Paul is a bright first grader placed in
an inclusion setting who loves to draw. He can write sentences relating to his
picture but needs some push from the teacher. He is distracted very easily.
However while he can write a sentence, he struggles when asked to verbally tell
one. While he seems interested in language arts, because he can draw a picture
to correlate with his sentence, he does not enjoy math.
Paul does not make eye contact. He does
not speak with other children or interact socially with them. Paul sits at the
table with the boys at lunch but eats by himself and plays with a toy he
brings, usually an action figure, alone. His parents are aware of the issue and
say it is something he has dealt with his entire life. After being in school
for a month, Paul speaks with his special education teacher, Mr. Carter and me.
He rarely speaks with the regular education teacher or many of the specials
teachers.
Paul does receive speech therapy twice
a week to help him with social settings and has received it since kindergarten.
The speech therapist has informed Mr. Carter that he does talk to her, telling
her about very basic things pertaining to his life but nothing in detail.
Paul also does not quite know how to
act in social settings. During a special, when there are social interactions he
does not play or talk with the children. He attends an after school enrichment
program that Mr. Carter runs. Mr. Carter asked one of the students to grab Paul
and bring him to play basketball in the gym, while waiting for the parents to
pick the children up at the end of the session. Paul did hesitate at first but
Mr. Carter encouraged him and he became involved in the game. Paul will not go
into a social situation on his own, even with other children, he needs a push.
If put into this position, how would
you handle it, how can you help this little six year old feel more comfortable
in a social setting and with other children each day?
Paul shares several similarities with a young boy that I encountered in one of my special education field placements in a previous semester. The student I encountered, John, (not his real name) was also very bright but struggled in social situations. The variable that had the most profound influence on John's social skills from the beginning of the year to the end of the year was the implementation of explicit "social skills training". You mentioned in the blog post that Paul receives speech therapy in order to help him practice how to behave and converse in social settings. John, a fourth grader, received only speech therapy as well; that was until his inclusion teacher realized that knowledge of social interactions was just NOT something that came naturally to John. John had so many wonderful gift and talents, but when it came to socializing he just did not "get it". Merely practicing interactions with his speech therapist was not of much help to John. He watched his speech therapist model appropriate conversations and social skills but it did not click in his mind that he was supposed to emulate her. Just as John's peers needed to learn explicitly and slowly the concepts of multiplication and division (something that was actually a breeze for John!) John needed specific, explicit instruction on how to BE A FRIEND. Students in general education classes do not actually ever truly receive this instruction. It is something that we as teachers assume that all students will just pick up on. The rules of being a friend- sharing, listening, thinking about the feelings of others, reading and appropriately responding to the emotions of others, making eye contact, giving a hug to a friend who is sad- did not make sense to John. However, when his inclusion teacher took the time to realize that perhaps John just needed to be taught this in a more scaffolded, explicit way than his peers, John greatly improved in his social interactions. Perhaps the student in the above scenario, Paul, might also benefit from explicit friendship/ social skills training. John received this training two times a week from the school counselor. John, a lover of technical terms, lists, and memorization, was more receptive to learning proper social skills when they were presented to him in the same way as other disciplines. Just like with other subjects, John was given flash cards, worksheets, and many other tools to help him practice the new skills he was being presented with.
ReplyDeleteMy other suggestion is that even though the goal would be for Paul to initiate social interactions on his own in the near future, his teachers should NOT stop themselves from helping Paul to facilitate social interactions in the present. Living in isolation from your peers can be very sad and dark for a young child of only 6 years like Paul.
Paul seems very timid and slow-to-warm-up to both his peers and some of his teachers. If I were the special educator, I would keep encouraging Paul to join in social activities whenever possible and prompt his classmates to include everyone and not single him out. I would also try to engage in an informal conversations regarding his artwork; he seems to be comfortable with this and may get him to open up a bit more. I would also positively reinforce any form of appropriate social interaction as well as any appropriate vocalizations to try to increase these behaviors. I might also comprise a "Social Story" that deals with school and friendships that may help him make connections with some of his classmates. I would also consider assigning Paul a peer mentor to assist him if necessary and to form a relationship with that student in hopes that he will branch out further with his classmates.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Paul's personality, I think that this situation is very difficult and can be emotionally straining on teachers. Paul may just be introverted and therefore it may just take time for him to adjust to his surroundings and his classmates. I think it is important to keep an open line of communication with the parents to track Paul's progress or any setbacks and to be aware of his home situation (i.e. moving a lot may be a factor). I think that the most important thing Paul's teachers can do is to not give up on him and to always show that they are invested in his well-being. Just because Paul does not speak to certain teachers does not mean they should not speak to him. On an academic level, maybe Paul can write a sentence or draw a picture to answer a question during class discussion. The teachers could also perhaps direct questions at Paul that requires either a "yes" or a "no" so he can just shake his head. On a more personal level, I think it is imperative for the teachers to show Paul they care. They can ask questions like, "How are you today, Paul", "Did you do something special this weekend", or "Are you enjoying that book you have been reading?" Even if Paul does not make eye contact or respond to the teacher, he is still hearing the question and is seeing that they are making the effort and care about him and so he very well could eventually answer, even if it is just with "yes" or "no." I also think that assigning Paul a “buddy” can help ease him into interacting with peers, as long as that buddy is a caring student who will not become easily annoyed or aggravated with Paul and who will try to help Paul interact with students by including, or at least inviting him, to join in on activities, even if he just wants to sit with them and watch while they play a game.
