Communication Corner: Encouraging Group Participation

In the classroom, learning often takes place in a small or large group. This can be challenging when you have students who come to your class with very individual needs. Group learning can be very stressful for students who struggle with communication and social demands. Some students struggle to keep their bodies regulated. We all know, in a group setting, when one student is dysregulated the whole group can become dysregulated. In order for each student to participate and engage in learning, it will be important to consider the communication, social, and regulation supports below. Today's Communication Corner will provide some tips and examples for Encouraging Group Participation.

Communication Supports:

Make sure each student has a method to participate. If they use AAC, make sure their device is set up for quick and easy access. A voice output button can allow even the most challenged student a simple method to participate.

GoTalk 9+ AAC for Circle Time
Mandy Whitfield
MCESC-Learning Center East, MCESC

Provide pictures to allow better understanding and quick responses. Even verbal communicators will benefit from the use of pictures and visual supports.

Greene INC, Greene ESC

A Wh-Flipbook is another helpful visual support that can be used during group activities. By providing picture responses, all the students are able to respond to questions and participate in the activity. Remember, visual input is processed much more quickly and efficiently than auditory input. By providing visual supports, you are reducing the anxiety for students who struggle with language processing and expressive communication.

Different students may need different communication tools for the same activity. It is important to differentiate to help these students participate to the best of their ability!

iPad AAC with Proloquo2Go

Picture Choices

Step-By-Step AAC Switch

Social Supports:

Some students are very aware of their peers and become extremely stressed when they know others are watching them and waiting for them to respond. They may avoid participation in fear of being wrong or embarrassed with the way they respond. It is important to set students up for success. Communication supports can also be a helpful way to make sure all students have a quick and easy way to participate in social interactions.

Greeting Choices
Tara Henriksen
Beavertown Preschool, Kettering

You will also want to consider the difficulty of the task. Modify the task demands to allow student success. Students who are shy and withdrawn will need to experience easy success to begin building their confidence. Consider the use of a peer mentor to provide support during group learning. Identify a kind and helpful student who can sit next to a student who is struggling. Teach the peer mentor strategies to be helpful without causing embarrassment or adding more stress.

Students with poor social skills may engage in behavior that is disruptive to the group such as interrupting or making negative comments about the responses of others. Specific social skills will need to be directly taught and practiced in structured lessons outside the group instruction. The student will need to be primed to use those skills just prior to the group activity to facilitate success. You can also work with the whole group to create videos to model expected group behavior by catching students demonstrating target skills. Most kids love to see themselves in the video so they try hard to demonstrate the target skills.

Visit our Sensational Social Skills Blog to get ideas for teaching specific social skills that are important in a group setting:

Excel at the Expected

Listen to Others

Respond to Others

Be Flexible

Waiting

Regulation and Engagement Supports:

There are many hidden demands associated with being in a group that can make students feel very dysregulated. Students may feel anxious about unexpected touch from students sitting nearby. They may feel overwhelmed about the competing and constantly shifting auditory and visual input of a group. Many students struggle with passive listening and need something to keep their bodies alert and engaged in the lesson. Some students need movement and struggle to sit still. Depending on the activity prior to group, some students may come to the group already dysregulated. Consider the following strategies to keep your group regulated and engaged:

Consider preferential seating. If a student has anxiety about unexpected touch or other sensory sensitivies, allow the student to sit away from the group. Often, we find students can learn from a group session even when sitting outside the group. In fact, they are more available for learning because they are no longer stressed or overwhelmed by the sensory input. If the student seeks movement, consider allowing the student to sit in a different type of chair that provides boundaries while allowing movement. Some students do well when allowed to stand or pace in a defined area. You can use tape on the floor to make clear boundaries for students who need to stand or pace during group instruction.

Student Home Base
Ashley Fry
Bradford Elementary, Bradford

Differentiated Adapted Seating
Keelin Dimuccio
Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek

Differentiated Adapted Seating
Molly Magoteaux
Kleptz ELC, Northmont

Find creative ways to engage students during passive listening. Provide something to keep the students engaged in the lesson such an interactive book, prop, or a fidget item related to the topic.

Interactive Reading Group with Character Props
Amy Beanblossom
Arcanum Elementary, Arcanum

Interactive Reading Group with Character Puppets and Dirt to Act Out Story
Deanna Hicks
Hollingsworth East Elementary, Eaton

Provide students with an interactive book or clipboard related to the group discussion. Each student can have their own or you can pair students so a stronger student can model and cue a student who struggles.

Circle Time Clipboards and Adapted Seating
Amy Beanblossom
Arcanum Elementary, Arcanum

Here is a video of a teacher priming her new kindergarten student to use an interactive calendar book. The video and book were sent to the student’s parents over the summer to practice using the book prior to their child starting kindergarten in the fall. This would also be a good tool to send home if a student is joining the morning group virtually.

Circle Time Book

Proactively planning and implementing these supports can help all your students engage in group learning and participate with success!