We Can All Participate!
Adapting
Circle Time for Children With Autism
YEC
P
erla, a 4.5-year-old girl with
autism, attended an inclusive
child care center. She had 12
classmates, but she was the only
child with autism. Perla used three-
and four-word sentences to
Erin E. Barton communicate, followed simple
University of Colorado, Denver
verbal directions during most
Brian Reichow classroom routines, and imitated
Yale University teacher and peer behaviors when
prompted. Perla rarely interacted with
Mark Wolery
Vanderbilt University
Ching-I Chen
University of Oregon
2 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011
her peers unless prompted by her
teacher, Sahalie. She used a picture
schedule with some adult help
throughout daily routines. However,
her participation in circle time was
inconsistent. Most days, she started
crying during the transition to circle
time and did not stop whimpering
until the end of it. Perla avoided
peers and sat on the edge of the
carpet. She often disrupted circle
DOI: 10.1177/1096250610393681
http://yec.sagepub.com
© 2011 Division for Early Childhood

time activities with loud
vocalizations or escaped the area
and engaged in stereotypic or
disruptive behaviors in other parts
of the classroom. Sahalie tried using
carpet squares and decreasing the
duration of circle time for Perla, but
neither of these was an effective
adaptation. Despite frequent
physical prompts to return to the
circle from Angela, the teacher,
Perla repeatedly escaped. Owing to
a lack of participation or
engagement, circle time was not a
meaningful activity for Perla. Perla’s
parents also brought up concerns
“
Current recommended
about Perla’s lack of participation
during circle time at her last
Individualized Education Program
meeting. They wanted to see her
practices promote the involvement in social routines
increase in preparation for her
placement of young transition to kindergarten. Sahalie
and Angela recognized that children
children with autism in with autism often have delays in
social skills or understanding
classrooms with language, which might impede
participation in circle time activities.
typical peers with the The identifying characteristics of
autism are delays in social and
appropriate supports to language development and
restrictive or repetitive behaviors
(National Research Council, 2001;
promote social and Volkmar, Paul, Klin, & Cohen,
2005). Specifically, young children
communication skills. with autism experience delays in
” their ability to play with or make
friends, understand gestures or
nonverbal communication, and use
language to get their needs met.
Children with autism also often
exhibit repetitive behaviors (e.g.,
rocking, repetitive speech, unusual
interest in objects) that interfere
with their ability to play with peers
or independently participate in daily
routines, and they often insist on
performing activities in exactly the
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
same order each time, with an
unreasonable adherence to
repetition (Volkmar et al., 2005).
Also, many children with autism
display less frequent and varied
object play behaviors than do peers
who are developing typically (e.g.,
Barton & Wolery, 2010). For
example, children with autism might
avoid playing near peers; they may
play with objects in nonfunctional
or repetitive manners; rarely imitate
peers or adults and infrequently
share attention or affect with others;
and engage in repetitive motor
movements (e.g., flicking fingers and
thumbs or body rocking) or get
upset with changes to the daily
routine (e.g., when the bus takes a
different route to school). Many
children with autism also have
delays in cognitive and adaptive
development (Edelson, 2006).
Although there is significant
variability in the severity of these
delays across children with autism,
delays in social and language
development are core deficits in
children with autism spectrum
disorders (Volkmar et al., 2005).
These characteristics often interfere
with independent participation in
classroom routines and activities.
Evidence-based comprehensive
programs for young children with
autism include systematic teaching
to address these core deficits
(Dawson & Osterling, 1997;
National Autism Center, 2009;
National Research Council, 2001).
Current recommended practices
promote the placement of young
children with autism in classrooms
with typical peers with the
appropriate supports to promote
social and communication skills
(e.g., DEC/NAEYC, 2009; National
Research Council, 2001; Strain,
3
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
“
Circle time can be
adapted to address the
social and communication
needs of young children
with autism.
” time daily (Wolery et al., 1994).
4 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Kohler, & McGee, 2001). The
Individuals With Disabilities
Education Improvement Act (2004)
stated that children with disabilities,
including autism, should be included
with their typical peers in as many
activities and during as much of the
school day as possible. Furthermore,
evidence-based practices exist for
adapting and modifying curricula to
promote the inclusion of young
children with autism across activities
and daily routines (National Autism
Center, 2009; Odom, 2009; Sandall
& Schwartz, 2008).
As illustrated in the opening
vignette, circle time might be a
particularly problematic activity for
children with autism because it
involves being near and attending to
peers, listening to the teacher, and
using language. Circle time is a daily
routine in most early childhood
programs. Past surveys of early
childhood program staff indicated
over 90% of Head Start and public
preschool classrooms have circle
Traditionally, circle time is a large
group activity led by the teacher.
Children are expected to sit in a
specific area near several peers, look
at the teacher, and participate in
activities (e.g., singing, books,
reviewing calendar). Circle time
provides opportunities for children
to learn to attend to large group
instruction, follow daily schedules
and routines, and participate in
developmentally appropriate group
activities (e.g., singing and
movement, emergent literacy).
Preschool children with autism
and other disabilities are less
engaged during circle time than
during other times of the day
(McWilliam, Trivette, & Dunst,
1985; Reichow, Barton, & Wolery,
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011
2006). Circle time might be difficult
yet beneficial for young children
with autism because it requires social
proximity, participation with peers
in a group activity, receptive
language skills, understanding of
abstract concepts (e.g., calendar,
weather), and sustained attention.
Circle time may be valuable for
teaching social routines and
expectations, increasing appropriate
interactions with peers, and
providing opportunities for
observational learning (e.g.,
Garfinkle & Schwartz, 2002;
Ledford, Gast, Luscre, & Ayres,
2007). Circle time can provide
predictability and consistency if held
at the same time every day, in the
same location, with similar activities.
Circle time can be adapted to
address the social and
communication needs of young
children with autism (e.g., Sandall
& Schwartz, 2008). In fact, circle
time might provide an ideal
opportunity for generalizing and
maintaining social and
communication skills. For many
children with autism, instruction on
these core deficits (i.e., social and
communication development)
should occur in structured,
supported contexts. An initial
assessment of the child’s skills and
responses to learning new skills
should help teachers make decisions
about the types of prompting
systems used when teaching new
skills (Janney & Snell, 1997).
However, generalization of skills to
naturally occurring contexts is a
major teaching issue for many
children with autism (National
Autism Center, 2009). Also, with
careful planning and selection of
adaptations, circle time might be an
ideal, naturally occurring context

