All posts by ealimara.thomas@glow

Bag Books

Bag Books is a UK registered charity which publishes multi-sensory books to support people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities. They are aimed to be enjoyed by people who do not benefit from ‘mainstream’ books by providing stories which are interactive and sensory based rather than relying on words and pictures. They can be enjoyed without being fully understood as they are told using objects, voices, emotions and actions. All of the stories consist of just a few lines, with every line being accompanied by a sensory element, such as something to touch, a sound, a smell, or a physical interaction with the storyteller.

Bag Books use a variety of inexpensive everyday objects and can develop and encourage reactions to stimuli; develop participation in shared activities; develop an interest in people, events or objects; develop focus of attention on people, events or objects; develop acceptance and engagement in co active or shared exploration; develop awareness of activities and experiences; and develop turn-taking skills.

Bag Books have created DIY at home books which can be accessed free of charge and simply require the storyteller to gather the items themselves. The objects are things that you will probably already have or which can be easily and cheaply obtained. Each storyboard also mentions alternatives that could be used for certain elements. The stories are designed to be used at home by a parent/carer in a one-to-one setting and can be found either via the website or using the links below. Each storyboard also contains a link to a film where you can watch an example of the story being told.

Bag Books is a resource which we frequently use in school so will be familiar to your child. The objects needed for the stories are mainly freely accessible everyday items from home however if you are unable to source some of them then please get in touch and we will do our best to get them for you.

If you would like more information then have a look on the website http://www.bagbooks.org/

Bag Books – A Sad Day 2021

Bag Books – A Snowy Day 2021

Bag Books – Don’t Say Egg 2021

Bag Books – Laila in Lockdown 2021

Bag Books – Moving Day 2021

Bag Books – Party in the Sky 2021

Bag Books – The Alien Planet 2021

Bag Books – The Secret Ingredient 2021

Bag Books – Three Little Pigs 2021

 

 

Tacpac

Tacpac is a sensory communication resource using touch and music. Tacpac helps people with sensory impairment, developmental delay, complex learning difficulties, tactile defensiveness, and limited or pre verbal levels of communication.

Tacpac was created to help develop communication skills with children who have profound and multiple learning difficulties and aims to heighten levels of awareness and arousal and also promote responses to various stimuli.

Tacpac is an integrated experience which uses music and textured objects to match the different patterns of the music and is based on the idea of tactile play. It combines touch, sound, pattern and relationship as a fluid process between partners. Tacpac works as a partnership between a ‘giving partner’ and a ‘receiving partner’.

Benefits –

  • Tacpac music is composed specifically to reflect the texture of each object so that the receiver experiences total sensory alignment.
  • Tacpac can be used by anyone.
  • Tacpac builds communication skills.
  • Tacpac enables progress to be measured and recorded.
  • Tacpac can be used in any setting – at home, in school, in hospital, in residential care or even outside

Throughout Tacpac, each piece of music has been selected carefully to evoke a certain mood and match a tactile sensation, and has been prepared with a mix of texture, volume, speed, rhythm and beat. It is important to stick to the beat throughout the activity.

Touch – The skin is the largest organ in the body, and has many receptors of varying densities. For many of our young people, touch is a primary means of contact and can be the beginnings of pre-intentional communication which means that the child does not intend to convey meaning however we can interpret the responses to have meaning.

Music –  From very young, we develop associations with sounds that accompany particular experiences – touch, taste, smell, emotion and people. Sound is also physical and contains vibrations which can be experienced throughout the whole body as well as the ears.

How Tacpac works –

Each Tacpac activity has music which is specifically composed to reflect the texture of the object which goes with it. This means that your child experiences complete sensory alignment – what they see, is what they hear, is what they feel. Over time, this enables them to develop trust with you as their partner in communication. They can then begin to express themselves by showing what they feel or what they want.

Some of the objects used for Tacpac activities include: a washing up sponge, chopsticks, a pastry brush, a fan, a paint roller and marbles – to name a few. These are all objects which you may already have around your home. There is no need to buy any expensive equipment.

