Evidence Based Strategies Summary

Part 3: Summary of Research-Based Strategies

Evidence-based methods and strategies should be used for interventions for students on an individual basis. Evidence-based strategies are instructional strategies, interventions or a teaching program that has consistently shown positive results when tested. Dailen requires explicit teaching across a variety of settings to learn skills. Dailen will often require supports in the home and in school using evidence-based strategies to improve his social behavior. When supporting Dailen, it is important to think of him as an individual, meet him where he is, establish expectations, utilize reinforcement and motivation strategies.

Creating a structure is a strategy that I would suggest using with this family. Evidenced-Based Practices should be used by teachers through their instruction to meet Dailen’s needs. “Odom et al. (2010) have identified 24 specific evidence-based practices (such as prompting or reinforcement) and have developed instructional modules that illustrate and elaborate on each of the practices” (Kirk, Gallagher, & Coleman, 2015, Cengage) Dalien seems to have an unorganized environment when he is allowed to do certain things when he wants to. One of the evidenced-based practice
to help in this situation would be “structured teaching.” This strategy is a TEACCH method that was developed at the University of North Carolina. Structured teaching can help Dailen understand his surroundings. The basic principles of structure teaching are physical structure, scheduling, work system, routine and visual structure. He would be able to keep track of each event and follow by reading the next upcoming events. This type of strategy can help bring necessary routines and allow him to live in a predictable world. It is important for Dailen to follow a daily schedule and develop in a consistent environment to feel secure.
Renee has acknowledged that Dailen has does not perform at an age appropriate level with his social skills. A strategy that will benefit Dailen and his family would be to use visual representation to help demonstrate how to interact with others. It can be challenging, therefore, teachers would have to be strategic in planning activities to help increase social behavior with Dailen. Showing him photographs that displays children interacting with each over can help with how friends behave. Role playing, where children act out situations and then discuss with teacher can help with social interactions. Dailen would benefit from social skills training, which is adult directed. During social skills training identifies a social skills goal, adult teaches the behavior, model, role play, reinforce with child and encourage to apply skills learned to any situation. Social skills training will help Dailen respond to life situations. The goal would be for Dailen to transfer skills to any environment.
Renee is concerned with Dailen’s behavior in public places. “Parent and teacher agreement on child characteristics ratings tended to be similar while differences between parent ratings of students in public and non-public school settings found more behavior problems and poorer social skills for students in non-public school placements compared to public school setting”(Lauderdale-Littin, Howell, & Blacher, 2013, p.469) After reading this article, I would assure Renee that Dailen being in a public school setting will assistance in improving his behavior in public places.
Part 4: Conclusion – Reflection and Discussion

Autism is a mental disorder that gives a child the inability to communicate and form social relationships and displays repetitive behavior patterns.
With the Asperger’s syndrome children can have average or superior intelligence, on the other hand, inability to social interactions. Children with Autism are easily perceived strange by others. Early identification and intervention allows younger children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to make gains in their failures. African American students are more likely to be diagnosed later than other children with Autism, which delays them from receiving early interventions and services. Dailen was diagnosed with Autism at the age of four. He qualified for speech services at the age of
three. Children with an autism disorder become obsessively interested in a single object or area. Dailen is obsessed with numbers. He walked around during the entire interview with a calculator in his hand reading numbers. I was able to observe Dailen’s academic strengths and it was an astonishing experience that he was performing at a superior level in math and reading. Dailen is well advance in the math and reading curriculum than his peers however, his social development is not age appropriate. Social skills come natural to most children but has to be learned by children with autism. As my children engaged in play with him, he refused. My children would inquire certain things about Dailen that were differ from them. I was glad to see how my children were very gentle and continued to embrace and interact with him. During this interview, I was able to enhance the knowledge of the how a disability can affect the daily life of a child and his/her family. When a family is provided with information, resources and support groups, families feel more confident in supporting a child with Autism be successful. Renee was very knowledgeable and comfortable discussing her child’s disability. She participates in support groups and play dates to grow his social inabilities. She shared some suggestions on being mindful of the characteristics and behaviors of children with autism from the experiences with her son. It is critical that parents keep track of their child’s progress. Renee expects teachers to communicate Dailen’s progress with her daily whether it’s through text, email or daily folder.
Visual supports children with autism by helping them process information. “Visual activity schedules are a critical aspect in providing a structured environment for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID)” (Zucker, Courtade, Perras, & Zager, 2015, p.2) Structured teaching, one of the evidence based strategy was suggested to help Dailen grow and learn in a positively structured environment. This will allow Dailen to keep track of events that occur and will later occur. Another strategy suggested was to encourage social interactions with peers through visual representations. Dailen would be able to process the social behavior with peers from a modeled interaction or showing a video on children exhibiting appropriate social interactions. Dailen and his family could also benefit from social skills training. This can benefit the most due to Dailen having older brothers and sister. Social skills training is adult-directed and targets behavior with social interactions. Implementing evidence based strategies can equip children with disabilities and support families overcome struggles they may face daily.