or “All Done”

Gesture finished by brushing hands together.
Point to “finished” picture on visual schedule.

Here are some activities that are designed to help children share. Start by doing the activity with your child, then invite a friend to join in.

Sharing Bins

Sharing bins is a good way to structure activities for children who are beginning to share. It works best with activities where children need to share the materials, but can play on their own. Some examples include lego, blocks, cars, crayons, and clay or playdoh. Provide each child with a bin or small box with their photo or name on it. Put all the toys to be shared on the table or floor and allow the children to take turns adding toys to their bin. Each child plays with the toys in his bin. If they want to, they can trade toys with each other.

Paper Plate Pals

Provide each child with a paper plate to decorate. Place decorative craft materials such as feathers, pom poms, and yarn on several small plates for the children to share. To encourage children to pass items to each other, you can place the pom poms closer to one child and the yarn closer to the other. Glue, crayons, and markers can be placed in between the children. Providing only one of a particular material such as one glue bottle, or a limited amount of scissors also creates a situation where children need to wait to use the item. It also provides an opportunity for the children to ask each other for the item when another child is using it.

Better Together!

Here are some everyday activities that will encourage your child and the children he is playing with to co-operate and work together. If the children have trouble sharing, you can support them by reminding them of any rules you have created. Praise and encourage them when you see them sharing and co-operating. Here are some examples:

“Liz, I like how you are helping Juan make a tunnel.”
“Sherry, it was nice of you to give Billy a napkin.”
“Chris and Matt, I like how you are sharing the cars.”

Cooking

Cooking is an excellent way to promote sharing and have fun. Children can help create the snack, eat, and clean up! You can set up the activity like a production line so each child has a special job to do. For example, if you are making a pizza your child can spread the sauce, his friend can add the cheese and both can add the vegetable toppings. At the child care program you can provide each child with their own bowl and wooden popsicle stick for mixing. Have a separate “teacher” bowl for the main mixture. While their hands are busy you can invite each child to have a turn mixing the teachers bowl.

Gardening

This is a great way to teach children about science and gives them a chance to get messy! You will need a few plastic pots, some soil, seeds, and a few spoons or toy shovels. Try growing plants such as beans that sprout quickly indoors. One child can make a hole in the dirt while the other puts the seed in. As the plant grows, children can take turns watering it.

Sandbox

Playing the sandbox provides a great deal of opportunity for sharing and cooperating. Encourage your child to play in the sandbox and share the pails, shovels, balls, and toy cars while they build castles, roads, or whatever they dream up together!

Tips for Parents:

Label Toys

You can teach your child the concepts of “mine”, “yours”, and “ours” by clearly showing what belongs to him, what belongs to other people and what is shared. An easy way to do this is to buy a sheet of identical stickers and stick one on each of your child’s toys. Name each toy as you go along. You can say, “This truck belongs to Ishmael,” or “Ishmael’s truck”. Encourage your child to join in by attaching stickers and repeating your words. If your child takes toys to a friend’s house, school or child care program, the stickers will remind him which ones he can take home with him and which ones he must leave behind.

If you have more than one child at home, you might have a rule that some toys are for everybody to share but some toys belong to just one person. In the play area, put the shared toys together on several shelves. Place each child’s toys in a separate box or bin labeled with their name and photograph. Toys can be labeled with each child’s name or a small sticker to avoid arguments. For example, Nina’s toys have a red sticker on them and Freddy’s toys have a yellow sticker on them. The child needs to ask his brother or sister before using a toy that does not belong to him.

Sharing Information with Professionals Involved with Your Child

photo of parent speaking with teacher at daycare

Professionals may become involved with your child for a number of reasons. In getting to know your child and family, they may gather information to carry out an assessment, develop a service plan, and set goals.

Here are some examples of professionals you may encounter:

Developmental Pediatrician or Psychologist (a physician who carries out assessments and may diagnose your child).
Specialized trained professional such as Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and Behaviour Therapist.
A Special Needs Resource Consultant providing support to your child’s child care centre.
The special needs resource team connected with your child’s school.
Home-based child development professionals such as a Public Health Nurse, and Infant Development Home Visitors.
Representatives from government funding offices (e.g., Special Services at Home Program, Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities).

