Learning to use their individual daily schedules
independently enables students to get to the location where an event will occur. Now the dilemma becomes for them to know what
to do once they are in that location.
Over the years of working with folks of all ages and all
abilities on the autism spectrum, staff at TEACCH determined that 4 questions
needed answers when students came to the locales depicted on their schedules
and had specific tasks to do once there.
They needed to know
·
What
work?
·
How
much work?
·
When
will I finish?
·
What
will happen next?
Additionally, these questions needed to be answered in a visual
way instead of verbally. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has a great article on work systems.
At Independent Work
Area
See how for a beginning student, the
objects tell the answers.
Q: What work and how much? Q: When will I finish?
A: I see it from left
to right. A: After I put all work in the“Finish Box”.
At Independent Work
Area
See how we incorporated food
vocabulary pictures based on the classroom theme.
Q: What work and how much? A:
I see 4 food cards that I will match to the bins.
Q: When will
I finish? A: When all food cards are off the strip and
attached to bins.
Q: What will happen next? A: I get to go to the play area and choose my
toys.
At Golf Course Job Site
This to-do-list incorporates photos
of the task to be completed.
Q: What work and how much? A:
I see it on the top to bottom written-plus-picture list.
Q: When will I finish? A: When each job is crossed out with a
black line.
Q: What will happen
next? A: I take a break at the snack bar and have a
drink.
This module from the National Professional
Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders is an excellent resource for
developing appropriate activity systems.
For more information and creative ideas regarding the
development of these and other organizational strategies please visit www.tasksgalore.com. Here you will find products
useful in developing individualized opportunities to enhance student
achievement for students who are pre-school age through adulthood.