Meaningful Routines

What are meaningful routines?

• respect the normal flow of daily life in the classroom and school.
• are a new way of organizing the day for a student with severe, multiple disabilities attending a regular classroom.
• allow the student to work on unique learning goals according to a unique learning style, while actively participating in classroom and school routines.
• relate the student to classmates and the school community in positive ways.
• provide educational activities that make good sense in the eyes of the student, the classmates and the school community.

The Starting Point is Identifying the Meaningful Routines

The teacher views the student's day as a series of "meaningful" activities - activities that do something for somebody, concretely and immediately - activities that can have meaning to the student. When teachers identify a student's "meaningful routines" in the day and week, a framework is set for an excellent educational program.

Examples of Meaningful Routines

OCCURRING WHERE >>>>>>>>> TYPES OF ROUTINE	CLASSROOM>	SCHOOL	COMMUNITY
Integration into Regular Activities	In Silent Reading period: student sits at desk and listens with headphones to story tape, controlling it with a switch.	Cheering at House League games: vocally, or by waving a pennant or by using a noise maker or tape.	Delivering School Newsletter to neighbors: delivers and supports delivery team with sorting and supply.
Personal Care / Life Skills	Lunch Routine: occurs in classroom with classmates at normal lunch time.	Student's Hygiene and Physio Stretch Routine: occurs in a suitable location in the school.	Weekly Shopping Routine: buys supplies for daily blender drink at corner store.
Recreation / Leisure	In Computer period: enjoys leisure programs, using single switch and headphones.	Riddle of the Day: student has riddle or trivia question on voice switch at morning recess, & answer at lunch recess.	Weekly Swim Routine in community pool.
Service / Vocational	In Spelling: student gives pretest with tape recorder and timer; & distributes reward to perfect spellers.	Serves as Reading Buddy in Resource Room for a student who needs practice.	Weekly Yard Tidy Routine for elderly neighbor of school to remove student litter.

Meaningful Routines Work Well Because They Match Learning Style

Students with severe multiple disabilities are on-the-job learners. In general they won't learn isolated skills, then go out into the world to apply those skills. Such a model is too abstract for them. They learn best by direct involvement in activities in which they can see some immediate, concrete and satisfying purpose (i.e. "meaning").

Also they are slow learners. They develop skills very gradually within activities that occur regularly and frequently over a long period of time (i.e. "routines"). Within a new routine, the student may be entirely dependent and passive. Gradually, though, active participation can increase. That's how they learn, by gradually increasing their level of responsibility in routines that make sense to them.

An educational model for students with severe multiple disabilities may be summarized as follows: Learning occurs mainly in the form of increased active participation in meaningful routines.

What's "Meaningful" to a Student with Severe Multiple Disabilities?

Four types of curricular activities can make sense and be intrinsically motivating to the student. They are summarized below:

TYPE OF ROUTINE	MAKES SENSE BECAUSE...	MOTIVATING BECAUSE...
Integration into Regular Activities of the Classroom and School	...its what the other students are doing.	...participating with peers is a major motivation factor.
Personal Care / Life Skills	...it takes care of concrete personal needs.	...of great opportunities for interaction, sensory interest and physical movement.
Recreation /Leisure	...it provides a fun focus for both group and individual activity.	...of fun, interest, action, social contact, sensory stimulation.
Service / Vocational	...it gives the student a positive social role that makes sense to the people around; it evens the helper vs. helpee score.	...the student gets good feedback and positive, purposeful interactions, and feels valued.

Not All Meaningful Routines Occur in the Classroom

Educational activities also happen in other parts of the school and in the local community. Balanced programs includes routines in all three educational environments described below:

EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS	VALUABLE TO THE STUDENT BECAUSE...
Classroom	...classmates are the peer group that moves through the grades with the student. Teachers come and go. ...identity as a class member counts. ...its where the other students are.
School	...some students need to be mobile a lot. ...some school-based jobs are well matched to the student's educational goals and learning style. ...some of the student's important activities don't fit well into the classroom
Local Community	...transition to community living is a long-term process that starts early. ...some community-based jobs are well matched to the student's educational goals and learning style.

HOW TO MAKE AN EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL ROUTINE

a. First Identify the "Meaning"
The student (with severe multiple disabilities) goals usually do not include academics. The regular classroom may be fast-paced, demanding and tightly scheduled. The classroom teacher's challenge is to identify a good role for the student that will not disrupt the class. The following questions emerge:

• What is the normal structure, flow and timing of this period? Who does what, and when?
• What small contribution can the student make that would give him/her positive interaction with classmates, yet maintain the flow of the class?

