Environmental and Curricular Adaptations – Michelle Lau
Environmental Adaptations
Provide “Shape of the Day”
- Write on the board to represent how the day
is going to move and look like
- For emergent readers, use pictures to
represent the subject/activity
- Consider having a smaller, personal shape of
the day at the corner of the student’s desk
and cross off/remove (if using Velcro) when
activity is completed
- For non-verbal students, use PECS to
communicate ideas and promote choosing
between 2 choices (do you want to do this or
that?)
- Use countdown strip of 3-2-1 to signal a
transition
o PECS version can include “First” and
“Then”
Cozy Corner/Sensory room
- Promote the use of cozy/quiet corner in low
traffic area of the classroom to aid in self-
regulation
- Learn when to ask for a body break and
engage in activities they could do to calm
and refocus their bodies
- Engage in use of sensory activities and tools
o Noise cancelling headphones
o Sleep masks
o Weighted blankets
o Day tent
o Egg chair (from IKEA)
- Feel safe asking to use the sensory room as
needed (ex: cozy corner in classroom is still
too loud or overwhelming)
Example
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/67976275615272335/
http://autismcircuit.net/tool/first-then-card
http://speech-
specialed.blogspot.com/2013/09/check-out-our-
sensory-break-space.html
How/Why does this help?
- Students with ASD sometimes struggle with
transitions between activities or changes in
daily routines
- Shape of the day primes the student in terms
of what is next and aids in decreasing their
anxiety about the unknown since they know
exactly what is coming next
- Use of 3-2-1 allows student to gauge how
long is left before the end of the activity,
decreasing the stress that comes with abrupt
transitions
- Explicitly teach student signs that their
bodies are stressed, practice identifying
theses signs, and
- Learn to identify signs that body is stress
-
 Provide Sensory Tools - Up to 95% of children with ASD have sensory
- Promote the use of fidget tools to help processing disorder, which makes it difficult
regulate stress and improve focus for them to learn and focus in a busy
o Wiggle chair, fidget spinner, stress classroom environment
ball, gel floor tiles, pencil toppers, - Fidget tools promotes self-regulation of
tangle puzzles, clay, weighted lap emotions
pads, resistant bands, foot rollers, - Students with repetitive behavior can use
pressure vests, etc. fidget tools to maintain their motions while
still being able to participate in classroom
learning and not distract other students
https://www.kaydansensory.com/en/touch-
feel/723-surfloor-liquid-gel-floor-tiles.html
Provide flexible seating options - students are able to learn more about
- allow student to choose where they want to themselves and their learning styles when
work they are actively choosing how they want to
- provide seating options like group tables vs engage in their learning
single tables, standing vs regular tables, soft
carpet, wobbly cushion

https://teacherstoolkitblog.com/2020/02/flexible-
seating.html

References
Caring 4 Our Kids. (2018, May 30). 5 Important Classroom Accommodations For Children With Autism. Retrieved from Caring 4 Our Kids:
http://caring4ourkids.com/important-classroom-accommodations-for-autistic-children/
Hearing Aid Buyer Today. (2020, January 3). 2020 guide to buying TV Ears – Hearing Aids for Watching TV. Retrieved from Hearing Aid Buyer Today:
https://hearingaidbuyertoday.com/2014-guide-buying-tv-ears-hearing-aids-watching-tv/
PsychCentral. (2017, March 13). 14 Possible IEP Accommodations for Children with Autism & ADHD. Retrieved from PsychCentral:
https://psychcentral.com/pro/child-therapist/2017/03/14-possible-iep-accommodations-for-children-with-autism-adhd#1