Encouraging Eye Contact: What NOT to Do

Photo: artistshelpingchildren.org

One of the most upsetting things I observed during my time as an ABA therapist was the common practice of manually turning a child's head to encourage eye contact. In many cases it caused meltdowns & fear. In other cases, the child would just simply close their eyes tightly. It never did make much sense to me how forcing a child to look at you would somehow cause "spontaneous engagement." In fact, it caused the child to avoid the teachers that did this regularly.

There is already an imbalance of power between a child and an adult-and a student and a teacher/therapist- and I have always found this practice to be more about the adult's /therapist's needs than the child's. Its more like an intimidation technique rather than something done for the child's "own good" . The child knows you are not their "partner" if you are always trying to get compliance by using positive and negative re-enforcement. Naturally, they will at some point resist, to try and take back some of the power that has been taken from them, as they should. Besides, isn't it more logical & healthy to cause spontaneous engagement by being more engaging?

Well there is now a new study out of England that explains why we should NOT force eye contact on our students. I came across this article (link below) this morning and I am posting it here because I think its extremely important to understand that children are not (usually) intending to be willfully non-compliant, rude or all of those things that they tell a new ABA therapist or Para-professional. There is a reason that they are not looking at you, and the reason makes perfect sense. (Thank you Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon, associate dean at Northumbria University in England.)

When a child's senses are overloaded, they need to filter out some of the input they are receiving. Since visual input takes up about 80% of our brain power, it makes logical (and neurological) sense that a child would attempt to block out that input in order to listen to you better.

In listening to better, they can then think about what the input is (such as an instruction or question) process it, and formulate a response. This process may take longer in children with sensory & learning challenges-(much like "dial-up" instead of "high-speed internet") so you need to wait for a response.

I was always taught that 7 seconds was appropriate for a response-however I really disagree with that time frame and think a child should be given more time to process if they need it. Everyone is unique-and all of our "programming" is different-and interrupting that process by placing a time limit on when they should respond, in my opinion, is absolutely ridiculous. We only do it because we've been doing it for so long. We need to change it if we truly want the kids that have the capacity for it, to be more independent. Maybe this research is a step in the right direction. (I have to add here that while I am not a therapist, I have worked with children with autism & other special needs since I was 14, and this is the common sense evidence that I have personally observed over the last 34 years.)

Its interesting to note that neuro-typical children (and adults) avoid eye contact when thinking too. How would you feel if someone grabbed your face and turned your head to face them when you were thinking of a response or taking notes during a staff meeting or workshop?

Its definitely something to think about.

Encouraging Eye Contact Disturbs Autistic Kids' Thinking



Recommended Reading:

The Way I see it: A Personal Look at Autism & Asperger's (Temple Grandin)

(Expanded Edition) In this innovative book, Dr. Temple Grandin gets down to the REAL issues of autism, the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day. She offers first-hand knowledge, helpful do’s and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her own perspective and a great deal of research. These are just some of the topics Dr. Grandin discusses:

• How and Why People with Autism Think Differently
• Economical Early Intervention Programs that Work
• How Sensory Sensitivities Affect Learning
• Behaviors Caused by a Disability vs. Just Bad Behaviors 
• The Role of Genetics and Environmental Factors in Causing Autism
• Understanding the Mind of a Nonverbal Person with Autism
• Finding Mentors and Appropriate Colleges
• More!

Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com


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In Case You Missed It: Assorted Topic Links - October 1-5

Photo: Barbara Gini ©2012

Happy Friday everyone!

What an incredible week I've had, beginning with an awesome workshop with 12 OT's, PT's and COTA's; the launch of our distance Learning Program (details being added to our website today!); One to One work with 3 wonderful adaptive yoga teachers-in-(distance)-training; helping a client build a new website and several incredible walks in the woods near my home. I snapped this photo above with my cell phone while I was walking near a  bunch of fallen trees. (So much to see on a walk! If you are paying attention.)

The week is winding down with visit from family from North Carolina & the 2 day birthday festivities for my love, and my best friend who turns 50 years young today. Every single day I still discover something new about him. He has supported me and the work I am doing in every way possible for the last four years and today I celebrate his life, his patience, honesty and integrity by wishing him & everyone reading this all of the love, support, humor, happiness and new experiences that he has given me.

