A little girl overhears a box of crayons talking about not liking each other The little girl feels sad for the crayons so she makes a plan. She buys the crayons and uses them to make beautiful pictures. She lays out all of the colours so the crayons could all see. When the crayons saw each others’ work they grew to appreciate each other. The consequence is that they realized their own beauty through her attempts. She was happy because she actually had a plan to persuade and solve a conflict.

This book illustrates what it means to remember past experiences and use those experiences to think and plan actions when similar circumstances occur at a later date. Swimmy was the only survivor of an attack by a “swift, fierce and hungry tuna fish.” This caused him to experience feelings of fear, sadness and loneliness. He verbalized the thinking involved in making a plan. “We must THINK of something.” Swimmy thought and thought and thought. Then suddenly he said, “I have it!” “We are all going to swim together like the biggest fish in the sea because we want to scare the big fish.”

Before a student has reached the complete episode stage of development, these beads represent unplanned actions or reactions.

If there is a plan stated or inferred the beads become attempts to carry out the plan.

List or sequence / Attempts to carry out Plan The sequencing of the Actions and use of the words to connect those Actions such as first, next, after that, etc., may be problematic for students with autism. In a Complete Episode, the “Actions” are actually Planned Attempts: the sequencing of Attempts to carry out the Plan. The steps a person or Character takes to carry out a Plan is important for real-life experiences and comprehension of literature. Planned Attempts can be difficult for students with autism, because they require the students to connect the “Actions” with the Kick-Off, Feelings, Plans while keeping in mind the Consequence.

As a child developmentally progresses in narrative skill, these beads can be used to represent unplanned obstacles. Obstacles are represented by a broken bead.

As a result of doing …

The Resolution is how the Character feels about the Direct Consequence or how the person feels about how everything turned out in a situation. Students with autism have difficulty tuning into the Feelings and motivations of Characters. The Story Grammar Marker® can help them visualize this change in feelings. Sometimes, the Resolution is the moral of the story or the lesson learned. For students with autism, understanding and expressing the “moral” can be difficult for three reasons:1) it must be inferred, 2) it requires perspective- taking and, 3) it often requires application to real- life.

WILLIAM (his point of view) In the kitchen brainstorming what to do about the incident Two officers came to the door to take the dog away Anger, horror, panic, fear To save the dog Says “no” to the officers Yells at his Father Tries to physically stop Dad As a result, he realizes he cannot stop it He goes to his room crying He does not accomplish his plan Feels terrible, but not deterred MOM (her point of view) In the kitchen brainstorming what to do about the incident Two officers came to the door to take the dog away Upset Try to save the dog, “but…”

__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ ______

Character description Character description (age/gender, physical, likes/dislikes, personality Setting description Setting description (ho-hum day…) Big Al was a fish. Big Al lived in the ocean. Additive Cohesive Ties: and, and then Typically pre-school

Actions Actions are added Actions may be sequenced in chronological order No causal relationships. got dressed up sat talked blewhelped got caught got out. Big Al is in the ocean. He got dressed up like a plant. He sat on the bottom and talked to the other fish. He blew up big and round and he helped the fish and he got caught and he got out. ACTIONS Temporal Cohesive Ties: then, first next, when after that Typically pre-school 1 2 3

Initiating Event (Kick-Off) automatically causes physical reactions No feeling, plan or goal stated reactions Actions are simple reactions Initiating Event to the Initiating Event (Kick-Off) (Kick-Off) REACTIONS Big Al is caught. The fishermen see him and throw him back. Cohesive Ties: so, but, or Typically pre-school

Emotional cause / effect Emotional cause / effect (Feelings) Child develops awareness that Initiating Event (Kick-Off) causes emotions / Internal Response (Feelings) which leads to Direct Consequence Implicit or explicit goals or intentions Development of emotions Development of emotions (happy, sad, mad, surprised, disgusted, afraid) Causal cohesive ties: because, if Early Primary

X Big Al sees that the little fish is caught in the net He is angry He wants to help the little fish but doesn’t stop to plan. He just reacts He charges at the net and frees the little fish

