What are reminder cards?

Reminder cards are visual tools used to assist students with daily activities. They are simply a visual cue placed on paper, index cards, or other media, which are easily accessible for the student. The function of a reminder card is to give direction to a student. As with other visual supports (i.e. schedules, mini schedules, people locators, labels) reminder cards can be used to create independence, minimize disruptive behavior, and improve communication and understanding.

How to use reminder cards?

Reminder cards can be used in a variety of settings and situations. Look at the following examples:

Joe is learning to make microwave popcorn on his own. His parents thought this would give him an opportunity to be independent when he first comes home from school, as he is always hungry then. Joe was able to get the popcorn from the cabinet and place it in the microwave but would then just stand there waiting for it to pop. Once he was told to push the “popcorn” button on the microwave he would quickly do it. His mom put a reminder card on the microwave so Joe would remember this step without being told.

 

Miranda likes to be the first one to answer the teacher's questions in class. Sometimes, Miranda forgets to raise her hand and just shouts out an answer. Her teacher, Ms. Smith, is constantly reminding Miranda to raise her hand. Sometimes when Ms. Smith reminds Miranda to raise her hand, Miranda gets angry. Ms. Smith decided to try a visual reminder for Miranda. She placed a small picture of a child raising their hand on the corner of Miranda's desk. Miranda can look at it and remember that she needs to raise her hand. When she forgets, Ms. Smith simply points to the picture on Miranda's desk. Ms. Smith doesn't need to give Miranda a verbal reminder several times a day any more, which in turn, decreases the number of times Miranda becomes angry during the school day. This is also an example of a classroom management tool.