for ensuring generalization of core
social and communication skills.
Successful placements for young
children with autism require
individualized adaptations to daily
routines and activities. In fact,
placement in inclusive classes, by
itself, is not enough to promote
learning, particularly of social skills
(e.g., McConnell, 2002; Rogers,
2000). Adaptations to circle time
might help children with autism
successfully participate and attend
“
during circle time. Collaboration
with the child’s Individualized
The first step in making Family Service Plan or
Individualized Education Program
decisions about team, including parents, is essential
for selecting appropriate
individualized adaptations adaptations. The purpose of this
article is to describe a continuum of
possible adaptations—that is, from
is to assess the child’s least intrusive (and most likely
effective) to most intrusive—to
functional needs within the include young children with autism
in circle time activities in the hope
context. of promoting positive social and
communicative interactions with
” peers (Keith, 1979).
Adaptations for
Circle Time
Selecting an Adaptation
The first step in making
decisions about individualized
adaptations is to assess the child’s
functional needs within the context.
Teachers might ask, Does the child
participate in circle time or other
daily activities independently; if so,
what helps him or her be
independent? Does the child sing
songs, imitate hand motions, use the
props or instruments appropriately,
transition through activities, engage
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
in circle time for the duration of the
activity, or look at the teacher
during circle time? There are several
useful tools for assessing a child’s
current level of functioning and
functional needs—for example, the
Child Assessment Worksheet
(Sandall & Schwartz, 2008),
CARA’s Checklist of Priorities and
Concerns (Milbourne & Campbell,
2007), and the Ecological
Congruence Assessment (Wolery,
Brashers, & Neitzel, 2002). Figures
1 and 2 illustrate how Perla’s
teachers adapted these tools to
assess and make decisions about her
participation in circle time. They
broke down circle time by skill (e.g.,
social, communication, mobility)
and activity (e.g., transition to
circle, greeting song, song choices,
musical instruments, weather,
books). They used the assessment
information to make informed
decisions about the adaptations to
increase Perla’s participation during
circle time.
Sahalie and Angela used a
checklist to assess Perla’s needs and
develop a plan to support her
participation during circle time (see
Figure 1). Together, they agreed that
she does not yet have the social
skills necessary to participate. She
rarely takes turns with peers and
often avoids sitting near them. Also,
she sometimes communicates
effectively during circle, but most of
her vocalizations are inappropriate
and disruptive. Sahalie and Angela
agreed that Perla could use her
hands and arms to participate in
singing and music activities but that
she often resisted participating.
Sahalie wondered if Perla had a
clear understanding of the
expectations for circle time. Perla
did not consistently follow verbal
5
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.