ReplyDeleteHaving a student like Paul in a classroom requires a proactive methodology by the teacher. I agree that it is a tough situation and can be emotionally straining on teachers. I believe it is essential that there is an open line of communication between Paul’s parents, Mr. Carter, the speech teacher, the special education teacher, and Paul’s previous teachers. There should be a team effort between all of them. There is no denying that Paul’s personality is unique and it will be beneficial to collaborate with everyone involved. Paul’s parents can provide input on strategies and techniques that are successful at home and can then be implemented in the classroom. Paul’s previous teachers may have also found techniques that Mr. Carter and other teachers could use this year. I also think that Mr. Carter should teach a lesson on how to interact around others in a social setting. This can be a social studies lesson that can be accompanied by a children’s book that explains how to socialize with others. This would be beneficial for the whole class. Paul would hopefully learn how to socialize better and his fellow classmates can learn how to engage someone who is shy. Mr. Carter and his students could also make a poster to hang in the classroom that explains how to act in social settings. This can be a visual reminder for Paul and his classmates. Furthermore, I would also implement a “buddy system” with Paul to help him interact with his peers. To help break this ice with his buddy, Paul and the student can play with Paul’s action figure or toy that he brings from home. This can be a good starting point for Paul to interact with his peers.
ReplyDeletePaul seems like a smart boy who struggles with social situations. As the teacher, I would assign Paul a "Buddy" so he has someone to sit with and work with. It is important that he is made to feel comfortable and know that he can confide in this person. I would also use positive reinforcement, in the form of time with his action figures, to encourage Paul to talk with his classmates, do his work, and eat lunch with his peers. This is a crucial time in Paul's life because this is the year children start to build friendships. It is important that Paul knows it is ok to make mistakes in his school work, and to not put so much pressure on himself. Paul should be made to feel comfortable in his classroom, and therefore that should be the first priority.
ReplyDeleteI think one way to help Paul with his interaction skills is to have his peers take the initiative and involve Paul in their conversations at lunch and play-time during recess. Paul is only six-years-old so it still may take some time for him to speak up. I think all he needs is the continuing push... eventually as time goes on, I think Paul will open up more. It seems like I say this for every answer, but time really is an important factor in situations similar to this.
ReplyDeleteDid Paul's family recently move into the area or maybe something is going on personally that is affecting Paul from speaking up?
Paul seems like a smart yet timid and shy boy. I agree with Danielle about the idea of having a "Buddy." I feel that by encouraging him to work with a "Buddy" who is a consistent buddy will help him to come out of his shell. It seems that he is comfortable with Mr. Carter so I think that Mr. Carter should try to engage him conversations that could have deeper meaning. I really like Morgan's idea of having the special education teacher talk to Paul about his artwork since it is something that seems to be very important to him. Teachers should try to talk and discuss with Paul things that are important to him and that he is interested in. Maybe show him artwork by famous artists, something that will gain his interest and allow him to open up and talk more. Since Paul does do well in social situations, such as the basketball game, it seems that he just needs that extra push of encouragement to join in. I think he needs his teachers to encourage him to try and praise him for his efforts. I also think that that the other students should be encouraged to ask him to join them in conversation and activity. I agree with Danielle that the priority should be to make Paul comfortable in his classroom because if he is not then learning will be hard for him.
ReplyDeleteFor Paul, if I was a teacher he felt comfortable with, I would try to talk to him about things he likes, like his artwork. You might also want to think about trying to share some of your interests with Paul and try not to only talk to him about his things or interests. Sometimes, this will get a child who struggles socially to become more interactive and comfortable with. I would reinforce positive social interaction and good work in school. The idea of a buddy might be good idea but you have to be careful as to who you assign his buddy to be. You do not want to make Paul's buddy too outgoing because it may only scare him from opening up and becoming more comfortable. I agree with what has been said, the main goal is to have Paul feel comfortable in the classroom. This will help him socially and academically.
ReplyDeletePaul may need extra modeling paired with simulated examples of how to behave. Constantly providing good reinforced behavioral conditioning will have only positive results for Paul. As a teacher, one can manage the setting and classroom environment to an extent. Having Paul work with various classmates over time would scaffold the skills Paul would need to relate with his classmates.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I believe Paul is just as determined and intelligent as his other classmates. I personally have dealt with children with his types of issue. It is a difficult situation to handle. I would try to find out what Paul likes to do. Maybe he is a sports child and loves sports, or since he loves to draw, you can possibly research great art activities for Paul to become involved in. Something that will also get the whole class involved would be ideal as well. When you find a common thread for paul and his classmates, it will give him more of an open relationship with his classmates to find something they all have in common. Maybe he enjoys being active? I know my observation teacher uses a lot of music in her lessons to get the students active and build relationships with one another, so maybe that will work.
ReplyDeleteWhat Paul is going through must be very difficult at such a young age. I cannot help but think that he wants to be like the other students. I think if I was put into that situation I would try and sit down and talk with Paul. I would probably ask his mother for a list of a few things that Paul likes because I will have a better chance of him responding and engaging in the conversation. One other idea I have that might work includes another student. There has to be another student in the first grade that enjoys drawing just as much as him. I would seek out that student and see if he/she would befriend Paul. I would include Paul into as many social situations as possible… practice makes perfect. The teacher and Paul’s parents should constantly be communicating on Paul’s progress each day; a short email at the end of the school day would suffice. Finally, the teacher can read a short book on how to act in social situations and correlate some type of role-play activity. This may be the icebreaker Paul needs to be actively engaged with the rest of the students and teachers.
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