In most cases, you’ll find that the professionals you are dealing with are understanding and really want to help. If you’re well prepared and have some understanding of what they need, you can get the most out of their involvement.

Here’s a list of information that is important to collect and share with professionals:

The Child Information Binder – create a binder or booklet that contains your child’s photograph, information specific to your child’s strengths, interests and needs, and a list of professionals involved with your child. Check out the For More Information box at the end of this document for further details.
Previous assessment reports written by other professionals. Always ask for copies of reports written about your child. Professionals should also provide you with information on the activities and exercises that they have created to help your child develop his skills.
Contact information about services your child is currently receiving.
Contact information about services for which your child is waiting.
Questions you would like to have answered.

Some professional may ask for information about your child’s health history, behaviour at home and in group settings, and skills. Some of their questions about your family or finances may seem very personal. You can choose not to answer questions you find personal or intrusive. If you feel uncomfortable providing certain information, ask why it is required and how it will be used to benefit your child. Once you know how the information will be used, you can decide whether you would like to share it.

What is “Informed Consent”?

As we mentioned earlier, professionals may ask you for personal information about your child and family, and other people or agencies that are providing support.

Many professionals will want to speak with, or share written information with these other people or agencies. Each professional will ask you to sign a form that gives legal “consent to release information”. The term “consent” acknowledges that you as a parent (or legal guardian) have the authority to allow a professional to share information with another party on behalf of your child for a specific purpose. In other words, it’s like giving permission for professionals to share information with each other about your child.

Before you give “consent”, it is important for you to be informed about:

the kind of information that will be exchanged and collected (e.g., name of reports)
how it will be collected and stored (e.g., photocopied, kept in child’s file)
the purpose for sharing this information (e.g., to set goals, to apply for funding)
the benefits and risks involved
whether your signed consent can be revoked or cancelled at any time, or does it have an expiry date

Remember – Only sign consent forms when you are sure you understand.

In some situations confidential and private information can be released to a third party without a parent’s consent. This may include, but is not limited to:

Emergency situations involving the health and safety of your child (e.g., police, hospital, or medical staff).
Mandatory reporting situations (e.g., Child protection agencies, Court Order or Search Warrant, Legal Counsel).

You will find that most professionals are interested in learning as much as they can because they want to support you and your child in the best way possible. Meeting and sharing information on a regular basis will make it easier to develop the programming that best meets your child’s individual needs and maintain your role as the main decision maker for your child.

Sending Your Child to Camp

photo of children at daycamp

As a parent, you may be anxious or worried about finding a camp that meets your child’s needs. From highly specialized camps, to regular camps that accommodate children with special needs, there are options for every child. With careful consideration of what will benefit your child most, along with some research, you should be able to find the right camp for your child.

Sending your child to camp will benefit her in many ways. She will be provided with structure and routine, she will have a chance to build her confidence and independence, and she will get plenty of activity and exercise. She will also have many opportunities to interact with other children, develop friendships and learn skills from others. Camp will help her learn to problem solve and communicate her needs to others outside her family circle. Even though it may be hard to let her go, camp will also give you some time to yourself.

Starting Your Camp Search

To start your search, it is a good idea to make a list of the kind of camp you want. It can be challenging to find a camp to meet your child’s needs and sometimes, you don’t even know where to start looking. The following questions can be used as a guide to help you decide what you are looking for in a camp:

Do you want day camp or overnight camp?
Do you want a specialized camp for children with special needs?
Do you want an inclusive camp?
Do you want a half-day or full-day program? Consider if your child is comfortable being away from home and her age?
Do you want a camp placement for one week, or the entire summer?
How far from home will you be comfortable for a residential or even day camp for your child?
What cost can you afford? Is subsidy available?
Do you have benefits for your child (e.g., Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities or Special Services at Home), that might assist with the cost for the camp or a support worker for your child?
If you want an inclusive camp, does your child need a support person to be with her and is this available at the camp? If so, is there an additional cost?
If your child is physically fragile, do you need a nurse on staff?
Do you want counselors with CPR and First Aid Training?
Does your child need medication? Can staff administer medication?
If your child has special dietary needs, can this be accommodated at the camp?
Do you need transportation for your child to the camp? Is it available?
Are their specific activities your child likes and you would like the camp to include?

