Visual Schedule

One very important item for the child with ASD is a visual schedule. A visual schedule can help the child anticipate what comes next, when things will change, where he or she needs to be, and what to do. Just knowing what will happen next can lessen anxiety for the child with ASD, and in turn, help the classroom run smoothly. Consider making a large visual schedule for the entire class and display it where all the children can see it and utilize it, as well as having a smaller copy for the child with ASD to keep with them or at their work area. A visual schedule can also help prepare the child when there are changes in the normal routine. For an older child, perhaps pictures or icons are not needed; a copy of their schedule written out is still very useful and can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. Just because a child with ASD can read or seems to "big" to use picture icons, does not mean they don't need a visual schedule of some sort! Think about how you plan your day. Would you be lost without your calendar or planner or organizer? Maybe a little stressed out? Most of us use some type of calendar or planner to know what we need to do each day.

People Locator

For the child who needs to know where everyone is at any given time, a People Locator can go along way to alleviate anxiety and stress. This type of visual aid can help an anxious child realize that a favorite person will return and where they are. A People Locator can also help a busy teacher keep track of everyone, too!

Labels

Other types of visual tools that are easy to use are labels. Placing the name or picture of an item on the shelf where it belongs can help the child with ASD learn the names of items, matching skills, organizational skills, even spelling skills. Just about everything in the classroom can be labeled, if necessary. Labeling is one of the easiest classroom management tools to use in the classroom and can be adapted to fit the abilities of any child with ASD.