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Task Difficulty: Strategies for Supporting Student Towards Work Independence

4/15/2016

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Picture this: You walk into a classroom full of students who are quietly engaged in an independent task at their desk. The room is quiet with the exception of the ticking noise made by the second hand of the clock on the wall, and Tom. Tom is in the back of classroom with his head on desk, holding a pencil in his left hand, and repeatedly tapping the eraser of the pencil on the desk. In addition, Tom is kicking the leg of his desk with his foot continuously even though he has been asked to stop several times.

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To provide some context, Tom is a student with a learning differences. He was held back in the 1st grade and continues to struggle with reading independently on grade-level texts. Presently, he receives tier 2 reading intervention, but his reading level is still several grades levels below his same age 4th grade peers. When he is completing other academic tasks such as math or writing tasks he seems too able to participate and complete tasks independently. While there could be several reasons for Tom’s off-task behaviors, in this case the task is too difficult for Tom to complete independently.
 
What is task difficulty? How does it impact students with diverse learning needs?
 
Task difficulty relates to work assignments that exceed the student’s skill level. It is important to determine which aspects of the task/assignment do not match the student’s skills, and then how they can be appropriately adjusted to decrease associated problem behaviors and increase opportunities for academic success. According to Scott, Anderson & Alter (2012), work assignments that are too difficult for students or require them to use skills sets that are challenging for them, commonly result in problem behavior. Similarly, providing tasks at the correct level of difficulty increases & promotes on-task behavior, task completion, task comprehension and appropriate class-wide behavior (Kern & Clemens, 2007). Lastly, decreasing the overall task length and offering periodic breaks to do something else can aide in decreasing problem behavior and increased work production. (Dunlap, Kern-Dunlap, Clarke & Robbins, 1991).
 
As it relates to student with diverse learning needs and challenges, task analysis allows the school personnel to identify the specific parts of a task or assignment where the breakdown in learning has occurred. Initially, the breakdown may not be obvious and may require probing or asking specific questions to determine and select the most appropriate teaching strategies, accommodations and modifications to best support student needs. If problem behaviors persist, it may be necessary to determine if inappropriate or off-task behavior are truly associated with task difficulty or if another behavior trigger is at play. Lastly, when making decisions about the strategies, make sure the strategy is truly matched to the part of the lesson where the student is experiencing difficulty.
 

STEPS FOR ADDRESSING TASK DIFFICULTY:

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Below are some suggested strategies to support students with task difficulties and examples for implementation:
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​References
Dunlap, G., Kern-Dunlap, L., Clarke, S., & Robbins, G. R. (1991). Functional assessment, curricular revision, and severe behavior problems. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 387-397.
Kern, L. and Clemens, N.H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44(1), 65-75.
Scott, T. M. Anderson, C. M., & Alter, P. (2012). Managing classroom behavior using positive behavior supports. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
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Blog post written by:
Meka Tull, School Psychologist and Interim Director of School Partnerships

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The Idea of Mindsight and Interpersonal Neurobiology

4/15/2016

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Last month I had the opportunity to join Jenny Ventura at a leadership conference hosted by Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, where we presented a workshop about All-In and Unconditional Education.  Several of the workshops focused on leadership and neuroscience, and one pointed me in the direction of Dr. Daniel J Siegel, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. After going down the Google rabbit hole, I found several links, and one TED Talk  that gave me a good introduction to his work. After an interesting early career path (including almost becoming a Salmon fisherman), Dr. Siegel began studying neuroscience, and through his research coined the phrase “interpersonal neurobiology”, rooted in the belief that the brain is a social organ and humans’  capacity to be  mindful as a critical component of overall health and well-being.  
 
Dr. Siegel uses the phrase “mindsight”, which are skills related to reflection, relationships and resilience. He goes on to argue that mindsight is a skill that can be developed, just like other academic skills, with the overall goal of developing an integrated brain. Dr. Siegel’s research focuses on the middle prefrontal cortex functions, which include:

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Siegel comments that “research shows empathetic relationships and reflective skill training promote these functions”. In this specific TED Talk, Dr. Siegel makes the connection between his research on interpersonal neurobiology and the positive impact it can have on children when exposed to early interventions, advocating for social-emotional supports in schools, much like the work we do at All-In.  
 
