Autism

Support Strategies for Children in Your Classroom

Organisation
• Have an up-to-date, whole class/whole day visual timetable on display in the classroom at all times.
• Explain changes to the schedule in advance where possible. Give
children time to process change and express emotion.
• Use the daily schedule or first-then and or now-next schedules to explain changes visually.
• Give children well organised tasks that have a clearly defined beginning, middle and end point.
• Chunk tasks into small, manageable pieces with breaks if needed.
• Be aware of over-sensitivity to sounds, light, touch, smells and adjust the environment accordingly.

Communication
• Talk to your children. Ask them to tell you if they need help or they are feeling angry or confused.
• Use communication aids such as Picture Exchange Communication Systems
(PECS), sign language or other tech devices as appropriate.
• Have visuals on display that will help children to express their
feelings. For example, a feelings display poster.
• Have a visual choice board on display so that children know they can ask for what they need or want.
• Give simple and straightforward instructions with visual aids to support understanding.
• Say your child’s name before giving an instruction so that they know you are talking to them.

Behaviour management
• Write some simple class rules. These should be written in collaboration with the children who
are expected to follow them. These rules should be worded positively and they should take
into consideration the needs of your individual learners. Tell your children what to do, not
what not-to-do. For example, say ‘we will try to use gentle hands’, don’t say ‘no hitting’.
• Reinforce and praise positive behaviour immediately.
• Help your child work towards agreed goals rather than reward charts, which can
sometimes encourage children to mask their personality in order to conform. These
should be linked to your child’s interests. Set achievable goals together.
• Never take a goal from your child. Once a child has earned their goal, they deserve to keep it.
• Give your child access to a designated space that they can choose to use in order to stay regulated.

Social Skills
• Use social situations to explain social situations.
• Break down the steps for complicated social interactions and explicitly teach.
• Encourage a buddy system for lunch and break times, although also appreciate that
some children prefer their own company. Do not force socialisation on them.
• Organise activities/clubs for lunch and break times, use children’s interests to design activities/clubs.
• Demonstrate/role play social interaction.
• Practise scripts for regular social interactions. For example, how to
join a game or what to say if someone is in your way.