FLIPP the Switch 2.0

Carol Burmeister, M.A., has a life-long passion for supporting neurodiverse individuals, their families, and the schools and community settings that serve them. Her professional experience includes serving as a paraeducator, general education teacher, special educator, program specialist, university instructor, and consultant across a variety of educational settings. Armed with the knowledge that evidence-based intervention practices for children with ASD are the basis on which effective programs are built, Carol served as a reviewer on both the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders’ and the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practices’ updates on evidence-based practices. For the past several years, her work has focused on the crucial topic of executive function (EF), helping students and parents as well as educators understand the complexity of social, academic, and behavioral challenges that accompany EF deficits and how teaching specific skills in childhood and adolescence can have a positive impact on adulthood.Carol has presented at regional, national, and international conferences and has authored several articles on this topic. In addition, she is co-author, with Dr. Sheri Wilkins, of the book, FLIPP the Switch: Strengthen Executive Function Skills as well as FLIPP the Switch 2.0: Mastering Executive Function Skills from School to Adult Life for Students with Autism, co-authored with Dr. Wilkins and Dr. Rebecca Silva. She is also an editor and a contributing author to Life After Lockdown: Resetting Perceptions of Autism. Carol currently serves on the board of the Panhandle Autism Society in North Idaho.Dr. Sheri Wilkins has worked in the field of education for over 30 years at the preschool, elementary, high school, and university levels. She has dedicated her professional career to serving students with disabilities and building the capacity of educators to better serve this unique population. After her son Dominic sustained a mild traumatic brain injury in a car accident in 2010, Sheri gained first-hand experience in the power of environmental modifications and metacognitive strategies to support people who struggle with executive functions. It was this personal experience that led to her work with parents of children with disabilities, specifically children who are inflexible, emotional, impulsive, and poor at planning and problem solving. Wilkins is the co-author, with Carol Burmeister and Dr. Rebecca of FLIPP the Switch: Strengthen Executive Function Skills. Dr. Rebecca Silva's devotion to children with special needs started when she volunteered in a classroom of young students with severe disabilities in college. She fell in love with this group of very special kids and has committed 40 years to the field of special education as a teacher, grant coordinator, university instructor, principal, and administrator. As the special education administrator in Riverside County California, she developed the Reach Autism Program, providing evidence-based interventions in classroom and in-home settings. Dr. Rebecca has presented on topics related to special education at state, national and international conferences. She has also written numerous grants, articles, manuals and curricula in the area of autism, assessment, self-determination, and transition. Additionally, Dr. Rebecca is committed to the disability community and has served on a number of organizations, most notable her two-year tenure as Co-Chair of the California Senate Select Committee on Autism. She currently serves on the boards of the Autism Assessment Center Inland Empire, and the Autism Society Inland Empire.

• AcknowledgmentsChapter 1: Creating a Blueprint for Learner Success• Who Will Benefit From This Book?• What Are Executive Function Skills?• What Happens When EF Skills Are Underdeveloped?• Why Do Executive Function Skills Matter?• How Do We Teach Executive Function Skills?• How Do Evidence‑Based Practices Support EF Skills?• How Can This Book Help?Chapter 2: Designing the Environment to Support Learning• Link to Executive Function• Structuring the Environment and Evidence-Based Practices• Structuring the Classroom Environment• Designing the Environment to Support All Learners• Flexibility: Making Changes Game• Leveled Emotionality: Strategies for Using Social Narratives• Impulse Control: SOS Strategy• Planning and Organizing: Environmental Checklist Strategy• Problem Solving: PLACE StrategyChapter 3: Structuring Classroom Time to Maximize Student Learning• Link to Executive Function• Structuring Classroom Time and Evidence-Based Practices• Flexibility: Time Management Strategies• Leveled Emotionality: Strategies for Using Visual Schedules• Impulse Control: STARS Video Modeling Strategy• Planning and Organizing: MAP Strategy• Problem Solving: Get it Done StrategyChapter 4: Supporting Mastery Through Increased Engagement• Link to Executive Function• Building Learning Activities to Increase Engagement and Evidence-Based Practices• Implementing Effective Well-Designed Instruction: Grouping• Implementing Effective Well-Designed Instruction: Visual Structure• Flexibility: Structured Choices Strategy• Leveled Emotionality: Discussion Cognitive Script Strategy• Impulse Control: SLANT Strategy• Planning and Organizing: Strategies for Using Work Systems• Problem Solving: Self-Advocacy StrategiesChapter 5: Changing Behavior Through Understanding the Function of Behavior• Link to Executive Function• Building Positive Behavior and Evidence-Based Practices• Flexibility and Leveled Emotionality: TABS–Take a Break Strategy• Impulse Control: Reinforcement Strategies• Planning & Organization and Problem Solving: I’m OK StrategyChapter 6: Developing Skills for Future Independence• Skills Needed for Future Independence• Link to Executive Function• Building Future Skills and Evidence–Based Practices• Developing Strategies for Future Independence• Flexibility: PLAN Strategy• Leveled Emotions: Visual Scale Strategy• Impulse Control: Job Interview Reminder Card Strategy• Planning and Organizing: Career Search Portfolio Strategy• Problem Solving: SOARR StrategyReferencesAppendices