The neuroscience side of this is a new area for me, considering it has been many years since I last studied child and human development in grad school, but I am interested in learning more. If you are too, I encourage you to explore this school of thought and consider how it connects to our work supporting youth and helping to create positive school cultures. 
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Blog post written by:
Lilly Green​, Director of School Partnerships

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CLINICAL STRAND UPDATES: A Short Video, and a Welcome to our Newest Clinical Intervention Specialists!

4/15/2016

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Hello everyone, happy spring!
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Many of our All-In! staff were able to attend the screening of Paper Tigers last month. It was a moving documentary about a school in Washington state where they have implemented a trauma-informed school model. The school focuses on teaching about, and mitigating for the impact of toxic stress, or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), on learning, behavior, mood and world-view. It was right in line with our work in All-In! and spurred some great conversations about how to articulate this work and replicate it across schools.
 
A companion documentary, made by the same filmmaker, called Resilience was recently shown at the Sundance Film Festival—this movie focuses on the physical health impact of ACEs (see Nadine Burke’s poignant TED talk here. It also focuses on the importance of increasing resilience through addressing the impact of toxic stress on our children and communities with resources like: wellness clinics and the existence of protective, positive relationships. I’m going to see if I can get us a screening for our orientations in the fall!
 
I wanted to share a short video that is a great teaser for the content of both films:

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Now, for our new Clinical Intervention Specialists… I am thrilled to welcome and introduce Jonathan Herzog and Danielle Bove! They each joined All-In! recently and have already brought something special to their schools and teams. We invited them to write their own bios and share a photo so you’ll know them when you see them. Given how far and wide All-In! programs are, here’s a virtual introduction. Please be sure to say hello and introduce yourself if you have the occasion to meet either of them in the coming weeks.
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Blog post written by:
Emily Marsh, Director of Clinical Intervention Services

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ACADEMIC STRAND UPDATE: Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street (and other amazing resources for student learning and professional growth)?

4/6/2016

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The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) are wonderful resources for news, entertainment, and education! Many of us grew up watching Sesame Street-- I know that’s where I first learned letters with Big Bird and numbers with the Count. If you ask me, C is (and always will be) for Cookie! While Sesame Street is apparently still alive and kickin’, there is so much more to find on public television, public radio, and their websites. Our local affiliate, KQED, often features education pieces, which you may catch on the radio and can otherwise find on the KQED Education website. Here’s a list of some of my favorite pieces online currently, but there is so much more to explore!  I would encourage you to check out one or two of these and then search the site based on your own work and interests:
  • Four Great Media Tools for Inclusive Classrooms
  • The Writing Process Through the Eyes of Children with Special Needs (Part One)
  • The Writing Process Through the Eyes of Children with Special Needs (Part Two)
  • 5 Effective Strategies for the Inclusive Classroom
  • How Emotions Can Support Critical Thinking
 
For additional classroom tools and lesson ideas, check out the PBS Learning Media website.
And to explore the future of learning in all its dimensions, … how learning is being impacted by technology, discoveries about how the brain works, poverty and inequities, social and emotional practices, assessments, digital games, design thinking and music, among many other topics, …how learning is evolving in the classroom and beyond, ... shifts in how educators practice their craft as they apply innovative ideas to help students learn, while meeting the rigorous demands of their standards and curriculum, …and so much more, check out KQED’s Mindshift.
 
Happy searching, perusing, and learning! Let us know what you find!

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Blog post written by:
Alli Guilfoil, Director of Academic Intervention

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The Buddy Bench: Making Playgrounds Enjoyable for All Students

4/6/2016

1 Comment

 
For many students playgrounds are the source of fun activity and rewarding interactions, but for students who don’t have anyone to play with, playgrounds can be a very lonely place. To make playgrounds a welcoming place for all students, many schools have created something called a “buddy bench”. A student who is looking for someone to play with will sit on the bench, and within a few minutes another student or group of students will join them and invite them to play. Talk about a great way to build a positive school climate!
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Watch the buddy bench in action here:
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