Ira
Kittrell to Speak as Part of JCC's Programming
For
Special Individuals
By Susie
Davidson
Advocate
Correspondent
This
evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Ira Kittrell, CCC/SLP, presents "The ABCs
of Social Skills" at Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton, as part of the
Special Needs Services Department of the JCCs of Greater Boston's ongoing
programming aimed at educating the community. Kittrell, an ASHA Speech-Language
Pathologist and Special Needs Consultant specializing in pragmatic language
disorders and executive function issues, has been a classroom teacher, director
of a summer camp program, school consultant, and an editorial and marketing
professional in educational publishing.
He
practices privately in Holliston as the Speech Solution and works at the Walker
Home and School, a residential treatment center for emotionally and
behaviorally challenged children. He is a member of the training faculty for
the Asperger's Association of New England and has designed an innovative
approach to pragmatic language programming. Numerous publications, network
television and national radio have recognized Kittrell's work with
hard-to-reach children. He was awarded the "Heroes Among Us Award" by
the Boston Celtics, and the "E-Achievement Award" by nationally
syndicated show E-Town.
Mr.
Kittrell attended Jewish day school and was a longtime camper and staff member
at Jewish overnight camps including B'nai Brith Beber Camp in Wisconsin. He was
the director of Camp Tova, the special needs day camp for the 92nd Street YM-YWHA,
and has created Maccabiah programs for religious schools including Temple Beth
Torah of Holliston and Congregation B'nai Shalom of Westborough. He helped
create a morning minyan program, and with his wife, Lisa, a Jewish Educator at
B'nai Shalom, the inception of a Chaverim for young families at Beth Torah,
where his children attend nursery school. He provided training for Jewish
educators at a NERJEA conference and is publishing a Jewish children's book
with Pitspopany Press with the working title, "The Day the Kreplach Ate
the Challah."
"Tonight's
talk," says JCC Special Needs Program Director Judy Pearl, "is an
extension of a conference last fall of JCCGB's 'Beyond The Ramp', an initiative
begun in 1998 for developmentally disabled individuals and their families,
where Kittrell also spoke." The conference's 200+ attendees was a
"call for action" from agencies, synagogues and organizations with
regard to addressing unmet needs of people with physical disabilities and/or
mental health issues.
Subsequent programs
ensued in the Jewish community which welcomed those of all abilities to
participate in synagogue life, religious schools, camps, and a variety of other
inclusive community programming. JCC offers 32 classes for children and adults
(approximately 400 people)including adapted aquatics, social groups, tae kwon
do; movement and music activity groups, self-advocacy groups and many more; 140
individuals have been integrated into JCC cultural arts, health and fitness,
group services, vacation and camp programs.
"Tonight,"
says Pearl, "Kittrell will discuss signs of disorder, and the possible
roots of these issues. He will speak on the variety of problems that children
may experience if they are left untreated. He will suggest various therapeutic and
educational approaches to helping children who may be experiencing social
difficulties."
Both
lecture and interactive dialogue will be the format, with role-plays and
vignettes included.
Please
contact Judy Pearl for information on Beyond The Ramp or other JCCGB special
needs programs
at:617-558-6508
or jpearl@jccgb.org
>
This
evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Ira Kittrell, CCC/SLP, presents “The ABCs
of Social Skills” at Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton, as part of the
Special Needs Services Department of the JCCs of Greater Boston’s ongoing
programming aimed at assisting this community.
Kittrell,
an ASHA Speech-Language Pathologist and Special Needs Consultant specializing
in pragmatic language disorders and executive function issues, has been a
classroom teacher, director of a summer camp program, school consultant, and an
editorial and marketing professional in educational publishing.
He
practices privately in Holliston as the Speech Solution and works at the Walker
Home and School, a residential treatment center for emotionally and
behaviorally challenged children. He is a member of the training faculty for
the Asperger’s Association of New England and has designed an innovative
approach to pragmatic language programming.
Numerous
publications, network television and national radio have recognized
Kittrell’s work with hard-to-reach children. He was awarded the
"Heroes Among Us Award" by the Boston Celtics, and the
"E-Achievement Award" by nationally syndicated show E-Town.
Mr.
Kittrell attended Jewish day school and was a longtime camper and staff member
at Jewish overnight camps including B'nai Brith Beber Camp in Wisconsin. He was
the director of Camp Tova, the special needs day camp for the 92nd Street
YM-YWHA, and has created Maccabiah programs for religious schools including
Temple Beth Torah of Holliston and Congregation B'nai Shalom of Westborough. He
helped create a morning minyan program, and with his wife, Lisa, a Jewish
Educator at B'nai Shalom, the inception of a Chaverim for young families at
Beth Torah, where his children attend nursery school. He provided training for
Jewish educators at a NERJEA conference and is publishing a Jewish children's
book with Pitspopany Press with the working title, "The Day the Kreplach
Ate the Challah."
