Video Preparation Stories

Wednesday, July 12 -Today's experience writing preparation stories proved to be more difficult than I originally thought. Getting just the right amount of information in the story, while focusing only on the target behaviour and wording the story in a positive way was challenging to say the least. The video component to the story was easy and I am looking forward to seeing each group's finsiehd product.

Preparation stories are written primarily to help students with autism understand social behaviours. There are a number of agencies that provide good information and offer support for families and educators who are struggling to understand the complexities of autism. I have attached links to the Autism Society of Canada and The Provincial Autism Centre.

Thursday, July 14 - The groups presented their presentation video's today. The process of preparing the video was challenging to different groups for different reasons. Some groups had difficulty with the language of the preparation story and other groups had technical difficulties with the Windows Movie Maker program. The content of each of the videos was very relevant to the student for whom it was prepared. The preparation stories addressed issues such as washroom etiquette, playground behaviour, bus behaviour and filling up a gas tank on a car. The washroom etiquette video was prepared as a response to inappropriate "peeking" at other students in the washroom. The playground behaviour addressed both the safety issue of using the playground equipment properly as well as the social issue of turn taking and waiting. The bus video addressed the issue of safety as it relates to getting on the bus and during the bus trip home. The filling the gas tank video was written to suit the very specific need of a teen who needs to know the steps for filling up the gas tank and paying inside the store. They were all very relevant to the individual students in relation to what they already know how to do and what they need to learn how to do.

I have attached the preparation story my group prepared. We addressed washroom etiquette. The student we made the story for had gotten into difficulties with peers because of her consistent behaviour of peeking under the doors and walls of the stalls while they were using the washroom. The student could not enter the washroom without engaging in this behaviour. The team felt it was really important to address this issue as it would cause serious problems for the student both with her peers and in washrooms in other environments. We are pleased to report that the preparation story, in conjunction with a task strip, was effective. The student now, only occasionally, engages in the peeking behaviour. Job well done team!