Maine Access to Inclusive Education Resources

MAIER Professional Development Workshop

The Incredible 5-point Scale Extended Version

Speaker: Kari Dunn Buron, M.S., Autism Education Specialist/Author

Session Description: Over the past ten years, there have been unprecedented advances in neuroscience related to social behavior and emotional regulation development. These advances include information about social awareness, social attention, self-awareness, self-management, and self-control. This new research documents that these skills are brain-based, but emerging educational research indicates that they are also taught and learned. This presentation’s information should be a part of every team discussion for all students who exhibit upsetting, confusing, challenging, or even violent behavior.

This presentation includes an overview of Social Cognition, Executive Function, and Emotional Regulation related to Social Anxiety and a Loss of Emotional Control. The speaker will focus on several evidence-based strategies used to teach social cognitive skills while highlighting the use of the 5-Point Scale. Buron will also introduce her latest work, The Social Times Curriculum.

Kari Dunn Buron M.S. taught in K-12 with students on the autism spectrum for 30+ years and was a founding member of the M.N. Autism Project. She developed an Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. In 2003, Kari received a fellowship that allowed her to spend a year interviewing and working internationally with several scientists and researchers in Social Cognition and Education, focusing on challenging behaviors. In 2012, the Illinois State University Education Department inducted Kari into its Hall of Fame.

Kari is the co-author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale (recently revised), and the author of When My Worries Get Too Big-Revised (Mom’s Choice Award 2013 Gold), 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 a co-author of Social Behavior and Self-Management (a scale book for adults). Kari’s two most recent projects include a children’s chapter book entitled Adalyn’s Clare, a story about a highly anxious 4th grader and her social therapy dog, Clare, and a social skills curriculum called The Social Times Curriculum (based on the Social Times magazine).

Upon completion of the workshop, you may access and download your contact hours certificate using the link provided. 6 Contact Hours can be earned upon completion of this workshop.

Interested in being on MAIER’s mailing list to receive announcements of new PD offerings? 
Sign up for MAIER’s mailing list here.