Wishing Happy Birthdays to everyone celebrating this season!

~Barbara


Here are your links for this week:


National Sensory Awareness Month: "Faces of SPD" project

Learning About Friendships at every Grade Level

Montessori Inspired Solar System Unit-World Space Week 

Vision & Learning Go Hand in Hand

Families Bypass Junk Food & Focus on Eating Healthy

Common Core in Children's Yoga

Physical Activity and the Brain: Exercise After Stroke Helps Improve Memory

Bullying is Portrayed in 92% of Children's Shows

Compassionate Meditation Can Boost Empathy

School Garden Grants Program




Visit our website for more articles, games, activities, and more!
Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

In Case You Missed It: August 6 - 10

Vintage Harley Women Photo:
avidrider.com

This week was another full one for me with summer camps winding down and my yearly office clean out in full swing, getting ready for new projects and the transition from summer to fall. I have been able to carve out some time for doing the things for myself that I love, which is so important for caregivers who work both in and out of the home.

For some families the end of summer is a difficult time, due to stress. In fact, the common question or theme from everyone I talked with or had contact with this week was "family stress".  Its fitting (or is it synchronicity?) that this week I also finished proofing my third book, "Calm and Connected: Yoga Based Tools for Self-Regulation" . 

This one is a different format than the "S.M.Art Stories™" curriculum series and was my favorite to write so far, because it gives specific insight into causes of family stress and simple non-intrusive ways to address and minimize it. It is written for adults and educators to guide kids to stay Calm and Connected even at the most chaotic times. This title will be available on Amazon in the next week or two so watch the blog and our Twitter , You Tube and Facebook pages for an introductory offer & other announcements!

And now for our weekly posts.

Wishing you a "Calm & Connected" weekend!


~Barbara



Calming Technique: Peace Ball (Video)

The Mechanics of the Brain

50 Children's Books with a Positive Message

The Best Swim Gear for Kids with Special Needs

For Visually Impaired and Dyslexic Students: A (Free) High Tech Solution

Natural Learning: Brain Based Principles

Visual Affirmation Tools for Kids






Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

Picture This....

Photo: Barbara Gini

I have always enjoyed taking and looking at photos. My favorite gift from childhood was the Kodak110 camera that 'Santa' got me one year. Being a young girl, I took pictures of everything-including my toes and those candid close-ups of my brother sleeping. (Sorry Bobby! )  Years later, I even worked as a children's photographer. (I still prefer candid shots over 'posed' photos.)

I still love to take and look at photos of the outdoors and of kids. I snapped this one at left with my cell phone yesterday while I was out walking. I just wanted to take it all in: the breeze, the quietness of the road & the incredible brilliant blue sky that is not quite captured in this photo. Its as inspiring to look at as when I was actually there, and its now my new screen saver.

There are personal reasons why we love to look at photos: (memories, nostalgia, art, inspiration ) and also biological: our brains are wired for pictures.

What gets your attention most on social networks? A post with words or one with a picture?  (Most of us will agree that we will click on a photo before we click on a link. ) More than 25% of our brains are used for visual processing. (That's more than for any other of our senses.) We will remember 85% of what we see externally (or visualize internally) making images the most efficient way for us to take in information.

We can use this knowledge to our advantage, not only to improve learning but also for reducing stress and increasing productivity.

From where you are sitting right now, what do you see? (Other than this article.)  Is it bright, pleasant and inspiring or is it chaotic and dark? Whatever you see is what is what you are taking in and processing all day long. Its like downloading this program all day into your brain. This visual 'noise' can be as draining & distracting as auditory noise.

Keep this in mind when setting up a classroom, therapy room, office space for yourself or a study & play spaces for kids. The more visually calm, inspiring & pleasing the space, the less stressed the occupants will feel and the more learning, productive work or fun will take place.

There are a variety of ways to make a space more visually engaging and it depends on the individual's preferences. What do you like to look at? What do your students or kids like to look at? Be sure to include more of those things in your working & learning spaces. If its not possible, take a photo (or find one) of something you like to look at. Frame it and place it on your desk or on your wall so you can see it often.

