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Activity Plan

Students Names: Meghan Kennedy & Natasha Cruz

Date of Activity: Dec 3rd, 2017 Type of Activity: Library/ Listening

Age Group: Pre-Schoolers Number of Children: 9

Because I have noticed this about the children’s behavior, interests and skills:

(see attached observation)

In my observation the children were very interested in Christmas, specifically the classroom Christmas tree. I noticed the children seemed to be interested in the lights and decorations. I will do the following to support/interest/challenge them: I will be calling over 3 children at a time and I will start by showing them & handing out laminated pictures of different Christmas trees. I will ask them to join me in singing "Our little pine tree"

I will do the following to support/interest/challenge them: (include a clear beginning, middle and end of the activity, as well as the aesthetic considerations re: setting the stage for the activity)

Beginning: I will sing, Here’s our little pine tree, Tall and straight let’s find the things So we can decorate. First we want to put A star on top! Then we must be careful The balls don’t drop. Hang on all the tinsel Shiny and bright Put on the canes And hook them just right. Finally put some presents for you and for me. And we’ll be ready with our Christmas tree.

Middle: I will ask the children questions about the Christmas trees I handed out. ("what colour is the tree?" "Do you decorate a tree at home?" "What is special about Christmas to you?" "What do you celebrate?") I will follow with a book called "The biggest Christmas tree EVER!!!."

End: I will warn the children close to the story ending that we are washing our hands to have lunch. I will ask them to assist me in helping tidy by putting their Christmas trees back in the bin after I call their name. This will give the children a sense of belonging when they are called by their name and are asked to assist their peer.

Inclusion: I will support the child by sitting at their level and on the floor with them. I will talk in expressive tones to focus their attention and make sure they are comfortable. I will talk slowly, be patient and guide appropriate behavior. A child with Fragile X Syndrome can be supported by having the teacher sit beside them. They can remind the child of the activity they are doing verbally if they become irritable with sitting down.

Possible follow-up activities: (identify materials to include in a minimum of 2 specific learning areas to extend the planned activity)

1. We can go outside and collect pine cones to make our own Christmas trees.

Learning Areas:

1. Dramatic Play- Santa stuffies, hats, Christmas cooking decor, reindeer hats

2. Writing/literacy- Christmas words on Christmas pictures

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Floor plan by Natasha Cruz and Meghan Kennedy.

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Resource and Support links

Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada

Contact them at The Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada Headquarters

167 Queen Street West

Brampton, Ontario

Canada  L6Y 1M5

Phone: 905-453-9366

info@fragilexcanada.ca

Other support links-

McMaster Fragile X and Autism Research

Fragile X Research Foundation Of Canada

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Individual Support Plan for a child with Fragile X Syndrome.

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Strategies for Learning and Teaching

Structure the environment to reduce excessive sensory stimulation to a level that the student can cope with. The student with fragile X will respond positively to a calm, quiet classroom environment.

Provide the student with some freedom to move about the room and have times off-task when necessary.

Avoid, if possible, placement in a class of students with behaviour difficulties or emotional disturbance and/or behavioural problems.

Seat the student away from others in his/her own personal space.

Establish and maintain a consistent routine and ensure that the student knows what to expect and what is required during the day.

Appropriate coping and self-regulation strategies may be directly taught for the student to use when he/she feels himself/herself becoming over-aroused.

Be aware of the particular antecedent events that trigger inappropriate behaviours and plan to avoid them or to offer special help to cope if upsets are unavoidable.

The student may need a high level of individual assistance to complete tasks. The adult assisting should be quiet, calm and as unobtrusive as possible, avoiding touch and eye contact to decrease distraction levels for the student.

Avoid direct pressures (e.g. time limits, questions in front of others, eye contact or insistence on collaboration) on the student as these can be counterproductive.

Utilise the student’s preference for practical tasks, physical activity and visual learning within the learning situation.

The student may find writing difficult, so alternative recording methods may need to be explored (e.g. computer/specifically differentiated worksheets where less writing is required).

Modelling and imitation should be utilised for both behavioural and communication skills.

Mathematics can be presented in a visual and tactile manner with manipulatives, and experiential learning contexts can be used that are related to real-life experiences.

Board games and computers may be utilised for turn taking, communication, social interaction and the development of fine-motor skills.

Where possible verbal instructions should be accompanied by visuals or a practical demonstration

https://www.sess.ie/categories/assessed-syndromes/fragile-x/tips-learning-and-teaching

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Fragile X is a family of conditions: FXS, FXTAS, FXPOI, and more emerging premutation carrier issues we are just learning about.

The gene responsible for Fragile X is called FMR1 and is found on the X chromosome. Everyone has the FMR1 gene on their X chromosome.

The FMR1 gene was identified in 1991. The FMR1 gene makes a protein (FMRP) that is important in brain development. Individuals with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) have a deficiency of this protein.

Mutations, or changes, in the FMR1 gene lead to developing one of the Fragile X conditions.

Fragile X mutations can be classified as “normal”, “gray zone”, “premutation carrier” or “full mutation”. These are defined by the number of CGG repeats in one’s DNA.

Fragile X is diagnosed through a DNA sample, usually from blood, but amniotic fluid and other tissues can also be tested.

The test for Fragile X is called the “FMR1 DNA test for Fragile X”. The test for Fragile X must be ordered by a physician or a genetic counselor.

Fragile X conditions are inherited genetically, passed through generations often unknowingly.

