INTERACT
Intensive Interaction
Intensive Interaction
Priorities & Principles
for teaching communication to pupils with PMLD
CCEA Conference
22nd October 2009
Dr. Dave Hewett
c/o 31 Buntingford Road
Puckeridge
Herts
UK
SG11 1RT
+44 (0)1920 468621
daveinteract@hotmail.com
sarahinteract@hotmail.com
(Sarah Forde, PA)
Dr. Dave Hewett
www.www.davehewett.com
www.intensiveinteraction.co.uk
My intentions in this talk
1. Try and make some big
general points about human
communication
2. Commend the Quest
Guidance to you
3. Relate communication,
Intensive Interaction issues
and my other points to the
Quest Guidance
4. Offer some curriculum
theory on Intensive
Interaction
(not necessarily in that or any, order, but hopefully
with inter-connectedness)
A big, general issue
about human
communication
Why do
human beings
communicate?
Why do human beings
communicate?
• Surely, mainly for the pleasure
and fulfilment of sensations of
companionship, relationship,
psychological and emotional
‘connectedness’
• How many of our daily
communications with each other
actually have any kind of
‘product’ or instrumental outcome
• Most of them are ‘hot air’
Mission
How about if we think
about how to teach the
most complicated
things that a human
being ever learns….
To the people who
have the most severe
learning difficulties…?
Quest for learning
“
"for those individuals who consistently
fail to show measurable progress on
conventional assessments, a different
model of progress is required. It is not
that these individuals cannot make
progress, but we would argue that the
instruments by which progress is
measured do not suit the people whose
abilities are being measured."
Barber & Goldbart (1998)
Quest for Learning (page iiii)
“It is important that individuals working
with children who are severely disabled
are given tools that enable them to
address the relevant features of the
child's behaviour without trying to fit the
behaviour into a pre-existing assessment
tool that was not developed for, or
related to, the behaviour of someone
with very special problems i.e. unique
abilities and patterns of
growth.”
Wolfe Schein (1998)
Quest for Learning (page iiii)
This guidance:
• offers an overview of the main theories and background
information underpinning effective teaching and
assessment;
• considers the complex interaction between the sensory
impairments, motor disabilities, medical problems and
cognitive processing difficulties experienced;
• takes a more holistic view of learners by focusing on how
they learn and by acknowledging their different abilities
and achievements;
• takes account of preferred sensory and learning channels
and ways of processing information;
• focuses on those early communication,
cognitive and sensory skills that are the
foundation to all future learning and crucial to
an improved quality of life; (Dave’s emphasis)
• supports the development of learner-centred approaches
and the focus on emotional well-being through all the Key
Stages from the Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 4;
(page 2)
The Fundamentals of Communication
• enjoying being with another person
• developing the ability to attend to that person
• concentration and attention span
• learning to do sequences of activity with a
person
• taking turns in exchanges of behaviour
• sharing personal space
face & mind
‘reading’
• using and understanding eye contacts
• using and understanding facial expressions
• using and understanding physical contacts
• using and understanding other non-verbal
communications
• vocalising and using vocalisations
meaningfully (incl speech)
• learning to regulate and control arousal levels
• lots and lots of emotional er, stuff
• the development of neural links?
being William
Shakesepeare or
Einstein
becoming a scientist
and building space
rockets
work, work, work
playing a part in society,
being a citizen and a
school, school, curriculum, key stages, SATS,
etc. etc. Successfully taking part in society and
knowing how to assume appropriate roles
through the process of socialisation and com-
reading and writing
around 3 years onwards—maybe nursery, the
Foundation Stage Curriculum, learning to be a
member of a group, to sit, listen, participate as
a group member, be responsiible, literacy and
numeracy
speech and language,
learning to converse
learning to play in increasingly complex ways, both in partnership and solo
play, play, play, play— learning
many of the most complicated things
through extensive play activities
first use and
understanding of
words
becoming
interested in the
world generally
being with other
people is good
learning to
control and
regulate arousal
becoming
levels
interested in
objects
sharing
none of this
will be in
place
use and
understanding of
eye contacts
confidence,
competence,
curiosity
knowing how to
concentrate and
do things
learning to use
objects and know
what they do
doing activities with another
person for a long time
Fundamentals of Communication
use and
understanding of
facial expressions
turn-taking vocalising
people are
interesting
non-verbal
communication
If this is
not firmly
in place
first
We started work on
Intensive Interaction
because:
• Our communication curriculum
was inadequate
• Our curriculum was inadequate
• Communication was the
absolute priority for all students
• We could find little help, little
knowledge in existing literature
• Most of us were uneasy about all
the trappings of behaviourism
(‘Skinnerism’) we were using
• We were moving intuitively
toward a more play-based
curriculum
To what extent do
the issues in those
bullet-points still
apply today?
