Learning Opportunities

This presentation will provide an introduction to The SCERTS Model, a comprehensive evidence-based framework for prioritizing goals and implementing practices that focus on the core challenges in ASD:  Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and providing Transactional Supports for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and related social-communicative disabilities and their families.  The SCERTS model is a flexible and individualized approach that is 1) grounded within a developmental framework, 2) focused on learning functional skills in every day activities, 3) based on the unique learning style of persons with ASD, and 4) team-based, allowing for interdisciplinary practice and collaboration with family members.  It is not an exclusive approach, in that it provides a framework in which practices from other approaches may be integrated. The SCERTS Model is now being implemented in more than 12 countries in programs ranging from Early Intervention, school-age services and adult services. The manuals have been translated into Japanese and Korean, with additional translations in process.

In this workshop, assessment and intervention issues will be addressed for children with a wide range of developmental abilities and ages, including preverbal and verbal individuals, from preschool through elementary, middle, high school ages and adult services.   Particular emphasis will be given to the core challenges faced by students with ASD and related abilities by emphasizing the interface between social, emotional and communication issues from a clinical and educational perspective.

Recommended Schedule and Agenda (subject to change)

Suggested schedule: 9:00 am to 3:30 pm each day, with 15 minute mid-morning and mid afternoon breaks, and a one hour lunch break.

DAY ONE

9:00 am - 11:30 am

• The SCERTS Model – An overview of the SC, ER & TS components of the model
• Research Foundation and SCERTS Model Core Values and Guiding Principles

12:30 pm – 3:30 pm

• SC, ER & TS goals and objectives on SCERTS curriculum with video examples

DAY TWO

9:00 am  - 3:30 pm

• The SCERTS Model Practice Principles
• Developing individualized intervention goals and strategies for children at preverbal and verbal stages of communication in:
  • Social Communication – preverbal, emerging language, language levels
  • Emotional Regulation - interactional and environmental considerations
  • Transactional Supports - use of visual supports, positive behavioral
  • Supports, inclusion challenges/issues/strategies
• Approaches for supporting parents will be infused throughout the presentation by providing educational and emotional support in all aspects of programming

Learning Outcomes  - As a result of this activity:

1.  Participants will be able to identify critical developmental underpinnings for the domains of the SCERTS Model, and curriculum components of the model

2.  Participants will learn about the SCERTS curriculum, focusing on Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Supports

3.  Participants will be able to identify individualized intervention goals, objectives and  strategies for

• preverbal children (social partner)
• children with emerging language and/or who produce echolalia (language partner)
• children with more sophisticated language abilities (conversational partner)

4.  Participants will learn to provide educational and emotional support in all aspects of programming, and apply transactional supports for inclusion and in working with parents.