Once you answer the above questions you are ready to begin your search for a camp program. Check out different camps to find the one that meets your expectations and your child’s needs. Here are some resources that can help in your search:

Look in your local Parks and Recreation calendar for information about camps in your community. Try to find out if additional support is available. You may have to complete an application form to apply for a support worker.
Parent magazines, such as “Today’s Parent”, often have articles or an issue early in the year that focuses on camps.
Contact the Canadian Camp Association in your area for information.
Look for a Camp Resource Fair in your area (organizations for children with special needs may hold Resource Fairs on a yearly basis).
Ask other parents that you know about what camps they recommend.

Remember you must start early – summer camps and their support services, if available, are often full by early April.

Congratulations, you’ve registered your child for camp!

Before your child starts camp, try to prepare her for the upcoming experience. This can help decrease your child’s anxiety about the experience, get her ready for the transition, and build her confidence and excitement about the adventure to come. If you can, visit the camp with your child and take photographs of the camp environment, or counselor(s), if possible. If you cannot visit the camp in person, ask the camp to send pictures, or go on their website, if available.

Talking to your child about going to camp and her feelings about the upcoming experience is also a great way to get her ready for this new experience. You may also want to find out what special items your child wants to bring with her (e.g., blanket, photograph of family, special toy) to make her feel comfortable. Remember to label everything you send with your child to camp. Use a marker to write your child’s name on her clothing and any specialized equipment.

Sharing information about your child with the camp staff can also help the experience be a successful one. Let them know about your child’s needs, interests, likes, dislikes, medical needs, and/or allergies.

Requesting a Sensory Break

Every day we receive a great deal of information from our senses. We use this information to organize our behaviour and successfully interact with the world. This process (known as sensory processing) usually occurs automatically but for some people it does not develop as efficiently as it should. Our job as a parent, teacher or early childhood professional is to teach new skills that will help your child build independence and move forward in their development. You also teach new skills to reduce frustration, promote self-esteem, and to replace behaviour that may not be the most acceptable.

For example, Wayne loves to climb. He often climbs on top of furniture to obtain sensory stimulation. Although Wayne is trying to tell us, “I like how this feels!”, this behaviour is a safety concern for himself and others around him. Some children with special needs seek various forms of sensory input that their body is craving or helps them to remain calm. If you have a child like Wayne you can teach him to request a sensory break.

Breaking Down the Task

Though some children quickly learn skills through observing and imitating others, many children need the new skill to be broken down into smaller steps and to be allowed time to master each step in the sequence. The breaking down of complex skills into smaller components is called task analysis. Anything we do can be broken down into smaller steps. The number of steps depends on the needs of your child

Let’s take a look at the steps involved in requesting a sensory break using a picture symbol.

Locate the picture symbol.
Stretch out arm.
Touch the picture symbol with hand (or finger).
Wait for sensory activity.

Teaching the New Skill

Teaching a new skill involves preparation. Begin by collecting a few sensory activities that give your child the same feeling as the sensory activity they are engaging in.

In our example, we will collect a mini trampoline, rocking boat, a Preston Roll, and a Sit n’ Spin. We also need to find an area in the home and classroom to store these materials and keep them out of reach. If these activities were accessible all the time, they may not be very effective or reinforcing when we try to teach Wayne to request a sensory break. We’ll also need to make a picture symbol that represents “sensory break” to place on the cupboard where the materials will be stored.

Since there was no consistent pattern in the time of day that Wayne climbed on furniture, we are going to look at times when Wayne looks ready to climb or appears at a loss for something to do. During these moments, we can tell Wayne, “time for a sensory break”, and help him locate the picture symbol by walking with him to the cupboard, and pointing out the sensory break picture symbol. We’ll also label the picture using the same consistent language such as, “Look, sensory break (point to the picture)”.

Remember, that in order for your child to learn the steps to a new skill, you will have to provide assistance or “prompt” along the way. A prompt is a cue or hint meant to help your child to perform a desired behaviour, skill, or part of a skill.

