How to Get Kids Talking

How to Get Kids TalkingThe competent use of language can increase young clients’ self-esteem, motivate them to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills, but the question is: How do we get kids talking?

One suggestion is to use their own language.

Conducting experiments to explore the language gap between rich and poor children that emerges during infancy, Anne Fernald, a psychology professor at Stanford University, identified one likely cause: infants who heard more child-directed speech developed greater efficiency in language processing and learned new words more quickly (Fernald et al., 2015).

Using special technology to make all-day recordings of low-SES Spanish-learning children in their home environments, Fernald and her colleagues found that exposure to child-directed speech – as opposed to overheard speech – sharpened infants’ language processing skills, with cascading benefits for vocabulary learning (Fernald et al., 2015).

Fernald’s work has led to the creation of a parent-education intervention study with low-income Spanish-speaking mothers in East San Jose, California, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. This new program, called ¡Habla conmigo! (Talk with Me!), teaches Latina mothers how they can support their infants’ early brain development and helps them learn new strategies for engaging verbally with their children. Although they only have data from 32 families so far, the preliminary results are promising. Mothers in the ¡Habla conmigo! program are communicating more and using higher quality language with their 18-month-olds compared to mothers in a control group (Fernald et al., 2015).

“What’s most exciting,” said Fernald, “is that by 24 months the children of more engaged moms are developing bigger vocabularies and processing spoken language more efficiently. Our goal is to help parents understand that by starting in infancy, they can play a role in changing their children’s life trajectories” (Fernald, 2015).

Related Online Continuing Education (CE) Courses:

Improving Communication with Your Young ClientsImproving Communication with Your Young Clients is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches communication skills for use with young clients and their families.

Healthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective and respectful communication skills. Professionals can benefit from enhancing their repertoire of communication techniques to improve the quality of relationships with families and children who have communication skills deficits. The competent use of language can increase young clients’ self-esteem, motivate them to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills.

The purpose of this course is to teach clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use in the classroom and in one-on-one situations with young clients and their families. Using these strategies, participants will be better prepared to manage difficult situations and conversations. Course #31-06 | 2018 | 59 pages | 20 posttest questions

Improving Social Skills in Children & AdolescentsImproving Social Skills in Children & Adolescents is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses the social skills children and adolescents will need to develop to be successful in school and beyond. It will demonstrate the challenges and difficulties that arise from a deficit of these crucial skills, as well as the benefits and advantages that can come about with well-developed social skills.

This course will also provide practical tools that teachers and therapists can employ to guide children to overcome their difficulties in the social realm and gain social competence. While there are hundreds of important social skills for students to learn, we can organize them into skill areas to make it easier to identify and determine appropriate interventions. This course is divided into 10 chapters, each detailing various aspects of social skills that children, teens, and adults must master to have normative, healthy relationships with the people they encounter every day. This course provides tools and suggestions that, with practice and support, can assist them in managing their social skills deficits to function in society and nurture relationships with the peers and adults in their lives. Course #40-40 | 2016 | 62 pages | 35 posttest questions

Supportive Communication for the Child with Special NeedsSupportive Communication for the Child with Special Needs is a 1-hour audio continuing education (CE/CEU) course that provides practical tips for helping parents to communicate with their child who has special needs.

Parenting a child with special needs comes with many challenges. Parents are often under pressure, not knowing what to expect or how to react and manage the behaviors their child may present. Children who have supportive and caring parents who understand their needs generally experience better outcomes, both in school and in general. In their desire to help, parents frequently look to their child’s school-based professionals for ideas on how to communicate and connect with their child. It is imperative that speech-language pathologists and other helping professionals like counselors and occupational therapists have practical ideas and skills in order to help parents do this. This course will discuss multiple practical ways to help parents communicate and connect with their child who has special needs, thereby gaining the competence they need to improve their child’s chances for success. A course handout with slides that flow with the audio file is included. Course #11-15 | 2018 | 58 minute audio | 10 posttest questions

Course Directions

Our online courses provide instant access to the course materials and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more. Have a question? Contact us. We’re here to help!

