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Soha El Awar

Special Education

EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS

EB/DB EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS​

Emotional and behavioural disorders are very serious conditions that affect many school-age students.​ Emotional and behavioural disorders can affect the student in different ways:​
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Anxiety

It is an excessive worry and fears that a person feels and affects their daily life.​ A medical problem, traumatic event, or certain medications can cause it.​
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ADHD

It is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in attention and /or increased levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity. ​ Those characteristics interfere with the functioning and development of a person.​.
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Mood Disorders

It is a mental health condition that affects the person’s emotional state.​ A person with mood disorder seam to have their mood persist in one state, such as sadness and affects their daily living.​ Mood disorders include:​
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AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)

It is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by differences in the brain. ​ Individuals with ASD have difficulties in varying levels in the following areas:​ - Language and communication​ - Social relationships​ - Unusual or repetitive behaviours​ - Hypo or Hyper sensitivities to different stimuli​
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OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER(ODD)

It is a condition where the child displays a pattern of angry mood, argumentative defiant behaviour or vindictiveness lasting at least 6 months.​ Categories of ODD:​ - Angry and irritable mood​ - argumentative and defiant behaviour​ - Vindictiveness​
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EB/DB EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS​

Boy in red paper crown showing weak government concept. Copying behavior model of failure of adult o

Emotional and behavioural disorders are very serious conditions that affect many school-age students.

Emotional and behavioural disorders can affect the student in different ways:

– Relationship: difficult relationship with peers and teachers

– Learning: students can have some intellectual, sensory, or physical health problems that can affect their learning

– Challenging behaviours: students might behave in a way without really understanding why they are doing that, for example, impulsivity​.

– Development of physical symptoms and pain associated with personal and school problems

  • Many conditions are considered under the umbrella of emotional and behavioural disorders.
  • Signs and symptoms should be persistent for at least 6 months. 
  • A person can be diagnosed with one or more emotional and behavioural disorders.

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

ANXIETY

Young kid exploring snoezelen space
  • It is an excessive worry and fears that a person feels and affects their daily life.
  • A medical problem, traumatic event, or certain medications can cause it.
  • Types of Anxiety Disorder: 

– Generalized Anxiety Disorder: is a condition of extreme worries and fears about everyday situations.

– Panic Disorder: characterized by recurrent and frequent panic attacks at unexpected times

– Phobia: characterized by an excessive abnormal and unreasonable intense fear of specific things

– Social Anxiety Disorder: characterized by extreme worries and fears of being embarrassed or judged by others in social situations. 

– Separation Anxiety Disorder: characterized by extreme worry when separated from a caregiver, loved ones, or being away from home.

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

INTERVENTION​S

  • Use the CARD system (Comfort, Ask, Relax, Distract) to help prepare the students for stressful events
  • Comfort: the student finds ways to get comfortable
  • Ask: the student asks questions to be prepared
  • Relax: help the student stay calm
  • Distract: shift the student’s attention to something else
  • Help the students learn to calm their body down by using breathing techniques, walking, running, colouring

  • Social skills training:
  • Behavioural rehearsal: role play practicing new skills
  • Corrective feedback: used to help improve social skills during practice
  • Instruction: the educational model involves the modelling of appropriate behaviours
  • Positive reinforcement: used to reward improvements in social skills

Takeaway

  • Anxiety disorders are very serious and can negatively affect the child’s learning at school.
  • Teachers should be aware of the triggers that can cause anxiety in a student
  • Teachers can make changes to the classroom environment to help anxious students calm down, such as making a quiet area in the classroom where students can rest and relax
  • Teachers can support small group activities to help students with social anxiety cope better. 

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

Boy holding blackboard
  • It is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in attention and /or increased levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity. 
  • Those characteristics interfere with the functioning and development of a person.
  • Types of ADHD: 

– Predominantly Inattentive

– Predominantly Hyperactive / Impulsive 

– Combination of all: Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity

  • Individuals with ADHD have the susceptibility to distraction by external stimuli and their internal thoughts

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

INTERVENTION​

  • No one intervention is effective for all students with ADHD
  • It is preferable, when possible, to do a Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) to choose the right intervention
  • Intervention to improve attention span
  • Classroom accommodation
  • Behaviour management.​

INTERVENTION​
(INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE ATTENTION SPAN​ )

  • Daily activities to boost the attention
  • Prepare a variety of activities that should be fun
  • Activities can be done within a group or one on one
  • Activities will include:

    – memory games
    – activities with an end result
    – concentration exercises
    – balancing exercises

     

  •  

INTERVENTION​
(Classroom accommodation)

  • Set clear classroom rules, such as being respectful, using a quiet voice, raising a hand to speak or asking for help
  • Post the classroom rules in a way that is visible to all students
  • Use visuals
  • Have a special chair, such as a rocking chair, fidgets, noise cancellation headphones available
  • Reduce possible sources of distraction
  • Move the student’s table to be closer to the teacher
  • Break the instruction into simple steps and start with one step at a time
  • Ask the student to explain what the task is

INTERVENTION​
(BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT​)

  • Praise for appropriate behaviours
  • Ignore the attention-seeking behaviours that the teacher doesn’t judge as dangerous or affect the learning of the student
  • When the student is developmentally capable, include the student in the planning of the behavioural plan.
  • Prepare a behaviour chart or token system
  • Use “first then” strategy
  • Make a reward and consequence system

TAKEAWAY​

I learned that the signs and symptoms of ADHD vary a lot, especially at a young age. I now better understand how some of the symptoms I didn’t relate before to ADHD, such as excessive and loud talking, could be indeed one. 

