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Principle #2 – Routine

Forum References FAQ's Quiz Lecture Introduction Transitions are much easier if they are a part of a child's daily routine. For example, if every part of the day follows a predictable routine, the student can move from one activity to the next with less confusion. Children with special needs who are taught to use transition routines experience fewer behavior problems than those who receive this type of support.

Children with ASD often need to be directly taught transition routines that their peers pick up naturally. For example, when the teacher is finished with the lesson and turns off the overhead without saying anything, the student with ASD to know that the lesson is over and that the class will be going on to something else. Routines vary from simple to complex.

Examples of ways routines can be presented:

  • Visual cue – flicking a light, using pictures, social stories, visual schedules using words and pictures (if you would like to learn more, a topic of social stories is located in the Social Interventions Module and a topic of visual schedules is located in the Environmental Interventions Module).
  • Verbal cue – "After we finish________, we’re going to put it away and start ___________."
  • Musical cue – songs that tell about the routine can be sung before and during a transition. This type of cue can become a part of the routine.

    Click play button of controller below to listen "The Recess Song." (You need QuickTime for Macintosh or Windows OS to listen this song. If you do not have QuickTime, please install from Apple's QuickTime site.)

"The Recess Song"
Written and Played by Carol Affholder

When I go to recess, all the kids play
We line up to go outside three times a day

I climb up the monky bars or sometimes go slide
There's lot of choices when playing outside

When playing with classmates my hands and my feet
Stay to myself or teacher I'll meet

When recess is over the whistle will blow
We line up together, it's time to go

Then Mrs. White will come and take a look
It's time for a sticker to put in my book

 

Example: Morgan
Morgan is a preschool-aged child. When center time is over, her teacher briefly flips the lights. This signals Morgan to go check her visual schedule, pull the next picture off and match it to "table work." The visual schedule is a part of Morgan’s routine which she checks after each activity.

 

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