~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Centering On Children Incorp. Newsletter
September/2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue
Basic Curriculum, Tasks 9-16
Time to repair the old ShoeboxTasks.
Being Creative with ShoeboxTasks
Dear Friends, For most of us a new school year has begun.  I've put off sending this newsletter during the summer months since many of you were away and not thinking about work.  My intention is to complete a description of all the current Shoeboxtasks within the next 4 months.  This issue Describes tasks 9-16 from the Basic Curriculum.  Next month I'll address the motivational Tasks, Positve Attraction, Drum Roll, Flex Tube, and Red Buttons in Water.
 
Hope you all are off to a good start this year!  I look forward to hearing from some of you as the year progresses.

BASIC CURRICULUM, TASKS 9-16 

PULL APART AND PUT IN TASKS  

 
Task 9               task 10
                 TASK 9                                                       TASK 10 
                                             

Tasks 9, 10 and 11 all require the student to first pull apart objects that are joined together before putting the separated parts in convenient openings nearby.  These ShoeboxTasks require two distinct steps for completion.  Besides demonstrating a more sustained attention to details, the student is developing a rudimentary understanding of how related events are sequenced. Task 9 involves pulling apart spools and placing them one at a time  into a common opening on the shoebox lid.  This action encourages the coordinated use of both hands and helps in the development of greater finger strength and dexterity.  Observe the student as he pulls the spools apart and assess how he/she puts each one in the lid's opening. Does he/she use each hand individually or is the spool moved from one hand to a dominant other before dropping them in the opening.  Also, observe the student's level of interest as he/she does the activity. The sound of the Velcro pulling apart as well as the sight of the spools disappearing into the Shoebox Lid and sound of them hitting the base can all be motivating factors.  Task 10 is similar to task 9 but the spools are replaced by locktagons.  Some students might be more inclined to use the locktagons in ways other than what the task is calling for, since they are pliable and present a much different feel than the spools.  This is one great reason why we want to use a variety of objects in similar ways.  We get great feedback from the students as we observe them handling different materials.  We may want to temporarily avoid using some materials when the student appears more motivated to satisfy sensory needs rather than use them within the designed purpose of the task.  On the other hand, the student's spontaneous use of materials in ways other than intended may suggest other activities that can be created to appeal to these natural inclinations. 
 
                            
                                      TASK 11
 
When doing task 11 the student separates the clothespin from the card and puts each in their respective openings nearby.  This activity is called a "forced sort"  because the clothespin will only fit in the round opening while the plastic card will only fit in the slotted opening.  It is a precursor to sorting activities in that the student begins to note that objects go in different places due to their unique characteristics.  This activity does encourage the coordinated use of two hands as well as the visual focus necessary to see where each object goes.  It may be necessary for the teacher to initially cue the student (perhaps a silent gesture to the correct opening) as to where the object goes if they become "stuck" in one location.  Remember, however, that whatever help is given will have to be faded out in order for the student to perform this activity independently. 
 
  
STACKING TASKS 
 
                    
                                        TASK 12

Tasks 12, 13 and 14 all involve stacking skills.  For Task 12, the studentis confronted with a container of 5 loose megabloks to his left and one megablok that has been affixed to a white plate on the lid to his right.  Visually, this set up suggests to the student to take each of the 5 contained megabloks and stack them on the one already locked in place.  This requires the student to achieve a correct placement of each megablok on the fixed one in order for them to attach.  Once the alignment is achieved, a downward pressure must be applied in order for the megabloks to lock together.  It's not necessary that the two megabloks line up perfectly in order for them to lock together and it may not be advisable to help correct the student if the match is not perfect.  If the student is able to attain a lock and stack them all independently, that can be sufficient in the beginning.  Over time a more perfect stacking can be worked on.  If this is a difficult and frustrating activity for the student, reduce the number of megabloks to a more reasonable amount, then slowly add more as the student demonstrates success. 
 
 
 
                                  
                                                  TASK 13
 
 
Task 13 requires the student to stack each of the 6 loose cups located in the lid's opening to the student's left and place each onto one that is pre-set on the surface of the lid to the student's right.  Unlike other shoeboxtasks consisting of relatively small manipulatives, task 13 requires large hand muscle control to grasp, move and stack the cups.  
 