If even one person is diagnosed with Fragile X, members of his/her family should get tested, too! Make a family tree to see who is at risk.

Females who are premutation carriers of the Fragile X gene mutation have a 50/50 chance of passing the gene mutation to each of their children.

Males who are premutation carriers of the Fragile X gene will pass the gene to all of their daughters (giving them his X chromosome) but none of his sons (his Y chromosome).

The full Fragile X mutation causes the FMR1 gene to “turn off” and not work properly, a process called methylation. When this happens, the gene does not produce any or enough Fragile X protein.

Approximately 1 in 3,600 to 4,000 males and approximately 1 in 4,000 to 6,000 females have the full mutation of Fragile X.

Fragile X syndrome is the leading known cause of inherited intellectual disability. Fragile X syndrome occurs in both males and females.

Females with Fragile X syndrome generally have milder symptoms than their male counterparts.

Fragile X syndrome is the leading known genetic cause of autism. Approximately 2-6 percent of children with autism are diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome.

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A photo of the Fragile X Genetic Mutation 

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The Effects of Fragile X Syndrome on Learning

1 in 4, 000 males are affected, while 1 in 8, 000 females are affected by this syndrome. Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is wide ranging in its effects, which can range from subtle learning problems with an average IQ, to severe intellectual disability. Although there are many symptoms of FXS that have educational implications for FXS children and their teachers, it is important to remember that any one child may present only a few of the problems or may present a range of symptoms but in a relatively mild form. Speech and Language Speech and language are almost always affected, and indeed, delayed development here is often one of the earliest presenting features. Litany-like repetition of words and phrases with up and down swings of pitch is common, as are repetitions of the last word or phrase spoken to them (echolalia), repetitions of words or phrases they have themselves spoken (palilalia), and a tendency to skip rapidly from topic to topic while in conversation. Speech is inclined to be rapid with poor control of rhythm (dysrhythmia), and words seem to fall over each other with pauses often in the wrong places making speech difficult to follow. Comprehension of the spoken word often represents significant problems for the FXS child. The advice and guidance of speech therapy services can prove helpful in these areas. Information Overload FXS children frequently find it difficult to make sense of and react appropriately to the welter of information coming to them via their senses. In ‘busy’ environments they can become overwhelmed by excessive stimulation, sometimes responding with tantrums, withdrawal, hyperactivity, perseverations or other confused behaviours. Adults need to be sensitive to the situations that may provide such reactions, but when they do occur, a calm and comforting response should be aimed for. Behavioral Aspects Perhaps the most debilitating clinical feature noted in individuals with FXS is that of behaviour. Behavioural features may include obsessive-compulsive tendencies, hyperactivity, attention deficit, mood swings and autism. There is a suggestion that people with FXS are more prone to the following: Over-activity/Hyperactivity - always rushing about, never able to sit still Impulsivity – not inclined to wait for anything, wanting things straight away, doing first and thinking later Inattention – marked concentration problems, inability to stick to one game or task for any length of time Restlessness – always up and down, out of one’s seat Other characteristic patterns of behaviour which tend to moderate as the child grows older are: Social Anxiety - a reluctance to give eye contact, avoidance of other people’s gaze, particularly in situations the child perceives as stressful Mimicry – tendency to mimic humorous or slang phraseology and bad language Memory Retention – generally short, but can be excellent over the long term in a topic where the child’s interest has been engaged Liking for Routines – children can become upset when established routines are broken Repetitive Behaviours – such as hand-flapping and hand-biting People affected by FXS may have difficulty communicating to others what they want, how they feel etc. They probably also have difficulties in understanding what other people are trying to get across to them, whether they use words, gestures or other ways of communicating. In addition they may be reluctant to look other people in the eye, having to avert their gaze if they are looked at. Socially, people with these problems may tend to be loners. They may find it difficult to get on with other people. They may prefer to be on their own or be extremely shy or anxious in company. They may be obsessional in their behaviour. They may have their own routines and habits which they insist on sticking to and any unexpected changes often result in tantrums and other behavioural problems, since they have difficulty understanding what will happen next. They may like everything to be the same and find changes hard to cope with. They may persistently flap or wave their hands, in particular in response to anxiety or excitement. When these disabilities are severe and occur simultaneously, the condition is described as autism, and may be associated with any degree of intelligence. Minorities of individuals with FXS have autism. Many more have some of the above features. Particularly common in FXS (and much less so in other conditions) is the combination of a likable, happy, friendly personality with a limited number of autistic-like features such as hand flapping, finding direct eye contact unpleasant, and some speech and language problems. Generally speaking the problems experienced by girls and women with FXS are similar to those of boys and men. Girls and women with more average intellectual functioning may still have large discrepancies between different ability areas and may show similar concentration problems with impulsiveness, distractibility and difficulty sticking to tasks even if they are not overactive. Shyness and anxiety in social situations can occur. There can also be difficulty in organising thoughts, planning ahead, shifting readily from one piece of thought to another and going through tasks in one’s mind. By and large, children with FXS are not what are commonly understood by the term ‘badly behaved’. They can, nevertheless, present teachers with management problems, to do with, say, getting up on impulse and meandering around the classroom, or reacting vigorously and inappropriately to events around them, or by appearing uncooperative at times. While we might expect such behaviours from a child with FXS that does not mean we have to accept them. Teachers need have no worries about insisting on appropriate behaviour. That is part of the learning process. As with other curriculum areas however, long-term repetition will probably be required and perhaps, even a permanent behaviour.

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