Educators can design a more inspiring learning space for students by making a few simple changes. One is to minimize visual distractors by putting away or covering everything unnecessary. Another is to pay attention to what the students are looking at all day-a white (or black) board? Not too motivating. Be sure to include a few (not too many) visually interesting and inspiring images or cartoons in and around the area they look at most.  Change them every so often. Using more images and less lecture in your lessons, keeps children engaged and interested for longer durations.

In another article I will be outlining more tips on designing a visually calm & engaging classroom environment. But for now, make some small changes in what you are seeing and notice the difference.


Want to learn more about how to improve visual processing? Read: Eye-Mazing!

You also might like: Spring Themed Guided Imagery (self-calming & stress management for kids)

Too Book a Sensory Solutions™ (Yoga Based Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom) professional development workshop, contact: barbara@bodylogique.com


* We welcome your comments and insights!


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Rice & The Art of Engagement

Sea Turtle Mandala
Photo: ©2011  B.Gini

A few years ago, I was asked by Greenshire Healing Arts Center to provide a community art project for a Youth Peace Summit that reflects the theme of "Peace". What is better as a symbol of unity than a community Mandala?


Mandalas are circular, symmetrical designs that have been used for centuries as a tool for meditation & reflection, and in more modern times by Sigmund Freud as a tool for psychoanalysis. I have drawn many mandalas over the years and find them to be a great tool for engagement in self-reflection, peaceful, focused thought and creative problem solving.


I was not sure how to proceed at first, and after a few ideas that I rejected, I finally envisioned a design: The Earth encircled by a rainbow-(the symbol for Hope as well as a symbol of diversity) two Doves with olive branches (symbolizing Peace) A Heart at the base is for Love, Friendship and Acceptance, and Lotus petals framing all 4 corners, represent the progress of working towards Peaceful interactions. (A lotus grows up through the mud to blossom into a fragrant, perfect bloom. I have observed & known many people with that same ability.) I drew the design on brown paper that painters use to cover surfaces when working.


The Mandala was made with colored rice-a technique I became familiar with through my Friend Ritu who who also does the most amazing Henna and Batik you have ever seen! She has been doing this beautiful ancient art for many years. She was my inspiration for the building of this project & this was my first time doing such a large piece.


Each grain of rice, being placed on the design by at-risk teens of all ages was the epitome of Peaceful interaction not just with each other, but within themselves. I noticed that as each area of the design emerged-one small spoonful at a time- the kids became fully engaged in the tiny colorful grains. One remarked that she felt as if she had become part of the design itself.

That is the beauty of this process. As each individual works on a part of the design, and as it emerges, it brings self- reflection to the individual, to the group & to the larger community. It helps us realize that even though we are individual and unique, we are all part of something much larger than ourselves. The mandala making process becomes the Art of Engagement which is the basis of all peaceful interactions.

When the design was finished, it was displayed in the gallery for a week, then dismantled, much as Tibetan Mandalas are. To me, this represents impermanence & non-attachment. It reminds me of the fragile nature of Life & affirms that any positive change begins with a single thought from a single person-just as this design began with a single spoonful of rice.

Being who I am, I have adapted this activity to use with my younger groups & my students with sensory challenges. From their perspective, it is a fun, calming, multi-sensory activity that helps them learn to focus, share, engage & follow through with a project to completion. For the younger kids, I use simple terminology & call the designs 'mosaics', or 'rice art' and I make them permanent by using a little bit of white glue before the rice is added.

So many Life & Social skills can be learned through this activity! Its a perfect activity for outdoors and is the method I prefer. If you are going to do it inside, let the kids assist through the entire process by helping color the rice, set up the area & clean up at the end. If rice spills, gently guide them to help clean it up. Wherever you decide to set up the activity, be sure to allow plenty of time. It’s counter-productive to rush children through the process.It may even be helpful to set it up at a 'sensory station' and let the kids work on it at intervals during the week.

Supplies are simple: Plain, heavy duty paper plates, round or square (not Styrofoam) OR shoe box lids. (You can also use aluminum pans or plain color plastic trays) rice, food coloring and hand sanitizer. There are literally thousands of ideas and patterns online. Start with simple geometric shapes and build more intricate designs as the skill and attention level increases.

