Incredible 5-Point Scale Assisting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Understanding Social Interactions and Controlling Their Emotional Responses [Paperback]

Kari Dunn Buron (Author), Mitzi Curtis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1931282528 | ISBN-13: 978-1931282529 | Edition: 1

This must-have resource shows how the use of a simple 5-point scale can help students understand and control their emotional reactions to everyday events. This book shows how to break down a given behavior and, with the student s active participation, develop a scale that identifies the problem and suggests alternative, positive behaviors at each level of the scale.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An amazing strategy to help children with autism to understand and control their emotional responses. -- Tony Attwood, author of Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals<br /><br />I recommend this book for its understanding of Asperger Syndrome and its treatment and the simplicity of the principles involved. --Nancy Minshew, MD; NIH Collaborative Program for Excellence in Autism, University of Pittsburgh

About the Author

Kari Dunn Buron is an autism resource specialist in Minnesota. Kari has worked with students with autism spectrum disorders for over 20 years, has served as president of the Minnesota Autism Society, and works with the Minnesota Autism Network to bring training opportunities to teachers. Kari also developed the ASD certificate program at Hamline University and is the director of Camp Discovery, a summer camp for children with Asperger Syndrome. Kari recently received a fellowship that will allow her to travel throughout the world studying Asperger Syndrome to help determine the critical elements of an appropriate educational program.

Mitzi Beth Curtis is an autism resource specialist in Minnesota and serves as an adjunct instructor for Hamline University’s autism certificate program. She has worked in special education, supported employment, and residential programs for individuals with disabilities since 1978. Her youngest sister, Maria, sent her on this journey with her birth in 1963.

Product Details

• Paperback: 84 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company; 1 edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931282528
• ISBN-13: 978-1931282529
• Product Dimensions: 0.3 x 7.4 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Special Education > Behavioral Disorders

More About the Author

Kari Dunn Buron taught in K-12 with students on the autism spectrum for 30+ years and was a founding member of the MN Autism Project. She developed an Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN and has done volunteer work specific to autism in Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, Tanzania and Ghana. In 2003, Kari received a Self-designed Bush Leadership Fellowship that allowed her to spend a year interviewing and working internationally with a number of scientists and researchers in the area of Neuroscience, Social Cognition, Education and Autism with a focus on challenging behaviors. In 2012, Kari was inducted into the Illinois State University Education Department Hall of Fame.

Kari is the co-author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale (Revised Edition), and the author of When My Worries Get Too Big, A 5 Could Make Me Lose Control and A 5 is Against the Law! (2008 ASA literary award winner). Kari is the co-editor of a textbook for educators titled Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators (2009 ASA literary award winner) and is the creator of an original social skills magazine designed for students with Asperger Syndrome called The Social Times (2010 Gold Winner, National Patenting Publications Award and Gold Medal Winner - Moonbeam Children's Book Awards).

Kari's latest projects include Social Behavior and Self-Management
(a book about how to use the scale with adults) and an early chapter book entitled Adalyn's Clare. Adalyn's Clare is a story about the dilemmas faced when a child has social anxiety, and the importance of respecting special interests when creating successful special programs.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

145 of 145 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars for Five Point Scale July 22, 2005

By Kristi A. Sakai

Format:Paperback

The concept in this book is one of those that makes you say, "Well YEAH, DUH." Because it's so simple and workable you wished you'd thought of it yourself! The basic premise is any behavior goal you want to work on with a child can be addressed in a five point scale. I'll give my son as an example. He yells like a maniac...when he's just talking in his normal voice. This drives me CRAZY. So, his scale is 5: I'm being kidnapped, or I'm just having a really, really, really good time on the playground OUTSIDE. 4. Loud play, but not ear piercing. 3. NORMAL INSIDE VOICE (my favorite) 2. Shhhh, whisper and 1. SILENCE (okay, I fibbed, many times THIS is my favorite.) It can also be used for expressing how the CHILD is FEELING. Anxiety levels, fear levels. The idea is that you can address many different issues whether at home or school, it gives clear examples, reproducable sheets and it's an easy concept for teachers, parents and kids to understand. I also love the companion book "When My Autism Gets Too Big", which I highly recommend for kids (and for the adults who care about them.) Incidentally, while the examples in the book are color coded and they are ingeneious ways to implement them in the school and classroom--as a parent I think that there's a reason gave me FIVE FINGERS! The Incredible Five Point Scale of course!! When I hold up three fingers, my son's voice automatically lowers because it's his signal to go DOWN on the scale.