Intensive Interaction Central Principles
Basically, the teacher makes space for the learner to lead the
activity.
The teacher develops the content and the flow of the activity by:
RESPONDING!!!!
Responding to things the learner does. Some ways of
responding:
imitation/joining-in/mirroring
delighted face/voice/body language
bursts of speech – running commentary
Therefore it is necessary for the teacher to ‘tune-in’ to the
learner, constantly read and assess the learner for things that
the teacher can respond to in order to create ‘communication
moments’
The effect for the learner is then that:
1.The tempo of the activity is okay – the learner dictates the
tempo
2.The content of the activity is understandable since the starting
point is things the learner does and understands
3.The behaviour of the teacher is understandable – more like the
behaviour of the learner.
Therefore
The activities contain many
pauses
Where the teacher watches and
waits
Does not – 'drive on'
Repetition & Repertoire
Therefore, from sometimes quite small beginnings, frequent
repetitions of the game-activities that work, gradually
enlarges the activities. They grow in duration and
complexity.
Therefore:
Repetition is good
Repetition is the main engine-room of forward progress.
People who are at early stages of development like
repetition
Repetition provides:
familiarity
predictability
security
a sense of control and structure
Gradually, a widening repertoire of familiar activities is
generated.
This provides a sense of confidence for the learner to
experiment, do new things which also get responded to and
added to the repertoire.
Some thoughts on a
curriculum theory for
Intensive Interaction
Interactive approaches
Facilitating the development of fundamental
early communication skills requires
practitioners to use process-based, interactive
approaches rather than product-based
behaviourist ones. Interactive approaches have
moved away from the teaching of small
sequential steps, controlled by the teacher, and
instead focus on broader attainment which is
not necessarily easy to measure or record. The
principles of the interactive approaches are
that:
Page 13
• learning is contingent upon good
interpersonal relationships;
• there is sensitivity to feedback from
the learner;
• the focus is on understanding,
developed through relationships
which foster respect, negotiation,
participation and motivation;
• the quality of the teaching and
learning process is as important as
the performance of the objectives;
• teaching is not always dependent on
dividing that which is to be taught
into its constituent parts.
page 13
Other areas of learning
gradually becoming
available and opening up
many learning outcomes
gradually emerging
repetition
these activities lift off and
spiral upwards with
success breeding on
success day-by-day
Stern, Beebe, Jaffe et al 1977
repetition
frequent, daily
sessions - activities
spiraling
repetition
repetition of early
engagements
first access
- small
beginnings
Parent-infant interaction and Intensive Interaction
work like this – ‘spiralling’
Fom: Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and complicated learning: that’s what
play is for!’ ICAN, Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
input/output
?
?
?
?
input/output
?
?
?
?
?
input/output
My visualisation of the complexity of
communication learning and performance
Communication
Fom: Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and complicated learning: that’s what play is for!’ ICAN,
Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
7
and so on
then this
first teach this
6
1
2
3
4
5
A visual representation of conventional,
‘structured’ teaching
How we like to teach
Fom: Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and complicated learning: that’s what
play is for!’ ICAN, Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
6
1
2
3
4
This sort of
teaching
approach
5
How we like to teach
Probably won’t
work for teaching
something as
complicated as
this
?
?
?
?
?
The complexity of communication learning and
performance
Communication
This is a true ‘process curriculum’
The learning outcomes are
gradually emergent over time
As a result of the rolling,
cumulative, generative process
The learning outcomes are not set
as targets or objectives, they
simply gradually emerge within
the process as a result of the
process
The ‘process’ is the regular, frequent activation of the
activities
The activities are the interaction sessions – the regular
frequent practical rehearsal of the skills, abilities
concepts and schemata concerned with being a
communicator
These activities are carried out in partnership with
someone who is already good at it
And each activity gradually builds on all the activities
that have gone before, gradually growing in duration,
content and sophistication
What is interactive about Intensive Interaction?
The learner is a fully active participant likely to be
influencing the processes of the activity as much the
teacher does
The teacher ‘tunes-in’ for and reads the processes of the
learner moment-by-moment and allows that feedback to
influence teacher behaviour
We might say there are three basic principles:
The learner is active
The learning activity is intrinsically rewarding and motivating
The learner shares control of the activity with the teacher
(Nind & Hewett 1988)
17
If you think about it, most
of the most important
things that a human being
learns – and also all the
most complicated things
– are learnt pretty much
before the age of four. In
nearly all countries, this is
before the child goes to
school.
Tharp and Gallimore
(1988)
refer to this learning as
the ‘social curriculum’
or
the ‘natural curriculum’
“In every culture, natural
teaching transmits skills
of immense variety and
power – a ‘curriculum’ of
far greater complexity
than anything attempted
in schools. Such
interactions awaken mind,
communication and
expression…”
Tharp & Gallimore (1988 p. 20)
Learning through play….