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Target Audience: PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapist (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs)School Psychologists, and Teachers

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Improving Communication with Young Clients

New Online CE Course @pdresources.org

Improving Communication with Your Young ClientsImproving Communication with Your Young Clients is a new 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches communication skills for use with young clients and their families.

Healthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective and respectful communication skills. Professionals can benefit from enhancing their repertoire of communication techniques to improve the quality of relationships with families and children who have communication skills deficits. The competent use of language can increase young clients’ self-esteem, motivate them to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills.

The purpose of this course is to teach clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use in the classroom and in one-on-one situations with young clients and their families. Using these strategies, participants will be better prepared to manage difficult situations and conversations. Course #31-06 | 2018 | 59 pages | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more.

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more. Have a question? Contact us. We’re here to help!

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Target Audience: PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapist (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs)School Psychologists, and Teachers

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

What Clinicians Need To Know about Defiance

By Claire Dorotik-Nana, LMFT @pdresources.org

Defiant ChildDefiance is often construed as lack of willingness, outright resistance, and in many cases, harmful behavior. Defiant clients are often seen as unwilling, their bad behavior quickly written off, or, in many cases, met with harsh punishment and constrictive rules.

But defiance is not all bad. In fact, defiance is often a very telling sign. Clients don’t simply choose to be defiant, they resort to it. More often than not, it is because they know no other way of communicating their needs.

Defiance is a form of communication, albeit, an unsettling one. In their pushing back, resisting, and acting out, clients are trying to send a message that they do not have the cognitive resources or the executive functions to communicate in any other way. In a sense, a defiant child is not asking for help, but rather, screaming for it.

Yet, so often, this is the child that seems to invite power struggles, disrupt things at the most inopportune moments, and exhaust the resources of even the most patient caregivers, teachers, and therapists.

What is needed is not just a way to help the defiant child, but a way to understand his behavior, identify the areas of need, and provide him with the resources that he needs to function effectively. Often this means teaching him ways to manage executive function deficits and develop a new identity free from the label of “problem child.” Further, he must learn to act in a new role, with a new set of behaviors, and trust that his needs will be met without resorting to defiance.

Frequently, the family of a defiant client needs support in learning ways to respond to their child that do not trigger a relapse to defiant behavior. They too, will have to learn to trust that their new ways of responding will not be met with defiance and that they will not need to resort to harsh punishments as they might have in the past to control their child.

When a clinician is trained in how to recognize, understand, and work with defiance, he becomes an invaluable tool for the family, and often a pivotal factor in the family’s ultimate success and well-being. Not just can a clinician release the family from rigid and often hurtful roles, but also teach them more healthy and empathetic ways of communication that result in a better understanding of one another, increased feelings of happiness, and much improved functioning.

Related Online Continuing Education (CE) Courses:

When Your Young Client is Defiant is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches clinicians effective and practical strategies to manage challenging and defiant behavior in their young clients. Children with difficult temperaments and those with developmental delays may have learned to express their dissatisfaction with challenging and defiant behavior like whining, anger, temper tantrums or bad language. They sometimes engage in negative behavior or “misbehave” because they do not have the necessary skills – communicative or otherwise – to make their needs known. This course will also focus on how clinicians can educate parents on how to manage difficult behavior and avoid power struggles at home. The dynamics and techniques described in this course are intended for use with typically functioning children and those with developmental or language delays. They are not generally adequate or even appropriate for children with serious behavior conditions like oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorders. Course #30-84 | 2016 | 53 pages | 25 posttest questions

Improving Social Skills in Children & Adolescents is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses the social skills children and adolescents will need to develop to be successful in school and beyond. It will demonstrate the challenges and difficulties that arise from a deficit of these crucial skills, as well as the benefits and advantages that can come about with well-developed social skills. This course will also provide practical tools that teachers and therapists can employ to guide children to overcome their difficulties in the social realm and gain social competence. While there are hundreds of important social skills for students to learn, we can organize them into skill areas to make it easier to identify and determine appropriate interventions. This course is divided into 10 chapters, each detailing various aspects of social skills that children, teens, and adults must master to have normative, healthy relationships with the people they encounter every day. This course provides tools and suggestions that, with practice and support, can assist them in managing their social skills deficits to function in society and nurture relationships with the peers and adults in their lives. Course #40-40 | 2016 | 62 pages | 35 posttest questions

