Teaching Components:
Teaching components include Work Systems and Visual Structure.
- Work Systems, refers to the systematic and organized presentation of tasks/materials in order for students to learn to work independently, without adult directions/prompts. It is important to note that "work systems" can reflect any type of task(s) or activities (e.g., academic, daily living skills, recreation and leisure, etc.). Each "work system", regardless of the nature of the specific task or activity, should address the following four questions:
- What is the work to be done? What is the nature of the task? (e.g., sorting by colors; adding/subtracting 2 digit numbers, making a sandwich, brushing teeth, etc.).
- How much work? Visually represent to the student exactly how much work is to be done. If the student is to cut out only 10 soup can labels, don't give him a whole stack and expect him to independently count and/or understand that he is to cut out only 10 soup can labels, for the task to be considered complete. Seeing the whole stack of labels - even if told that he is going to cut only ten - can cause a child with autism a great deal of frustration and anxiety in not being able to understand exactly how much work to complete.
- When am I finished? The student needs to independently recognize when he is finished with a task/activity. The task itself may define this, or the use of timers or visual cues, such as a red dot, to indicate where to stop on a particular worksheet, has proven effective.
- What comes next? Items such as physical reinforcers, highly desired activities, break times or free choice are highly motivating toward task completion. In some cases, being "all done" with the task motivates the child enough to complete it.
Experience with structured teaching and the use of "work systems" has shown that a student's overall productivity increases when the student has a way of knowing how much work there is to do, as well as when it is to be finished (1). Use of a "work system" helps to organize the child with autism through use of a structured and systematic approach to completing various tasks independently.
Examples of various types of work systems, from easiest to most difficult, include:
"Matching Number"
Left to right sequence - finished box/basket/folder to the far right. This is the most concrete level of "work systems" and involves placing items to be completed to the left of the person's workspace (e.g., a shelf, folder, basket/tub, etc.). The student is taught to take the items from the left, complete them at his work space in front of him, and then place the completed work to the right in an "all done" box, folder, basket, etc.
Matching - color, shape, alphabet, number. This would be a higher level skill in that the person must complete his "work jobs" in a sequential order by matching color, shape, alphabet letter or number coding system.
Written system. This is the highest level of the work system. It would involve a written list of "work jobs" to be completed in sequential order.
- Visual Structure is the process of incorporating concrete visual cues into the task/activity itself. By doing so, the student will not have to rely on the teacher's verbal or physical prompts in order to understand what to do (2). The student can use his strong visual skills to get meaning from the task/activity without adult assistance. Thus, these visual cues increase the student's ability to work successfully and independently.
Students with autism tend to have difficulty processing the most obvious information in their environments, and at times they may become overly focused or attentive to insignificant or irrelevant details. In order to help students with autism identify and focus on the significant and relevant details of a task/activity, their daily activities/tasks need to be modified to incorporate the following:
- Visual Instructions: A student should be able to sequentially complete a task/activity by looking at the visual instructions given. Visual instructions will help the student to combine and organize a series of steps to obtain a desired outcome (2). Visual instructions may include the following forms:
The materials of the task define the task (e.g., putting rings on a stick with the rings located in a container on the left, and the stick standing upright on the right - again following the left to right sequence).
A cut-out or outline jig (e.g., an outline of a plate and silverware to direct the person where to place the silverware on a placemat).
A picture jig (e.g., a picture of various toys or clothing items in specific locations for the child to match the real object, in order to learn to put away his belongings).
Written instruction (e.g., written steps to complete a task or sequenced activity such as the morning routine or spelling work.).
Product sample or model (e.g., a completed art project).
- Visual Organization: Visual organization refers to the task of presenting the materials and space in an organized manner so that the sensory input or extra stimulation are reduced. Visual organization can be achieved through the following adaptations:
"Visual Organization"
Use containers to organize materials (e.g., placing the various materials of an activity into separate containers, or arranging alphabet letters to be matched by standing them upright in a foam tray, rather than having them bunched together in a single container).
Limit the area (e.g., use masking tape to enclose specific areas for a student to vacuum).
- Visual Clarity: The purpose of visual clarity is to highlight the important information, concepts, specific parts of the instruction and key materials (1). The nature of the task is designed to prompt the student to focus on the important details of the "work job" (task/activity/assignment). These details are highlighted through colors, pictures, numbers or words. Providing visual clarity promotes student independence rather than relying upon adult guidance (2). The most concrete level of visual clarity is achieved by limiting the materials needed to complete the task successfully (e.g., removing unnecessary, irrelevant or extra materials) (2). Examples of visual clarity include:
"Color Coding"
Color coding (e.g., assign each student a specific color and consistently use this color to teach the child to identify his environmental belongings more readily, including work areas, cubby space/locker, small group chair, snack/lunch seat, communication books, etc.
Labeling (e.g., for sorting tasks, highlighting openings on containers to make them more visually obvious).
Through the use of a visually structured teaching method, a student with autism can learn to complete various tasks/activities independently, i.e., without an adult's physical or verbal prompt. Therefore many students with autism can engage in "independent work sessions" for various periods of time throughout their day, in any environment (home, school, work), and on any skill area, such as academic/curricular, daily living skills, recreation and leisure, etc.).
Conclusion
The structured teaching approach allows the student with autism to learn a process of focusing upon and following visual cues in various situations and environments, in order to increase his overall independent functioning. It is important to note that various instructional interventions, such as sensory integration, Picture Exchange Communication System-PECS, Greenspan's Floortime, discrete trial, etc., can easily be incorporated into the structured teaching approach.
