| Why and how you can structure your classroom? |
In a classroom with children with Autism, structure probably is the only way that allows your students to function in an effective way. Structure organizes the children and allows them to respond more
appropriately to their environments. It also allows the students to participate as independently as possible in their environments. According with the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic
and related Communication handicapped Children) approach there are components of structure that are important in order to successfully allow the children and the teacher to work in the same
environment be happy and productive.
The components are:
• Physical Structure – This is the way the classroom environment is set up so that each area of the classroom is visually organized, each space has a specific purpose and set of
expectations.
• Visual Schedules – The Daily Schedule tells the student where they need to be, where activities will occur, and the order in which they will take place.
• Work systems – This tells the students what they will be doing once they are where they need to be in the environment. The work system clarifies information for the students.
• Teaching method – This is what helps students to keep working by providing information within the environment that clarifies, organizes or instructs.
Before you start doing any changes in your classroom though, you need to have in mind some important key concepts described by TEACCH that will help you set up your classroom much easier..
The key concepts are:
• Understanding Autism Culture – All person’s working with the students should have an understanding of the culture of autism.
• Individualizing Programming – Each student’s program should reflect their unique strengths and needs, the systems in place should reflect these individual needs and will stress independence
for each student, consequently these will look differently from student to student.
• Comprehensive Assessment – A thorough evaluation is completed for each student yearly to determine growth and to re-emphasize the students needs. Student needs will change throughout
their school years and we should continue to informally asses along the way.
• Goal of Independence – Each student has a modified environment based on their individual strengths. Through the consistency of the environment, a student will display less
anxiety as they are able to understand the environment.
• Collaboration with Parents – Collaboration with parents is an essential component of structured teaching. The student’s team must have a clear understanding that parents know their child
best.
There are five (5) important things that you should consider as important once you start working on your classroom:
1. Structure your classroom or setting so that the children experience the same things every day.
2. Use visual aids and strategies to teach whenever possible.
3. Take control of the situations rather than letting the children have all the control.
4. Reward the children often especially in between different tasks or lessons. This can be letting them spend some time doing what they like to do.
5. Watch the things that the children like and try to incorporate those things into your and their routine.
Some extra TIPS:
1. When you start a schedule, perform the tasks yourself first to demonstrate them to your children or you can kinesthetically show it to them many times. Active participation helps your
child learn the routine.
2. Keep the visual supports and strategies simple, clear and concise.
3. Visual schedules prepare the children for their day. Let them know what is going on. It will reduce their anxiety and prepare them for events that usually are not in their routine. Schedules
promote INDEPENDENCE.
4. Don’t get frustrated. Sometimes working with children with autism is hard.
5. Limit the distractions that the children face in their learning environment.
6. Avoid surprises (where possible)
7. Talk through or remove the pupil from stressful situations.
8. Provide personal space in another room, or setting chosen by pupil, for relaxation.
9. If needed, implement modifications to deal with sensitivity to touch, eg. Immersing hand into gooey liquid etc.
10. You will always need to make further modifications and you will anticipate and be planning ahead for more changes and adaption.
by Nefi Charalambous - Darden M.Ed., M.A.
Structured Teaching Trainer
Autism Resource Professional - Consultant
appropriately to their environments. It also allows the students to participate as independently as possible in their environments. According with the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic
and related Communication handicapped Children) approach there are components of structure that are important in order to successfully allow the children and the teacher to work in the same
environment be happy and productive.
The components are:
• Physical Structure – This is the way the classroom environment is set up so that each area of the classroom is visually organized, each space has a specific purpose and set of
expectations.
• Visual Schedules – The Daily Schedule tells the student where they need to be, where activities will occur, and the order in which they will take place.
• Work systems – This tells the students what they will be doing once they are where they need to be in the environment. The work system clarifies information for the students.
• Teaching method – This is what helps students to keep working by providing information within the environment that clarifies, organizes or instructs.
Before you start doing any changes in your classroom though, you need to have in mind some important key concepts described by TEACCH that will help you set up your classroom much easier..
The key concepts are:
• Understanding Autism Culture – All person’s working with the students should have an understanding of the culture of autism.
• Individualizing Programming – Each student’s program should reflect their unique strengths and needs, the systems in place should reflect these individual needs and will stress independence
for each student, consequently these will look differently from student to student.
• Comprehensive Assessment – A thorough evaluation is completed for each student yearly to determine growth and to re-emphasize the students needs. Student needs will change throughout
their school years and we should continue to informally asses along the way.
• Goal of Independence – Each student has a modified environment based on their individual strengths. Through the consistency of the environment, a student will display less
anxiety as they are able to understand the environment.
• Collaboration with Parents – Collaboration with parents is an essential component of structured teaching. The student’s team must have a clear understanding that parents know their child
best.
There are five (5) important things that you should consider as important once you start working on your classroom:
1. Structure your classroom or setting so that the children experience the same things every day.
2. Use visual aids and strategies to teach whenever possible.
3. Take control of the situations rather than letting the children have all the control.
4. Reward the children often especially in between different tasks or lessons. This can be letting them spend some time doing what they like to do.
5. Watch the things that the children like and try to incorporate those things into your and their routine.
Some extra TIPS:
1. When you start a schedule, perform the tasks yourself first to demonstrate them to your children or you can kinesthetically show it to them many times. Active participation helps your
child learn the routine.
2. Keep the visual supports and strategies simple, clear and concise.
3. Visual schedules prepare the children for their day. Let them know what is going on. It will reduce their anxiety and prepare them for events that usually are not in their routine. Schedules
promote INDEPENDENCE.
4. Don’t get frustrated. Sometimes working with children with autism is hard.
5. Limit the distractions that the children face in their learning environment.
6. Avoid surprises (where possible)
7. Talk through or remove the pupil from stressful situations.
8. Provide personal space in another room, or setting chosen by pupil, for relaxation.
9. If needed, implement modifications to deal with sensitivity to touch, eg. Immersing hand into gooey liquid etc.
10. You will always need to make further modifications and you will anticipate and be planning ahead for more changes and adaption.
by Nefi Charalambous - Darden M.Ed., M.A.
Structured Teaching Trainer
Autism Resource Professional - Consultant