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use with young clients and their families. Healthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective communication techniques and respectful conversational skills. Clinicians and other professionals who work with children and their families can benefit from adding to their repertoire by learning communication techniques that improve the quality of these relationships. The correct use of language can increase your young clients’ self-esteem, motivate children to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills. With this information, you will also be better prepared to manage difficult conversations. Course #30-79 | 2015 | 52 pages | 21 posttest questions

These online courses provide instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document). Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion.

Target Audience: Psychologists | Counselors | Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) | Social Workers | Occupational Therapists (OTs) | Marriage & Family Therapists | Nutritionists & Dietitians | School Psychologists | Teachers

Professional Development Resources is approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501) and the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

 

March Madness CE Sale!

March Madness Continuing Education Sale @pdresources.org

March Madness is here and we’re celebrating with 30 CE Courses Under $30! How do you pick?

March Madness CE Sale

The following courses are included in the sale, all priced at $29 (savings of $10-$40 per course):

  1. Clinical Supervision for Healthcare Professionals is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that will outline best practices in psychotherapy supervision and review the structure of the supervisory relationship.
  2. Autism: The New Spectrum of Diagnostics, Treatment & Nutrition is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that reviews diagnostic changes in autism as well as treatment options and nutrition interventions – both theoretical and applied.
  3. Active Listening: Techniques that Work for Children and Parents is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that offers a valuable compilation of practical and ready-to-use strategies and techniques for achieving more effective communication through active listening.
  4. Gender Identity and Transgenderism is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that reviews issues in the formation of gender identity and the possible resultant condition of transgenderism, formerly transsexuality.
  5. E-Therapy: Ethics & Best Practices is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that examines the advantages, risks, technical issues, legalities and ethics of providing therapy online.
  6. Improving Social Skills in Children & Adolescents is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses the social skills children and adolescents need to develop to be successful in school and beyond.
  7. Really Bizarre Sexual Behaviors is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that reviews a variety of infrequent and atypical sexual practices.
  8. When Your Young Client is Defiant is a 3-hour online CEU course that teaches clinicians effective and practical strategies to manage challenging and defiant behavior in their young clients.
  9. Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Healing Power of Pets is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that discusses the challenges and rewards of human-animal interactions.
  10. Medical Marijuana is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that presents a summary of the current literature on the various medical, legal, educational, occupational, and ethical aspects of marijuana.
  11. Codependency: Causes, Consequences and Cures is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that offers strategies for therapists to use in working with codependent clients.
  12. Improving Cultural Competence in Substance Abuse Treatment is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that proposes strategies to engage clients of diverse racial and ethnic groups in treatment.
  13. Ethics & Risk Management: Expert Tips VII is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that addresses a variety of ethics and risk management topics in psychotherapy practice.
  14. Improving Communication with Your Young Clients is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use with young clients and their families.
  15. HIV/AIDS: Therapy and Adherence is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses adherence issues in populations at high risk for HIV infection and provides strategies for healthcare professionals to encourage people with HIV to seek and maintain medical treatment.
  16. Visuals for Autism: Beyond the Basic Symbols is a 2-hour online video continuing education (CE/CEU) course that demonstrates when, how, and why to use visuals with students with autism.
  17. Helping Your Young Client Persevere in the Face of Learning Differences is a 3-hour online video CE course that provides new strategies and techniques for helping students develop a love of learning
  18. Unusual Psychosexual Syndromes, Part 1: Koro, Autoerotic Asphyxia, and Necrophilia is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that presents three of the most unusual human sexual behavior disorders.
  19. Building Resilience in your Young Client is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that offers a wide variety of resilience interventions that can be used in therapy, school, and home settings.
  20. Beyond Calories & Exercise: Eliminating Self-Defeating Behaviors is a 5-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that “walks” readers through the process of replacing their self-defeating weight issues with healthy, positive, and productive life-style behaviors.
  21. Clergy Stress and Depression is a 4-hour online CEU course that provides clinicians with an understanding of the complex factors that cause stress and depression in clergy, along with recommendations for prevention and treatment.
  22. Prescription Drug Abuse is a 3-hour online CEU course that examines the effects of the rise in prescription drug abuse, as well as treatment options for abusers.
  23. Anti-Social Youth & Conduct Disorders is a 3-hour online CEU course that offers tailored tools that you need to manage and help anti-social and conduct disordered youth and children.
  24. School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School is a 4-hour online CEU course that breaks down the distinction between truancy and school refusal and examines a number of psychological disorders that may be causing – or comorbid with – school refusal.
  25. Emotional Overeating: Practical Management Techniques is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that disusses the causes of emotional eating and provides cognitive and behavioral exercises that can help to eliminate the addictive pattern.
  26. Couples No-Fault Counseling is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches how to help couples to give up their BAD (blame, argue & defend) communication style and replace it with active listening.
  27. The Grieving Self is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that looks at stories of the bereaved to determine the major issues to address to reconnect those who grieve to a stable sense of self.
  28. Mindfulness: The Healing Power of Compassionate Presence is a 6-hour online continuing education (CE) course that will give you the mindfulness skills necessary to work directly, effectively and courageously, with your own and your client’s life struggles.
  29. Nutrition in Mental Health is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses how good nutrition impacts a person’s mental health and well being.
  30. Anxiety: Practical Management Techniques is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE) course that offers a collection of ready-to-use anxiety management tools.