  • ADHD is a disorder that can affect students in different ways. The teacher should understand the needs of each student with ADHD without generalizing the condition to all students with the same condition.
  • Preparing the classroom environment is essential, especially to limit possible sources of distraction.
  • Having a variety of fidgets available for students with ADHD to use.
  • Having noise-cancellation headphones can help the students stay more focused and not distracted by the noise.
  • Give the student movement break when needed
  • Be flexible with the submission dates of the assignment
  • Use the strengths of the ADHD students to help them learn and achieve their full potential.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)​

Young kid exploring snoezelen space
  • It is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by differences in the brain. 
  • Individuals with ASD have difficulties in varying levels in the following areas:

– Language and communication
– Social relationships
– Unusual or repetitive behaviours
– Hypo or Hyper sensitivities to different stimuli

  • The following disorders fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorder umbrella:

– Asperger Syndrome
– Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
– Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
– Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
– Rett Syndrome

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

DIR/FLOORTIME MODEL (DEVELOPMENTAL, INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES & RELATIONSHIP-BASED MODEL​

  • Dr. Stanely Greenspan and Serena Wieder developed the floortime model in 1979.
  • The  DIR/Floortime model is based on the developmental theory that children must reach certain milestones to develop emotionally and intellectually.
  • It encourages children to interact with parents and others through play.
  • DIR/Floortime Model helps children develop the following skills:

– Regulation and attention
– Social engagement and attachment
– Reciprocal Interaction
– Play
– Communication

  • Engage the student in developmentally appropriate interactions at every opportunity.
  • The teacher gets down to the child’s level on the floor to play with them.
  • The teacher will follow the child’s interest and join in their activities.
  • It might take many attempts before the child accepts the teacher’s interactions.
  • The teacher will support the child:

– Sensory development
– Motor skills
– Emotional and cognitive development
– Communication

  • This intervention will be done every school day for at least one hour

Takeaway

  • I learned that when it comes to autism spectrum disorder, there is no perfect or ideal intervention. Different factors will affect the choice of the appropriate intervention, such as the child’s developmental age, the goals the parents have set for the child, the availability of the services in a specific area, and the cost of the services.
  • I learned as well that having a time limit set to teach a child with ASD is not realistic because they learn at their own pace.
  • I learned that the children on the spectrum might have a plateau phase where we don’t feel they are learning much before they progress again.
  • Signs of autism in girls can be different than in boys, I find that I need to learn more about autism in girls.

MOOD DISORDER​

Little female child spending time the bench
  • It is a mental health condition that affects the person’s emotional state.
  • A person with mood disorder seam to have their mood persist in one state, such as sadness and affects their daily living.
  • Mood disorders include:

– Bipolar Disorder: biological brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood and energy.– Depression: prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness– Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disordera disorder of chronic, severe and persistent irritability in children that often includes frequent temper outbursts that are inconsistent with the child’s developmental age
– Dysthymic Disorder: is a continuous long form of depression

– Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: mood change and irritability that occur in a premenstrual phase of a woman’s cycle and go away with the onset of menses
– Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): is associated with fewer hours of daylight and last from late fall to early spring.

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

INTERVENTION​ (Bipolar Disorder)

  • Students with bipolar disorder benefit from changing the classroom environment to reduce distraction and enhance their attention to tasks.
  • Positive behaviour support:

– Start with a Functional Behaviour Assessment to better understand the student’s behaviour and plan accordingly
– Promote positive support and avoid negative consequences
– Establish a safe adult and a safe place that the student can seek out when feeling overwhelmed
– Support the student’s socio-emotional learning by teaching them to identify different emotions in self and others and teach them some problem-solving skills
– Encourage inclusion in the classroom and talk about diversity among students

TAKEAWAY​

I learned that as a teacher, I should:

  • Maintain a positive and calm interaction with the students
  • Learn more about mood disorders, especially when a student is diagnosed with one
  • Individualize my plans to meet the needs of the students
  • Establish a daily routine 
  • Have a flexible schedule within the routine
  • Have a picture schedule and visuals 
  • Have a flexible time limit to submit assignments
  • Make a crisis management plan to respond properly to unexpected severe shifts in mood and emotions

OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER(ODD)​

Child psychotherapist showing little girl clipboard with drawing
  • It is a condition where the child displays a pattern of angry mood, argumentative defiant behaviour or vindictiveness lasting at least 6 months.
  • Categories of ODD:

– Angry and irritable mood
– argumentative and defiant behaviour
– Vindictiveness

  • The severity of the condition:

– Mild: Symptoms are confined to one setting (at home, school, work,…)– Moderate: Symptoms are present in two settings
– Severe: Symptoms are present in at least three settings

Signs and Symptoms Checklist​

INTERVENTION​ (POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT)

  • Tell the student what to do instead of what not to do
  • Give the student different options
  • Teach the student how to express their emotions in an appropriate way
  • Teach the student problem-solving skills
  • Teach the student self-regulation skills
  • Avoid arguing with the student
  • Show the student empathy and label how they are feeling
  • Praise the student 

Takeaway

  • I learned that a teacher’s response to a student’s behaviour would either escalate or de-escalate the situation.
  • I learned that teaching the students socio-emotional skills is very important to help them identify their emotions and how those emotions affect their bodies and brains.
  • I know better now how to avoid saying ”no” to a student with ODD and better choose my words.
  • An important lesson I learned is to ask another teacher to help and support the student when I find the student is not responding to me.
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