To see an instructional video of how to color the rice, click here: Colored Rice Technique.

 To find our e-course on designing mandalas for stress management go to:
10 Minute Mandalas

I know there are hundreds of other ways to use colored rice. Tell us your ideas in thecomments below!


To see some photos of the activity in progress, watch the video below.



Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

Sensory Boxes

Sensory boxes can help improve tactile sensitivity!

The skin is the largest organ in the body packed with nerve fibers for keeping the brain in touch with the outside world.

Adults carry about 8 pounds and 20 square feet of skin. It is estimated that there are approximately 100 tactile/touch receptors in each finger!


Children explore the world through their senses. The sense of touch is the first sense to operate before a child is even born. The sense of touch is important for growth, development as well as survival.
The sense of touch enables an infant to turn their faces towards the nipple, to start bonding with their parents and to feel calmed by warm blankets while falling asleep. Poor tactile response can result in problems with body awareness, balance and graceful fluid movement.
In addition to brushing, massage and grooming pets, (real or stuffed) tactile senses can be strengthened by using Sensory Boxes. They are portable, easy to put together; the items you can use are inexpensive & variations are endless. A sensory box can be used in self-contained classrooms as a motivator for completing work or for appropriate behavior. It can be used in the home for the same reason for children with or without tactile or other development delays.


You will need:

• A clean plastic tub with a lid

• sand, rice, pasta, packing peanuts, paper shred or beans to fill plastic tub

• small items or toys to hide in the rice, sand etc. (small plastic animals, balls, race cars, small dolls, alphabet letters or numbers, small people, etc.)

First, be sure the plastic tub you are using is clean and dry. Fill tub about 2/3 full with pasta, rice, beans or sand. (We have used different kinds of pasta for our example.)

Place various toys or objects in the tub, hidden in the pasta. In the example to the right, there are sparkly bugs, frogs, lizards and snakes hidden in the pasta. (This photo was taken at a resource fair for the Dominics Dreams SPD Foundation.) As the children pulled out an animal, we did a yoga pose that went with the creature. There was also a gold coin hidden in the box. The child that 'found' that got to make up a pose. I remember the young man who found it made up his own "swan" pose.

Play with your child in the box by pushing hands deep into the box, scooping up pasta and letting it run out back into the box and by feeling for the hidden toys.

You can play counting games (how many bugs can you find?) or have the child sort (red bugs, green bugs, snakes, etc. or sort the different types of pasta or beans into cups.) Use your imagination and have fun!

I also have used leftover colored rice from my colored rice mosaics in the sensory boxes. This is my daughter's favorite "tune out to tune in" activity. She finds it very relaxing and has hidden a small ziploc bag of the "Rainbow Rice" away in her room for when she needs 'sensory time'. (My daughter is not on the spectrum, however I believe that all children have specific sensory needs, just as adults do! (More about rice mosaics in another post!)

*(Be careful of small objects being placed into ears, nose or swallowed. Please supervise young or impaired children at all times.)


* To learn more sensory & art activities go to:
http://smartkidsyoga.webs.com/artsensoryactivities.htm

Thinking Outside The Lesson Plan: 6 Ways to Accomodate Alternate Learners

Working in Ms. T's pre-school early intervention classroom 5 years ago was one of the most memorable  learning experiences for me. I have taken so much of what I learned there from both Ms." T", my co-workers and the kids themselves and have applied that to my current work as a children's yoga teacher. In addition, I have been able to offer workshops & trainings to hundreds of parents, therapists, educators & other children's yoga teachers showing them how to do the same.

One of the first and most important techniques I learned was how to create non-threatening  environments that accommodate a variety of alternate learning styles & challenges & offer the best opportunities for all children to be successful. This concept is at the very center of my adaptive yoga programs. I work with many children who have autism, visual or other sensory perception challenges, poor motor planning or dyslexia, poor auditory or cognitive processing delays and other adaptive needs that make it necessary for me to make accommodations. To do this effectively, I have to think a little bit (sometimes alot) outside of the lesson plan.

Here are 6 accommodations that I have found are the most common & most useful, especially for older children, teens & young adults:

1) Talk with the student: (For all students) Ask how he/she learns best. Often these students can explain in their own words what helps them learn and this input can be developed into concrete learning strategies. These strategies are usually easy to incorporate into a classroom setting or a yoga group setting. In this way you have made the student a partner-and an active participant-in his or her learning.