Figure 1
Perla’s teachers adapt and use the Ecological Congruence Assessment (Wolery, Brashers, & Neitzel, 2002) and CARA’s
Checklist of Priorities and Concerns to assess her functional needs and expectations for circle time (Milbourne & Campbell,
2007)

directions or attend to the teacher. colorful opaque fabric, hid

Sahalie and Angela then listed each
circle time activity on the checklist
to assess Perla’s participation in
relation to her peers. They realized
that Perla regularly resisted
transitioning to circle time and her
inconsistent participation began
during the calendar review activity.
They noted that she typically
participated in the “knock-knock
box” activity. During this activity,
Sahalie covered a shoebox with
interesting items or toys inside (e.g.,
instruments or bells for singing
songs, props for story time, or items
related to an upcoming event or
field trip), and had all children
knock on the box before opening it.
Perla always watched attentively to
see what special toy or activity was
inside. Overall, the teachers had
several concerns about Perla’s
participation across many circle
time activities. This checklist helped

6 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011

 Figure 2
Perla’s teachers consider adaptations for circle time (Milbourne & Campbell, 2007; Sandall & Schwartz, 2008)

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We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.

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Table 1
Questions to Consider When Selecting Adaptations for Circle Time for Children With Autism

Questions Examples

How long should the child be expected to remain at circle time?
Does the child know how long it will last or when it ends?
What are the caregivers’ expectations/goals?
What are the individual child goals for circle time?
What should the child be doing, saying, looking at?
Does the child know what the expectations are for circle time?
Does the child have the behavioral repertoire needed to
participate in circle time?
Does the child need adaptations to participate independently
in circle time?
Some children with autism might only be required to stay at circle for
2 to 3 minutes at first. Gradually increase the duration by teaching
the child how to participate in circle time and by embedding
preferred activities into it.
Use a timer or a picture schedule to make sure that the child knows
how long circle time will last and when it is over.
Caregivers’ input will be important to consider when selecting songs,
books, props, and setting up expectations. You might ask the
caregivers about the child’s preferences at home. Also, you can
provide caregivers with a list or CD of songs and books that you are
focusing on each week, so they can sign or listen to them at home.
There might be some overall group goals, but the goals for circle time
can be individualized. For example, some children with autism will
be working on peer proximity, receptive language, following one-
step directions, or motor imitation. Circle time can provide
opportunities to embed a variety of goals with some planning.
Embed a variety of functional skills (e.g., singing songs, listening to
a story, imitating the teacher or a peer, sitting and listening)
If you know that the child has the skills to fully participate in circle
time but is still not participating, you might try instituting a system
of reinforcement (e.g., token economy with stickers or pictures),
visual reminders, or a peer confederate to help the child participate.
Some children will need explicit systematic instruction to learn
the skills necessary to participate in circle time. These might
include motor and verbal imitation or appropriately responding to
social interactions. Teachers might have to teach these skills in a
structured context as well as during circle time.
Consider the various levels of adaptation necessary to help
the child independently participate in circle time. Start with the
least intrusive adaptation (see Table 2).

Sahalie and Angela consider what directions. First, they considered

activities were motivating and
challenging for Perla. Using this
information, they spoke with
Perla’s parents and her speech
therapist to brainstorm strategies
for promoting the transition to
circle and for embedding
opportunities to work on social and
communication skills, overall
participation, and following
adapting the physical environment.
Environmental Adaptations
After assessing participation and
skills, consider the various types of
adaptations that might work in your
classroom. Table 1 highlights
questions to consider when selecting
circle time adaptations.

8 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011

 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.

