Strategies to Maximize Learning and Minimize Disruptive Behaviors

BMP Special Education Cooperative is proud to offer
Date:
Location:
Time:
Friday, October 14, 2016
Ladd Grade School, 232 S. Cleveland Street, Ladd, IL
8:30 – 3:15
Strategies to Maximize Learning and
Minimize Disruptive Behaviors for
Students with Asperger’s Syndrome
and High-Functioning Autism
(Grades K-12)
Presented by Kathy Morris
National Consultant and Award-Winning Educator
Specifically Designed for Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers,
Paraprofessionals, Occupational Therapists, Counselors, Speech/Language Pathologists, and
Administrators Serving Grades K-12
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Research-based strategies to minimize disruptive behaviors and maximize student learning for your
students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and other pervasive developmental
disorders
How to address communication breakdowns which lead to socialization difficulties and eventually
become behavior problems
Structured teaching strategies including using schedules, work systems and visual tools
Increase student learning and time on task with strategies that decrease disruptive behaviors so
students can learn and you can teach
Prevention, intervention and post-vention strategies to help your students with high-functioning
autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and other social cognitive differences
Demonstrations, examples, video clips, and specific how-to’s, including an extensive resource
handbook
Practical Ideas and Strategies
Increasing numbers of students are being identified with pervasive developmental disorders including
Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism. With the unique needs of these students, it is imperative that
we, as teachers, have a toolkit of research-based strategies we can use to help decrease their unacceptable
behaviors in order to maximize learning.
Join Kathy Morris for an interactive day filled with strategies you can add to your toolkit and begin using
immediately with your students. In this fast-paced seminar, Kathy will address the many questions and concerns
you have as a special education teacher, general education teacher, paraprofessional, or SLP who works with
these students. Using demonstrations, role-plays, video clips from real classrooms, and real-life experiences, she
will give you practical strategies and techniques that she has found really work.
You will discover prevention, intervention and post-vention strategies to address unacceptable behaviors, along
with ready-to-implement ways to develop predictable schedules, organize the environment and use structured
teaching strategies.All of these research-based and classroom-proven ideas will help you create an atmosphere
that helps students with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome become more successful students.
You will leave with dozens of ideas and strategies you can use immediately!
Ten Key Benefits of Attending
1. Maximize Your Effectiveness when Working with Students with Asperger’s Syndrome and HighFunctioning Autism
Discover practical strategies to increase academic learning and decrease disruptive behaviors exhibited
by students with pervasive developmental disorders ... Classroom-proven techniques to help these
students be more successful in school
2. Increase Positive and Acceptable Behavior While Decreasing Undesirable Behaviors
Use techniques such as social stories, booster cards, keychain rules, social scripts, T-Charts, and
cartooning to help students retain what is acceptable behavior ... Real examples and how to use these
techniques for your unique situations
3. Implement Powerful Structured Teaching Strategies
Whether you are teaching first grade or high school, you will learn classroom-tested techniques to help
these students become more successful learners in your classroom ... Learn how to organize and
structure your lessons to better meet the needs of students with Asperger’s Syndrome and highfunctioning autism
4. Preventing Meltdowns, Tantrums and Rages
Learn how to identify the stages of meltdowns, tantrums and rages and what you can do to circumvent ...
Practical strategies to be more proactive by identifying the function of the behavior
5. Use High Focus and Interest Areas as Incentives
Turn high focus interests into positive and powerful incentives ... Ideas to increase academic success and
on-task behavior in the classroom
6. Post-Vention Strategies to Use AFTER the Meltdown
What happens after behavior breakdowns is key to preventing them in the future ... Implement strategies
that will make sense to the student and will help cement what would have been acceptable behavior ...