2) Use Visual Aids:  (For children with auditory/cognitive challenges)  PECS, simple pictures or felt boards can be used to demonstrate & communicate a variety of concepts and ideas. In a yoga group, model the postures or movements & breath work slowly for the student so he/she can see how its done. Allow students to partner up and play a modified & more age appropriate version of  the "Mirror Game".  In both classrooms, follow up with a brief explanation speaking slowly, clearly & using as few words as possible.

3) Use Oral Instructions/Testing: (for students with poor visual processing, poor motor planning & fine motor challenges) Tests can be read aloud to the students or provided on audio file, and students can give answers orally. In a yoga setting, this is how I assess the students level of understanding & also practice social & conversational skills-by asking/answering questions and telling stories. Its important to remember to be clear & use as few words as possible.

4) Modify Essay & Note Copying Assignments:  (for students with poor visual processing, poor motor planning & fine motor challenges)  It takes some students much longer to copy information from a book or a board. In some cases the student may not be able to even read their notes. Provide simple lecture notes, or discreetly assign a fellow student or peer to copy the notes using carbon less paper to make a second copy for the student to review.  For tests, use as many match and  fill-in-the-blank formats as possible. ( Multiple-choice questions also tend to pose a problem for some students because of the amount of reading required to answer the questions correctly.) A simple handout with a brief summary, stick figure drawings and simple captions works well for yoga classes.

5) Modify Research Assignments: (For all students) There are many ways to offer alternative assignments to demonstrate skill or content master for traditional as well as yoga classrooms. Alternatives to long written papers could include video or oral presentations, collages, photo journals, shadow boxes, role playing, dioramas, etc. I use lots of simple themed art projects in my yoga classes to go with each lesson to give the student a personal & physical reminder of the basic concepts presented.

6) Use Routine Skill & Concept Reviews:  (For all students) Good for reinforcement of academic as well as yoga concepts. Can be used before a test or as a transition before moving on to the next concept introduction. A review can be done at the end of the week, at the end of a unit, as an oral review or even as a fun class "Jeopardy" or "Wheel of Fortune" type game, incorporating flash cards or other visual aids if necessary. A simple 'study guide' (one page only) with short summaries of key concepts & vocabulary words can be made easily and given to the students to take home & review on their own. Encourage students to stay organized by keeping all notes in a binder or folder for quick reference. (For one of my teen girl's yoga classes I provided folders and let them decorate to have a personalized place to keep all yoga class notes in.)

Whether you are a traditional educator, classroom assistant or children's yoga teacher, its not difficult to make these simple accommodations for those who may need them. A little time and creativity will go a long way to benefit both educators & students.







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Eye-mazing!

Other than our brain, our eyes are the most complex organs in the body.Your eyes are composed of more than 2 million working parts & the average eye can receive & process 36,000 bits of information every hour. Your eye can also focus on about 50 things per second. (Talk about multi-tasking!)  Your retina contains 120 million rods for "night vision", and 8 million cones that are color sensitive and function best in daylight. The eye is the only part of the human body that can be at 100% functioning at any moment, day or night, without rest.

About half of our brain is involved in the visual process. Humans are visual animals with our eyes contributing towards 85% of our total knowledge.

Vision problems &Visual Processing Disorders can come in many forms, but they all involve the affected person having difficulty seeing or understanding information that they see. These disorders affect both adults & children however it is estimated that about 80% of children with autism or SPD will have visual challenges. Most of these deficits are not found through a traditional vision test, which are geared for acuity only. “The signs that a child has visual problems are frequently subtle and clearly visually related.” (The Mislabeled Child, 2006)

Deficits in vision can greatly inhibit learning as well as social confidence & many kids may not know they have visual processing challenges. For this reason it is important to remember that if they DO complain about their eyes...believe them.