Many times books for teachers working with children with disabilities are theoretical and the information is difficult to apply in both the general education and special education classrooms. FLIPP 2.0 provides a connection between best practices and the classroom in every chapter. What is most powerful about FLIPP 2.0 is it provides a voice for the students, providing activities that embed self-advocacy skills, empowering the students to develop strong executive function skills. This book is a must have for teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, counselors, and behavior specialists. The lessons can be implemented by both credentialed staff as well as paraprofessionals as a part of the daily school routine as well as provide foundational strategies to support classroom management and academic instruction. FLIPP 2. 0 will be built into our professional learning communities as a tool to build our teachers' understanding of executive function, as well as a data tool to measure student performance. The forms provided, as a part of the book, will be the perfect tool to measure student progress and will be incorporated into student portfolios for work experience and community service projects. - Lisa Kistler, Director of Special Education, Beaumont Unified School DistrictFLIPP 2.0 is filled with so many great strategies for treatment teams to be proactive in preventing problem behaviors for people on the autism spectrum. Executive functioning deficits are often a barrier in all learning settings, however the strategies in this book reduce these barriers and promote access to instruction. All of the strategies in this book can be targeted across learning environments, school, home, and clinic, and are easily implemented by teachers, parents, behavior analysts and the student themselves. This book is especially unique in providing a guide for young adults to initiate EF strategies that will allow them to set up supports and environments to promote success. This book is a great resource for teaching EF skills in a fun and practical way and valuable for me as a behavior analyst.- Ashlee Keuneke, MA, BCBAAs a therapist and an autistic myself, I witness each day that many obstacles in life decrease as the ability to implement executive function skills increase. Based on research and implementing evidence-based practices, this book practically guides the reader with specific strategies to support executive function development so meaningful life outcomes can be attained across the age span for autistics.- Judy Endow, LCSW, Autism educational consultant, clinical therapist, award winning author and international speakerAs an autistic adult and certified occupational therapy assistant, I found this book to contain some invaluable tools supporting executive functioning skills. It provides an efficient framework for structuring the partnership between teacher and student to promote success across the lifespan. I will be implementing many of these strategies, both personally and as a clinician, for years to come!- Kelly Londenberg, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)Executive function (EF) skills such as time management, organization, planning, problem solving, and emotional regulation are often not emphasized during the school years in favor of an academic curriculum; yet without solid EF skills, a person will struggle in their workplace, community, home, and relationships. Authors Carol Burmeister, Sheri Wilkins, and Rebecca Silva embrace this topic with enthusiasm and experience, and impart practical strategies and tools that are visual and/or tactile to implement their FLIPP (EF) acronym. Using evidence-based practices and data collection for assessment and evaluation for educators, the authors empower students to make choices from a variety of options that are right for them and can be implemented in practical and meaningful ways. Supporting greater independence and engagement are the underpinning of these options. The book is peppered with excellent visual examples such as charts, templates, and forms to provide guidance and attain these goals. Educators are given several ideas for teaching and application of each skill in order to tailor a program to their unique student. FLIPP 2.0 is a book that can grow with students as they gain skills and move to higher and more complex stages of learning. These tools can follow students into adulthood to help them successfully manage their home and work life. Building an EF skills foundation during the school years is an important part of a person’s well-being, therefore working on these skills is good for all students! - Maureen Bennie, Director, Autism Awareness Centre Inc.