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Money Smarts: Using Scene Speak to Teach Monetary Values

8/30/2013

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Scene Speak is one of our most versatile, multi-purpose apps. In addition to creating social stories, digital scrapbooks, etc., it can also be used to teach everyday concepts, like money recognition and management. 


If the individual has not mastered basic monetary concepts, you can always begin by creating VSDs to define and identify different types of currency.
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Show front and back of each denomination to help the individual be able to recognize it in everyday situations.
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Highlight the name of the coin or bill by capitalizing it. This will help it stand out and will help with word recognition.
You can also combine different types of currency to help the individual learn how to count change, payments, etc.
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Showing the money up close, but in tangible situations will help the individual relate to the act of exchanging currency.
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Whenever possible, try to find clear and large images to highlight the size difference in appearance among coins and bills.
Once each denomination is mastered, you can show the value in practical settings.
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Start by introducing highly motivating and familiar activities that the individual will easily relate to.
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Showing money being used in real time can help the individual generalize it across environments.
Now, to work on spending wisely!
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Following Recipe Steps Using FTVS HD

8/19/2013

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For an easy, functional activity that encourages both family time and independent living skills, try using our First Then Visual Schedule HD app for recipes. 

To do this, find a simple recipe that is concrete and easy to follow, with minimal steps. Take pictures of each step and create a template for the individual to follow along with. At the end, you can either allow the food item itself to be the end reward, or you can choose another small token to encourage participation. 

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Create a schedule dedicated to the preparation and/or cooking of the recipe.
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Make sure the title is concrete and the corresponding photo represents the activity.
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Add as many items as you need to create steps that the individual can follow easily.
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Give the final step a motivating image, sound, or other "reward." In this case, the cookie itself would be the reinforcer, coupled with a preferred character.
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Once the schedule has the desired steps/appearance, enable timers and set them according to bake/cooling times, prep time, etc.
You can develop more complex recipe "schedules" as the individual learns to follow along with the steps and becomes more familiar with cooking tools. Happy eating!!!
1 Comment

More Than A Feeling: Increasing Verbal Reporting and Receptive Recognition of Emotions Using My Choice Board

8/14/2013

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If you're working on self-awareness and emotional recognition/regulation, try using our My Choice Board app to allow the individual to express how they are feeling. This is beneficial in two ways - it helps increase the individual's ability to self-report feelings and moods while also giving you much-needed insight as to how they are feeling. 

Implementation is simple - You can either use images of the individual or find generic images (if the individual is good at generalizing) online to use. Once you have your choice board created with all of your desired images, allow the individual to choose from the field (which can be as large or small as you'd like). 

This can be incredibly effective for grumpy morning risers, individuals who have medical/pain issues, and pinpointing environmental triggers/stressors.
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Create a choice board with a title that reflects its purpose. Make sure to be as clear as possible, as the board itself will need to be slightly modified to suit this type of use.
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If you are working with an individual that has a tough time generalizing, try using your finger or a small piece of paper to cover the "I Want" graphic. Then, prompt the individual to choose from the field by asking "How do you feel?" Tailor the emotional complexity to the individual's level of understanding.
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Is This Person OK, Or Should I Stay Away? - Teaching "Stranger Danger" Using Scene Speak

8/8/2013

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Do you have a love one/client that fails to recognize the difference between "stranger" and "friend?" 

Everything from inappropriate touching (i.e., hugging strangers, talking to people in public they do not know, etc.) can lead to misunderstandings - and sometimes worse.

To help with this, you can create flashcards/books using our Scene Speak app that address and reiterate who is safe to approach and who should be kept at a safe distance. Mix in familiar people (doctors, teachers, aides, therapists, family members, and friends) with randomized pictures of people the individual has never met before, and pair them with questions (or use language of your choice to describe "stranger danger") in order to establish familiarity with those who are all right to approach while separating them from people who are unknown. 

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Use pictures of familiar people paired with "stranger danger" language of your choice.
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Use diverse and random images of unfamiliar people to teach the individual how to distinguish between "safe" and "stranger."
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Using an image of the individual's household members is a great way to provide a concrete example of who is "safe" to touch.
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Use images of places/people that the individual may gravitate toward during public outings. This will help them learn more quickly how to interact with strangers in public.
This can also be used for young children, who can benefit from learning the difference between "familiar person" and "stranger."
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New Program? No Problem!

