Tips on Working with Your Child At Home (II)

• Setting Out to Teach
• Targeting a Skill to Teach
• Establishing the separate steps that make up the skill
• Picking rewards that your child will work for
• Setting the stage to maximise success

In Part II of this article, we emphasise TWO key ingredients of good teaching:

• Using Instructions: Tell, Show & Guide and
  
• Use of Rewards: Dos & Don'ts

Using Instructions: You can make your child's task easier by telling, showing and/or guiding him. Depending on the child's abilities, you would vary how much to use of these methods respectively. The child learning basic skills and having a limited understanding of language, for instance, is best taught through physical guidance.

• TELL: Use of Verbal Directions
  1. Directions should be given slowly and when your child is paying attention. It is useful to use the child's name before the instruction to help gain his attention. Make sure he is looking at you before you begin - "Andy, look at me."
  2. Directions should be simple and short. Directions should direct rather than distract. For instance, "Andy, watch what I do", "Ok, Andy you try." "Pull the strap over the shoe."
  3. Directions should use words your child can understand. Be specific and succinct. If your child does not understand the verbal message, simplify it further by using other words. Sometimes words may not be enough. Along with verbal directions, you can demonstrate the steps - a procedure we call modeling.
  
  
• SHOW: Modeling is simply showing your child what to do. Your verbal directions will be much clearer if your child has watched you perform the skill first. Model each step before you ask him to do it. Demonstrate each time only as much as he can reasonably expected to do.
  

  Often, modeling is most effective when it is done slowly and with exaggeration. Eventually, you would be able to fade out modeling and verbal directions, diminishing to cues such as "Now, the straps". This may take days, weeks, or even months, depending on each child's progress.

• GUIDE: Physical Guidance means doing the task with your child. After verbalising and showing him, hold his hands and take him through the motions. At the earliest stages of guiding, you are the one who is actually performing the skill, your child is simply following along. After a few times, you should gradually reduce physical assistance and let him take more responsibility in performing the task independently.
  

  Hold his hand, for instance, a little less securely as you guide the puzzle pieces to the proper place. When he succeeds, let go of his hand, but keep yours close by to move in if help is needed. Gradually phase out physical assistance as he becomes more competent at the task.

  Do end each session with a success. If your child is having difficulty with a task, have him perform an easier step, one you know he will succeed at before stopping.

• When teaching a new skill, goals can take the form of steps that he needs to perform towards completion. You may reward the child for these small improvements appropriately and gradually make each new task just a little more difficult than the one before.

  In the previous article, we had explored the use and purpose of rewards. Below we give some suggestions on how to use rewards effectively:

  1. Do make sure your rewards are "rewarding":
     In choosing rewards, ensure that your child really want and look forward to the reward. For instance, favourite foods are less effective rewards when used right after lunch or fun toys are certainly less fun when they have just been played with.

     Also, it helps that he can only get that reward when he has earned it and not at any other times. For instance, if the family is going to the zoo in the weekend, do not offer this as a reward for earning 10 tokens, because even if he hasnot earned it, you would have to take the family anyway or break your promise to the other children to cancel the trip. Decide on a reward you are certain you can give or withold.

  2. Do remember that Success Is a Reward: Each teaching session should begin with a step already mastered and then move on to new learning. Again each teaching session should end with success. Our experience has been that the child will naturally gain that self satisfaction in completing a task successfully. That in itself will work as a reward.
     
     
  3. Do give the Reward as Soon as the Child Performs the Desired Behaviour: Giving a reward as soon as the behaviour occurs reinforces the good behaviour and encourages repeat performance. Your child may have forgotten what he he did to earn a reward or there could be confusion on which behaviour he is being rewarded for, if the reward is delayed.
     
     
  4. Don't pay Attention to Certain Unasked-for Behaviour: While we do not usually think of our occasional yelling or getting up to chase a child around the room as a reward, yet both of these are forms of attention. And attention, as we would understand, is a very effective form of reward.

     A simple rule of thumb: Behaviours followed by rewards are much more likely to be repeated. Save your attention for those behaviours that you want your child to perform in a teaching situation. Let your child understand that if he wants your attention, he would not get it by running around the room or throwing a tantrum. As much as possible, remain seated and ignore this behaviour and wait for him to turn his attention back to you or the task at hand. It is not always an easy thing to do, however your child will soon get the message that he will get your attention only by doing what you have asked.

  5. Do gradually phase out rewards: As your child masters a skill, you will often find that you can phase out most of the rewards - token, food, activities and the like. Many parents are often hesistant to use rewards as a means to shaping behaviour. However, experience has shown that priase and a sense of mastery will most likely maintain your child's performance. As the child is successful in performing tasks, his self esteem and confidence increases. This will spill over into other aspects of his daily life at play and school. Rewards are a means to an end.

Copyright (C) 2003 Explora Learning Co. Pte Ltd

Reference: "Steps to Independence - Teaching Everyday Skills to Children with Special Needs" by Bruce L Baker & Alan J Brightman, pages 32-40.