How to use T-Charts, SOCCSS, cartooning, social scripts, and role plays
7. How to Deal with Communication Breakdowns
Specific ideas and examples to address the subtleties of language that are often missed by our students
with Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism ... Learn how to address the characteristics of
language: form, function, content, and context
8. Provide Solutions for Sensory Issues
Identify, respond and prevent sensory issues that can and often do lead to off-task behavior ... Resources
and solutions to target sensory needs as well as techniques to use on a daily basis
9. Incorporating Visual Supports Throughout the Day
More than anyone, these students respond positively to visuals – as long as the visuals make sense to
them and are age-appropriate ... Learn how to create effective and efficient schedules, reminders,
communication cards, and organization checklists that really make a difference for both you and the
student
10. Receive an Extensive Resource Handbook
Each participant will receive an extensive resource handbook filled with strategies and techniques
discussed in the seminar and ready to implement in your classroom immediately
Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately
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Research-based strategies for students with Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism to
maximize learning and minimize disruptive behaviors
Prevention and intervention techniques to help students become more aware of acceptable behavior
in the school setting
Proactive and effective strategies to promote on-task behavior in order to increase learning
Extended interventions that will address challenging and disruptive behaviors often exhibited by
students with high-functioning autism and other social cognitive disorders
Practical solutions for addressing meltdowns, rages and tantrums, and providing meaningful
consequences
Using various formats, such as PowerPoint, for developing social stories to address specific
behaviors
Addressing communication breakdowns which lead to socialization difficulties and ultimately,
behavior problems
Ideas for establishing structure, predictability and routines in your classroom to help students gain
and maintain focus
Classroom-proven strategies that can be implemented in the classroom, transition areas, playground,
and other areas within the school setting
Numerous practical ideas to address sensory disorder issues and help students make sense of their
environment
Help your students access the “hidden curriculum”
Video examples of techniques being used in real classroom situations
Templates for a behavior support booklet that can be used with all students
Techniques for emphasizing acceptable behavior after a meltdown such as SOCCSS, social autopsies,
social scripts, T-Charts, keychain rules, and cartooning
Checklists for functions of behavior, including sensory disorder issues
Practical strategies to help your students with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome be
more successful behaviorally, and ultimately, academically
A Message From Your Seminar Leader
Dear Colleague:
If you are working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and other social-cognitive
processing differences, you know the unique strengths and challenges they bring to the general and special
education classroom. You may be asking yourself how you can better maximize their strengths to increase
learning, and how to minimize the distracting and disruptive behaviors that get in the way of their learning. If
you are asking these questions, I invite you to join me for a day filled with answers to these very issues.
In this seminar, I will share numerous strategies that will make a difference in how you work with your students
with Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and other social-cognitive processing differences. I will
give you practical, ready-to-use ideas for addressing disruptive behaviors, meltdowns, social skills
development, stress management, and much more. We will discuss proactive strategies to promote on-task
behavior along with prevention, interventions and post-vention techniques to help your students be more
successful in school. All of these strategies are student-tested, research-supported and are ready to adapt to your
classroom.
I have been working with students with Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and other socialcognitive processing differences for over 30 years. The strategies and ideas are all ones that I have used with
students and have learned from outstanding experts across the nation. I am excited to share with you how to
make learning more accessible for your students and make your job less stressful.
Sincerely,
Kathy K. Morris
P.S. You will also receive the extensive resource handbook I designed specifically for this seminar filled with
strategies and ideas ready for you to try with your students.
Who Should Attend
Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Counselors, Occupational
Therapists, Speech/Language Pathologists, and Administrators serving grades K-12.
Special Benefits of Attending
Extensive Resource Handbook
You will receive an extensive resource handbookspecifically designed for this seminar. Included in the
handbook are:
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A checklist for successful intervention strategies
Proven ways to modify and adapt your lessons
Key elements of effective visual and spatial organization
Numerous ideas to help your students become more socially accepted in the classroom
Meet and Share
This seminar provides participants a wonderful opportunity to meet and share ideas with other educators
seeking practical ideas for working with students with Asperger ’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism and
other social and cognitive differences.