Table 2
Adaptations for Circle Time for Children With Autism
Adaptation
Typesa Adaptations for Circle Time

Least intrusive Environmental Conduct circle time in Give children choice Arrange seating so Turn some of the
(temporal/ a quiet area with between seats (balls, all children can lights off and
physical) few distractions. Use carpet squares, bean see the teachers, sing the clean-up
fabric to cover bags, pillows) schedule, visuals, song to help
toy/book shelves. or calendar. children
transition to
circle time.
Materials Use a picture schedule Let children choose a Use props for all Have pictures of all
with large words so toy to bring to circle songs or stories. activities and
all children can see. time to help the Have enough songs (or props
Use “First/Then” transition to circle props for all of all songs or
boards or individual time. children and let books) and let
schedules for children choose children make
children who need props, if choices through-
additional supports. appropriate. out circle time.
Activities Play Simon Says with Have children help pass Be consistent with Embed choices
the peer taking out props to peers. the circle time between highly
turns leading the routine and preferred songs
circle time (e.g., include a variety or activities. Use
“Cathy says . . . ”). of activities with visuals and
several prompting to
opportunities to teach or prompt
participate. children to make
choices.
Expectations Give certain children Allow a child to Give children Toward the end of
individual prompts participate in only different roles or circle time, give
or reminders before part of circle time if jobs during circle children choices
circle time to help necessary. Plan for the time. Model the between singing
transition to circle child to independently expectations of more songs or
time. engage in a different these roles. moving to the
instructional task next activity
instead of circle time.
Most intrusive Adult or peer Sit next to children Recruit and train peer Have the child sit Have one adult
assistance requiring more confederates to model next to a friend provide hand-
assistance and or prompt children or favorite peer over-hand
model appropriate who might need more and teach the assistance.
participation. assistance during peer to praise the Systematically
circle time. child for fade prompts
participating. over time.

a. Adapted from Milbourne and Campbell (2007) and Sandall and Schwartz (2008).

Environmental arrangements are the considering the arrangement

least intrusive and should always be of the temporal environment
considered first (Filla, Wolery, & (i.e., schedule) and physical
Anthony, 1999). Start by environment.

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 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.

Temporal Adaptations carpet squares, pillows). For

Predictability and routine
should be an essential aspect of any
program for children with autism
(Dawson & Osterling, 1997).
Structure and predictability are
particularly important for teaching
new skills to young children with
autism (National Autism Center,
2009). It helps the children know
what to expect and what to do.
Circle time is a natural opportunity
to create consistent routines and
expectations. For example, start
circle time with the same song every
day. Use a song with greetings to
begin circle, such as “Good
morning, good morning” or “Hello,
how are you?” sung to the tune of
“Skip to My Lou.” Then follow the
same routine each day. Consider
which songs and activities the
children like most, and intersperse
them across circle time to maintain
engagement. Also, the final activity
in circle should support the
transition to the next activity. The
final activity might include having
each child take a turn selecting a toy
to play with, getting coats on to go
outside, or washing hands for snack.
Physical Adaptations
Physical adaptations are useful
for increasing the participation of
children with autism (Mesibov,
Shea, & Schopler, 2005). These
might include hanging curtains to
hide distracting toys in the circle
time area, arranging furniture to
create a quiet corner in the
classroom for circle time, shortening
the duration of circle time and
adding a story book time later in the
day, or allowing children to choose
from various seating options (e.g.,
example, use a comfortable area of
the room to encourage children to
sit near one another, in the same
spot on the carpet, with some
predictability (e.g., on the same
purple circle, the letter P, or a piece
of tape with the child’s name). This
area should be away from toy
shelves or high-interest areas, which
might be distracting. In some cases,
physical adaptations provide
children with clear expectations and
individual boundaries, but
sometimes they are not enough to
promote meaningful levels of
participation in children with autism
or to teach new skills (Reichow
et al., 2006).
Individualized Adaptations
Some children with autism
require more individualized
adaptations for successful inclusion
during circle time. Table 2 provides
several examples of strategies across
adaptation types for young children
with autism. Select the least
intrusive and most likely effective,
contextually relevant adaptation
that you think will successfully
promote participation. For some
children (i.e., children with more
severe delays), the most effective
adaptation might be the most
intrusive at first (e.g., children with
severe motor or language delays
may need hand-over-hand assistance
before verbal prompting).
Adaptations can be made to the
materials, activities, expectations,
and level of assistance from adults
or peers (e.g., embedding more high-
interest songs and movement
activities, embedding choices, and
including hands-on props to keep
children engaged; Sandall &