In fact, much of this learning
is so complicated, multifaceted and multi-layered, the
only way in which this
learning can be carried out is
during play or play-like
activities. That is what the
play is for. Play is itself a
complex, multi-layered, multifaceted situation that is just
right for learning things that
are like that.
Fom: Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and complicated learning: that’s what
play is for!’ ICAN, Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
References
Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and
complicated learning: that’s what play is for!’ ICAN,
Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
Tharp, R.G. & Gallimore, R. (1988) Rousing Minds to
Life: teaching, learning and schooling in social
context. Cambridge: Cambridge Universtiy Press.
Stern, D.N., Beebe, B., Jaffe, J. & Bennett, S.L.
(1977) 'The infants stimulus world during social
interaction: a study of caregiver behaviours with
particular reference to repetition and timing', in
Schaffer, H.R. (ed) Studies in Mother-Infant
Interaction (London: Academic Press).
Publications and research on Intensive Interaction
Books
Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (1994) Access to Communication:
Developing the basics of communication with people with
severe learning difficulties through Intensive Interaction.
London: David Fulton.
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (Eds) (1998) Interaction in Action:
Reflections on the Use of Intensive Interaction. London:
David Fulton.
Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (2001) A Practical Guide to
Intensive Interaction Kidderminster: British Institute of
Learning Disabilities.
Kellett, M. & Nind, M. (2003) Implementing Intensive
Interaction in Schools: Guidance for Practitioners,
Managers and Coordinators. London: David Fulton.
Articles & Chapters
Cameron, L. & Bell, D. (2001) ‘Enhanced Interaction
Training: A method of multi-disciplinary staff training in
Intensive Interaction to reduce challenging behaviour in
adults who have learning disabilities and who also have a
severe communication disorder’, Working with People
who have a Learning Disability, Vol 18, (3) 8-15.
Culham, A. (2004) Getting in Touch with our Feminine
Sides? Men's Difficulties and Concerns with Doing
Intensive Interaction, British Journal of Special Education,
31 (2), 81-.
Elgie, S. & Maguire, N. (2001) ‘Intensive Interaction with
a woman with multiple and profound disabilities: a case
study, Tizard Learning Disability Review, Vol 6, No. 3, pp
?
Gardner, A. and Rikberg Smyly, S. (1997) ‘How do we
stop doing and start listening: responding to the emotional
needs of people with learning disabilities’, British Journal
of Learning Disabilities, vol. 25, 26-30.
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (1988) 'Developing an Interactive
Curriculum for Pupils with Severe and Complex Learning
Difficulties'. In Smith, B. (Ed) Interactive Approaches to
the Education of Children with Severe Learning
Difficulties. Birmingham: Westhill College.
Hewett, D. (1989) ‘The Most Severe Learning Difficulties:
Does Your Curriculum Go Back Far Enough?’ In
Ainscow, M. (Ed) Special Education in Change. London:
David Fulton.
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (1989) 'Interaction as Curriculum at
Harperbury School'. PMLD Link 5.
Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (1989) 'Teaching pupils with
very severe learning difficulties by means of Intensive
Interaction. Some typical questions and answers.'
Portage Into the Nineties Papers from the 1989
National Portage Association Conference. The
National Portage Association.
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (1992) 'Returning to the Basics:
A Curriculum at Harperbury Hospital School' In:
Booth, T. et al, Curricula for Diversity in Education.
London: Open University Press/Routledge
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (1993) 'Access to
Communication. Intensive Interaction: an approach to
helping learners who are still in the pre-speech
stages of communication learning.' Information
Exchange May 1993.
Hewett, D. (1996) 'How to do Intensive Interaction', in
Collis, M. & Lacey, P. 1996 (eds) Interactive
Approaches to Teaching: A Framework for INSET,
London: David Fulton.
Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (2003) Severe Learning
Difficulties: Intensive Interaction’. Five to Eleven, Vol
2, No. 10 30-32.
Hewett, D. (2007) ‘Do touch: physical contact and
people who have severe, profound and multiple
learning difficulties’, Support for Learning, 22, (3) 116.
Hewett, D. (2006) ‘The most important and
complicated learning: that’s what play is for!’ ICAN,
Talking Point, March. www.talkingpoint.org.uk
Irvine, C. (2001) ‘On the floor and playing…’ Royal
College of Speech and Language Therapy Bulletin,
November 2001, 9-11.
Kellett, M. (2000) ‘Sam’s story: evaluating Intensive
interaction in terms of its effect on the social and
communicative ability of a young child with severe
learning difficulties’, Support for Learning, 15 (4), 16571.