As mentioned above, we’ll start by prompting Wayne to locate the picture symbol (step one in our task analysis) with full physical assistance especially when we are first introducing this skill. We will then prompt Wayne to reach and touch the picture symbol on the cupboard by providing hand-over-hand assistance. Immediately following the “touch” we will pull out the trampoline and Wayne gets to jump. Even though we have collected about four sensory activities, we’ll start by using the trampoline at every opportunity, and then gradually introduce the other activities.

As Wayne begins to understand where sensory activities are located and gets used to touching the picture on the cupboard we can begin to slowly reduce the amount of support until he is able to request independently – this is called fading. We can gradually reduce our physical assistance to a simple gesture like pointing to the cupboard to help Wayne locate the picture symbol. We may replace the hand-over-hand assistance with a slight touch on his elbow to help him reach out for the picture symbol on the cupboard and so on until he can complete each step independently.

Giving Reinforcement

Reinforcement is anything that motivates or encourages a child. It is any environmental event that maintains or strengthens an action or behaviour. Praise, a special activity, music, toys and food can be used as reinforcers. Reinforcement is a reward that occurs or is given after a behaviour.

It is important to motivate and reward your child when learning a new skill. It also helps your child to stay on track and understand what is required or expected of him.

In this example, Wayne’s efforts for touching the picture symbol are immediately rewarded with preferred sensory stimulation. We can also provide verbal praise like “You touched the picture!”

Generalizing the New Skill

You want your child to know that this new skill can be applied in many places, with many people, and under many conditions. For some children, requesting sensory stimulation at the child care centre does not necessarily mean that they are going to demonstrate this skill at home, or with anyone other than the care provider who taught them.

To help your child generalize the skill you can:

Have others teach the same skill using the same techniques.
Teach the skill in several different locations around the home or program (e.g., at the park, during indoor play time, cubby area, lunch time or washroom).
Provide similar sensory activities both at home and the program.
Create a small “sensory break” picture your child can carry on a keychain to request a break while at home, the program or in the community.

Requesting a Food Item

As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, teaching new skills that will help your child build independence and move forward in their development is important. This can also help to reduce your child’s frustration, promote self-esteem, and to replace behaviour that may not be the most acceptable.

For example, Abdi has difficulties he has at lunch time. Abdi grabs food from other children’s plates. He is using problem behaviour to tell us, “I want some more food”. In fact we learned that Abdi grabs specific food items from others including: bread, crackers, and bananas.

If you have a child like Abdi, you too can teach him to request food more appropriately by using words. Remember that teaching an alternative skill to replace problem behaviour means the new skill must take less energy than the behaviour itself.

In our example, Abdi grabs food from others, so we’ll start by teaching him to use a picture symbol representing the desired item and gradually work towards him being able to use words to make a request.

Breaking Down the Task

So how do we break down the task of using a picture symbol (that represents the desired food item) to ask for more food?

Scan the placemat and locate the picture symbol.
Touch the picture symbol with hand (or finger).
Wait for the presentation of the item.

Teaching the New Skill

Teaching a new skill involves preparation. When you are teaching a new skill, consider using photos or pictures symbols that represent each step. In some cases visual supports help your child to understand what is expected of them or can be used to teach him to communicate with others.

As mentioned earlier, we are going to teach Abdi to request a food item first by using pictures and then using words. We’ll start by presenting the picture symbol of bread at every mealtime. By labelling it and pairing it with real bread we want Abdi to understand what the picture represents. We can do this by having both items next to each other and say, “Look, bread (point to real bread) and bread (point to picture symbol)”.

In order for your child to learn the steps to a new skill, you will have to provide assistance or “prompt” along the way. A prompt is a cue or hint meant to help him to perform a desired behaviour, skill, or part of a skill.

In our example, we will start by giving Abdi a positional prompt – this means we will position the bread picture symbol within his view to cue the action of touching it. We will have his hand directly above the picture symbol (located on his placemat), let his hand drop and immediately reinforce him with the food item – a piece of bread. We’ll do this at every meal time and gradually reduce the amount of support until he is able to request independently – this is called fading.