10 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011


Schwartz, 2008). Each of these is
discussed below.
Materials Adaptations:
Visual Structure
A variety of visual supports can
be embedded into circle time.
Providing visual or material
supports during circle time addresses
core characteristics of autism,
including delays in verbal
communication and a need for
predictability and routine (Boutot &
Myles, 2010). These might include
visual schedules, picture cards for
expectations (e.g., “Sit on the
carpet,” “Listen to the teacher,”
“Keep your hands in your lap”),
timers, or props for songs or stories
(e.g., felt pieces for The Very
Hungry Caterpillar story, plastic
buses for the “Wheels on the Bus”
song, and musical instruments).
Picture schedules (e.g., pictures of
each activity) can be used for
transitions to circle time, for
activities during circle, and for
transitions from circle (Dooley,
Wilczenski, & Torem, 2001; Savner
& Myles, 2000). Picture schedules
can be adapted to the developmental
levels of the children. For example,
teachers can use actual pictures or
graphics of the activities and words
(e.g., the “Hello” song, social skill
time, story time, dance and
movement; see Figure 3). These can
be faded by decreasing the size of
the pictures, replacing pictures with
words, or using fewer pictures over
time. The visual cues can be used to
promote emergent literacy by
increasing the size of the words as
paired with familiar pictures of
activities. Picture schedules have
been shown to reduce problem
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
behaviors, increase compliance and
instructional time, and increase
independent task completion for
children with autism (Bryan & Gast,
2000; Hall, McClannahan, &
Krantz, 1995; Odom et al., 2003;
Pierce & Shreibman, 1994). Figure
3 provides an example of a picture
schedule (with graphics and words)
for circle time activities. If extra
staff is available, use an individual
picture schedule for children with
autism who need more support to
stay on task during circle time (e.g.,
children who are easily distracted or
have receptive language delays).
Embed pictures cards of the child’s
preferred songs or circle time
activities, and teach the child to
remove each card as the activity is
finished, to help him or her remain
engaged.
Use large picture cards of the
circle time expectations (i.e., rules),
and place them somewhere visible to
all children. The pictures should
highlight behaviors that you want
all children to demonstrate rather
than what you want them not to do.
For example, circle time visuals
might include “Sit and listen,” “Use
quiet voices,” “Help your friends.”
Expectations can be expressed using
music and songs as well. For
example, “Use quiet voices, use
quiet voices, all day long, all day
long . . . ” can be sung to the tune
of “Are you sleeping?” Figure 4
provides an example of picture
cards of circle time expectations.
Visual timers (e.g., a small egg timer
or a toy clock) can be used to
provide children with clear
expectations for the duration of
circle time.
Props (e.g., puppets, toys,
pictures related to the song or book)
11
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
Figure 3
A visual schedule of activities for circle time
“
Circle time activities
should provide frequent
opportunities for
participation in planned
activities by all children.
” can be used to act out songs, poems,
12 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Figure 4
Visual reminders of the circle time
expectations
and stories during circle time.
Allowing some children with autism
to hold and manipulate the props
during songs and stories makes
participation in these activities more
meaningful. Also, teaching children
with autism to pass out props
provides natural opportunities for
social interactions with their peers.
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011
Activity Adaptations:
Activity Selection
Researchers have found that the
types of activities included in circle
time were the primary indicator of
low- and high-quality early
childhood centers (Hyson, Hirsh-
Pasek, & Rescorla, 1990). In the
low-quality centers, circle time
focused on the calendar for most of
circle time; memorization of letters,
numbers, and shapes; review of
classroom rules; and reading of
stories that had no thematic
connection to other classroom
activities. In the high-quality centers,
more time was devoted to music,
movement, theme-related books,
and hands-on activities. Circle time
activities should provide frequent
opportunities for participation in
planned activities by all children
(Sandall & Schwartz, 2008).
Plan some alternate activities in
case the planned activities do not
keep the children engaged. Limit the
time spent on abstract concepts,