Example: The student could use a tape recorder to give enrichment questions to classmates during a desk work time. The "meaning" for the student would be as an active participant and helper in Math class.

b. Use a Checklist to Build Desirable Characteristics into the Routine .
The Resource Teacher can maintain a checklist of the components of an ideal educational routine for the student. The checklist is simply a list of features the team tries to build into the student's routines. It includes reminders about...:

• dentifying a "meaning".
• ...establishing "routineness".
• ...building-in purposeful interactions between the student and others.
• ...actively involving the student from beginning to end of the routine, not just the middle .
• ...providing opportunities for work on all the student's goals.
• ...structuring the routine to reflect the student's individual learning style, with particular attention to motivation.

c. Summarize the Routine on Paper.
The Resource Teacher then helps the Classroom Teacher by writing a summary of the student's new Routine.EXAMPLE OF A LEARNING STYLE DOCUMENT

Understanding the individual learning style of the student is key. Students with severe multiple disabilities have unique learning styles. Designing educational routines so as to reflect learning style enormously enhances learning and enjoyment. Paying attention to learning style also reduces behavior problems.

Updating the student's learning style document is part of yearly planning. The Resource Teacher also includes features of learning style into the checklist used for building the student's routines.

Some important aspects of learning style the student's team may consider are:

• Motivation: What makes the student want to stay alert and work hard?
• Sensory: abilities, disabilities, needs, defensiveness, preferences.
• Health, Comfort and Fatigue: factors that cause abilities to fluctuate.

SAMPLE STUDENT'S LEARNING STYLE

The student learns best when..........

..........he has auditory input (including verbal explanation of what is happening ).
..........he has multi-sensory input: (touch, vibration, sound, smell, bright colour).
..........he is physically comfortable and well rested.
..........his program is flexible in responding to more and less alert times.
..........he is highly motivated, such as by:

• interactions with peers (#1)
• interactions with adults (#2)
• having an instant, big effect on his environment and on classmates
• enjoyable music, stories, sounds
• being talked or read to with an animated voice
• enjoyable sensory experience (see list above)
• being in the midst of active kids

...........his seating and equipment is optimal
.............the activity is a familiar, consistent routine.
............he has enough time to physically respond.
............consistent and familiar people work with him; and skills are effectively transferred to new people.

EXCELLENT ACTIVITIES CHECKLIST FOR SAMPLE STUDENT

---

When creating or improving an activity for (sample student), build in as many of the following components as possible .

1. Meaning: The routine has a purpose and value beyond that of working on a particular set of skills. It does something for someone, concretely and immediately. It potentially makes sense to the student and the people around him. Some possible types of "meaning" are:
• Integration into Regular Activities - just being among schoolmates, doing what they are doing. (e.g. joining class Silent Reading by using a switch to play a story on tape, while using headphones.)
• Personal Care/Life Skills - taking care of his basic personal needs such as mealtimes, grooming, shopping, laundry.
• Recreation/Leisure - enjoying a recreational activity, group or solitary, that builds toward lifetime leisure skills. (e.g. swimming or video watching.)
• Service/Vocational - doing something that helps someone else or performs a needed task (e.g. shopping for snacks for the Kindergarten or sharpening pencils for classmates.)
2. Routine: It occurs regularly and frequently over a long period so that the student can gradually increase his participation over time.


3. Purposeful Interactions with people other than his Teaching Assistants, especially with classmates.


4. Beginning/Middle/End: The student has responsibilities throughout the activity. Set-up and clean-up tasks often provide the best opportunities for work on the his goals and for motivating him. His responsibilities (his jobs) throughout the activity reflect his educational goals, as follows:

WORK ON EDUCATIONAL GOALS

5. Communication Opportunities: The student works on his Communication goal at present by:
• Making Choices between two or three options.
• Accepting or Rejecting a suggested activity.
• Acknowledging another person.
6. Physical Opportunities: The student works on his Physical goal at present by:
• Gazing to Midline and Left of Midline during periods of wearing a patch on his right eye.
• Moving his Arms and Legs in selected activities.
• Maintaining his Range of Motion by passive stretching exercises
7. Switch Opportunities: The student works on his Switch goal at present by purposefully using a switch as a means of increased participation in activities.

RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUAL LEARNING STYLE

8. Built-in Motivation: The student is disposed to work hard in the routine because it gives him motivating experience such as:
• Interaction with Other Kids.
• Having an Instant, Big Impact on his environment, especially on the kids around him.
• Being Talked To in an animated voice.
• Being in the Midst of Active Kids.
• Hearing Sound he Likes, such as favourite music, interesting noises or animated voice.
• Enjoyable Sensory Experience.
9. Verbal Information: Telling the student what is happening keeps him oriented and involved because he has very good use of hearing and very limited use of vision.
10. Adequate Response Time: The student is allowed a few seconds to organize his physical response, such as hitting the switch.
11. Adaptations for Vision Use: The student has some opportunity to use his vision because situations are adapted with an awareness of his visual needs (see 'The student sees best when.........' document).
12. Flexibility is Built In so that expectations can vary to adapt to fluctuations in the student's ability from day to day.

EXAMPLE OF MATH ROUTINE FOR SAMPLE STUDENT

DESCRIPTION: The student contributes to Math in his Grade 5/6 class two mornings per week by giving "Challenge Questions" to students. He begins his preparation during the lesson, then gives the question while the students are starting their homework at their desks. He works at the back of the class, and one row of students comes back to him each day. The Challenge Questions allow the students to earn points within the classroom reward system, so they are motivated to participate. For added motivation and fun for the student, he chooses and records a musical introduction to the question each day.