Optical Illusion

I've been thinking about my own visual health quite a bit lately after a recent brunch with some friends, when I realized that I have been having a difficult time seeing details. To be specific, my cell phone keyboard, that tiny writing they put on menus, the "ingredients" on a box or jar of food, the price tags of items or even in the notations in the margin of some books.  I even mistook the word "destiny" for "dentistry" on a display rack of charms much to the amusement of my friends but to my own secret horror. That was the day I finally bought one of those little pocket magnifiers with a light on it to tuck away in my purse for the next time I need it. (I use it at least once a day!)

 

So why don't I just quit whining & get glasses? Is it vanity? Is it denial? Maybe a little of both, but regardless, there is a lesson in there and so being who I am, I have decided to put together some information about visual processing & how it can be improved & strengthened. I realize that eventually I may have to get glasses, but for now, I have found some activities/exercises that will relieve fatigue & strengthen my visual processing & may be of help to you and your child. These activities & exercises listed here apply & are appropriate for children as well as adults.

• Frequent Breaks: When you allow yourself or your student/children to become overly fatigued from visual tasks, the result is fatigue, headache, stomach ache, de-motivation and/or oppositional behavior. In addition to leading to avoidance behaviors, this fatigue also has the potential of further damaging an already weak visual system.
• Physical activity: Movement re-engages the nervous system, and allows for another short period of visual focus & mental concentration. You can try simple stretching or yoga. (Did you ever wonder why kids sharpen their pencils so much? They are giving themselves a time out from an extended visual task and a chance to re-engage in the activity.)
• Gross muscle movement: A major strategy for improving sensory motor integration and visual processing disorders. The general rule, for not only children but adults exhibiting overall eye strain or difficulties with visual processing is short periods of concentration with lots of movement breaks.
• Coloring: Simple geometric pictures or mandalas are calming, help strengthen the cone receptors in the retina and help re-focus attention. (Also Try  'Crazy 8s')
• Vision Boards: A collage type project. Pictures or stickers are placed on a canvas, cardboard or construction paper. You can use a theme or a word (such as "Family") to work the collage around.
• Kaleidoscopes: Another simple toy to help strengthen the cone receptors in the eyes (used for day vision, color perception & black/white perception, reading & fine detail.) Be sure to use BOTH eyes alternately, not just the dominant one. (Your dominant eye is the one you usually bring the scope to first.) Order a kaleidoscope  and other visual toys for kids here. 
• Eye Yoga: Moving the eyes in various configurations can strengthen the ocular muscles (visual motor)and the ability to focus (visual perceptual). For complete exercise instructions click here.
• Eye Palming: Rub your hands together until they feel warm. Then close your eyes & cover them by cupping your warm hand over them. Now look into and at the dark. If you see spots of light its ok. Relax & wait a few minutes. You will see the dark. Do this at least twice a day for 5 to 15 minutes or if with a child, for as long as they can.
• Hydration: Hydration & proper nutrition are vitally important not just for eye health, but for overall optimum functioning of the body & brain. Plain fresh water, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables should make up most of your & your child's diet. It is important to remember that while we want our kids to be healthy, they have different nutritional needs than adults. Lean protein is very necessary for formation of brain tissue and proper brain & organ function. Children especially need proper amounts of lean or organic animal protein that cannot be found in plant sources. Please consult with your physician or dietitian before eliminating any foods from your child's diet!
• Imagery: Imagery is another easy way to relieve visual fatigue & improve inner &outer focus. Picture a familiar object in your mind, clearly and in as much vivid detail as you can. (It could be anything: your child's face, a cow, an apple, a pizza, etc.) Now hold that image for 5-10 minutes. (You can start out with 1 minute intervals and gradually increase the duration as your brain becomes more trained.) If your mind wanders, just bring it back to focus on your object. Children can do this simply for a few minutes at a time, with you guiding them through the process.

(Planning meaningful activities for children to do during very necessary work breaks helps make learning pleasant and minimizes damage to the child’s self-confidence. To create an atmosphere of success, find their area of strength and emphasize that. Every child has something that they do well. Find that strength and keep them busy at that task as you gradually offer more clallenging tasks. Keep detailed visual activity to a minimum during breaks. Books can be put on tape and will help strengthen the auditory sense as the visual sense is taking a break. )



For more information on visual processing:
 
Education.com
 
Understanding Learning Disabilities
 
The Jess Oppenheimer Story
 
Optical Illusions 


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