With repeated practice requesting bread using picture symbols, Abdi will be exposed to verbal modelling. After he can successfully request with the picture symbol we’ll change the task and our expectations a bit. Abdi will touch the picture; we will label it (say “bread”), pause and wait for him to make any sound. This is where shaping comes in.

Giving Reinforcement

It is important to motivate and reward your child who is learning a new skill. It also helps him to stay on track and understand what is required or expected of them.

With Abdi, we will immediately reinforce him with a piece of bread as soon as his hand touches the picture symbol – the bread is highly motivating for him. Eventually, we will want Abdi to use words to make a request. As we begin this phase of teaching him to request with words, Abdi will only be reinforced for closer approximations of the word bread.

By rewarding your child for approximating or getting increasingly closer to the steps that we want to see in the end we can shape his behaviour. For example, he may start with the sound “buh” and slowly progress to “bud”, “beadd” and then “bread”. We will immediately reinforce him with a piece of bread and then with verbal praise, “Great Abdi. You said bread!”

Generalizing the New Skill

You will want your child to know that this new skill can be applied in many places, with many people, and under many conditions. For some children, learning to request for more food at the child care centre does not necessarily mean that they are going to demonstrate this skill at home, or with anyone other than the care provider who taught them.

To help your child generalize this skill work in a team as care providers and parents, teaching the same skill in the same way and at different times throughout the day. In time and with patients, your child care learn this valuable skill.

Putting on a Jacket

photo of child getting dressed at daycare

Learning to get dressed can be a difficult task for many children. As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, your job is to teach new skills that will help your child build independence and move forward in her development. You also teach new skills to reduce frustration, promote self-esteem, and to replace behaviour that may not be the most acceptable.

Here’s as example:

Chung Lee has difficulty putting on her jacket. When trying to get dressed for outdoor play, she throws her jacket to the floor and screams. Chung Lee is using problem behaviour to tell us, “This is too hard! I need some help”. If you have a child like Chung Lee, you too can teach her to independently put on a jacket – step by step.

Breaking Down the Task

Though some children quickly learn skills through observing and imitating others, many need the new skill to be broken down into smaller steps and to be allowed time to master each step in the sequence. The breaking down of complex skills into smaller components is called task analysis. Anything we do can be broken down into smaller steps. The number of steps depends on the needs of your child.

There are various ways to put on a jacket including the “Flip Flop” method where your child is taught to flip the jacket over their head and onto their shoulders, etc. This method is fine, but remember to choose one that works best for you and your child. Consider that some children may have difficulty learning a whole new method later on.

In our example, we decide to teach Chung Lee to put on her jacket in a way that is similar to how her parents and teachers put it on her. Many of these steps are familiar to Chung Lee and we can teach her to do them independently.

Let’s break down the steps to putting on a jacket:

Take jacket off the hook.
Hold jacket with left hand.
Slip right arm up through right arm hole.
Pull jacket up onto right shoulder.
Reach left arm behind your back.
Push left arm through the left arm hole.
Place both hands on the collar and pull forward to adjust the jacket.
Zip up the jacket.

In this case, “zipping” up the jacket involves another set of very complex steps but we’ll focus on putting the jacket on for now.

Teaching the New Skill

When teaching a self-help skill, consider using visuals such as photos or pictures symbols that represent each step. Place them in order on a board and post them in the area your child usually puts on her jacket, such as the front hallway or cubby. Use this visual tool to introduce the skill and refer to the steps every time your child puts has to put on her jacket.

In order for your child to learn the steps to a new skill, you will have to provide assistance or “prompt” along the way. A prompt is a cue or hint meant to help your child to perform a desired behaviour, skill, or part of a skill.

Start by providing hand-over-hand assistance with each step to get your child familiar with this routine. Gradually, provide less assistance, as she masters each step. This process is called fading – it involves reducing the need, strength or level of the prompt. For example, you can reduce the amount of physical prompting from hand-over-hand to partial physical prompting by touching her elbow to start off a movement, and then by modelling the actions as you put on your own jacket.