7/23/2013

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Will your client/loved one be starting a new placement or program this fall?

Easing anxieties over a new placement, classroom, or program is essential for both short and long term success. Our apps can come in handy in this capacity as well. 

Try giving your loved one/client some input over what they will wear, bring for lunch, etc. on the first day of their new program or class by using My Choice Board to offer them the ability to make these choices for themselves. This will give them a feeling of confidence as they enter into the new environment/situation. 

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Providing choices can give a measure of control to an individual who may be apprehensive about a new placement or program.
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Make sure that all choices offered are readily available to avoid meltdowns, disappointment, or confusion.
If you have access to images of the new placement/classroom or can visit to take pictures yourself, use Scene Speak to create a social story/book of facts about the new program, including information about the teacher/supervisor, staff, classroom/building, and anything you notice that may capture their attention and hold it (if there's a bus yard close by and the individual loves buses, for example). The anticipation of entering into a new environment can become a positive thing if the individual has something interesting to look forward to.

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Providing facts and details about new teachers or staff can make the individual more comfortable when entering a new situation.
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Cater to the individual's interests if possible. Find items of interest in the new program/placement that will foster a sense of excitement as they enter the new setting.

If possible, make sure the schedule for the first day of attendance is iron-clad, to avoid the chaos that can accompany lack of structure. The more clear the individual can be about what will be happening, the easier it will be to accept the new placement/program. First Then Visual Schedule HD is excellent for this purpose, and once the regular structure of the program/classroom is established, Visual Schedule Planner can be used to form a more long-term schedule of daily events and activities.
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Take known activities and create a schedule for the first few days of the new program or placement to ease anxieties about the new setting.
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Once routines are established and familiar, expand upon the basic schedule to use with Visual Schedule Planner. This can always be added to/amended later, if necessary.

Also, if any major changes will be occurring (for us, the program is not changing, but the teacher is getting married over the summer, which means her name will be different when school resumes), you can get your client or loved one accustomed to those changes before they return. Concepts like name changes, or even something as small as a haircut/color change can be distressing, and making sure those differences and changes are addressed before the individual goes back to the program/school can make for a smoother re-entry.
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Creative Tips for Long Road Trips

7/22/2013

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Taking a trip this summer? Whether it's a few hours or a few days, we've got apps to help maintain structure and make transitions on vacation much easier. 

For example, use Scene Speak to take pictures of car logos, then use the VSDs to create a book of cars to look for on a long road trip...or First Then Visual Schedule HD to create a travel itinerary, complete with stopovers. Our apps are so versatile, the potential uses are only limited by your imagination!

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Create books of VSDs with different things you can easily spot on the road for a fun road trip game.
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Find motivating and interesting images to import into your book that will keep the individual occupied while traveling.
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Create a travel itinerary for the individual to follow along with as the trip progresses.
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Knowing what comes next on the trip can alleviate a lot of stress from the unknown while traveling.
6 Comments

Levels of Friendship & Bullying

7/22/2013

1 Comment

 
Discussing Levels of Friendship and Bullying:

Scene Speak can be used to create social stories and other exercises that address the issue of bullying. This is an important issue for many of our younger individuals (and adults too, in some situations). 

The concept of "levels of friendship" is hard for many individuals to understand. Sometimes the most damaging bullying occurs in less obvious scenarios. Teaching these individuals how to advocate for themselves, when to report a situation to adults/higher authorities, and the difference between "acquaintance," "friend," and "toxic person" can help protect the individual from emotional and/or physical harm in the future.

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Use caps to create emphasis on the concept being taught/expressed.
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Use images that clearly convey the desired target emotion.
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Focus on real-life scenarios that the individual may face.
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Use a variety of images to accentuate the theme being discussed.
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Surviving Vacation Transitions

7/20/2013

3 Comments

 
Summer Trip Survivial Tip:

If you're taking a big trip to a theme park or other large area requiring many transitions this summer, try using our apps to alleviate some of the stress involved in changing activities. 

