Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Chapter Six Transition Planning<br />
For additional information on schedules,<br />
please refer to Hodgdon, L.<br />
(1995. Visual Strategies for Improving<br />
Communication, Volume 1: Practical<br />
Supports for Home and School<br />
http://www.teacch.com<br />
between previous services and school-based support. The Student<br />
Services team meeting allows sharing of strengths and needs and<br />
consensus building around goals, and helps the school and district<br />
plan resources for the next school year. Available services can be<br />
explained to the parents. Parents may wish to visit the classroom<br />
and talk to the teacher. Children should also have a visit or several<br />
visits to the new setting, so that they can begin to become familiar<br />
<strong>with</strong> the new environment. For some children a gradual introduction<br />
to school in the fall may ease this challenging transition. Another<br />
strategy is to take pictures of the school including grounds, entry,<br />
classroom, bathroom, etc. and to review these <strong>with</strong> the child<br />
frequently, or to visit the school over the summer months.<br />
Strategies to Help <strong>with</strong> Transitions Between Activities<br />
and Settings<br />
Some students <strong>with</strong> ASD experience difficulties in adapting to<br />
routine changes between activities and settings. To minimize anxiety<br />
about change, give the student ample warning before any transition.<br />
Some strategies that can be employed are outlined.<br />
Schedules<br />
A schedule is a visual support used to inform the student of the<br />
sequence of events and activities to occur in a specified time frame.<br />
Visuals schedules help the student <strong>with</strong> ASD to know: the daily<br />
sequence of events, when it is time to change subjects, what the<br />
student is to do at any given time, and any changes that will be<br />
occurring in that particular school day. Review the schedule <strong>with</strong><br />
the student, giving a description of what to expect (e.g., first____,<br />
then_____, etc.), which can be done at the beginning of the day,<br />
as well as at transition times.<br />
Schedules vary in complexity and length, and should be tailored<br />
to the ability of the individual student. Print, picture symbols,<br />
photographs or objects can be used to depict activities. Implementing<br />
a method that indicates the completion of an activity, such as turning<br />
over a picture card or crossing out an activity, is helpful. Mini<br />
Schedules are convenient and easy to use to supplement the daily<br />
visual schedule. Mini schedules tell the sequence of activities <strong>with</strong>in<br />
a shorter time period and assist <strong>with</strong> increasing the student’s<br />
independence. They can aid students <strong>with</strong> transitioning from one<br />
activity to the next.<br />
74 <strong>Teaching</strong> <strong>Students</strong> <strong>with</strong> <strong>Autism</strong> <strong>Spectrum</strong> <strong>Disorders</strong>
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