Giving Reinforcement

It is important to motivate and reward your child who is learning a new skill. It helps them to stay on track and understand what is required or expected of them. By rewarding your child for approximating or getting increasingly closer to the steps that we want to see in the end we can shape her behaviour.

In our example, we can reinforce Chung Lee for following each step by giving her verbal praise and letting her go quickly to outdoor play. Remember that verbal praise needs to describe the positive behaviour. Instead of just saying “Good job!” you can say, “Hooray! You put your jacket on!” As Chung Lee gets more comfortable with performing each step, gradually reduce the amount of reinforcement.

Generalizing the New Skill

You will what your child to know that this new skill can be applied in many places, with many people, and under many conditions. For some children, learning to dress themselves at the child care centre does not necessarily mean that they are going to demonstrate this skill at home, or with anyone other than the person who taught them.

To help Chung Lee generalize this skill we can:

Use similar but different jackets to teach the same skills (e.g., winter jacket, spring jacket, cardigan).
Have others teach the same skills.
Teach the skill in several different locations around the child care centre and at home (e.g., add a jacket or cardigan to the dramatic centre as part of the dress-up clothing).

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) was designed by Andrew Bondy and Lori Frost of The Delaware Autistic Program. It was designed for children who are not yet initiating communication to express their needs or interests. Using PECS, a child learns to exchange a picture of a desired object in return for that object. In handing the picture to another person to request the object, the child’s communication becomes more social and intentional.

A speech-language pathologist must always make the decision concerning the use of this approach with a particular child and how to implement it.

PECS has six phases to expand children’s communication skills. The six phases are described below to provide a general understanding of the approach:

Phase One — Requesting an Item or Activity

Identify food/toy/activity of preference (must be highly motivating and available in small portions throughout the day).
Make a picture representation of the desired item using a photo, magazine clipping, line drawing, picture symbol, or label from an item’s packaging.

Teaching the Exchange:

Two adults are usually required during the first teaching session. One sits directly across from the child to receive the picture. The other is behind the child to prompt the exchange.
Place the desired item (e.g., a cracker) and the picture of it in front of the child.
Do not ask the child what he wants.
As the child reaches for the item, the adult behind physically assists the child to pick up the picture and hand it to the other adult’s open hand.
Provide the child with the desired object immediately and say, “Oh, you want the _____.”
Gradually provide less physical prompting. For example, hand-over-hand assistance may be required at first and eventually just a touch on the child’s elbow is all that is necessary.

Move to phase two when the child can independently and consistently pick up the picture and hand it to the adult in exchange for the item.

Phase Two — Spontaneously Requesting an Item

Individually introduce two more pictures of desired items (from different categories such as food, toys, activities) using the same method as in phase one.
Once the child can successfully request each of the new pictures when presented individually, place one picture at a time on a board with Velcro or tape.
The child should be encouraged to glance at the adult during this phase before exchanging the picture.
The adult gradually moves away from the child.
The child learns to get the picture from the board and initiate communication with an adult.
More than one adult should use the exchange system at this point.
The adult should verbally reinforce the child for exchanging the picture by saying, “Oh, you want the ____.”

Move to phase three when the child is able to go to the communication board, pull off the picture, and take it to an adult to request an item.

Phase Three — Discriminating Between Pictures

Place two pictures on the board that include one picture of a desired item and one picture of an undesired item. Rotate the pictures on the board so that the child is not just reaching for a specific location.
If the child reaches for the picture of the undesired object, the adult says, “No, we don’t have that”, and gestures toward the picture of the desired item.
If the child tries to take an item that does not correspond to the picture that was exchanged, the adult says, “You asked for _____”, and points to the item.
Continue the above steps until the child has between twelve and twenty pictures, organized on a board, or in a book.

Phase Four — Building Sentence Structure

Arrange the child’s pictures into categories such as food, toys, and activities. If using a binder, place each category on a different page.
Print the phrase, “I want ____”, and teach the child to request a desired object from the communication board by placing its picture on the “I want ____” strip.
The child learns to request a variety of items from various people.
Items being requested should sometimes be out of sight.

Phase Five — Responding to Verbal Questions/Prompts

The child uses the sentence strip “I want ____” in answer to the adult’s verbal question “What do you want?”, even when the item is not present.

