Issue relating to Autism
Many students with Autism, including Henry, experience trouble transitioning between activities in both the school and home setting. Transitions between activities without a clear understanding of what is happening can result in the student with Autism to tantrum or display challenging behaviour (Jordan & Sterling- Turner, 2007). When Henry transitions to Maths from a previous activity he does not show challenging behaviour as his Maths lessons are consistent and he works out of his own booklet during this period. However, once Maths has finished and English begins, sometimes it transitions into a whole class literacy lesson and sometimes it transitions to literacy rotations. This uncertainty causes Henry to become anxious once Maths is finished. He begins to wander around the classroom in circles, slapping his sides and verbalising random noises. This is very distracting for the other students, who need to wait for the teacher to attend to Henry’s behaviour and guide him in the right direction, before continuing with the lesson.
Strategies to assist Henry with transitioning from Maths to English should be planned for before the start of each day, and regularly discussed with Henry and his parents. This allows for a regular routine to occur, resulting in less anxiety from Henry and smoother transitions throughout the week.
Response to the issue
A magnetic schedule is a great way to show students with Autism what activities are planned for the day and in what order they are going to happen. This schedule can be shown on the whiteboard at the beginning of every day, and will benefit both students with Autism and the other students in the classroom by giving them a clear routine. It includes eighteen magnetic pieces that have subjects and other activities written on them, providing a clear visual for students who struggle to understand when certain activities need to be completed. The magnetic schedule will also help other students in the class know at the beginning of the day what activities need to be completed during the day, providing all students with a sense of routine.
An example of a magnetic schedule might look like the one below.
These specific types of schedule can be bought at the below website.
http://www.nationalautismresources.com/teacher-kit-grades-1-to-7-magnetic-schedule-.html
References:
Jordan, S., & Sterling- Turner, H. (2007). Interventions addressing transition difficulties for individuals with autism. Psychology in the Schools, 44(7), 681-690.
National Autism Resources. (2013). Teacher Kit- Grades 1-7 Magnetic Schedule. Retrieved September 16, 2013, from http://www.nationalautismresources.com/teacher-kit-grades-1-to-7-magnetic-schedule-.html
Classroom Resources for Autism 