Sale prices are valid Tuesday, March 14, 2017 through Monday, April 3, 2017. Offers valid on future orders only.

Click here to view sale courses available per profession.

 

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients – New Online CE Course

By Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients

3-Hour Online CE Course

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that teaches clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use with young clients and their families.

Healthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective communication techniques and respectful conversational skills. Clinicians and other professionals who work with children and their families can benefit from adding to their repertoire by learning communication techniques that improve the quality of these relationships. The correct use of language can increase your young clients’ self-esteem, motivate children to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills. With this information, you will also be better prepared to manage difficult conversations. Course #30-79 | 2015 | 52 pages | 21 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) to mark your answers on it while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

About the Author:

Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP, a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, received her master’s degree from Hunter College in New York in Communication Sciences. She is the Director of Parent Outreach for A+ Learning and Development Centers facilitating “How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk” workshops as well as workshops based on “Siblings Without Rivalry.” Adina is the founder of ParentingSimply.com, a division of A+ Learning and Development Centers. You can reach her and check out her website at www.parentingsimply.com.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); by the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); by the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

 

 

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients – Updated for 2015

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients

by Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP

CE Credit: 3 Hours

Target Audience: Psychology | Counseling | Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology | Social Work| Occupational Therapy | Marriage & Family Therapy | Nutrition & Dietetics

Learning Level: Introductory

Course Type: Online
Course #30-79 | 2015 | 52 pages | 21 posttest questions

Healthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective communication techniques and respectful conversational skills. Clinicians and other professionals who work with children and their families can benefit from adding to their repertoire by learning communication techniques that improve the quality of these relationships. The correct use of language can increase your young clients’ self-esteem, motivate children to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills. With this information, you will also be better prepared to manage difficult conversations. The purpose of this course is to teach clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use in the classroom and in one-on-one situations with young clients and their families.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

Professional Development Resources Announces the Addition of Teachers to its Target Audiences

By Leo Christie, PhD

Online continuing education for teachersProfessional Development Resources has announced that it has added a new profession to its list of target professionals for its continuing education (CE) courses – teachers.

Professional Development Resources, a national provider of accredited continuing education units for psychologists, social workers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and dietitians, has announced that it is adding – for the first time in its 20-year history – a new profession: teachers.

Teachers need continuing education curriculum that helps them reach and teach the special needs students they have in their classrooms. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of children and youth ages 3–21 receiving special education services was 6.4 million in 2011–12, or about 13 percent of all public school students.

