Zones of RegulationAssistive Technology

OverviewMarcia Obukowicz

Marciaoat.wikispaces.commarciao@newnorth.net

715-453-2141

This will be a networking meeting session with Marcia Obuckowicz from CESA 9. She will be focusing the session on the following topics:

Zones of Regulation—Marcia will be doing an overview of the program, and will be referencing the book, The Zones of Regulation. Participants will have the opportunity to purchase the book through CESA 8 during the registration process.

The information on Zones of Regulation will provide participants background knowledge if they are planning to attend the training on March 28th in Wausau. This is a cooperative training with CESA 9, and Leah Kuypers, author of Zones of Regulation, will be the presenter.

Using AT with your students. What is new? What is working? Questions?

Bring your iPad, laptop, or other devices that you may have questions about.

Networking

• Issues at the table• Sensory Room Protocols• Streamlining Assessments• Impact of Social Thinking• Impact of Mobile Devices on access,

keyboarding and …• Resource Building

SETT

• Student• Environment• Task • Tool

http://www.integrateat.com/mobile-technology-feature-match-table

http://blog.autismspectrumdirectory.com/2011/01/05/ipad-ipod-touch-and-iphone-apps-

for-social-skills/

• Social story and skills apps

• http://atclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/02/apps-in-special-education.html

PAR: NIMAS Protocol

http://www.donjohnston.com/products/par/index.html

The Zones of Regulation

• CESA 8 and 9 are sponsoring Author: Leah Kuypers

Self Regulation

• Ability to do what is needed in the optimal state for the given situation

• Integrates– Sensory Processing

• How we perceive inputs

– Executive Function• Conscious Control of Action

– Emotional regulation• Objectivity, motivation, perspective of others

Arousal Over Time

6 am 12pm 3pm 10pm

Low

Just right

High

Alert Program

• Successful when the issues are self processing

• Doesn’t fully address how emotions and thinking patterns impact the levels of alertness

Sensory Input

Sensory processing disorders

http://www.sensoryworld.com/SPDMedia.aspx

I can’t focus on the combination of my locker cuz the guy on my right and left don’t leave me enough space to reach the lock. I feel like those poor bugs, just pinned there. Sometimes I just freeze until they leave. I know they think I am weird… When I walk down a crowded hallway it feels like everyone is sticking me with knives, I can hardly breath, my heart races, I try to just look straight ahead. Kids think I am stuck up because I don’t talk to them. But seriously, walking down a crowded hallway for me is torture. So I duck in the bathroom until its over and then I am late. Do you think I am crazy? Everyone else does….

What’s going on?

AudioThe road trip:

Quiet talking in the van

Driver confusion on which way to turn, “working a cognitive task”

Girl in back starts singing a tune to friend

Driver Response:

What’s going on?

What Happened• More than just sensory response

• Poor cognitive shift: misread or misinterpreted input

• Poor Theory of Mind: did not recognize that the whole car was shocked by reaction

• All riders recognized the need to be quiet but after the directions were figured out, driver did not have any clue about the impact her actions had on the rest of the group….

Aspberger Parent• Poor Cognitive Shift an innate inability to reorient

attention rapidly so misread input and reaction is unexpected by others

• Lack Theory of Mind is the inability to know (deduce) what others know and what others do not know. Mind Blindness

• Central coherence is the ability we have to focus on both details as well as wholes of a given situation and to follow through on plans in a variety of areas. It is also the ability we have to focus on what takes priority and what is important.

http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2010/09/parents-with-asperger-syndrome.html

Would you ride with this driver again?

newyear.phillipmartin.info

Successful Self Regulation

Oscar: Managing Overwhelming Sensory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7NtO_r8uFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNAc6zG1ve4

Life’s Interactions ….

• The sensory input• Control our response to it to fit the needs of

the situation• Understand others may think differently from

us or think a different response is needed (there are multiple perspectives to the situation)

Adam: starting to get”feedback”and apply content control

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnoNQa_qUm4

The Incredible 5 point scale

• Looks at the progression leading to explosive behavior

• On task to on fire• Scale varies by

student and their behavior

Emily’s view Mrs. Lehman’s

5. I blow by hitting, kicking and scratching

4. Right before I blow I run out of the room if I can

3. I start swearing/ talking back, drop my work on the floor

2. I don’t understand the homework or Roger is kicking my desk and I feel mad and tense

1. I feel ok

5. Emily is a danger to self and others

4. Needs a safe space within the room to run too

3. Often miss the under her breath words, already firing up when I here it

2. Challenging to catch1. On task

5 point scaleRATING WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE WHAT GIRL MIGHT THINK

5 Not Cool “Hey you have a sexy body!”

creepy

4 Weird Serenade “love” from across a room

embarrassed

3 Different/ Confusing Fluttering eyelashes at girl

confused

2 Right idea but accept If it doesn’t work out

Join club to meet girls Ok to talk but not interested

1 Simple and effective Sit next to a girl in class and introduce self

Expected behavior ok

Student works with staff to create the scale that will be used. Goal is # 1.Student works on executive function and some emotional regulation

Zones• Blue: Low Alert/ Poor Body Control

• Green: Neutral, body control– Calm, focused, content

• Yellow: High alert, some body control – Stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness,

nervousness, confusion, sensory seeking

• Red: High Alert/intense feelings. Not in control of body – Anger, rage, panic, terror

Using the Zones

• Everyone has times when they are in each of the zones.

• Zones are not good, bad or naughty• Zones tend to match circumstances• The goal of the curriculum is to help the

students assess where they are and match the environment they are in with effective strategies.

