Are you implementing positive behavior supports to encourage desired behaviors from your child, but he/she still demonstrates challenging behaviors? You may want to consider creating and using visual aids. Many children are visual learners. Even children who are not visual learners benefit from visual aids because they are visually reminded of what is expected of them. An effective visual aid for promoting desired behaviors is included with the fun Audiences Types Activity from my Creative Outlet Method.
While facilitating a session with your child you can introduce the Audience Types Activity like this, “Have you been to a show? A performance? Where people are on stage? When you are watching the people on stage, what are you a part of?
Your child should eventually answer that they are part of the audience.
Continue, “Right! You are part of the audience. When you are in the audience, do you sit quietly and watch the performance, or do you make noise and disrupt others?”
Your child should answer that they sit quietly and watch the performance.
Continue, “Today I am going to show you three different audience types. The first type of audience is the best type of audience that is, and that ever will be. It’s called the A+ Audience.”
Show your child the A+ Audience visual aid.
Continue, “For the A+ Audience, the audience type I expect you to do at all times, is that we’re sitting on the floor, our legs are crossed, we’re sitting up straight, our eyes are on the person presenting or performing, and right now that person is me, and our ears are listening to that person, and right now that person is me.”
Your child should be sitting A+.
Continue, “Great job A+!”
The remainder of the activity describes how to introduce and model the B Audience and the Funky Fools which you can learn to do in my book, The Creative Outlet Method Book of Creativity: At-Home Activities for Children with Special Needs.
Visual aids are effective tools for showing your child what desired behaviors look like. You can make your own by searching for the desired behavior on the internet, or by taking a picture of your child demonstrating the desired behavior, or by drawing if you are feeling extra creative.
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Joshua Levy is the President of Joshua Levy Educational Consulting. Joshua works with parents, educators, and children’s museums who are seeking to strengthen their relationships with individuals with special needs. Joshua is also the Founder/Executive Director of Joshua’s Stage – an enrichment program for individuals with a wide range of special needs, featuring: after-school programs; camps; workshops, and individual enrichment programs in theatre arts, improv, arts and crafts, music, dance, photography, and create-a-story. Joshua’s innovative The Creative Outlet Method includes strategies for providing children with the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity, increase their self-confidence, and build their social skills. Joshua’s book, The Creative Outlet Method Book of Creativity: At-Home Activities for Children with Special Needs is a fabulous resource for parents, educators, and therapists. Contact Joshua at jlevy@joshuaconsults.com.