PD Workshop-4

In today’s world people are obsessed with looking and feeling better. It is natural for people to be concerned about their physical fitness. There are hundreds of gyms and clubs providing fitness training opportunities.  People can easily get feedback about their physical fitness by looking at a mirror or by doing some physical activity for 30 minutes. However, it is difficult to assess our own cognitive fitness. How many of us worry about our cognitive ability to think reasonably?  How many of us worry about our reduced cognitive fitness?  There is a general belief that anyone who possesses a brain can think logically, scientifically, and critically. But it is not difficult to see that this is a myth. One can see hundreds of everyday examples proving the contrary. By getting a doctorate in science, psychology, or philosophy or being a professor at a university does not guarantee that the holder will think scientifically and critically. Scientific thinking or critical thinking is a skill and an attitude that requires fostering.  It demands frequent careful self-examination and the ability to criticize and scrutinize our own thinking errors and enhance tolerance to accepting our own mistakes. We also need friends and “cognitive foes” who can point out our thinking errors. Critical thinking need not be focused on criticizing the thinking of others but rather on the ability and humility to criticize our own thinking. Cognitive biases can blind our vision. It can be a real danger not knowing about our own “cognitive blind spots” during our lifelong journey. The best way to ensure a society or nation of critical thinkers is to encourage these skills in children from a very early age. This seminar will cover the following topics:

•  What is scientific/critical thinking?
• Recognizing the importance of “critical thinking” beyond the level of a
  catchphrase or cliché.
• “Socratic questioning”/The art of questioning.
• Cultivating the courage to ask uncomfortable questions to self and others.
• Dealing with the pressure of “politically correct” thinking  (“PC
  Thinking”).
• Thinking outside the box and creativity
• Pitfalls of ego-centric and socio-centric thinking
• Cognitive bias.
• Cognitive dissonance.
• Do we lie to ourselves? Why?
• How to reduce our own cognitive dissonance.
• Encouraging critical thinking skills in children.
• Role of parents and teachers in enhancing critical thinking skills in
  children.
• “Cognitive defenses” as a barrier to critical thinking.
• Does our brain misinterpret new/contradictory information as a “threat”?
• Survival thinking Vs critical thinking.
• “Tilting our brain” to see our own cognitive blind spots.
• How to reduce bias in our thinking.
• How to reduce “brainwashing” by experts, media, and establishments?
• Emotional intelligence (IQ and EQ).

Seminar – 6

AN UNDERSTANDING OF ASPERGER’S SYNDROME:

Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) involves problems with social interaction and restricted, repeated patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Milder than autism, it is often referred to as a hidden disability. Children with AS are often not diagnosed/identified until they are 10-12 years, but if identified earlier they can be more successfully taught to socialize better. Parents can be taught many simple strategies to help in compensating for these social difficulties. There are many people in all walks of life in the community with undiagnosed Asperger’s. Some people are even being diagnosed in their 40s and 50s. These individuals might have spent most of their lives in a ‘social shell’ without realizing why they are different. Although DSM 5 replaces the label of Asperger’s syndrome with ASD, still it is crucial to identify people with subtle/milder features of autism or people with high-functioning autism (HFA). Identifying and implementing appropriate  strategies for children, teens and adults on the higher end of the spectrum with subtle, yet complex features of autism can remain a professionally challenging task. This seminar will address the issues/topics with the perspective and language appropriate for parents, teachers, and the general public. For an advanced professional-level discussion appropriate for academicians, researchers, and clinicians, see workshop # 12, titled “Identification, Diagnosis, and Management of High functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS).
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Seminar – 9

SCHOOL-BASED STRATEGIES FOR MOTIVATING  STUDENT LEARNING AND MANAGING STUDENTS’ CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS:

Two of the main challenges for schools are enhancing student motivation for learning new skills and reducing the occurrence of annoying and/or distracting behaviors in the classroom. This course will highlight the process of applying evidence-based classroom strategies to create positive learning environments for students. It will also focus on a problem-solving approach to understanding the causes of challenging behaviors in the classroom. Teachers can empower themselves by implementing many of these proactive strategies and reducing the need for punishment-based reactive discipline. Target Group: Deputy Principals, Special Education Needs Coordinators, Teachers, Teacher’s Aides, and Learning Support Teachers. Course participants will be able to:

• Increase knowledge of ‘best practice examples of classroom intervention
  strategies
• Develop an understanding of positive reinforcement and its role in enhancing
  student motivation and for shaping positive classroom behaviors.
• Develop an understanding of behavior intervention planning based on the
  functions of problem behaviours.
• Identify the benefit of teaching replacement/alternate behaviors. Identify
  some positive classroom intervention strategies which can reduce the problem
  behaviours.
• Increase their knowledge regarding the problem behaviours of children with special
  needs.