“Tonight’s
talk,” says Director of Special Needs Services Dept. Judy Pearl,
“is an extension of a conference last fall of JCCGB’s ‘Beyond
The Ramp’, an initiative begun in 1998 for developmentally disabled
individuals and their families, where Kittrell also spoke.” The conference’s
200+ attendees called for action from agencies, synagogues and organizations
with regard to addressing unmet needs of mentally and/or physically challenged
people. Subsequent programs ensued in the Jewish community which welcomed those
of all abilities to participate in synagogue life, religious schools, camps,
and a variety of other inclusive community programming.
JCC
programs have involved 18 classes (approximately 185 people); 140 individuals
have been integrated into JCC cultural arts, health and fitness, group
services, vacation and camp programs. Sales of tribute cards, people pins, and
the Very Special Teen Sock Hop have been fundraising themes. At a recent seder
attended by participants of JCC social groups and Brother-to-Brother/Sister-to-Sister
program of Jewish Big Brother & Big Sister Association, interagency
activities were highlighted.
“Tonight,”
says Pearl, “Kittrell will discuss signs of disorder, and the possible
roots of these issues. He will speak on the variety of problems that children
may experience if they are left untreated. He will suggest various therapeutic
and educational approaches to helping children who may be experiencing social
difficulties.”
Both
lecture and interactive dialogue will be the format, with role-plays and
vignettes included. Questions for Kittrell will be allowed as well.
Please
contact Judy Pearl for information on Beyond The Ramp or other JCCGB special
needs programs at:617-558-6508 or jpearl@jccgb.org
The
JCC’s Ledgewood Program, for children with special needs, operates from
within traditional classroom settings, and provides support services both to
they and their parents. The special needs teachers provide individualized
experienced in cohort with usual classroom activities. Funded by the Ledgewood
Special Needs Endowment Fund for Preschool Children and made possible by the
Ledgewood Home for Jewish Children and the JCC’s of Greater Boston, the
program is integral to the Early Childhood Departments in Newton, Brookline,
Wayland, Stoughton, Canton, and Malden.
For more
information contact Judy Pearl at 617-558-6508. Pre-registration is
recommended. Nonmember: $10, member: $5.
The Special
Needs Services Department of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston is
hosting a seminar entitled "The ABCs of Social Skills and Children with
Special Needs". The event will take place on Thursday, May 9, 2002 from
7:30 - 9:30pm at the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center in Newton.
Some call
them social skills, some pragmatic language, some adaptive behaviors, and some
politeness. Whatever the name, they are the skills enabling human beings to get
along with others, get what they need or want, as well as, understand what
others may need or want. Most of us take for granted that the people with whom
we come in contact know the basic rules of social skills. We are angered when
those rules aren't followed, as we expect that the culprit knew the rules and
chose not to follow them.
Unfortunately,
there are those in society that due to an organic disorder or delay such as
autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Asperger's syndrome, non-verbal
learning disability, and numerous other diagnoses, or, due to a physical or
emotional trauma, may not know what most of us see as common knowledge. They
don't know about the golden rule or basic conversational skills. They are
easily and consistently misunderstood, and constantly misunderstand the intent
of others. They are seen as "rude", when they just don't get it, or
have difficulty understanding a situation. With children, this misunderstanding
leads to difficulties in what should be the areas of life that are the most
pleasurable and educational…classrooms, lunchrooms, the playground,
parties…any situation involving an interactive component.
For more
information on Ira Kittrell and his programs, please see his website at:
WWW.THESPEECHSOLUTION.COM
THURS. MAY
9:
7:30 PM
to 9:30 PM
LEDGEWOOD
SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
jpearl@jccgb.org
From: "Judy Pearl" <jpearl@jccgb.org
www.thespeechsolution.com
www.eritherapyseminars.com
thejewadv@aol.com,
and if so, please mark in the subject line that it is
for Susie's
article on
the JCCs'
Special Needs Services Dept. talk on May 9.
Picture of
Ira Kittrell:
http://www.thespeechsolution.com/about.htm
http://www.eritherapyseminars.com/
Ira L.
Kittrell, MA-CCC/SLP, is a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in
pragmatic language disorders and executive function issues. Mr.
Kittrell’s special needs experience includes time as a classroom teacher,
director of a summer camp program and as an editorial and marketing
professional in educational publishing.
Ira L.
Kittrell, ma-ccc/slp, director
SPECIAL
NEEDS CONSULTATION:
Ira
Kittrell's special needs experience ranges far beyond that of most Speech-Language
Pathologists. As a former special education classroom teacher, special needs
camp director, and through his involvement in educational publishing, he is
able to look at schools and their educational and behavioral concerns through a
multi-faceted lens. He is then able to assist them in training their staff, and
in developing more efficient and effective programming for their more
challenging students. This programming may take the form of inservice training,
lesson modification, systems modification, evaluation, on-going consultation,
and therapeutic intervention by a multi-disciplinary staff in order to make the
lives of the children, and therefore, the educators more productive and
enjoyable in the school environment.