Scene Speak can be used to give your loved one complete visual access to the entire facility/area, and hotspots can be created to allow them to have input over where you go next and what comes next. Simply label the desired area with a hotspot, make several "places" available, and allow the user to touch the space they wish to visit next. This will foster an excitement and involvement in the chosen activity, and give them the power of choice during an activity.

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Easily upload a map into the app, add hotspots, even link to another VSD of individual places within the theme park.

You can also simplify it for an individual who may already be familiar with the vacation spot by using My Choice Board to offer them a choice between activities, rides, etc. To avoid indecision, it may be helpful to offer one preferred and non-preferred place. That way, the individual still feels they are having a "say" in the day's activities, and pictures can be taken and used quickly.

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Create an individual choice board with rides, restaurants, etc.
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Give the individual as many or as few choices as they are able to use.

For lunchtime, toileting, and any other shorter activity, First Then Visual Schedule can be used to create a step by step guide for your loved one to know exactly what is coming next within a specific activity. For users who are good at generalizing, you can also use the app to plan out each activity beforehand, and offer choices (or even a video of a rollercoaster or other applicable activity) to further enhance the experience/choice making. 

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FTVS HD can be used to compliment the other two apps by providing an outline for the day's events & activities.
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Try to create a schedule that is clear, contains all possible events in the day (including toileting and meals), and has an ending/departure time.
3 Comments

Choosing Recreation & Family Activities

7/19/2013

3 Comments

 
Encouraging Family Time/Recreational Activity Participation:

Every individual in a household or family should feel that they are active participants in the recreational/leisure activities of the house. It's easy to include a loved one, roommate, or client in these activities using our My Choice Board app.

You can create a choice board for each individual activity type (example: board games), or simply have a "Recreation" board, where the field of choice contains several different types of options/activities. The options offered should always include available, tangible items to avoid confusion or disappointment.

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Create a choice board that reflects choices within one specific category.
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Offer a variety of options within the specific category that are engaging and interesting for the entire group/family.
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For more a diverse set of options, create a choice board that features multiple types of activities.
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Individual choice boards can always be used to compliment the activity, when there are multiple options involved. Using this example, you might want to have a separete choice board for movies.
These types of activities encourage active participation in family/group activities, and allow for the individual to know that they are just as valuable and important to the family/group as every other member. Having influence over the structure of recreational activities can be empowering for our loved ones/clients and helps include them in meaningful ways. This can also work in a school setting, when it comes to choosing classroom chores, recess games, or any other activity in class where the individual can make a concrete choice and guide the group's activity.
3 Comments

Creating Chore Charts Using FTVS HD

7/18/2013

1 Comment

 
Encouraging completion of chores/household tasks:

Looking for a creative way to encourage your loved one/client to complete chores at home, or even maximize efficiency in a vocational setting? Try using First Then Visual Schedule to provide a motivating and concrete set of instructions for completion. Here's how!

For individuals who are good at generalizing, you can create one master "chore list," with images that correspond to the required task. Audio prompts can be added, and videos of the individual completing the task can also be attached to further personlize the schedule. At the end of the chore list, try adding a motivator (a token, monetary amount for older individuals, or a preferred item/video) to signal that the chores are all completed and they can have their reward. 


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Create a daily responsibilities list/chore board with a list of all tasks to be accomplished.
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For added incentive, use the most preferred presentation method and have a tangible, measurable reward.

For those who may need more prompting to complete tasks, try breaking each chore/task down into multiple, easy-to-follow steps. an example of this would be an individual who has a difficult time cleaning their room, or keeping it organized. You can create a schedule solely for "Clean Your Room," and break down that task into each step required to fully complete the chore...keeping in mind those "fine details" that some individuals may miss. The schedule can then be further adapted to their level of understanding/individual capabilities. 
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For individuals needing more assistance with executive functioning skills, breaking down chore charts into individual tasks can be extremely effective.
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If the individual is easily distracted or frequently off-task, you can add a timer function to any (or all) steps that require extra prompting.
This can be a great way to show the connection between task completion and "payment," which not only promotes a good work ethic, but also sets the individual up for success in keeping their environment clean and organized and potential future success within a job-type setting.
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