Autism
I have used the following ideas with autistic students in my classroom. Since the autistic students, at times, can quickly master an activity I continually needed a supply of fresh ideas. Or the student's interests changes and new materials need to be added. Numerous ideas are original and others have been linked to other sites.
Language Group Ideas
- Create situations for interaction between children. For example: have 1 student give specific directions to another student (Tom put the book on the chair. Jane touch your nose.) This makes the student giving the directions to focus and clearly state the direction and the student completing the direction is now listening to someone other than the teacher. I have used this with my higher functioning students giving directions to non-verbal students.
- Cooperative puzzles. Create a simple shape (possibly to correlate with a current theme). Cut the shape into desired amount of pieces. Mount velcro, flannel or magnets on the back, whatever works for your classroom. Have students put the puzzle together. As they put a piece in the puzzle they must make a statement about the piece they are putting in. (This is a foot. This is Santa's hat. The shoe is brown. This piece goes at the top. etc.) Verbal students can say the statements for non-verbal students.
- Make a PECS book ready for the teacher to communicate to the child. Use the symbols, as well as, speech to communicate with the child. Great modeling activity for students beginning to use the PECS system!
- Listen carefully to the student. Sometimes the limited vocabulary student will talk very quietly. They may be reading words, giving answers or making a statement! These kids will suprise you!
Reading Ideas
- Prepare a set of flashcards (include the word and a picture) for the theme of the month/week. Review the flashcards with the student many times a day.
- Make word puzzles using the same words.
- Make a set of small flashcards (1" x 3"). Punch a hole at one end and put together on a ring. As the student adds more words to their reading vocabulary add more cards. Review the flashcards with the student many times a day.
- Put the student's daily schedule into a social story. Be sure to include expectations. (Ex. Joe goes to Mrs. Green's room. The boys and girls sit quietly in their desks.) Use a digital camera to take pictures of the various settings. If possible try to get the student in some of the pictures, be sure he is complying with the expectation. Incorporate PECS symbols also. This helps the student prepare for the activity prior to entering the activity. I read the page several times to the student as we are walking down the hall to the activity.
Pre-Vocational Ideas
- Spread modeling clay (the kind that doesn't dry out) in a cookie sheet. Using a very dull pencil have the student write or follow dot to dot letters, numbers, shapes, lines, whatever. The resistance makes the student slow down and concentrate on each part to be formed.
- Save the boxes that checks come in. Very good storage for small pre-vocational tasks: sorting, counting, etc.
- Sort a variety of nuts and bolts or various sizes.
- Assemble a variety of nut and bolt combinations.
- Pre-drill holes into a piece of 2x4. Have student turn in screws. (This is a favorite of my students.)
- Save the altoid type boxes. Use for assembly type activity. Example: student must put a variety of items in each box, close and put into a larger box.
- Purchase inexpensive items at a dollar type store to use for assembly, matching or sorting. Ex. flashlights (usually come 2 in a package), decks of cards (usually come in packs of 2 or 4 decks), spools of thread (I saw a package that had 25 small spools), variety of pencils, erasers & sharpeners (assemble sets into plastic bags), padlocks (students try to match the key to the lock), and lots more to discover. Wander the aisles and see what you can think up!
- Save the plastic bottles that hairspray comes in. Wash thoroughly. Students can assemble all the parts to make a complete bottle. Mix up the kinds of hairspray bottles. Makes it more challenging for students to find the right spray top and plastic lid.
- Use colorful golf tees and students can push the tees into pieces of foam (pink foam insulation works or packing foam from some boxes). Have the student line up the tees by colors, make patterns, or specific number in each row.
- Clothes pins can be labeled with a variety of things: colors, letters, words, pictures. Students then match the clothes pin to the same thing on a board. Good practice pinching the clothes pin to make it work.
Math
- Save milk jug lids or plastic lids from other bottles. Can be used: to sort by color and size; to count; to match to a diagram; to match to touch points on numbers.
- Prepare sheets with numbers on them and a line of squares to coordinate with the number. Student will use the colorful head tacks to count and push in each square. Keep the task in a shirt box that has the bottom lined with foam.
1 _
2 _ _
3 _ _ _
Breaktime Activities
- Have an assortment of blocks - leggo type, bristle, wooden, etc. on hand. But only allow 1 type of block out at a time.
- Fill several ice cream buckets with small toys - figures, small cars, koosh type toys, balls, etc. Only allow 1 bucket out at a time. Change the bucket frequently.
- Create a specific break area: bean bag chair, blanket, rug, books, toys, and whatever you can think of. Only use the area for a break from structured, academic type work, as a free time area or as a reward. You could also cover the light with a light blue paper to create a feeling of closeness. I have noticed that some autistic children like the feeling of closeness.
- Get a large box, like from a stove, keep the flaps on the box. This makes a great space for the student to "get away from it all". One student I had would stay in the box for about 5-10 minutes, then come out relaxed and ready to work.
- If available, walk a track. This keeps the student within a boundary but allows freedom to run. One autistic boy liked walking between the lines!
- Swing! Many autistic children like the movement.
General Ideas
- Laminate worksheets. Can be used again and again. I use laminated and plain worksheets.
- Don't overload a worksheet. Two or three things on a worksheet is enough. Cut the worksheets apart if necessary to reduce what the student needs to focus on.
- Have all the materials needed for the activity. Do not leave the area to get other materials. I made a pouch with pockets for pencil, scissors, glue stick, kleenex, candy rewards, and crayons. This helped organize the frequently used items. The pouch was attached to the side of the student's desk with velcro. The student did not work independently (he really wasn't able to), I could control his access to the items in the pouch.
- Have an ALL DONE basket. When the student finishes a task, he puts the items in the ALL DONE basket.
- Create a basket/tote of work for the student. I put about 10-15 different items in the tote. The items could include: worksheets, coloring pages, story books, puzzles, pre-voc activity, math activity, reading flashcards, etc. When I am ready to work with student I just grab a tote and begin. I may begin the "worktime" by reading a story, this calms the student. Then I would continue with a harder task possibly a worksheet. Go on to a pre-voc activity, puzzle, and flashcards. Another story. And repeat the process until all the tasks are in the ALL DONE basket. By using the basket/tote, the student can see what the work is to be done, he can also see an end to the activity.
- When using the computer, have the student take turns with a teacher or aide. Encourage the limited vocabulary or non-verbal student to say, "My turn," "Please," "Your turn."
E-mail me with your ideas. I'd be glad to post them here also!