Classes and Modules - College Internship Program

Classes and Training Modules

Beyond the basic academic, internship, counseling, residential, and recreational supports; the Berkeley Center offers individual training modules designed specifically for students with Aspergers and Learning Differences.

Reframing Process

Reframing is designed to assist students in understanding and assessing their assets and differences, allowing for a new understanding of themselves, and shifting their future direction and goals.

Emphasis is put on deriving the benefits from the students learning differences by focusing on the utilization of special interests to expand underdeveloped social competencies.

Organizational skills
Time management
Cause and effect in social interaction
Taking perspective and understanding context
Interpreting social situations

Students develop an understanding of their learning style and and the sensory issues they need to deal with. This process is a foundation for new growth.

Theory of Mind / Social Thinking

The social cognitive learning disability is the most abstract of all learning disabilities. In the Theory of Mind class students learn to track what others are thinking and feeling by attempting to take their perspective.

Some topics discussed in this class are whole body listening, social inference, using memory to facilitate friendship and the “social fake”. Videos are used as an aid to determine the perspective of other individuals. This has been a component enjoyed by all of the students in the class.

Executive Functioning class

In order to be successful our students need to learn to be organized in the many facets of their life.

In this class we start at the school/business organization skills and work into the ways that these skills merge into all other areas of a successful life. Thinking about organization can be an important key to unlock doors for students on the spectrum.

Hidden Curriculum class

Many social situations that the neurotypical "just learns" need to be taught to student on the spectrum. This is the forum. We teach skills like introducing yourself or a friend, making a good impression, listening, starting and ending a conversation, giving and accepting negative feedback and compromising and negotiating just to name a few.

The students practice the skills with social situations and scripts. A video camera is often employed to give the students some real world visualization. Practice with metaphors and idioms is also taught in this class.

Sensory Integration

Learning about sensory integration and the impact it has on everyday tasks. The class uses both lecture and active class participation which include gross and fine motor movement activities as will as sensory activities.

The class sets out to study each individual sense (tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, visual, and olfactory) and complete sensory activities targeted for each. Calming and alerting strategies are also discussed as part of the curriculum.

Human Sexuality and Relationship Development

This course is designed to help the students explore attitudes and values regarding healthy relationship development with consideration of specific issues related to the Autism Spectrum.

Topics presented include sexuality education, establishing friendships, communication skills, dynamics of relationships and more. The course materials are presented in a multi-sensory fashion.

The format of the class will include lecture, discussion, review of assigned readings and interactive exercises. Future plans for the course include information in RDI-Relationship Development Intervention.

Vocational Careers Class

Our vocational curriculum consists of in-house CIP classes and internships.

For those student's whose focus is college academics, they participate in vocational classes which include value clarification questionnaires, skill assessments, career exploration for those with Aspergers and Learning Differences and discussions on such topics as dealing with workplace culture issues.

We investigate the interview process with employer's expectations as a background. We also videotape mock employment interviews and provide feedback.

Students also participate in an internship of a few hours a week. For those whose primary focus will place them on a vocational track, in addition to our in house classes, they will be involved in a more extensive internship in their first year, with possible paid positions thereafter.

Auditory Therapy

Research demonstrates that difficulties in auditory processing can adversely contribute to problems that manifest in emotional, cognitive, communication, sensory-motor and social deficits.

The premise underlying auditory therapy is based on neuroplasticity, the notion that the brain is not a rigid structure, but a dynamic, evolving system that can be retrained.

The theory states that certain ranges of sound frequencies correspond with particular brain functions and that through a proper processing of these sound frequencies, we are in effect able to 'tune-up' the brain and nervous system.

Auditory therapy has been used to address these issues in worldwide over the past 50 years. In the Listening program being used at CIP students listen to a series of specifically altered CD's for 15 minutes a day (5 days/week)

Social Mentoring

Research shows that in vivo modeling by positive peer mentors in real-life situations carries the highest degree of success. Social Mentors serve as generational translators for students with Learning Differences.

They are similar in age to the student and act as role models for social and problem-solving skills. Social Mentors assist the student in social understanding while participating with the student in a special interest or recreational activity. They may also mentor during activities like food shopping or preparation.

While these activities are being acomplished, the Social Mentor is teaching a pro-social script to the student. If completed skillfully, the student is unaware that this is occuring. The scripts range from simply "How to Introduce Oneself" to more complicated scripts like "The Subtleties of Dating."

Social Mentors have a huge responsibility and impact. They can release a student from a life of isolation and confusion. Social mentors are of strong character and possess good values.

Life Skills class

This course gives detailed information about general life skills that will be needed to live an independent life.

You will learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships with peers using the book "How to start conversations and make friends" by Don Gabor.

You will also learn how to effectively maintain your apartment/house and steps to organize your apartment/house and bedroom.

We use the book "How to Satisfy your Woman Every Time: The Straight Guys Guide to Housework and Good Grooming" by Jane Moseley and Nigel Browning.

Another component of the course is practical food safety. This area goes over temperatures of meats and how long food can stay in the refrigerator. For this section we use the text "Practical Food Safety" by Lynn Patten.

Auditory Therapy (Optional Supplementary class)