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| ICAN Home > Modules > Environmental Interventions | ||||||
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Strategies for Less Structured Times of the Day: Introduction
There are environments in everyone’s day where the structure is crystal clear, and others where it is somewhat uncertain. In the elementary classroom of a very structured teacher, for instance, the rules may be posted on the wall, the teacher may speak very clearly and prepare students for the next project, she may use visual cues and signals, and may have specified activities available for students who finish work quickly, etc. This is a relatively structured environment centered around task completion, and one in which children on the autism spectrum would most likely be at their best. In elementary school the amount of less structured time can be troublesome, but in middle school and high school more independence is expected, and scheduling and teacher supervision therefore become somewhat loose, creating lots of instances of less structure throughout the day. Making it even more confusing is the fact that different teachers are responsible for students at different times of the day, who are not always aware of incidents in the various settings that can cause behavioral breakdowns as tension mounts for students with ASD. Consequently, teachers may think that behaviors exhibited later in the day came out of nowhere. While restructuring and teaching need to be a consideration in elementary school, they play a very key role in developing a successful program for middle and high school students. Lecture ContentWhat difference can less structured times make in the life of a child on the autism spectrum?
We can teach to these scenarios to some degree by using core strategies described in other ICAN modules. For a complete explanation, click on any topic:
NOTE: Before implementing any suggestions in this lesson, please be sure that you have a good understanding of the above interventions as well as the various types of assessments recommended, since they will be essential to your success in managing less structured time and many other interventions. |
Individuals on the autism spectrum tend to thrive in structured environments,
and become confused and anxious in unstructured settings. They need to know what
to expect, but they have trouble anticipating the demands of different settings.
This uncertainty often leads to behavioral breakdowns. The solution may involve
changing the environment, teaching the student alternate skills for use during
unstructured time, or both.