We hope this gives you an understanding of Tacpac as you consider using it at home.

https://tacpac.co.uk/

Total Communication

Communication is an essential part of everyday life and is also a fundamental human right. It is the primary means of conveying and accessing information, it is how we express our needs and wants and also how we discuss thoughts, feelings and build relationships. Communication is the basis of how we socially interact with others, but it is not just talking.

It is not uncommon for individuals who have additional needs to have communication difficulties therefore, it is important that they are supported to use alternative ways to communicate their messages and increase positive interactions with others.

Total Communication is an approach that is used in Hillside School with all pupils and combines a range of modes of communication methods including verbal, non-verbal and written in order to allow individuals with communication difficulties to communicate in a way which is appropriate and accessible to them. We use a combination of objects of reference, photographs, Boardmaker symbols, Makaton signs, written words and also AAC devices including switches daily to allow our learners to be exposed to as many modes of communication as possible. These can also be replicated at home.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION –

  • Verbal – vocalisations and spoken words
  • Non-verbal – signing, gesture, facial expressions, use of photos, symbols and use of objects
  • Written – written words or drawings

For Total Communication to be effective, we must provide 3 important components –

  1.  We must identify and support preferred and appropriate means of communication,
  2.  We must motivate individuals to communicate and also provide a reason for them to communicate with us,
  3.  We must create lots of opportunities for individuals to practise communicating with us .

Communication is a 2-way process therefore, it will only be successful if we use the same language. It is important to note that  for some individuals, their primary modes of communication may differ in school from that at home and that is ok. This is the reason why we must practise a combined approach of the modes of communication across a range of environments as often as possible in order to maximise effectiveness.

In Hillside, we try to encourage as much as possible the use of total communication at home too in order to further support our learners communication development. This gives pupils different contexts to practise their communication skills and is even more pertinent during lockdown when they are not in school.

Here are some hints to encourage communication with your child.

    

If you would like more information regarding total communication or advice on how to help your child then please get in touch. You can also find information, advice and ideas from Speech and Language Therapy in East Ayrshire Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/SpeechLanguageEastAyrshire/

Hillside has our named SALT Claire McPherson who is available for advice and can be contacted through the school and there is also a weekly helpline where you can speak to an experienced East Ayrshire SALT. Please see below for times and contact details.

Online links –

https://www.sense.org.uk/get-support/information-and-advice/communication/total-communication/

https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/3428/totalcommunicationresourcepackopt.pdf

 

 

Communication

Image

Hi everyone.

I hope everyone is well. Our pupils use lots of visuals throughout their school day and they are used to support learning and understanding, helping them to make sense of the world.

The Benefits of Using Visuals-

  • they help us communicate and help our communications be understood
  • they let us see what is being asked and what is being said
  • they help us make and communicate choices
  • they can reduce anxiety
  • they increase predictability
  • they can increase participation and engagement  in activities

Some visuals may be useful for you to use at home particularly if your child is having difficulty coping with how different everyday life is at the moment.

A child who benefits from routine and knowing the order of the day might use a visual calendar or schedule to familiarise themselves with upcoming activities or events. A child who struggles with transitions such as leaving his/her home, moving on from an activity might find pictures illustrating the appropriate steps helpful.

Below are some examples of visual resources which can be tailored to your individual needs. If there is anything you would like to try at home then please send me an email and I will get these organised as quickly as possible – limara.thomas@eastayrshire.org.uk

If you would like to know about any particular resources that your child uses in class then this can be discussed at your weekly check-in’s.

DAILY/VISUAL TIMETABLE – a series of pictures or symbols to communicate a sequence of activities. They provide structure and improve understanding of what is happening over a specific period of time. Allows individuals to anticipate events and helps understanding of time, routine and expectations. Can be used for parts of a day or a full day.

                  

ROUTINES – a series of pictures or symbols showing specific steps during a specific activity or routine. These improve understanding and also encourage independence.