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Seminar – 10

Classroom Management of Students with Social Difficulties/Asperger’s Syndrome

Teachers, parents, and the general public are aware of Autism but Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is still largely an “unknown” condition. One of the core symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome is a sustained impairment in social interaction.   Since Asperger’s is milder than Autism, children were often not identified until they were 10-12 years old when social problems became more apparent. Some of them may have been previously diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder or referred to specialists working with ‘problem behaviors’. If students are identified early during their school years, they can be taught to socialize better and cope with the challenges of everyday life. Teachers and parents can play a very crucial role in this process. Course participants will be able to –

Workshop – 11

Application of Emotional Intelligence    and Behavioural Strategies for the Enhancement of a Positive Organizational Culture.

The overall content and format of this workshop are similar to Workshop#3, “Enhancing Emotional Intelligence”. However, this seminar has been designed for a group of participants from the same organization. Organizational culture can be a major stumbling block, at times, in making meaningful changes in the behaviors and attitudes of a group of individuals belonging to an organization. The group dynamics need to be facilitated to avoid unnecessary conflicts and resistance. The concept of cognitive dissonance will be introduced in simple terms to facilitate an awareness of cognitive resistance in dealing with changes and novel ideas. Some of the topics will be presented separately for different groups such as employees, managers, and senior administration/CEOs. The mode of presentation will be in the form of video and PowerPoint slides. In addition to these conventional presentation methods, an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) based strategy called ‘Interteaching’ will be employed for imparting the information/knowledge and to enhance active involvement/engagement by the participants. Dr. Thomas has prepared different versions of the same workshop tailored for various organizations such as university teaching departments, academic managers of university administration, school principals and teachers, managers/employees of technology firms, and small business organizations.
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PD Workshop-12

Identification, Diagnosis, and Management of High Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS):

This professional workshop is designed for Psychologists,
Psychiatrists, Behaviour Analysts, Paediatricians, Mental Health Nurses, Occupational therapists, Speech Language Therapists/Pathologists, and General Physicians.

(This workshop is not recommended for others. However, teachers and parents of children with ASD may attend if they possess basic  knowledge in the area of mental health/psychology.) It is not difficult to identify and diagnose a person with autism on the lower end of the spectrum. Autism (classic) was considered a very rare condition and a severe disability until a few decades ago. The movie “Rain Man” might have given its share in creating such a stereotype about people with autism. The scenario is totally different with regard to high-functioning autism and/or Asperger’s syndrome (AS).  This is one of the most complex and also the least understood disorders/conditions. Considerable confusion exists among mental health professionals on autism on the higher end of the spectrum/condition. This is true even in many of the advanced countries in the world. It is difficult for many people to believe that someone with autism could be working as a successful, award-winning reporter for the New York Times or as the CEO of a multi-million dollar national corporation, or as a professor in a university department, without others noticing him/her as autistic. There are a number of highly successful celebrities, politicians, scientists, and Nobel prize winners with HFA or Asperger’s syndrome.  A Google search on “famous people with Asperger’s syndrome” will give an unscientific, yet preliminary picture about the range of people thought to have had AS. Some people are diagnosed in their 40s and 50s and they might have spent most of their lives in a ‘social shell’ without realizing why they were different. There are many people with undiagnosed Asperger’s from all walks of life. The behavioral profiles of people on the spectrum can vary drastically from one individual to another based on a number of variables. Due to the complexity and subtleness of this condition, many mental health professionals are reluctant to consider a diagnosis of autism for people on the higher end of the spectrum. There are several international research studies/reports highlighting the difficulties faced by affected individuals and their families because of the ‘un-diagnosis”  or misdiagnosis of this condition. Many people with higher cognitive skills are able to use compensatory skills to mask their ‘raw’ autistic features/behaviors. Asperger’s syndrome could be misdiagnosed or mistaken for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Personality disorders, mood disorders or giftedness, and close observation of the hidden and subtle features by an experienced professional is the only method for a proper diagnosis. One of the reasons for exclusion of AS from the next edition of DSM (5) is due to such confusion and lack of clarity of this condition among mental health professionals. Although DSM 5 replaces the label of Asperger’s syndrome with ASD, still it is crucial to identify people with subtle/milder features of autism or people with high-functioning autism (HFA). Identifying and properly diagnosing someone on the higher end of the spectrum with subtle, yet complex features (cognitive, emotional and behavioural) of autism can remain a professionally challenging task. This workshop will address the following sub-topics:

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13.  Autism-Friendly Schools, Homes, and Communities: Strategies for Teachers and Parents

There is a significant increase in the number of children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) worldwide. While there is no cure for ASD, several research studies have produced substantial evidence that early identification and intensive intervention can result in dramatic progress.

On the other hand, a lack of ‘autism awareness’ among school personnel and significant others in the community can be a major barrier to achieving the expected progress for a student with autism. Poor understanding of the impact of the triad of impairments of autism can be a major stumbling block in providing an inclusive education for students with ASD.

Participants will be encouraged to discuss/brainstorm strategies to enhance an ‘autism-friendly climate/atmosphere’ in our local schools, homes, and in our local communities.