such as reviewing the calendar and
the weather. If calendar and weather
activities are included, sing songs
and use movement activities to keep
all children engaged. Also, make
sure your activities and materials are
culturally sensitive and represent
diverse cultures and ethnicities (see
Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2009,
for more information and
resources). For example, circle time
might be a great time to invite
family members to come and share
stories, pictures, and information
about different cultures.
Include activities such as a
“knock-knock box” or “magic bag”
with high-interest items. Make a
knock-knock box with an opaque
container (e.g., shoe box, canvas
bag) and place high-interest items in
it (e.g., bubbles, new musical
instruments, new books, new
activities, a favorite toy). Give each
child a turn to knock on the box or
wave a wand around the bag and
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
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then open it up. For children with
autism, this provides an opportunity
to take turns with peers, share
attention with peers and adults, and
follow verbal directions. Schedule
these activities toward the end of
circle time or when children might
be getting distracted or fidgety. For
children who are easily distracted or
who need practice staying with the
group, vary high-interest activities
(e.g., knock-knock box, musical
instruments) with less active
activities (e.g., reviewing the
schedule, listening to a story;
Sandall & Schwartz, 2008).
Sahalie considered how she
might embed Perla’s favorite
activities or toys into circle time. She
consulted with Perla’s parents and
speech therapist and discovered that
Perla often watched a video cartoon
version of “Wheels on the Bus” at
home and listened to a CD with the
“Popcorn” song while working with
her speech therapist. They reported
how she loved the movie Cars and
often brought several toys based on
this movie to school as part of the
transition to school. Sahalie used
this information to develop the least
intrusive adaptation that might be
effective for promoting Perla’s
participation. Thus, Perla began the
transition to circle time by choosing
one toy to bring to circle, which was
often a stuffed animal from the Cars
movie. Sahalie embedded this choice
into the picture schedule that she
was already using across the day.
Sahalie started circle time with one
of Perla’s preferred songs and
repeated these songs intermittently.
Also, Angela created a picture
schedule for the circle time routine.
She took pictures for each activity,
glued them onto a colorful paper,
13
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
“
Embedding a variety of
choices into circle time
activities promotes social
and communication skills
for children with autism.
” CDs, lists of lyrics to songs, and
14 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
laminated them, and attached them
to a larger piece of cardboard. Then
she prompted Perla to use this
schedule during circle time. This
increased her opportunities to
participate throughout circle time.
Angela videotaped Perla
participating in circle time singing
these songs. The teachers made a
DVD and sent it home with Perla’s
parents and encouraged them to
watch it at home with her. Sahalie
and Angela quickly observed an
increase in her overall participation
during many circle time activities.
As mentioned above, sending
home videos of circle time is a great
way to keep families involved and
informed of classroom routines, and
it may help children learn the circle
time routine. Also, parents will be
excited to see exactly what is
happening at circle time. If
videotaping is not possible, you can
send home descriptions of activities,
titles of books that you are reading
to promote family involvement.
Activity Adaptations:
Child Preferences
Circle time activities can be
systematically arranged to promote
participation. For example,
embedding highly preferred songs
might increase the likelihood of
meaningful participation during
other, less motivating activities. Ask
parents and caregivers to share CDs
or identify the child’s favorite songs
from home, and embed these into
circle time. The opportunity to
engage in highly preferred songs
often increases the probability of
participation in other songs and
activities (Mesibov & Howley,
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011
2003; Premack, 1959, 1971). For
example, Perla consistently
participated during singing of the
“Wheels on the Bus” and
“Popcorn” songs. Even when she
escaped circle time, she would
return while these songs were being
sung.
Activity Adaptations:
Child Choice
Embedding a variety of choices
into circle time activities promotes
social and communication skills for
children with autism (e.g., verbal
choices between two seats, visual
choices using pictures of songs,
props such as musical instruments
and stuffed animals for books).
Choices are particularly effective for
children with autism who display
problem behaviors to escape or
avoid participation in activities (e.g.,
Cole & Levinson, 2002; Kern et al.,
1998). Offer choices based on the
child’s communication repertoire
and preferences (e.g., verbal choices,
pictures of items or activities, actual
objects); make sure that choices are
culturally sensitive. For example,
create a choice board with five or
six pictures of circle time songs. Ask
children to take turns pointing to or
removing a song card from the
choice board. Initially select one or
two children to model making a
song choice. For some children with
autism, five or six songs might be
too many choices. Be ready to
remove several of the cards and
offer choices of two or three songs
to some children. Provide individual
choices for children with autism
throughout circle time to maintain
participation. Also, capitalize on
child initiations and preferences by

