The Way PWAs See It

By: Cricel Elises, ASP Administrative Staff

ASP National conducted a Seminar-Workshop on Behavior Management Program, last July 19, 2011, at Asian Social Institute Malate, Manila. Speakers were Ms. Rizalinda “Riza” Cansanay, ASP Laguna Chapter-President and Ms. Rosalyn Marie “Teacher My” Sorongon, special educator. The said seminar was first postponed, due to Typhoon Falcon, last June 25. Evelyn Go, ASP Treasurer and Evert Malapad, ASP National-Auditor and Metro-South Chapter-President, came to support the 47 participants.

Seminar on Behavior Management

“All behaviors, whether appropriate or inappropriate, occur for a reason,” said speaker Riza Cansanay. She said children or persons with autism need to make sense of his environment, process information and understand expectations from him. “They are manifested as a means of communication, learned behavior or sensory stimuli.”

To help us understand the behavior of PWAs, below are sample reactions from famous authors with autism:

“Church was a nightmare because the petticoats and other Sunday clothes itched and scratched. A scratchy petticoat was like sandpaper rubbing my skin raw. The good clothes felt differently than everyday clothes. Many behavior problems in church could have been avoided by a few simple clothing modifications.” – Temple Grandin (Parent Book, 1999)

“I loved repetition. Every time I turned on and off light, I know what would happen. It gave me a wonderful feeling of security because it was exactly the same each time. I got enormous pleasure from throwing things into a big tree. I wanted to see how high they would go and where they would get caught. This was my world, and I was in control.” - Sean Barron (There’s a Boy in Here)

The speaker also emphasized the A-B-C’s in creating behavioral intervention plan for persons with autism: A-antecedent (what happened prior to observed behavior), B- behavior (observed behavior),C- consequence (strategy, what was done when behavior was observed). She stressed on the importance of creating a behavior management plan.

Mam Riza with the participants

A well-designed Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is aimed to help PWAs:

amake sense of his surroundings;

aprocess the information; and

aunderstand what is required of him.

Workshop on Behavior Management

In the afternoon session, participants divided themselves into groups. A case study was given and in 30 minutes, they had to present an Intervention Plan considering the following: behavioral goal, rules and directives, reward/s to use, if the behavior escalates, how they will achieve a WIN-WIN situation?, choices, if any, how to set up an environment; and refer to the guidelines and strategies earlier tackled. They had given 10 minutes for each case presentation.

Ms. My Sorongon with the participants

During the morning session, clean sheets of paper were distributed to participants. They were asked to follow instructions on how to fold the paper into a mini notebook. On the first page, the name of a child with autism or CWA -student/relative/own child/grandchild/relative- that they wanted to help was written; on second page, a short description about the child; and lastly, on page three, the child’s inappropriate behavior. The mini notebook was a take home assignment for the participants to apply what they have learned in the seminar-workshop to address the needs of the child with autism.

ASP Treasurer Evelyn Go with the two speakers
Ms. Rizalinda Cansanay and Ms My Sorongon

ASP next Seminar on July 30 is about PICTURES EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (PECS) by Ms. Stephanie Lopez - Sy and FORUM ON FAMILY JOURNEY WITH AUTISM by Dr. Nida Juat - Valeriano, Ms. My Sorongon and Ms Melanie Arceo at Asian Social Institute, Malate Manila. For details click here.

Be an Angel for Autism. Donate generously to ASP Programs and Services. Donate to Autism Society Philippines Metrobank Kamias Branch 047-3-04751874-2. Email us at autismphils@gmail.com or call 7-903-5496.