Late Primary PLANNED ATTEMPTS Completes the Critical Thinking Triangle Recognition of need to plan Explicit evidence of a plan Plan Goal-oriented behavioural sequence focusing on the Plan Attempts to carry out a plan Resolution Beginning of Resolution Perspective taking from one character’s point of view Cohesive ties that show direct consequence: because, as a result of

Who or What is the story about? Where and When does the story take place? What usually happens there and then? What does the character hear, smell, see, touch and taste? Initiating Event (Kick-Off): What happened to the character to cause him/her to do something? It was a ho-hum day until… Internal Response (Feeling)s: How did the character feel about what happened? This is the emotional response to the Kick-Off. Plan: What does the character want to do? Why will he / she choose this plan? What prior knowledge, thoughts and memories does the character have about the Kick-Off? Attempt: What action does the character do to achieve the plan? Attempt: Attempt’ Direct Consequence: (Tie-Up) What happened as a result of the attempts / actions? Is there a complication in the plan? Resolution: How does the character feel about the Direct Consequence? Is there a lesson learned or a moral to the story? PLANNED ATTEMPTS

Stories often have embedded episodes, in which one episode is situated or “nested” within a larger one. Embedded episodes lead to more critical thinking triangles as feelings and perspectives change within the story

One character’s behaviour directly impacts another’s behaviour Any component could become the Initiating Event (Kick-Off) Stories are told from the perspective of more than one character reflecting interaction Junior / Intermediate

A mosquito tells the iguana a silly lie. As a result, the iguana puts sticks in his ears so he doesn’t have to listen to the nonsense. The snake thinks the iguana is planning an evil plot against him so he hides in a rabbit hole. The rabbit is frightened so he runs away. The crow is startled from the rabbit running away. The monkey sees the startled crow and figures to go and send the alarm.

Author’s plan is to describe a topic. Focus on the Character or the Setting In addition to Besides For example Such as For instance also

__________________________________________ _ Audience Key Words: for example, also, list, and, besides, furthermore in addition to, another, also, for instance, more, some

Information Sequence: Telling the Order or Steps __________________________________ 1 To begin with, first Next Then After that, soon after Finally

Problem / Solution Author’s plan is to identify a problem and offer a Plan to solve it Problem Solution Response to the solution Plan to Solve Therefore As a result Consequently Solve

Topic Issue Your opinion Another’s opinion Your plan to convince Author’s plan is to persuade or negotiate with others Decide Want Response Reason Facts

Issue Opinion # 2: What you think the other person is thinking Opinion # 1 What you think Your plan to convince Key Words: Problem, trouble, want, desire, wish, decide, persuade, convince, negotiate, solve, answer, reply, response, solution, result, consequence, therefore Cohesive Ties: because, so, if, if- then, but first, next, finally Part 1

Part 2 List or Sequence Reasons and Facts (use the word “because”) _________________ _________________ ___________ Were you able to persuade the person or group? __________________________________________________ Are you satisfied? If not, what will you change?

_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _____ Possible Criteria: Colour Size Shape Function Category Location Parts User Different Criteria Same ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Key Words: Contrast different, unlike, but, however, rather than Key Words: Compare same, alike, similar, both, all _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _____ Topic:_________________

Parent/Teacher-Friendly Reinforcement System

Choice Based on the child’s high interest Working Towards a Choice

My Coupon Book Earning Coupons Action Number of Coupons I will enter the classroom, hand in my agenda and coupon book without being asked I will take down my chair, sit down quietly and start to read at the beginning of the day I will stand with my hands by my side for O’Canada. I will start my work right away. I will continue to work until my job is done. I will put my finished work in the basket on the teacher’s desk. Coupon

Reinforcement 44 Self-Contained Classroom

Reinforcement Poker Hand StrategyMilitary StrategyGuitar Strategy Grade 8 Student Transitioned from Self-Contained to Regular Classroom

Whole Class Reinforcement Strategy VS