Structured Teaching/Task Boxes/Autism/Functional Teaching Organization Ideas
Picture Schedule on DVD Case
- For my students on the autism spectrum or that are low functioning I use a picture schedule with them on a daily basis. I have created numerous picture schedules and this way tends to work the best. I use velcro dots to keep the pictures in place. The extra pictures can be stored in the middle of the DVD case. It is a great way for kids to be able to carry their own schedules around during the day. Once they have completed that part of the day the put the picture away for the next day! I use BoardMaker to create the pictures. Before I had BoardMaker I just downloaded images from Google. Also, the lower functioning the student is, the more realistic the picture needs to be. Sometimes I go around the school and take actual pictures of the transitions to help the student understand where they need to go.
- For my students at a functional level or on the autism spectrum I took pictures of different spots in my room. I then used green and red construction paper to create a To Do List and All Done List. Each student goes to their schedule and it shows them where they need to start their stations. They take the picture and match it to the spot in the room. After they are done at that station they bring the picture back to the schedule and put it on the All Done side (red side). They grab the next picture and match it to the next station. The realistic pictures really help my students. You could modify this for higher functioning students by having them match shapes, numbers, ect. in the room. It is a great way to incorporate skills into your daily transitions. Each student has their name on their schedule in a different color of construction paper. Every binder or task box in the classroom corresponds with their color. It helps me to keep each students work separated and individualized.
1) Color code each task box according to skill using colored construction paper. (ex. Red= math, yellow = LA). I made a ton of labels and laminated them so that they are ready to go for the next time I make another task box. I use two labels for each task box. One on the top of the box to write what the skill is and one on the side of the box for students to match their shape to.
2) Put Velcro on the back of each label and on the Tupperware container so that you can remove and change out the labels at anytime.
3) Pick different colors of construction paper for each student. OR...One of my students does a lot of task boxes so I color code for each time of day. He does the yellow task boxes with me and blue with one of his paras. That way the para can come in each day, grab the yellow task boxes and yellow task box stick (paint stir stick) and complete those tasks with that student. After I pick a color for each student I then create two of each shape. For example, one of my students always does his triangle task first, then a circle task, then a rectangle task. For him all triangle tasks may deal with language arts, all circle tasks are fine motor/sensory, and all rectangle tasks are math. I always do two to four different shapes for each student. When a student does a task box station they are expected to complete two to four tasks each time. This depends upon each students attention span.
4) Put velcro on each shape so that one of shapes matches to the paint stick and can also match to the task box container. The second shape needs to be able to match to the paint stick and to the other shape. I always put the fuzzy side of velcro on my containers and paint sticks. I use the rough side of the velcro to put on the shapes and task box labels. This is important because if you do it wrong nothing will stick together!
5) Put it into action. At a task box station a student grabs the stick/color they are working on. They match the first shape to the first task box. They complete the task and put it to done pile. Then, they match the second stir stick shape to the second tasks box, complete it, and then put it in the done pile. Continue process until complete!
Picture Schedule for Stations/Transitions in Sped. Room
- For my students at a functional level or on the autism spectrum I took pictures of different spots in my room. I then used green and red construction paper to create a To Do List and All Done List. Each student goes to their schedule and it shows them where they need to start their stations. They take the picture and match it to the spot in the room. After they are done at that station they bring the picture back to the schedule and put it on the All Done side (red side). They grab the next picture and match it to the next station. The realistic pictures really help my students. You could modify this for higher functioning students by having them match shapes, numbers, ect. in the room. It is a great way to incorporate skills into your daily transitions. Each student has their name on their schedule in a different color of construction paper. Every binder or task box in the classroom corresponds with their color. It helps me to keep each students work separated and individualized.
Task Box Organization Ideas
- So last year I came to know and understand Structured Teaching. I went from having no idea what a Task Box was to having over 100 Tupperware containers in my room along with other random containers that I hoarded and collected from other teachers. I was frustrated with always having to create new task boxes each week. It was very time consuming. I also was frustrated about not having them organized because it took me a long time to find the specific task I was looking for. Basically, I was extremely pregnant and nesting! I wanted every thing organized and to be cleaned to the tee! This was alot of work, but worth it. I can now just grab a container and go! My nesting came in handy! Anyway, here are the steps:1) Color code each task box according to skill using colored construction paper. (ex. Red= math, yellow = LA). I made a ton of labels and laminated them so that they are ready to go for the next time I make another task box. I use two labels for each task box. One on the top of the box to write what the skill is and one on the side of the box for students to match their shape to.
2) Put Velcro on the back of each label and on the Tupperware container so that you can remove and change out the labels at anytime.
3) Pick different colors of construction paper for each student. OR...One of my students does a lot of task boxes so I color code for each time of day. He does the yellow task boxes with me and blue with one of his paras. That way the para can come in each day, grab the yellow task boxes and yellow task box stick (paint stir stick) and complete those tasks with that student. After I pick a color for each student I then create two of each shape. For example, one of my students always does his triangle task first, then a circle task, then a rectangle task. For him all triangle tasks may deal with language arts, all circle tasks are fine motor/sensory, and all rectangle tasks are math. I always do two to four different shapes for each student. When a student does a task box station they are expected to complete two to four tasks each time. This depends upon each students attention span.
4) Put velcro on each shape so that one of shapes matches to the paint stick and can also match to the task box container. The second shape needs to be able to match to the paint stick and to the other shape. I always put the fuzzy side of velcro on my containers and paint sticks. I use the rough side of the velcro to put on the shapes and task box labels. This is important because if you do it wrong nothing will stick together!
5) Put it into action. At a task box station a student grabs the stick/color they are working on. They match the first shape to the first task box. They complete the task and put it to done pile. Then, they match the second stir stick shape to the second tasks box, complete it, and then put it in the done pile. Continue process until complete!
Organizing Picture Schedule Cards
- I purchased a tool box organizer on Amazon to organize all of my picture schedule cards. Then, I labeled them with different categories. For example, communication, bathroom, sensory, foods, etc. Next time I would have purchased the tool box with all big boxes rather than a mix of the small and big boxes. If you do 2 by 2 cards they do not fit the best in the small boxes. Overall, it is a great and easy way to organize all of your picture schedule cards.
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