Functional Communication Workshops

[Guest guest]

Please respond to Bobbie at Brickposse@.... She is inquring about the

Functional Communication Workshop in Cherry Hill, NJ.

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Is anyone from the list going to this? Has anyone been to one of these

presentations/workshops? Would it be valuable to go?

Bobbie

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Dates -

St. Louis, MO - Friday, October 4, 2002

Cherry Hill, NJ - Friday, October 18, 2002

Saddle Brook, NJ - Friday, November 1, 2002

SPACE IS LIMITED

Intended Audience: Speech Language Pathologists, Parents of children with

autism, Occupational Therapists and other Special Education Professionals who

treat children with autism or other developmental disabilities.

Presenter -Tamara S. Kasper MS/CCC-SLP

She has practiced as a pediatric speech/language pathologist with emphasis on

treatment of children with challenging behaviors for over 12 years. She has

specialized in treatment of children who have autism spectrum disorders for

the last 5 years. Her commitment to the children she serves led her to pursue

treatment methods outside the field of speech language pathology. She is

completed her mentorship with Dr. Carbone, BCBA to become a Board

Certified Associate Behavior Analyst. Ms. Kasper has completed advanced

training and self-study in the areas of Applied Verbal Behavior, Applied

Behavior Analysis, Greenspan's DIR approach, and Kaufman's strategies for

apraxia of speech. She continues to expand her knowledge within the field of

speech-language pathology and has been awarded the ACE award for Continuing

Education by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Currently, Ms.

Kasper provides consulting services to treatment teams who serve children

with autism in the United States and the United Kingdom. Described as

" energetic and dynamic, " Ms. Kasper is also an experienced

lecturer/instructor. She has developed and presented university courses and

workshops for school districts, clinics, parent groups, and professional

organizations. Her comprehensive knowledge of current practices and

proficiency in multiple treatment frameworks provides her with a unique

opportunity to combine elements of several approaches to gain cooperation and

promote functional communication in children with challenging behaviors.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate.

Therapists are often faced with difficult cases in which valuable therapy

time is spent addressing challenging behaviors such as avoidance, aggression,

or self-stimulation.

Non-verbal children or children with limited functional communication present

a special challenge. Often, these children have a very restricted range of

interests

or appear to quickly lose interest in foods/toys/activities. Participants in

this workshop will learn to analyze behaviors and implement valuable

strategies to reduce

problem behaviors. Strategies to develop and maintain a wider variety of

interests will also be shared. Emphasis will be placed on use of Skinner's

behavioral classification

of language (as applied by Sundberg, Partington, and Carbone), which

refocuses and refines teaching of requesting and " commenting " . Methods for

effective transfer of skills from imitative to spontaneous requesting to

labeling and " conversing " will be presented, viewed via videotape, and

practiced. Procedures to maintain

cooperation and systematically shape functional verbal and/or manual

communication in children with limited verbal and motor imitation will be

addressed. Application

of Kaufman's hierarchy of vocalizations and use of simplified " word shells "

with this population will also be explored.This workshop provides practical

techniques

and suggestions described by past participants as " inspirational " and

" empowering " .

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Participants will:

1. Identify potential " reasons " that children engage in problem behaviors.

2. Identify environmental and teaching modifications that can reduce problem

behaviors.

3. Select and teach functional skills to replace problem behaviors.

4. Promote and maintain a wider range of interests.

5. Effectively use a child's interests to systematically teach vocal or

manual communication.

6. Identify reasons that past attempts to promote language may have failed.

7. Describe and integrate elements of Applied Behavior Analysis, Applied

Verbal Behavior,Greenspan's DIR Approach, and Traditional Speech-Language

Pathology

to build spontaneous and flexible communication skills.

NORTHERN SPEECH/NATIONAL REHAB

117 N. Elm/P.O. Box 1247

Gaylord, MI 49735

or call: (888) 337-3866

Fax: (888) 696-9655

Look for us on the Internet for online CEU programs!

www.nss-nrs.com

e-mail: nss@...