The course participants will be able to:

• Give a basic overview of  the
  triads of impairments in ASD
• Identify some of the basic
  behavioral characteristics of autism
• Explain why students with
  Asperger’s syndrome is often bullied by class/schoolmates
• Develop an understanding of the
  social skills deficits experienced by students on the spectrum
• Develop an understanding of the
  utility of visual supports and schedules for individuals with ASD in school and at
  home
• Increase their knowledge regarding
  the following strategies:

-Classroom and playground strategies, managing transition difficulties, dealing with challenging behaviors, dealing with ‘insistence on sameness’, function-based interventions, enhancing motivation for learning, social story interventions, priming, choice-making, functional communication training, discrete trial training (DTT), use of assistive technology, and video modeling.
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14. Social and Emotional Skills Training for Children, Teens and adults

Most students quickly acquire basic social and emotional skills during their primary school years. The social skills learned/acquired during primary school years can also be a crucial asset later in adult life. These skills allow them to meet and greet, have friendships, and deal with conflict; but for some
other students acquiring these skills can be difficult.

Research has shown that social and emotional training can be very effective.  Early identification of these difficulties is crucial. In some children, such difficulties can be glaringly obvious in their day-to-day interactions and thus difficult to ignore. In some other students, these social skill difficulties are very subtle and can be overlooked or misidentified as shyness, rudeness, anger, poor parenting, naughty behavior, or even giftedness.

The course participants will be able to:

• Give an overview of basic social and emotional skills
• Describe some of the methods to identify social and emotional challenges in the school setting
• Describe the use of a socio-gram to understand social dynamics and peer interaction patterns
• Describe the importance of non-verbal communication, social initiation, and social reciprocity
• Increase their knowledge regarding the following strategies:

-Social skills training, social story, circle of friends, semi-structured peer interaction
activities, modeling, video modeling

Describe some of
probable reasons why some students experience unstructured play to be more
challenging than supervised games/play activities.
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15. The Orchestra without a Conductor: Exploring the Challenge of Executive Function

Is your child having difficulty with planning, organizing, and managing their time? Do they have difficulty starting tasks or switching focus, persevering, and remembering? Come and learn about Executive Functioning with… Dr. Antony Thomas, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Clinical Psychologist & Behaviour Analyst  
What is Executive Functioning? Executive Functioning (EF) is an umbrella term used to describe a number of complex cognitive activities such as planning, strategizing, shifting and sustaining attention, and organizing/managing thoughts and actions resulting in conscious and purposive behaviors. The prefrontal cortex is the main seat of executive functions.  Similar to the position of a conductor in an orchestra or the CEO of a company, EF coordinates brain activities and functions. Understanding EF is paramount for assessing and modifying human adaptive behaviors. EF is a popular research and professional theme studied by Neuropsychologists, Neurologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Language Therapists, and Educationists. Difficulty in Executive Functioning is the hallmark of a number of subgroups of students who receive special education support. A better understanding of EF can be helpful in implementing appropriate and effective strategies for addressing the challenges of executive deficits. This workshop is an effort to explain and demonstrate the topics of Executive Function in simple and practical terms for the benefit of our therapists/clinicians, teachers, and parents. They can implement a number of strategies in addressing the specific executive function difficulties of their children/students.
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16.  A closer look at the dynamics and features of autism for planning effective interventions: workshop series for therapists and professionals

This four-part workshop series was designed mainly for training therapists, psychologists, and behavior specialists and for paraprofessionals engaged in the direct intensive intervention of students and clients exhibiting challenging behaviors, and social and emotional difficulties at school, home, and in the community.

Workshop 1- A closer look at the Dynamics and
Features of Autism for planning effective interventions

Workshop 2- Evidence-based intervention strategies
for supporting and teaching students on the Autism Spectrum

Workshop 3- Focus on challenging behaviors: ABA and
FBA based interventions

Workshop 4- Empowering students with Life
skills: The importance of enhancing social and emotional skills.

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1. Evidence-Based Strategies in the
   management of autism & Asperger’s Syndrome

2. An Introduction to Applied Behaviour
   Analysis (ABA) for Parents & Educators

3. Enhancing Emotional Intelligence: A way
   to improve relationships at work: A PD Workshop (EI-PD)

4. Cognitive Fitness and Critical Thinking (CF & CT)

5. Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA)

6. An Understanding of Asperger’s Syndrome (AS)

7. An Understanding of Autism Spectrum
   Disorders (ASD)

8. Basics of Emotional Intelligence: A
   Community Education Seminar (EIB)

9. School-based strategies for motivating
   student learning and managing students’ challenging
   behaviors

10. Classroom management of students with
    Social Difficulties and/or Asperger’s Syndrome

11. Application of Emotional Intelligence and Behavioural Strategies  for the Enhancement of  a Positive Organisational Culture 

12. Identification, Diagnosis, and Management of High Functioning Autism (HFA)  and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS).

13. Autism-Friendly Schools, Homes Communities: Strategies for Teachers and Parents

14. Social and Emotional Skills Training
    for Children, Teens, and adults.

15. The Orchestra without a Conductor: Exploring the Challenge of Executive Function

16. A Closer Look at the Dynamics and Features of Autism for planning effective interventions: workshop series for
    therapists and professionals