“We have been aware for some time that classroom teachers are on the front lines with other professionals working with children who need special handling,” says Leo Christie, PhD, President and CEO of Professional Development Resources. “Many of our CE courses contain information that is vital to understanding and reaching those children. Conditions like autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, antisocial behavior, anxiety disorders, and many others are seen so frequently in the classroom that teachers find it essential to receive specialized training.”

The company’s new “Teaching” page offers courses like Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence-Based Screening and Assessment, Children’s Exposure to Violence, Helping Children Learn to Listen, Anti-Social Youth & Conduct Disorders, and School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School. It also includes courses on reading instruction, adolescent literacy, English language learning, improving communication with children, and what to do when students are defiant.

Teachers can fulfill state requirements for professional development, obtain credits for salary advancement, or simply satisfy a desire to grow professionally and obtain new knowledge and ideas for their students.

What is different about teachers as a new professional group for Professional Development Resources is that their continuing professional development requirements differ from state-to-state and even school district to school district. For its other professions, the company has secured accreditation from national boards in advance. Since each school district has its own policies regarding course eligibility, teachers are encouraged to double-check with their district or department of education regarding eligibility for credit before enrolling in a course.

Professional Development Resources’ courses are self-paced, offering the ultimate in convenience for busy educators. Delivered totally online, participants can work anytime, anywhere, 24/7, as their schedules permit – no commuting, no missed classes and no dress code. The format is engaging and user-friendly, and users find it very easy to navigate. Participants can access and print a completion certificate from their account as soon as they pass a course. The completion certificate reflects the name of the course completed and the number of continuing education hours it represents.

Some of the courses that are most likely to be in demand for teachers are these:

The company hopes that the health and mental health professionals who have been its traditional audience will now be able to refer teachers to the Professional Development Resources Teacher page for help in learning new classroom strategies and techniques they can start using today. Conversely, teachers who find the site useful can inform the health professionals with whom they work about CE credit courses they may need.

Back to School CEU Sale!

20% Off Back to School CEUs!

Back to School CEU SaleBack to school season is officially here and you can now get more school for your money with our Back to School Sale on select CEU courses!

Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools is a NEW 3-hour online CEU course that identifies DSM-5 diagnostic changes in the ASD diagnostic criteria, summarizes the empirically-based screening and assessment methodology and describes a comprehensive developmental approach for assessing students with ASD. Course #30-69 | 2013 | 41 pages | 40 posttest questions | On Sale for $47! (reg $59) Click here to order!

Animal Assisted Therapy is a 2-hour online CEU course that provides therapists, educators, and caregivers with the information and techniques needed to begin using the human-animal bond successfully to meet individual therapeutic goals. Course #20-62 | 2012 | 30 pages | 20 posttest questions | On Sale for $39! (reg $49) Click here to order!

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients is a 3-hour online CEU course that teaches clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use in the classroom and in one-on-one situations with young clients and their families. Course #30-33 | 2009 | 62 pages | 20 posttest questions | On Sale for $47! (reg $59) Click here to order!

Autism: The New Spectrum of Diagnostics, Treatment & Nutrition is a 3-hour online CEU course that provides guidelines based on the new DSM-5 in addition to treatment and nutrition considerations. Course #30-67 | 2013 | 44 pages | 30 posttest questions | On Sale for $47! (reg $59) Click here to order!

Adolescent Literacy is a 2-hour online CEU course that presents evidence-based advice for improving adolescent reading and writing skills in content-area classes. Course #20-54 | 2007 | 72 pages | 14 posttest questions | On Sale for $31! (reg $39) Click here to order!

When Your Young Client is Defiant is a 3-hour online CEU course that teaches clinicians effective and practical strategies to manage challenging and defiant behavior in their young clients. Course #30-62 | 2013 | 47 pages | 25 posttest questions | On Sale for $47! (reg $59) Click here to order!

School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School is a 4-hour online CEU course that breaks down the distinction between truancy and school refusal and examines a number of psychological disorders that may be causing – or comorbid with – school refusal. Course #40-29 | 2011 | 48 pages | 30 posttest questions | On Sale for $55! (reg $69) Click here to order!

