The FAB Turtle Technique is a practical evidence-based method of teaching self-control to pre-school and kindergarten students. The turtle technique is a component of the PATHS positive behavioral support program using classroom routines, rewards, stories, puppets, crafts, and activities. The turtle technique is based on Tucker Turtle, who learns to control his aggression when he […]
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This post describes the FAB Procedure for using sensory integration informed adaptive equipment and techniques in the classroom to improve behavior and learning. Strategies are individualized for regular and special education students with behavioral, developmental, and sensory processing challenges. The procedure is described sequentially, followed by an example provided in italics. Choose one goal involving
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The use of coping strategies is an evidence-based intervention that improves behavior. It is commonly used in school positive behavioral support programs and mental health interventions to improve functional skills. Coping strategies enable individuals to manage their strong feelings of sadness, anger, or anxiety with out violence or other functional difficulties. Coping strategies are a
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It is common for early education classes to include undiagnosed special needs students. While the students often eventually qualify for special education services their teachers need strategies to meet the immediate needs of these students within the regular classroom. This is important for both the special needs students and the ability of all the other
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Learning emotion regulation enables students to effectively manage intense feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, and distress. Like learning to walk, talk, and read, learning emotion regulation to successfully deal with distressful feelings follows a developmental progression. Emotion regulation development proceeds to a greater ratio of adaptive compared with maladaptive strategies, from adult initiated to more
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As greater educational demands are made on students and teachers, often beginning in preschool or kindergarten, it is increasingly important to embed brief exercise strategies into the elementary school curriculum. Movement activities done before transitions enable students to integrate their learning and behave more appropriately. Increasing time spent in seated teaching and testing along with
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The FAB List, Picture schedule, Praxis comic, 3-Comic, Schedule story, and Coping card strategies describe planning with visual supports to improve self-control. These FAB planning strategies improve behavior in children and adolescents with sensory processing, developmental, trauma history, and mental health challenges. Learning routines, rules, and structure enhance self-control. The FAB List strategy helps organize
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Following its initial development by A. J. Ayres, Sensory Integration Intervention has been slowly evolving. As a result of this slow evolution, two major problems threaten the sensory integration frame of reference. First is the problematic discrediting of sensory integration research by some behaviorists and pediatricians who favor interventions that are too rigid or medication
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Evidence based touch strategies are an important part of my occupational therapy interventions for children and adolescents with behavioral, psychiatric, developmental, and sensory processing challenges. Although touch is a component of typical attachment and development, many excellent mental health therapists do not include touch in their interventions with children and adolescents, and warned me against
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After 20 years as a pediatric occupational therapist, I got a job as Mental Health Coordinator at Head Start and immediately discovered that children with behavioral problems and an early trauma history respond dramatically to developmental and sensory integration interventions. Many of my children who had childhood trauma and behavioral problems showed sensory discrimination, as
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