Structured Teaching Method and why it is important for children with ASD

Q: Why structure is important for children with autism?

Ans: Most of the children in the spectrum have high anxiety and they need predictable routines. ASD children will struggle if there are sudden changes in their daily routine.

a  structured environment with visual schedule will help the child understand his day to day activities. It gives a clear idea about each activity including the beginning and the end. Like this structured environments helps the child reduce anxiety, confusion and behavior problems. The Structured teaching method will help build independent skills.

Autism is a complex neurological disorder. It is different from other conditions like MR, LD and down syndrome. A parent should understand that Autism is a disorder NOT a Disease to  cure, we have to train them to lead an independent life. It is a life long disorder. Here each child is different and each child has their own strengths and difficulties. Following are the common areas most of our childrens' struggles
1) communication difficulties
2) Difficulties in Social interaction
3) Repititive behaviors
Sensory processing disorder is common in children with ASD. Most of the children on the spectrum have high anxiety and behavioural issues.

Q: Different teaching Methods?

Ans : There are different teaching methods like ABA, TEACCH, Montessori method, Floor time, RPM, RDI, etc TEACCH is one of the popular teaching methods among them.

Q: Explain TEACCH?

Ans: TEACCH - Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children

Structured teaching  is very important in TEACCH.

TEACCH approach focuses on the person with autism, on skill training. It focuses on the child's interest and to satisfy needs which implies that the child is the first priority. It consists of 

1. organising the physical environment

2. developing schedules and work system

3. make expectations clear and explicit

4. using visual materials

Organising the physical environment is how we can structure our house for doing different activities, for example, you can choose a place for doing one on one session with your child, another place for playing badminton, a fixed place for eating food etc

Q:  which are the  important points to remember while arranging a classroom for doing a one on one session with your child?

Ans: we have to choose table and chair appropriate  to the child's height. Find a place in a corner with no distractions like charts, blinking lights or auditory distractions.

parents can sit next to the child or opposite to the child according to child's learning style.

materials should be arranged in a cupboard on the left side of the child.

all materials should be presented in a structured way. visual schedule should be present on the left side of the table according to the kid's level of understanding.

each activity should be chosen after the functional assessment of the child. we can include some turn taking games or colouring activities to focus on various skills other than reading, writing and math.

Q: How to arrange materials in a structured way ?

Ans: It should always be presented from Left to Right. materials should be made according to kids level of understanding.

How to make Structured files :

There is a Facebook page called "The Little Makers".  In this page you will get lots of ideas to make structured files.
https://www.facebook.com/The-Little-Makers-1000697066797044/?ref=bookmarks

How to arrange Classroom :

In the above video you can see how you can arrange classroom with visual schedule.

During one on one sessions, we are teaching our children. After doing the functional assessment, we will fix the goals in different areas of learning and prepare materials according to kids level of understanding. After that we will prepare a schedule to do a one on one session and arrange a classroom accordingly. Even though we are teaching new things,we will include some activities that child already learnt to motivate the child.

Q: How to start with an independent session?
Ans: You can arrange for an independent session with one or two activities... You have to prepare a visual schedule . Choose materials that child has already mastered( 100% accuracy) during one on one time. For example to build independent skills,it's better to start with simple putting activities like putting coins in the piggy bank,shape sorter, small board puzzles. Materials should be presented in a structured way. Child should face the wall or a place where there is no distractions. You should stand behind the child. You are not supposed to give any verbal prompts in the middle. Only after completing the activities can the child get up from the place. So the number of activities must be according to child's level. Here your focus is on independent work skills.

Q: Difference between a one on one session and an independent session?
Ans: During one on one session we are teaching the child new skills while during independent session we are doing only mastered activities.
During one on one session we are working on teaching various concepts,but during independent session we are focusing on independent work skills. Schedules will be used for both to give predictability to the child. During one on one session we will use various prompts like visual prompt, physical prompt, verbal prompts etc to teach concepts,while doing independent session we won't use prompts. During one on one session we will sit in front of the child or will sit next to the child while during independent session we should sit or stand behind the child.

Q: Why we are doing independent session?
Ans: To build independent workskills. Our kids may get totally depend on the prompts if they are exposed to only one on one session and then they won't be able to perform skills independently. It is very difficult to fade your prompts and that will start effecting your child's performance.

Visual Schedule :

How i created schedules using Avaz:

In this video you can see how he is following number schedule independently... according to kids level of understanding we can use it and you can see he is independently doing it. I am just lying down and counting

This is next step...in this video you can see how he is completing task without visual schedule..I arranged things in a structured way..that's all..

Most of our children dont know how to occupy themselves during free time. So the result will be self stimulatory behaviour in an inappropriate way. structure environment helps teach the child to occupy himself meaningfully. A daily schedule should be a combination of physical activities, one on one sessions, independent activities and daily life skills.

While preparing a full day schedule, the child will get exposure to different kinds of activities and that will help us to find strength of the child. We can build many skills using the structured teaching method

Smrithy Rajesh