                                                
                                
                                         TASK 14
 
In a slightly different take on stacking, task 14 has the student sliding beads onto a wooden dowel.  This task requires acute focus and hand control to place the opening of the bead onto the top of the dowel.  Once the student has mastered the skill of randomly putting the beads on the dowel, the teacher can assess the appropriateness of using a jig or visual instruction for establishing the order in which the beads are stacked.  To do this draw a picture (lifesize) that indicates the surface of the lid with the round/square beads stacked upwards on the dowel.  It may be at first helpful to the student to stand the visual next to the dowel in order to make a more emphatic link between the visual jig and the dowel.  If help is needed, point to the first bead and help the student get started.  With success, create jigs with a variety of bead configurations and begin placing the jig down on the surface of the shoebox lid.  Be sure to assess whether the student can follow the visual instruction in this different presentation. 
 
 
 
SORTING TASKS 
                       
                                     TASK 15
 
Some students will show an ability to sort color when the activity involves stacking yet won't sort by color when matching to different containers.  In task 15 the student sorts and stacks three sets of colored pegs.  The loose pegs are stacked onto three preset pegs of different colors.  If the student finds this overwhelming, reduce the number of pegs from three to two.  If the student cannot sort by color, use one peg to stack the others on, irrespective of color.  Be sure to tape over the peg holes that are not being used to reduce the chance that the student will want to use them in some fashion.  As in task 14, jigs or sets of visual instructions can be made, indicating the order in which to stack the pegs.  Assess if your student can follow a jig that orders one stack.  With success, work up to laying out the order for the 3 stacks. 
 
 
 
                         
                                        TASK 16
 
 

In task 16, the student must distinguish between sets of different objects, placing each of them in separate containers.  We provide wooden nickels and round beads as the objects to be sorted.  The teacher sets up the task by placing one wooden nickel and one round bead in each of two of the smaller containers.  Place lids on the remaining two containers to eliminate confusion.  The loose beads and nickels to be sorted are in the larger container to the student's left.  The student uses the pre-set objects to determine which container to put each of the two different objects.  With success, a third object may be added and then the fourth. 
 
 

TIME TO REPAIR THE OLD SHOEBOXTASKS
 
As you dust off the Shoeboxtasks and get them ready for possible use with new students coming into your classroom, chances are there'll be some pieces broken or missing.  Send me an email listing these parts and I'll reply with one that indicates the cost to replace them.  Usually it's not that much and it will be nice for you to have the compete set and especially nice for the student who will be expecting everything to be in it's rightful place. 

BEING CREATIVE WITH SHOEBOXTASKS

The following email was received by Annamarie LaCrosse, a Vision Itinerent, at the Highline School District in the state of Washington.
 
"I work with students who are vision impaired or blind with a variety of additional disabilities, including: autism, cerebral palsy, and deaf-blindness.  Shoeboxtasks are so direct and straight forward, my blind students have been very successful in mastering them.  The concepts of L-R (left to right), how much, where, and when finished are very clear.  The materials are varied in texture and age appropriateness.  I have traded out functional items such as toothbrushes, utensils or pencils for the dowels, half dollars and poker chips for the wooden nickels, cotton balls for the pompoms, large buttons on the pipe cleaners, just to name a few.  Some of my students have also been successful in reversing the tasks, to put the disks from the container into the slots, the dowel into the holes, simply by turning the box around.  With the exception of sorting by color for totally blind students, all of your jobs have been extremely valuable in teaching my students basic concepts and job competion skills."
 
Thanks, Annamarie.  I would encourage others to share ways that shoeboxtasks have been adapted to meet your students' unique needs.  We can all gain from such creativity. 
 
Catherine Faherty, TEACCH therapist and author of "Asperger's, What Does It Mean To Me?" has written another book entitled, "Understanding Death and Illness and What THey Teach About Life".  This important workbook helps translate difficult, abstract concepts related to illness and death to those individuals on the spectrum who often are confused, overwhelmed, or appear not to understand such issues.  Catherine has created a very practical tool that can help us bridge this gap in understanding.  Both of Catherine's books are available on our Website, www.shoeboxtasks.com .