Let's PLAI!
Module1: Understanding Your Child'sCues We are all aware that children begin to communicate their wants and needs long before they have concrete words. When we interpret the child's desires and respo...
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Collection PLAI: Promoting Learning Through Active Interaction: A Guide to Early Communication with Young Children Who Have Multiple Disabilities
Date Created: 5/8/2016
Posts: 4
In this collection I will be piggy-backing on two previous Collection writers Charity Rowland's, “The Communication Matrix Isn't the Only Game in Town! Other Assessments for Individuals With Complex Communication Needs,” by sharing information about the PLAI curriculum, and the Collection by Emily Dayle Quinn, “I've Done the Communication Matrix....Now What Do I Do For Intervention.” The PLAI curriculum is broken down into five modules, each of which could have a written Collection by itself, however, I will only be addressing each part briefly, sharing my insight and experiences. I also want to note that when utilizing the PLAI curriculum it provides handouts (in both English and Spanish) that help to fulfill the observational and other tasks discussed in each module. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the the PLAI curriculum and the Communication Matrix almost simultaneously, with the PLAI curriculum being the predecessor for only a few months. For me the two tools proved to be the powerful combination I needed to better understand the communication needs and possibilities for my deafblind/multiple needs children. We've been better recognizing, fostering, and encouraging communication with our children ever since!
Foremost I am a parent! My journey into deafblindness began in 2007 when our oldest daughter, Gwen, was born with a rare genetic disorder -a Peroxisome Biogenesis Disorder in the Zellweger Spectrum -with some of the side effects including losing all vision and hearing. This is quite frightening as a new parent! I have my undergraduate degree in social work and worked for several years with children, teaching behavioral and social skills groups. When I learned about a stipend to get my graduate degree in Early Intervention for the Deafblind at the SKI-HI Institute at Utah State University I took it and haven't looked back! What an amazing opportunity! Taking this opportunity was the best thing I could have done for myself and our family. During this time I also had the privilege of being a part of the first cohort of Helen Keller Fellows. My sweet Gwen passed away in 2010, but our youngest, William, came into our family in 2012, also affected by the same disorder, so we have stepped back into that journey. As I said at the beginning of my bio, I am foremost a parent, but I love to help out in the deafblind/special needs community when I can and have been blessed with a few opportunities to do so from time to time.
An outline of the PLAI curriculum and it's possibilities for establishing and fostering communication
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Recognition of Behavioral States and Patterns
Supporting Communication Beyond Level 1 : Noticing Subtle Communication
One of the most important strategies when working with individuals communicating using Pre-Intentional Behavior is Communication Partner Training. Noticing and responding to all communication ...
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Responding to subtle communication is important!
Supporting Communication Beyond Level 1 : Responding to Subtle Communication
As mentioned in a previous post, noticing and responding to all communication behavior is one of the most important strategies during this stage of communication development. After communication pa...
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The explanation of a routine and a variety of examples
Supporting Communication Beyond Level 1 : Developing Predictable Routines
What are routines anyway? Why are they important? It seems that therapists are always recommending “teaching in routines”. Basically, routines are 2 or more step activities that are repeated over the...
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Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
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Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
