Alternative Communication – Rapid Prompting Method, Spelling to Communicate, Proloquo2go, Auslan, PECS visuals, keyboard
Positive behaviour support – We use the primary principles found in ABA techniques to identify triggers and understand the reasons behind why an individual is expressing challenging behaviours. Through observations and liaising with the team around the child, we form an understanding as to why the situation is occurring and develop systematic processes to help mitigate occurrences and reduce anxieties. By applying positive language, redirection, pairing stimuli, and reward systems we can develop systematic processes to aid in achieving effective emotional regulation.
Sensory Diet – Part of our Person Centred Approach is to help maintain an emotional equilibrium among students who have sensory processing delays. Select resources are made available to the student at all times to encourage their self regulation based on sight, sound, touch, taste, smell.
Physical movement and fiddle toys are incorporated into our sessions as a way for the students to release any anxieties within and help promote a feeling of calm. Without access to a sensory diet, challenging behaviours may increase in frequency and intensity. By providing regular brakes, the student has higher levels of engagement, attention, learning and display appropriate behaviour.
Due to the heightened sensory nature of our students with ASD, we have adopted Montessori based techniques within our programs. This incorporates exploratory learning through tactile exposure, opposed to a more traditional rote learning model.
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) is an integral part of our methodology.
This style of learning is focused on genuine enquiry, applied using the creative reasoning process of trail and error to think outside the box. Enhancing these cognitive skills provides a platform to expand into a versatile array of applications.
Key elements of problem solving and spatial reasoning are combined with fun creative practice to maintain interest, relevance and enjoyment. STEAM is an ideal learning platform for all students, particularly those with atypical neurodiversity.
Methodology
ARCS is a framework focusing on motivation, developed by John Keller. The model highlight four major steps that are required for efficient learning to take place: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction.