prompting children to use language
when making choices (e.g., “Perla
do you want to sing ‘Wheels on the
Bus’ or ‘Popcorn’?”).
After a few months spent
implementing the adaptations
mentioned above, Sahalie and
Angela were pleased with the
increase in Perla’s participation
during circle time. Sahalie embedded
“Wheels on the Bus” and the
“Popcorn” song intermittently and
gradually increased the amount of
time between songs. However, Perla
occasionally got distracted and
would attempt to escape the circle
time area after reviewing the
schedule. Sahalie and Angela noticed
that she always participated during
the knock-knock box activity.
Sahalie decided to have the knock-
knock box activity immediately
follow a brief review of the day’s
schedule. The teachers always used
a visual schedule during circle, so it
was easy to use the visual schedule
to remind Perla that the knock-
knock box was right after circle
time. Perla’s attention during the
schedule review increased, she
started watching Sahalie; and she
rarely attempted to escape circle
time after this activity adaptation
was implemented.
Expectation Adaptations
Assignment of defined roles or
tasks. Being assigned the circle time
helper or being given special tasks
can be effective strategies for
promoting participation. The
activities for roles and tasks can be
flexible (e.g., passing out props,
naming the months of year, leading
or choosing songs), and some roles
and tasks require more skills than
others. Be careful to match the role
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We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
or task to the developmental level of
the child. For example, some
children with autism will be able to
have the role of schedule helper and
stand in front of their peers to point
to the current date, count the rest of
the dates left in the month, and
point to the day’s activities (e.g.,
circle time, snack time, free
playtime, outside time). Children
with autism who have limited
communication or academic skills
can be toy helper and pass out
props for songs or musical
instruments throughout circle time.
This provides a natural opportunity
for children with autism to
participate and interact with peers.
Helper roles may help the child
successfully participate in circle
time; they are related to increased
peer ratings and positive social
interactions (Milbourne &
Campbell, 2007; Sainato, Maheady,
& Shook, 1986). This might be
particularly important for children
with autism who experience delays
in social development (e.g., social
relationships with peers, shared
enjoyment, impairments in the use
of facial expression and gestures).
For children with autism, assigning
specific roles and tasks might make
the expectations explicit while
providing structured opportunities
for positive social interactions.
Perla was successfully
transitioning to circle time, and her
participation had increased with the
adaptations mentioned above.
However, Sahalie noticed that Perla
still interrupted circle time with loud
vocalizations, particularly on days
when she was not designated a circle
time helper. This role included being
a calendar helper or song helper or
passing out carpet squares. Sahalie
began giving Perla a choice between
15
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
“
Video models depicting
the expected behaviors
can be an effective
strategy for addressing a
variety of skills for young
children with autism.
” Adult Support
16 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
the helper roles, using pictures of
her engaged in each role at the start
of circle time. Perla’s teachers
quickly observed significant
increases in Perla’s participation,
socialization with peers, and
communication when she was a
helper, even when the helper’s task
was delayed or did not last for the
entire circle time. Furthermore,
when Perla was not a helper, her
participation returned to initial low
levels. Perla’s teachers decided to
allow Perla to be a helper each day.
Also, they developed a plan for
fading her role by allowing Perla to
decide which peers would be the
helpers.
Assistance Adaptations:
Some children with autism may
require more intensive,
individualized support to increase
engagement and participation in
Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2011
circle time. Hand-over-hand
prompting and modeling can be
used to teach new skills and reduce
dependency on prompts (Green,
2001; Wolery, 2001). These can be
used to promote participation in
songs, movement activities, and
choice making during circle time.
For example, Perla’s teachers were
able to videotape a typical circle
time and share the DVD with her
family. Her parents prompted her to
watch the video at home and sing
along with the songs and activities.
Video models depicting the expected
behaviors can be an effective
strategy for addressing a variety of
skills for young children with autism
(e.g., Bellini & Akullian, 2007;
Nikopoulos & Keenan, 2004). If
teachers have the resources to create
videos of circle time, they can have
the children watch them right before
circle time and can then send them
home with caregivers.
Assistance Adaptations:
Peer Support
As stated previously, circle time
can provide many opportunities for
peer interaction and social learning.
Children with autism are more
likely to observe and model peers
when proximity is consistently high
(Strain et al., 2001). Teachers can
take advantage of peer proximity
during circle time by embedding
peer imitation games (Garfinkle &
Schwarz, 2002), friendship activities
(Brown & Conroy, 1997; Brown,
Odom, & Conroy, 2001), or explicit
social skills training (Brown et al.,
2001; Odom & McConnell, 1993).
For example, have children with
autism sit next to or near a socially
competent peer who will
consistently model appropriate