Anti-Social Youth & Conduct Disorders is a 3-hour online CEU course that offers tailored tools that you need to manage and help anti-social and conduct disordered youth and children. Course #30-30 | 2012 | 35 pages | 20 posttest questions | On Sale for $38! (reg $48) Click here to order!

Children’s Exposure to Violence is a 2-hour online CEU course that examines the alarming statistic that most of our society’s children are exposed to violence in their daily lives. Course #20-73 | 2009 | 19 pages | 14 posttest questions | On Sale for $19! (reg $24) Click here to order!

Helping Children Learn to Listen is a 1-hour online CEU course that will teach clinicians effective and practical strategies for helping children learn to listen so they can better counsel their client’s parents and caregivers in the use of these skills. Course #10-56 | 2013 | 17 pages | 10 posttest questions | On Sale for $10! (reg $12) Click here to order!

Electronic Media and Youth Violence is a 1-hour online CEU course that summarizes what is known about young people and electronic aggression, provides strategies for addressing the issue with young people, and discusses the implications for school staff, professionals, parents and caregivers. Course #10-46 | 2008 | 24 pages | 10 posttest questions | On Sale for $10! (reg $12) Click here to order!

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education courses by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Illinois DPR for Social Work; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners.

Practical Strategies for Working with Defiant Children

Children who are defiant and challenging exhibit a number of behaviors that are very difficult for professionals and parents to manage. They frequently lose their tempers, have tantrums, argue and blame others, refuse to obey adults’ rules, are angry and resentful, get their feelings hurt easily, and are sometimes physically aggressive. When professionals see these children in their offices, it is nearly impossible to gain their cooperation without using some special behavior management techniques.

When Your Young Client is DefiantWhen Your Young Client is Defiant demonstrates specific techniques that professionals and parents can use to identify specific behaviors, understand the causes of defiance, identify triggers for explosive behavior, defuse power struggles, use problem-solving strategies, and free children from their defiant roles. The course is designed to provide clinicians with effective and practical strategies to manage challenging and defiant behavior in their young clients.

According to the author of the course, Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP, a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, “children frequently speak ‘in code,’ especially those who have underdeveloped verbal skills, such as children with language delays.” Soclof gives the example a child who says “you’re so stupid,” or “you can’t make me do that!” The adult’s task is to (1) get over the anger that results when a child speaks disrespectfully and (2) de-code what the child is really saying. In this case, the child may be saying “I am so mad at you,” or “I don’t feel in control here.”

Of all the skills taught in this course, the most powerful may be the use of praise to encourage and motivate positive conduct. Defiant children rarely hear anything positive from adults. For them, life is full of demands, complaints and criticisms. They soon develop a damaged sense of self-esteem. Adults who can master the art of delivering an honest bit of praise will find a more cooperative child.

One of the most difficult situations presented by these children is the temper tantrum that can quickly spiral out of control. The following are some examples of helpful responses that can be used to defuse a conflict before it gets out of hand:

Don’t Engage:

  • Can we take a break and start over?
  • I get upset when you speak to me in that way, let’s take a break.
  • I don’t want to argue with you.
  • Let’s calm down and talk again a bit later.

 

Show Empathy:

  • You sound mad.
  • You sound frustrated.
  • Please help me understand why you are so upset.
  • You really don’t want to go to help the neighbors, but I told them you would.

 

Invite To Come Up With A Solution:

  • Can we come up with a solution?
  • I want to work together with you to find a solution.

 

Children who believe they are “bad kids” will act the part. Clinicians cannot emphasize enough to parents and teachers the importance of separating the behavior from the child. A combination of empathy, flexibility, patience and understanding of defiant behavior is crucial in gradually bringing about the desired change and channeling the negative behavior into a positive light.

Ms. Soclof is also the author of another continuing education course, Improving Communication with Your Young Clients – one of our most highly rated online courses ever.

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC #5590); the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC #000279); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR #PR001); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA #3159); and various state licensing boards.

Course Spotlight: Improving Communication with Your Young Clients

Improving Communication with Your Young Clients is one of our most top-rated online continuing education courses, receiving rave reviews from SLPs, OTs, social workers and psychologists.