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FIRST AND THEN BOARDS – one of the simplest forms of visual schedule presenting what we are doing now (FIRST) and what we will do next (THEN). They are used to help individuals understand what is happening, helps them focus on an activity, especially if it is a less desirable one and can help transitions from one activity to the next.

 

CHOICE BOARDS – a visual tool that allow pupils to make and communicate choices between activities, items or tasks. They can have a choice of 2 or more, whatever is most suitable and can use photos or symbols.

 

EMOTIONS – these visuals can help pupils communicate how they are feeling since many find it difficult to express their emotions.

ZONES OF REGULATION – a cognitive behavioural approach used to teach self-regulatory skills using symbols and colours. If they are in the red zone, what can they do to get back to the green zone and feel happy again?

  

INDEPENDENCE SKILLS – a series of symbol steps to encourage understanding and independence to complete activities, tasks or routines. These can be broken down for any task and into as many steps as needed. 

 

SYMBOL RECIPES – recipes which  are broken into small steps and have symbol supported text to encourage comprehension and independence of functional skills. 

         

TOKEN BOARDS – a system that rewards desired behaviours and allows pupils to work for a motivating item or activity. Pupils can choose the reward from a choice board. The number of tokens can vary according to the individual.

Please have a look in the Album section of the Hillside Family Help and Hugs! Facebook page for more examples or get in touch for advice.

There is also a variety of resources and guidance to support learning at home from Education Scotland and The National Autism Implementation Team.

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/learners-with-complex-additional-support-needs-resources-and-guidance-for-parents-to-support-their-child-s-learning-at-home/

https://www.thirdspace.scot/nait/education-resources/

I hope these are helpful. Please let me know if you would like more information. Visuals which are relevant and appropriate for our wee people really can help!

Limara

 

Hillside’s Big Bedtime Read

Video

Bedtime Stories for Kids Ages 5 to 12 – HarperCollins UK

Hi everyone.

You may remember before school closed that we were organising an information session with Caroline Turtle from Speech and Language Therapy regarding the importance of reading with your child then launching Hillside’s Big Bedtime Read. Obviously this has not been able to happen however our current lock down situation is potentially a great time to start introducing more opportunities to read with your child and not only at bedtime!

Story time creates a safe, warm and special time that can bring a sense of calm to those involved and helps to strengthen bonds and relationships between parents and children.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Be prepared – have a selection of books ready to read and any props you may need.
  • Get comfy – is everyone comfortable? Is there enough light? If your child is easily distracted then minimise the risk of this happening by putting things out of sight and make sure its quiet before you start. You might want to create a story den! This could be in a tent or on a bed or comfy chair, you may want to have loads of cushions and maybe a blanket.
  • Tell them what is happening – explain that it is time for a story and show them the book or use a story time song to prepare them. Click the link for a soothing story time song.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZBIhPnjod0
  • Use funny voices and get into character – using different tones will spark interest and is good for sharing both voices and narration. Try switching from monotone to musical, and whispering can also be great fun as it feels like a secret.
  • Add movements or props – use toys and objects to encourage interest and exploration. Add movements and act out parts of the story. Make movements as big or small as you like and invite children to join in. Arms and legs can become a whole host of fantastic props! Use Makaton signs throughout if you can.
  • Make it interactive – involve your listeners. Ask them to repeat sentences or signs, add sound effects, count and name what they see or guess what’s coming next. Sing songs afterwards.
  • Allow exploration – let your child hold the book, turn the pages, point to the pictures and play with props.

The most important thing is don’t get stressed about reading every word or making it last a long time. You can make up your own stories and you don’t even need to have a book every time, you can tell a story using toys and your imagination or use online stories. Make it last as long as you like or as long as your child allows. It should be a positive experience so if they, or you, are not feeling it then wait until a more settled opportunity arises. It is all about spending time together, enjoying each others company and sharing space with each other.  Why not add it to your bedtime routine and try to regulate sleeping patterns as I am sure they are a little all over the place right now!

If anyone needs books then please get in touch through Facebook or the blog.

Have fun!

Limara

The Best Bedtime Books: The List in Full - Happy Beds Blog