Kellett, M. (2003) ‘Jacob’s Journey: developing
sociability and communication in a young boy with
severe and complex learning difficulties using the
Intensive interaction teaching approach’, Journal of
Research in Special Educational Needs, March.
Kennedy, A. (2001) ‘Intensive Interaction’, Learning
Disability Practice, Vol 4, No. 3, 14-15.
Knight, C. (1991) ‘Developing Communication Through
Interaction’ in Watson, J. (ed) Innovatory Practice and
Severe Learning Difficulties. Edinburgh: Moray House.
Lovell, D.M., Jones, R.S.P. and Ephraim, G. (1998) ‘The
effect of Intensive Interaction on the sociability of a man
with severe intellectual disabilities’,
International Journal of Practical Approaches to
Disability. Vol. 22, Nos 2/3, 3-9.
Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (1988) 'Interaction as
Curriculum.' British Journal of Special Education 15 (2)
55-57.
Nind, M. (1996) ‘Efficacy of Intensive Interaction:
developing sociability and communication in people with
severe and complex learning difficulties using an
approach based on caregiver-infant interaction’
European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 11,
No. 1, 48-66.
Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (1996) 'When ageappropriateness isn't appropriate' in Coupe-O'Kane, J &
Goldbart, J. (eds) Whose Choice? London: David
Fulton.
Nind, M. (2000) ‘Teachers’ understanding of interactive
approaches in special education’ International Journal of
Disability, Development and Education, Vol. 47, No. 2,
184-199.
Nind, M. (2000) ‘Intensive Interaction and children with
autism,’ in Powell, S. (ed) Helping Children with Autism
to Learn. London: David Fulton.
Nind, M. & Powell, S. (2000) Intensive Interaction and
autism: some theoretical concerns’, Children and
Society, 14 (2), 98-109.
Nind, M. & Kellett, M. (2002) ‘Responding to learners
with severe learning difficulties and stereotyped
behaviour: challenges for an inclusive era’, European
Journal of Special Needs Education, 17 (3), 265-82.
Nind, M., Kellett, M. & Hopkins, V. (2001) ‘Teachers’ talk
styles: communication with learners with severe learning
difficulties’, Child Language, Teaching and Therapy,
17(2), pp. 143-159.
Nind, M. & Kellett, M. (2002) ‘Response' (to
JamesHogg, Juliet Goldbart and John Harris re
'Responding to individuals with severe learning
difficulties and stereotyped behaviour: challenges for an
inclusive era’, European Journal of Special Needs
Education, 17(3), pp. 299-300.
Nind, M. and Cochrane, S. (2002) ‘Inclusive curricula?
Pupils on the margins of special schools’, International
Journal of Inclusive Education, 6(2) pp. 185-198.
Nind, M. (2003) ‘Enhancing the communication
learning environment of an early years unit through
action research’, Educational Action Research, 11,
3, pp.347-63.
Samuel, J. (2001) ‘Intensive Interaction’, Clinical
Psychology Forum, 148, 22-5.
Samuel, J. (2001) Intensive Interaction in context,
Tizard learning Disability review, 6(3), 25-30.
Watson, J. & Knight, C. (1991) ‘An evaluation of
intensive interaction teaching with pupils with
severe learning difficulties’, Child language,
Teaching and Therapy, 7 (3) 10-25.
Watson, J. (1994) Using Intensive Interaction in the
education of pupils with PMLDs (ii) Intensive
Interaction: two case studies, In Ware, J. (Ed.)
Educating Children with Profound and Multiple
Learning Difficulties. London: David Fulton.
Watson, J. and Fisher A. (1997) Evaluating the
effectiveness of Intensive Interactive teaching with
pupils with profound and complex learning
difficulties’, British Journal of Special Education,
Vol. 24, (2), 80-7.
Ph.D Theses
Nind, M. (1993) Access to Communication:
Efficacy of Intensive Interaction Teaching for
people with severe developmental disabilities who
demonstrate ritualistic behaviours. Ph.D Thesis,
Cambridge Institute of Education.
Hewett, D. (1994) Understanding and writing a
methodology of Intensive Interaction – teaching
pre-speech communication abilities to learners with
severe learning difficulties: a naturalistic inquiry
using qualitative evaluation methods. Ph.D Thesis,
Cambridge Institute of Education.
Kellett, M. (2001) Implementing Intensive
Interaction: an evaluation of the efficacy of
Intensive Interaction in promoting sociability and
communication in young children who have severe
learning difficulties and of factors affecting its
implementation in community schools. Ph.D
Thesis, Oxford Brookes University.
Samuel, J. (2003) An Evaluation of Intensive
Interaction in Community Living Settings for Adults
with Profound Learning Disability, DclinPsychol
thesis, Open University/BPS.