Great book! Fun, nice visuals. Also, there is a DVD, which is a great way to demonstrate the program and have all team members (at home and at school) on the same page.

Kristi Sakai, parent of 3 with Asperger Syndrome and author of
com/Finding-Our-Way-Practical-Supportive/dp/1931282765">Finding Our Way: Practical Solutions for Creating a Supportive Home and Community for the Asperger Syndrome Family Read more ›

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I use this every day! August 12, 2005

By Tara Tuchel

Format:Paperback

This book is fantastic! The authors share their incredible insight into how to help children on the autism spectrum communicate using numbers instead of words. The information in the book is practical and easy to use. I use 5 point scales in my classroom evey single day to teach volume and body control. My students are learning self-regulation! Many thanks to the authors for sharing their discovery!

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible 5-Point Scale March 7, 2006

By Teru

Format:Paperback

I recently ordered this book to use with my students. I am a special education consultant primarily working with students that have Asperger's syndrome or traumatic brain injury in a public school setting. I am always looking for materials that are functional and easy to implement. This book is great! Very straight-forward; provides quick and useful examples without a lot of lengthy explanation. This book provides tools for both teachers and parents to use quickly and without a lot of training or experience with Asperger children. Very easy to adapt and individualize as well.

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT TOOL August 5, 2005

By Bobbie A. Freeman

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent tool and resource to utilize with our kids on the spectrum. It is great because you can personlaize, modify, and adapt it to meet the needs of the individual child. I use it with the children I work with and also my nephew with high functioning autism. MUST BUY!!

Aunt Bobbie

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great idea!! January 6, 2007

By C. Kelly

Format:Paperback

This book has been very helpful with my Asperger son and my non-Asperger son. As a teachers aide, I have used it the the kids at school and some teachers have borrowed my book and are using it themselves. It has pages to copy so that you can make your own 5-point scale. Just wonderful!!!

31 of 38 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars should be a pamphlet, sorry July 20, 2005

By B. Joseph

Format:Paperback

the information was useful but could have been a pamphlet - not enough info for a "book" - not worth the price -

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun for Students with Autism February 27, 2010

By Dr. Dolly

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book for work with teens with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and related disorders. It is Incredible! My students have a limited emotional vocabulary and an "all-or-nothing" sense of their upsets or other issues. The Five Point Scale can be adapted for most situations. My students are learning to create their own Five Point Scales; they draw their five faces to represent the range of how a particular feeling looks, for example "When I'm Frustrated." Next we are going to use photographs - students taking pictures of their five faces to foster intra-personal intelligence (how my face looks when I'm ...) and learn how to emotionally self-regulate (when i feel my face getting up to a 3 I should . . . ). My only criticism is that the scale is not consistent in it's ratings. One area uses 1 as Lowest and 5 as highest [e.g. ANGER: 1 = annoyed and 5 is rage/melt down]. Another scale is reversed with 1 as the highest and 5 the lowest. This confuses the students so we change the scale for consistency. The Incredible Five Point Scale is useful scale for teachers and parents of students who need support in emotional self-regulation, not just those with autism. It is concrete, visual, and students are engaged in their own learning when they develop their personal scale to use. Adults could use the activities in this book in a fun way with the students so that they are engaged in their own learning. It is much better than arguing or lecturing an upset teen.

30 of 39 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Save your Money July 15, 2006

By E. Kline

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great concept, but not worth buying a book over.

It is a simple strategy that can be applied in any context -

Rate the behavior; rate the desired behavior.

It gets a mediocre smile or 3 stars.