The staff
associated with Ira and The Speech Solution come from a myriad of professional
backgrounds, including but not limited to, speech-language pathologists,
occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, child behavioral
specialists, learning disabilities specialists, and more, all of whom are
experienced in working with the most challenging children. Ira and many of his
associates have been trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) or like
programs in order to assist children in moments of crisis.
Special
needs consultation by The Speech Solution may be discipline specific, or
multi-disciplinary. As with any of our programs, it is tailored to your wants
and needs!
For health
and educational organizations and associations, parent groups, teachers, school
administrators, early childhood organizations, daycare providers,
speech-language pathologists, child-care professionals, occupational
therapists, medical doctors and nurses, mental health professionals, and
more…
Unique
Approaches To Pragmatic Language
Most
pragmatic language programs address social skills training through a standard
skill instruction, role-play, and discussion format. This program teaches
attendees to utilize innovative approaches such as American Sign Language
(ASL), public speaking & debate, and cooperative learning as the methods
for social language instruction and remediation. Note: Attendees do not need to
be proficient in ASL in order to use program techniques.
Creating A
Proactive Classroom
When we
react to negative behaviors in educational and social/recreational situations
we too often engage in power struggles, and spend more time on behavior
management than instruction. This program covers planning and creating an
environment in which negative behaviors are addressed through the milieu, lesson
format, physical environment and instructional method in a proactive rather
than reactive manner. The focus is on extinguishing potential problem
situations before they initiate.
Wh-
Questions:
The
Processing Key Asking and answering questions are the key to all learning.
Educational, social & recreational discussion and processing are addressed
through accounting for the normal stages of question development, (e.g., who,
what, where, which, when, how, and why), as well as, through children's' individual
abilities to answer and ask questions.
Effective
Collaboration for the Ancillary Service Provider (SLP,OT, PT, SW, etc…)
In today's
educational system, ancillary staff are asked to provide services in pull-out,
push-in, co-teach, and other models. This program helps providers to create
holistic programs in order to address students' needs through collaboration
with the classroom teacher. Attendees will learn to choose where, when, why,
how, and with whom to collaborate in as pain-free and effective a manner as
possible.
The
Language-Behavior Link
Language
delays and disorders, both verbal and non-verbal, are often the culprits in
exacerbating and escalating behavioral difficulties in the classroom. Attendees
will learn about common language concerns and their interplay with behavioral
issues and processing. They will further learn to take children's linguistic
issues into account when addressing or processing behaviors, and when engaging
in talk therapy situations.
Linguistic
Flexibility/Thinking Beyond The Script
Social
scripting is an important tool in the remediation of numerous pragmatic
language and social skill deficits. However, as pragmatic language is
situational, children eventually need to learn to break those scripts if they
are to be successful, especially in novel settings and with new people.
Attendees will review the basic concepts of and the rationale for scripting, as
well as, methods for beginning to break scripts effectively while assisting
children in maintaining pragmatic skills and social scripts.
Normal
Speech and Language Development
Parents and
professionals are always concerned about children's speech and language
progress as they grow from birth through school age, yet are often unclear as
to the developmental norms for communication during these stages. This program
covers normal speech and language development including: articulation, grammar,
voice, fluency, and more!
Speech-Language
Pathology for the M.D.-When to Refer
M.D.s are
generally the first people questioned by parents who are concerned about their
children's speech and language development. Attendees will review normal
development (see above), as well as, red flags for delays and disorders,
evaluative and therapeutic techniques, and timing for appropriate referral to
the SLP.
ADDITIONAL
CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS CAN BE DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS!!!
Note: Ira
Kittrell is available to speak at conferences and to conduct training sessions
for schools and organizations throughout the United States and Canada.
What
they're saying:
"Innovative!"
The Boston
Globe
"Creative!"
Advance for
SLP & A
"Unique!"
R.Y.-Psychologist
"A
gifted Speech-Language Pathologist, and an outstanding advocate for
children..."
F.R.-Principal
"Positive
and engaging!"
A.A.B.-SPED
Administrator
"uses his
heart and head to devise innovative ways to increase
communication..."M.G.-Occupational Therapist
"combines
a subtle yet sophisticated methodology with an enormous amount of creativity
and energy…"
m.g.,
LICSW-guidance counselor
"looks
at the whole child, not just at the speech and language problems."
DS-Parent
MISSION
STATEMENT:
To provide
quality, innovative and humanistic speech-language pathology and special needs
consultation services to all that are in need!
Quality:
Providing
premium services to our clients,their families, and those that support them.
Innovative:
Looking for
new directions in service delivery, new methods for evaluation, and new
approaches to treatment. Seeking new ways, any way to help our clients!
Humanistic:
We treat
our clients as people, not as disorders! We believe that a human, caring
approach assists the members of our client family as significantly as our
treatment methodology!