The zone colors provide a common language for certain reactions/

emotions

• Its important to help kids recognize when they are in the blue or green zones. Yellow and red tend to be more noticeable.

Working with Zone Vocab

• Flashcards at Quizlet.com• Build a common vocabulary and a way to talk

about these concepts

• Zones, Tool box, Triggers, Expected and unexpected behavior, problem size, inner critic inner coach, superflex thinking, Rock brain thinking

Activity

• A base set of flashcards is at quizlet.com• (P.14 of book)• Drop this quiz set to your computer or device

(flashboard is an app that will work) • Build upon the basics to make a flashcard set

for your kids. ( We will share these post)

Today I Feel Silly

Arousal Over Time

6 am 12pm 3pm 10pm

Low

Just right

High

Blue Zone

• Body is running slow• Low energy• Not awake yet• Lethargic, Blue

Green Zone

• Good to go• Controlled response• Focused energy

Yellow Zone

• Starting to lose control

• But also the source of great energy if it can be channeled

• Body is on high alert

Red Zone

• Extreme Emotion• Body and Mind may

not be talking• Out of Control• Hard to make

decisions• Need to stop but

unsure how

What zone?

What Zone?When do we feel this way?

Zone for Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usnOEnTXabw

Lots of factors play into how we feel and respond!

Sensory Input

Experiences: On Monday When It Rained

How we interpret and interact with the info/ experience

• What Feels Good:• Motivation:

– Frustration makes me work harder– hard work =‘s medals and recognition– Doing my assignment=‘s a smile from my teacher

• Gets it: constant practice and experiences mold response– Video taping provides another view

What do you think about a person who…

• Doesn’t make eye contact

• Fires off an explosive set of expletives in the middle of class

• Runs around the classroom when the teacher is talking

• Hides on you

• Talks on a cellphone while instead of checking you out at the register

• Blows big gum bubbles and pops them

• Screams in the hall• Doesn’t stop when

asked

#1

When is this cultural difference?

• You look up and away and I look down until I am right next to you and look up

• I point and gesture you to come and you turn away red faced

• Touched him on his head and he cried

• He nods and keeps saying everything is ok when its pretty clear that it is not.

• That mother never looks me in the eye

• Book of hand gestures• Told older sister that her

new baby brother is cute and she reddens and denies it

#2

Expected or Unexpected

Action

• Got Flowers• Failed an important test• Ran into a deer• Waiting for the gun to go

off to start a race• Broke up with boyfriend• Found your house was

ransacked

Reaction

• Thrown to the ground• Laughed• Cursed and screamed• Walked off track

• Painted several pictures of him

• Called the police

#3

The Zones: Expected or Unexpected Behavior

We all experience these zones

How do others feel when they are around you?

• Miss Nelson is Missing http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=5alXPJ8t5Q8

You see…..He does realize…

Good Thoughts/Bad Thoughts

• How does the mother feel?

• How does the daughter feel?

How do we feel about this kid?

How soon will you refer?

When will he have friends?

Enough good will defeat….

Enough Good thoughts Negative Thoughts

Allowing thought to happen

There are 2 sides to this

• My View • Your view

Perspectives: The Great Pumpkin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiSIQzwIPzQ

From The Social Network

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFFtpd8VNN0

A Quick Review: Self Regulation

• Ability to do what is needed in the optimal state for the given situation

• Integrates– Sensory Processing

• How we perceive inputs

– Executive Function• Conscious Control of Action

– Emotional regulation• Objectivity, motivation, perspective of others

Implementing Zone ThinkingWhat are you thinking about?

Why does Izzy Cover Her Ears

• Sensory Processing Disorder

• Suggestions for making the world better for processing

Brain HQ: Building Brain Skills

https://brainhq.positscience.com/default/start

Why? Nikolai Popov

• Picture Book• Two Perspectives• Unexpected action

triggers…..• Action/ reaction

Which zone am I in?

• Pull out your zone card

• Move your marker to the zone you would be in for each scenario

• Think of a scenario to add

Triggers• What triggers

my move to blue, yellow, green or red?

Sizing up the problem

• Does the perceived problem match the real situation?

How do I feel when I am in each zone?

• Help student gain self insight

• Provide feedback of what you see.

• Again videotaping can help in some cases.

This is a critical concept for kids!!!

• My perspective and your perspective.

• Reaction to unexpected behavior

• What do others think and say?

Tracking a student’s zones across a day

Erica Albright: I think we should just be friends. Mark Zuckerberg: I don't want friends. Erica Albright: I was being polite, I had no intention of being friends with you.Mark Zuckerberg: I think that went well. That is except for that breaking up and no friends' part of course.

The Social Network

Understanding where I am zone wise

• Pick from feelings board

• Pick from zone• Work with student

to develop a tool kit that works for their different zones

Match Zone with Remedies

Sensory Tool Remedies

• Sensory Activities:

Listening with Your Body

• Body Basics• Whole Body Listening

Larry at Home!

• Works well with little kids

• Fits body basics

Older Students

• Yoga• Deep Breathing• Me Moves• Quiet Space• Working out• Making art• Music

Social Thinking

• Michelle Garcia Winner• www.socialthinking.com • Curriculums for working on executive function and

perspective taking• Superflex:• Rock Brain: Stuck Ideas ( can’t let it go!!!!)• Brain Eater: Distracts us from tasks (can’t stop

gaming)

The Shredder

• Enter the problem or the unthinkable character

• Select and shred