Course Abstract:

Improving Communication with Your Young ClientsHealthy professional and personal relationships rely heavily on effective communication techniques and respectful conversational skills. Clinicians and other professionals who work with children and their families can benefit from adding to their repertoire by learning communication techniques that improve the quality of these relationships. The correct use of language can increase your young clients’ self-esteem, motivate children to learn, engage their willing cooperation, defuse power struggles, and teach conflict resolution skills. With this information, you will also be better prepared to manage difficult conversations. The purpose of this course is to teach clinicians effective and practical communication and conversational skills to use in the classroom and in one-on-one situations with young clients and their families. Course #30-33 | 2009 | 62 pages | 20 posttest questions

Customer Reviews:

“This course was great! I loved the examples provided for review and they highlighted the information for learning. Great for all therapists, families, medical and education supporters for our young clients.” – P.C. (SLP)

“I enjoyed this course and would recommend it to others.” R.L. (OT)

“I loved this one..my favorite so far! As a parent and professional, I will be using it immediately!” – J.S. (SLP)

“This was a very good course. I will definitely use this knowledge every day as a school-based COTA. I would highly recommend this course to fellow therapists. Actually, I wish I had taken this course before having had children of my own!” – A.B. (SLP)

“Interesting, a good way to review and think about current caseload of children.” – J.H. (SLP)

“This was by far the best course I’ve completed out of 15+. The materials were informative, clear and concise without being too vague. Great course.” – K.L. (Social Worker)

“Best course ever! My favorite! Very informative and extremely well written. This is a course that everyone could use in teaching them effective ways to communicate with others at any level.” – L.M. (Psychologist)

“I appreciate the large number of references. Thank you!” – M.R. (SLP)

“Loved all the examples…helped to clarify.” – D.D. (SLP)

“Very good course, with pertinent learning and tools for use with clients, their parents, and teachers/other people involved in client’s care and education.” – J.A.H. (OT)

“This is an excellent course. The topic and ideas are very practical, and since they are written from a therapist viewpoint, they are very applicable to my situation (school OT). The text was straightforward and easy to read, not bogged down in endless reporting of “studies” and “research” (though this was certainly evidence based).” – K.C. (OT)

“Excellent course and reference material-will definitely improve my behavior management during tx. This course will also help me to address consultations with my students’ classroom teachers as the time available to them to understand and manage behavioral differences within the school day is small – this material carries very easy, fast and effective ways to assist these teachers within a small window of time.” – P.S. (SLP)

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify six skills for responding empathically to children’s negative feelings
2. Name ten techniques that help engage children’s cooperation
3. List six skills adults can use to avoid punishment and deliver discipline effectively
4. Identify seven techniques for encouraging children’s autonomy
5. Discriminate between evaluative praise and descriptive praise
6. Name nine temperamental traits that affect therapist/client communication

About the Author:

Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP, a certified Speech Pathologist, received her master’s degree from Hunter College in New York in Communication Sciences. She worked as a Speech Pathologist in preschools for the developmentally disabled in the New York school system before staying home full time with her family. She reentered the workforce as a Parent Educator for Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau facilitating “How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk,” and “Siblings Without Rivalry” workshops and presentations based on “Raising Your Spirited Child.” Adina also runs workshops based on “How to Talk so Kids can Learn: At Home and at School” for teachers and other mental health professionals. She has been featured at numerous non-profit organizations and private schools in Cleveland. Adina developed TEAM Communication Ventures and conducts parenting and teacher training via telephone nation wide. She lives with her husband and four lively children in Cleveland, Ohio.

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is recognized as a provider of continuing education by the following:
AOTA: American Occupational Therapy Association (#3159)
APA: American Psychological Association
ASHA: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (AAUM)
ASWB: Association of Social Work Boards (#1046)
CDR: Commission on Dietetic Registration (#PR001)
NBCC: National Board for Certified Counselors (#5590)
NAADAC: National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (#00279)
California: Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625)
Florida: Boards of SW, MFT & MHC (#BAP346); Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635); Occupational Therapy Practice (#34). PDResources is CE Broker compliant.
Illinois: DPR for Social Work (#159-00531)
Ohio: Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501)
South Carolina: Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193)
Texas: Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) & State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678)