A guide to setting up transition schedules and extending their use

1. Using Visual Cues Across All Ages Ranges and Skill Levels Scot Greathead Speech and Language Therapist

2. Consider the inclusive environment and the difficulties our students face accessing this. Visual cues within the context of a larger ‘Prosthetic Environment’ Using visual cues to support transitions Increasing the complexity of schedules Text based cue systems and wider issues of developing independence in older students Learning Objectives The effect the environment has on developing independence and understanding October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

6. How Do these Difficulties Manifest? Raised Voices: “Do this!” Physical Prompting Confusion ‘ Opting Out’ Learned helplessness: “Everything gets done for me” Loss of control: “What’s happening next?” Self Harm? Heightened state of anxiety Failure Confrontation, tantrums, ’behavioural difficulties’ Low self-esteem Loss of independence – reliance on others October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

10. Our ability to function independently Relationship with your physical environment Relationship with your symbolic environment Relationship with your social environment The meaning we give to objects within our environment and how we respond to them. Ability to attach meaning to symbols and markings Awareness of how time is represented Ability to adapt your role within a given setting October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

11. Using visual cues to support the transition process October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

12. Using a transition schedule independently What to do when you’re given a visual cue Assess students level of symbolic understanding Taught through backward chaining How to use a series of visual cues i.e. a schedule Teach to respond to a visual command – backward chaining 2 key skills October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

13. Hierarchy of Symbolic Understanding Real Objects Miniature Objects Photographs Coloured Drawings Line Drawings Symbols: i.e. Bliss Text/written word Choosing an appropriate visual cue October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

16. Verbal Prompting A spoken command - tells a student to do something “pick it it”, “get the ball”, “put your shoes on”, “check your schedule” Danger is that the student becomes reliant on the command rather than ‘thinking for themselves’ Impossible to ‘fade’ verbal prompts – easier to fade physical prompts. Turn the command into a comment “ Turn the tap on” becomes ‘Hot Water!’ “ Go to your schedule” becomes ‘Here’s your schedule’ “ Get your shoes” becomes ‘They were under the chair!’ October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

17. Following Visual Directions What’s in the box? Here comes the hoop! “ Get this!” “ Go here” Photograph which student takes from his schedule as a cue to collect his PE kit A photograph of an activity : Students collect the required Items for each song. Take Register Sensory Room Photographs should clearly represent the area students are moving to. October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

25. Build in time for choice Support transitions with reinforcers Develop sight vocabulary Incorporate commands Social Functional October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

26. Collecting materials Items for collection need to be smaller than the ‘location’ symbol Make your October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

29. Activity Schedules To reinforce rewards and aid transitions: the following activity is more motivating than the current activity To help students organise their own unstructured time. Students choose activities, then follow their schedule. choose October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

30. Activity Schedules To develop independence To support the understanding of a sequence of events October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

31. The success of supporting more complex instructions for non-reading students will be limited unless they are taught and can read a series of symbols Can a series of symbols be replaced by 1 meaningful symbol If you take the text away can you understand what the instruction is? Using symbols to support complex instructions V’s October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

33. A weekly / monthly schedule Requires ability to follow horizontal and vertical schedules Less specific - indicates key event throughout the week Could split into before and after school zones Eliminates repetitive questioning Teaches concepts of day names, today, tomorrow, yesterday, weekends Able to recap on a weekly basis October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

34. The development of the transition process Understanding that a symbol represents a command or event Following a vertical timetable Following a horizontal schedule Introduce the concept of a weekly schedule Introduce the concept of a monthly schedule Introduce the concept of a simple calendar, diary, to do lists, reminders etc Acknowledging the past is equally as important as thinking about the future: diary/lifeline etc Introduced as day planner and task planner Concepts: months, seasons Concepts: today, tomorrow, yesterday and days of week October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

36. Text based systems to develop independence

43. Coordinating many tasks 25 minutes: Sausages 20 minutes: 10 slices of toast 10 minutes: Fried Eggs 10 minutes: Lay the table 10 minutes: Beans 10 minutes: cups of tea Completion This strategy could also be used for projects which may takes weeks rather than minutes Breakfast Timer indicates when to start each task October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School

46. I am autistic. I've always been autistic, and I always will be autistic. Autism is part of who I am, just as my sense of humor and my emotions are part of me. I like who I am, even my autistic part. http://www.geocities.com/growingjoel/ October 2005 Scot Greathead - Hatton School