responses. Also, the words and
actions of well-known songs can be
modified to promote peer
interactions. For example, the words
of “Wheels on the Bus” can be
changed to “The friends on the bus
shake hands and say hi . . . ”; the
actions of “If You’re Happy and
You Know It” can be changed from
“Stomp your feet, shout hooray” to
“Give your friend a high five, pat
your friend on the back” (McEvoy
et al., 1988). Finally, teach socially
competent peers to prompt
participation of children with
autism. For example, teach the peer
to turn and face the child and model
the appropriate actions for songs or
stories. Also, ask for a peer
volunteer to help a child with
autism participate in the helper role
by assisting in selecting the picture
of a calendar numeral that shows
the day’s date and placing it on the
calendar.
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We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.
Monitoring
Participation
After implementing strategies
for promoting engagement and
participation during circle time,
service providers should monitor
progress to ensure that adaptations
are working for the child. One
simple method for monitoring
progress is to mark stars next to
each child’s name when he or she
participates or is engaged. After
circle time or at the end of the day,
record the number of stars that each
child has earned and monitor
changes over time. This information
can be easily shared with families
during conferences and informal
meetings. Although this method is
informative, some teachers might
find it cumbersome. There are
several other options for monitoring
progress during circle time. These
include but are not limited to
frequency counts (i.e., recording the
number of times the behavior
occurs) and checklists (see Hojnoski,
Gischlar, & Missall, 2009).
Frequency counts can be used
during circle time to monitor the
behaviors that the teacher wants to
reduce (e.g., attempts to escape) or
increase (e.g., answers teacher
questions). These can be created to
fit almost any routine, using Post-It
notes, marks on a piece of tape, or
stickers. For example, Perla often
yelled inappropriate vocalizations
during circle time. However, when
she was given a role during circle
time (e.g., passing out carpet
squares, holding the pointer for the
calendar), she rarely yelled. Her
teacher monitored progress by
making a checkmark for each
17
 We Can All Participate! / Barton et al.

inappropriate vocalization on a over time. Her parents were

piece of tape next to her chair. At
the end of circle, Perla’s teacher
counted the total number of
inappropriate vocalizations and put
this piece of tape on a larger sheet
of paper. This allowed Perla’s
thrilled with her participation in
circle time and looking forward to
planning her transition to
kindergarten.

“
Circle time can be a
teacher to monitor progress over
time and share with the other
members of Perla’s team (e.g., the
positive activity for children autism specialists and Perla’s
parents). Over time, Perla’s
participation increased and her
with autism when inappropriate vocalizations
decreased, and the team concluded
individual needs and that giving Perla a role during circle
was a successful adaptation.
strengths are considered. By the end of the school year
Perla was participating
Summary
This article describes a set of
strategies for including children with
autism in circle time. Successful
inclusion involves careful planning,
collaboration, and consideration of
individual needs. As illustrated in
the vignette, circle time can be a
positive activity for children with
autism when individual needs and
strengths are considered.

” independently in most circle time

activities and rarely attempted to
escape the circle. Sahalie was
excited about Perla’s progress and
independence during circle time.
Rather than exclude Perla from
circle time activities, Sahalie and
Angela assessed her needs and
selected adaptations for promoting
her participation. They used the
least intrusive adaptation possible
and successfully faded adaptations
Environmental modifications and
accommodations are selected in
collaboration with the child’s team
and based on individual strengths
and needs. Additional examinations
of successful circle time
accommodations for young children
with autism are encouraged,
particularly across children from
various cultural backgrounds and
with a variety of language
repertoires.

Note
We wish to acknowledge the assistance provided by Rhea Cramer, Alice Johnston,
Nicole Parten, and Rochelle Robinette in collecting pictures and materials for this article.
Address correspondence to Erin E. Barton, PhD, BCBA-D, University of Colorado
Denver, 1201 5th Street, Campus Box 106, Denver, CO, 80204; email: erin.barton
@ucdenver.edu.

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