Phase Six — Commenting

Phrases such as “I see ____”, or “I have ____” are used to teach the child to name items.

The Picture Exchange Communication System provides children with direct training in how to initiate communication. This training is important for those children who would prefer to go and get what they need or want instead of requesting it from another person. Without this training, some children learn how to respond to questions but are unable to ask for something. Through structured training, children progress from requesting one item to using a sentence strip to make comments. Some children also begin to use the spoken word to request items through PECS as the spoken word is consistently paired with the picture. For children who are nonverbal, the system allows for progression from using a single word to using a few words to request, respond, or comment.

References:

Based on “An Overview of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)” from Geneva Centre, January 1996.

Naptime Considerations

Naptime is a period in the day when children rest for a short time. For children who have difficulty napping, this may be a time when problem behaviours arise. As with all transitions, naptime should have a basic routine attached to it to make this experience as smooth and positive as possible.

As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, the following strategies provide some tips to get your child ready for naptime and support him during the nap period.

Before Nap Time

Use visuals to show the daily schedule so your child can anticipate when naptime will occur throughout the day.
All children need some time to “wind down” before they go onto their beds. This could be done with a story, quiet songs, or some gentle stretching exercises. Using slow, low music and soft voices also help.
The routine leading up to naptime should be the same everyday.
The room should be cool and dark, or with dim lighting to provide a more comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Different lighting also indicates that naptime is very different from other play activities.
Some children may need to have a soft toy, a favourite blanket, or pillow to settle them and use at every nap time.
Back rubs and gentle pats on the back work wonders on children that may have difficulty resting.

During Naptime in Groups

Each child should have a consistent, designated sleep area with the child’s name or picture on the bed.
Send children to bed in small groups thereby limiting the chaos of many children trying to settle at one time.
Keep in mind the children who are light sleepers or are restless when trying to sleep. Spread them around the room so they do not disturb other children.
For children who do not nap, designate an area where quiet activities take place at a table or on a carpet. If possible, a designated “awake” classroom should be considered. The children can look at books or have access to quiet toys or activities, such as:
- lego or other small building toys (e.g., kinex or straws)
- puzzles
- playdough
- colouring
- soft squishy materials such as shaving cream, flour, jello in a sealed tight baggie
- quiet story time with the teacher
Prepare a bucket of these items before each sleep time so that you are not scrambling to find things for the children to do.

With a little good planning and strategizing, nap time will soon become a pleasant and restful time for everyone.

Modifying Your Expectations

As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional you play a central role in the successful integration of your child with special needs into any environment. Here are some strategies to help you modify your expectations and ensure your child’s experiences are successful.

Base your expectations on your child’s developmental level and physical ability – rather than chronological age or diagnosis.
Build your child’s confidence – adapt activities to promote self-esteem. For example, if your child is reluctant to participate in a large group, ease him in by carrying out activities in a smaller group first, to gain experience. Gradually increase the group size.
Provide structure – children need clear, firm guidelines for behaviour. Expect all children to follow the rules within reason. Your child will quickly learn cause and effect regardless of cognitive level.
Focus on your child’s strengths – recognize what your child is able to do as a starting point and new skills will be achieved more easily. For example, if your child has a good visual memory, use visual strategies to teach new skills.
Avoid doing for your child what they can do for themselves – provide the least amount of help that is needed and let your child do the rest. Teach skills in steps, adding another step as the previous one is mastered. For example, you may start off the zipper on your child’s jacket and then allow him pull it up the rest of the way.
Reduce your speech – use simple sentences, lots of gestures, and any visual supports, such as photo’s and picture symbols, to increase your child’s comprehension. You will find that this also promotes compliance. For example, “Lucas, tidy up the toys so the other children don’t fall down” can be simplified to “Lucas, tidy up”.
Speak for your child – when teaching social interaction it is often necessary for you to let other children know your child’s intentions. For example, Kadeem walks towards a peer and bumps into him with a ball. The teacher may have noticed that this is how Kadeem initiates play and says to the other child, “Kadeem is telling you that he wants to play ball with you.”
Ask for help – access supports when you are unsure of what to try next.

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