PREPARATION:

• Teacher gives Teaching Assistant a set of four enrichment questions every two weeks, so the student has a new question for each session.
• Equipment: Tape recorder set up so the student operates it with his switch; Loop tape of 30 to 60 seconds; The student's electronic keyboard; (possibly recordings of various interesting sounds or different types of music).
• Before the routine starts each day, the TA puts the equipment on a shelf within the student's reach (always the same location).

PROCEDURE:
Beginning

• Teaching Assistant tells the student, "It's time for Math." and takes him to the shelf where his equipment is.
• TA helps the student reach out for the equipment items one by one, naming them and putting them on the wheelchair tray. (Note: this is a passive "Range-of-Motion" stretch for the student, not a voluntary reach.)
• TA takes the student to the staff room to prepare the question.
• TA uses the keyboard to produce two different rhythms, tunes or sound effects, and asks the student to choose the one for today. The student chooses one of them, and TA saves it on the keyboard.
• The student activates the chosen sound on the keyboard while TA records it onto the loop tape as an introduction to the question for the day. TA also records the question as follows: "Today's Challenge Question is...."
• The student and TA return to the back of the classroom.

Middle

• When Teacher finishes his lesson, TA helps the student put his hand up to indicate he is ready. (Note: passive "Range-of-Motion" stretch).
• Teacher acknowledges the student and sends a row back to him.
• Students gather close around the student and ask him for the question.
• The student plays the loop and they write down the question.
• Students can ask the student for two more repeats of loop. (TA helps any student who has not finished copying the question).
• Students thank the student and return to their desks.

End

• TA raises the student's hand to tell teacher the task is finished. Teacher thanks the student.
• The student returns equipment to shelf. (passive R-O-M stretch)
• TA tells the student, "Math is finished."

Note: Flexibility is key! Routine occurs whether the student is alert or not. But when the student is having a low energy day, TA and students physically assist him more.

PLANNING CHECKLIST                    Student: ___________________
Routine: ____________________           Date: ___________________

DOES THE ROUTINE..........	IDEAS / POSSIBILITIES / COMMENTS
..........have meaning and routineness? (i.e. has purpose and value beyond skill development; and occurs regularly and frequently according to a consistent pattern)
..........expect active participation from the student from start to finish? (i.e. include student throughout, from setup to cleanup)
..........have expectations for the student to work on Communication goals? (Specifically:                                    )
..........have expectations for the student to work on Fine Motor goals? (Specifically:                                    )
..........have expectations for the student to work on Large Motor / Postural goals? (Specifically:                                    )
..........expectations for the student to work on other goals? (Specifically:                                    )
..........expectations for the student to work on other goals? (Specifically:                                    )
..........reflect the learning style of the student by providing motivations? (Specifically:                                    )
..........reflect the learning style of the student by providing (specify) ______________________________ ______________________________?
..........reflect the learning style of the student by providing (specify) _______________________________ _______________________________?
..........reflect the learning style of the student by providing (specify) ________________________________ ________________________________?
..........engage the student in purposeful interactions? (with people other than caregivers, particularly with other students)

example of a checklist

EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR SAMPLE STUDENT:

A checklist for (What activity)_________________

An overall objective for this educational routine is to help the student to become a fully active participant in the activities of his life in the classroom, school and community.

DOES THIS ACTIVITY HAVE....

• ----meaning for the student? (So it does something useful for somebody - such as make him a participant in a normal peer activity, provide recreation, fulfill some personal need, provide a service or product.)
• ----routineness? (So the student can gradually increase his participation over time.)
• ----a start, middle and end? (So the student participates in the whole activity from, setup through cleanup.)
• ----purposeful interactions? (With peers and adults other than his TA)

.....OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK ON HIS INDIVIDUAL GOALS, SUCH AS BY.....

• ----expectations for purposeful use of his switch? (Making him an active contributor in the routine)
• ----expectations for communication? (Such as by making choices between 2 or 3 options; accepting or rejecting a suggested activity; or acknowledging another person.)
• ----expectations for using his body? (Such as by gazing to midline and left of midline while wearing a patch on his right eye; moving his arms or legs; or maintaining his range of motion by passive stretches.)

.....ATTENTION TO HIS UNIQUE LEARNING STYLE, SUCH AS BY.....

• ----built-in motivation? (Such as by interaction with other kids; having an instant large impact on his environment; being talked to with an animated voice; being in the midst of active kids; sounds he likes; enjoyable sensory experience.)
• ----verbal information? (Keeping the student oriented and involved by giving him information he misses due to his visual impairment.)
• ----adequate response time? (Allowing the student several seconds to organize his physical response, such as hitting the switch.)
• ----flexibility built in? (So that expectations can vary to adapt to fluctuations in the student's ability.)

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