More YouTube – Video Modeling

by Seana Smith on Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Here’s another great use for YouTube, using clips as video models.   The link below is to a video of a boy getting a haircut, and could be used by all sorts of kids to give them a preview of what might happen.

Parents can also look at this and see the sorts of thing they could film themselves to show their own child.

On the subject of video modelling, a group in the US is getting together to look at promoting its use to schools and families.  If you have an interest in video modelling, you might like to join.

Technology Integration in Special Education

http://tech-in-sped.ning.com/

And if you are asking:

What is video modelling???

Here is a bit of information I have written about it:

What is video modeling?

Video modeling (VM) is, simply, the use of video to teach something new to a child.  The aim is to have the child imitate the “model” shown.

What can be taught?

Studies have shown that VM can be effective at teaching:   conversation skills, self-help skills, requesting, perception and expression of emotion, toy play and many other play skills.   A short selection of academic articles is given below.

University studies are all very well, but can VM help my child?

Excellent question!   If your child loves to watch television, that is a great start.   If they already copy things they have seen on television then all the better.   The only way to really find out is to try.

How do we get started?

There are two approaches; either make your own videos, or buy some commercial videos.   Several types are available, some of which have been made specifically for children with an ASD (Watch Me Learn and Fitting In and Having Fun.)

Making your own.

First decide exactly what it is you are aiming to teach your child.   As an example, if you wish to teach toy play with model cars, then find a person whom the child finds highly reinforcing (it could be mum, dad, granny or a sibling).   Video the model doing some simple car play, using simple language of the type the child uses, or just making car noises.

Make a 2-3 minute video.  Show this to the child 2-3 times and then show the same toys to the child  and encourage the child to play.   If this works, then keep on making lots of different mini-videos for the child to watch so that the toy play can expand from the learned scripts.    If it doesn’t work, show the video some more times.   Try it again using different toys.   Some of the professionals you consult may know how to help you with VM.  Do ask them for help and advice.   For some children VM is a very powerful teaching tool.

What is Video Self-Modeling?

This is when you film the child doing an activity, edit out all the bits where things do not go well, and make a video of the child being succesful at eg soccer, pronunciation, peer play.   You can fake the filming to make the child look as if he can do a new skill  eg being able to count, gross motor skills.   Then show the child the video 2-3 times and see whether it helps him or her master the new skill.

Isn’t watching TV bad for our kids?

Yes !!   Watching too much TV certainly is a problem, and many of our kids with ASD become real addicts.   But there are therapeutic videos to watch and many of our kids are visual learners so it can pay to use the natural advantages they have to help them learn.    Don’t hide the TV and videos – work on the programming !