1. Elizabeth Ives Field, CCC-SLP
Autism Spectrum Consultant
250 Main St #405
Hudson, MA, 01749
207-852-1835
betseyfield@gmail.com
Independent Work or Play Schedules for People with Autism Spectrum
Disorders.
Many children and adults with autism spectrum disorders have difficulty
organizing themselves to play or work independently and spend much of their time either
being structured and directed by others or engaging in aimless or perseverative behaviors
when given “free time”. For these individuals, structured but independent schedules of
activities can provide another level of purposeful and enjoyable activity. In addition to
providing structure that allows the student to work or play productively with little to no
adult involvement for significant lengths of time, it fosters development of a feeling of
independence for students who spend most of their time accompanied and directed by
adults. Following an activity schedule also can be a precursor to following written
directions, doing homework or maintaining focus and productivity in employment. The
process can be taught to preschoolers or started with teens and young adults. All ages
seem to learn it easily and enjoy it.
This is not an original idea. I believe it started with the TEACCH program in
North Carolina, and many autism programs use forms of it. This is my variation. Nearly
all of the students I’ve used it with have found it motivating and enjoyable and a lot of
parents and teachers have been pleased to see their children begin to work/play
productively and independently for 15 to 90 minutes.
The process in general:
1. Find a consistently available work space that is fairly free of distractions and where the
student feels comfortable. You will soon be able to transfer it to many settings.
2. Select containers for the activities. A three drawer plastic chest is often a good choice,
but baskets and boxes have also worked well, or folders for students doing paper and
pencil activities. Be sure the containers will hold the items you plan to use even after they
are assembled. For example, if you are using large puzzles, be sure they can be put away
without having to stand on end in the basket or drawer. The completed work should stay
done when replaced in the container, not fall apart.
3. Select initial activities to put on the schedule, knowing you can add others later. These
should be things the student can already do easily. For children at early developmental
stages, these are often puzzles, shape sorters, matching/lotto boards that can be velcroed
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2. so the small pieces don’t fall off, sorting activities, or simple assembly toys. More
developmentally advanced students might be doing a coloring or dot-to-dot paper,
completing a math or spelling assignment, assembling a snack, or setting up a game and
inviting a friend to play.
As much as possible, older students, even if at early developmental levels, should
be provided with tasks and materials that are reasonably age appropriate. For example,
sorting tasks might involve silverware, coins, small hardware items or jewelry parts (if
you are certain they won’t go in the student’s mouth) and assembly might be flashlights
or plumbing parts.
If the student does not have any activities he or she can do without help, you will
need to establish some first, NOT within the independent schedule procedure. When you
want to add new activities it may also be necessary to pre-teach them. An activity should
not be included in the independent schedule until the student knows exactly how to do it.
4. Make a set of symbols (Examples: circle, square, triangle; 1-2-3; red-blue- yellow).
Use Velcro to mount one on the front of each of the drawers or baskets so that you have,
for example, a drawer #1, and a #2 and a #3. Provide a container to drop the symbols
into when each task is completed.
5. At this point you have set the stage; there are three containers (start with two if you
want),each marked with a symbol and each containing a toy or task you know the student
can do without help and all in a space you can use regularly that is familiar to the student.
Be sure that when you put the materials in the drawer, they are unassembled. The
student is learning to find a task that needs to be done, do it and put it away completed so
we don’t want him or her to take it apart before or after doing it.
6. Provide whatever introductory explanation is needed or helpful for your particular
student. For some this means say nothing and just visually direct him to the drawers then
assist and demonstrate the expected behaviors. For others it might be something like:
“It’s time to do independent work. I will help while you are learning but I won’t talk.
You can learn to do these things alone.”
Regardless of the introduction, the help you give during the process should be
nonverbal and as minimal as possible. The idea is that eventually you won’t be there at
all, so try very hard not to introduce verbal cues that the student with autism is likely to
see as an essential part of the process. A child with autism will often wait for you to say
“What’s next?” or “What should you be doing?” even when he knows, just because he
thinks it is a required part of the learned routine. So, try very hard not to talk.
7. Assist him through the process of opening the first drawer, putting the
contents on his work space, doing the task, replacing the completed item in the drawer,
closing it, pulling off the symbol and putting it in the provided container and repeating
the process with the next drawer. If necessary, use gentle physical prompts, points and
gestures or taps on the item that needs attention. Even start the task yourself to
demonstrate if necessary, but DON’T TALK. For nonverbal prompting, do as much as
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3. necessary to get through the process smoothly and without long delays, but as little as
you can get away with, and always be trying to reduce it. If you have to prompt at
beginnings and ends of tasks, try to move away while the student works on the familiar
task. Remember, your goal is to not be there at all.
If this is a highly verbal student doing folders of school assignments, you may
indeed tell him how to do the whole process, which might involve crossing completed
items off a list with no symbols or drawers, but I would still avoid verbal prompting
(coaxing, reminding, warning, etc) while the student is working. Some will remind you
not to talk.
8. The student should have a way to recognize and tell you when the process is
completed. Some might bring you a card that has an “All Done” symbol after the third
task is completed. Often a tangible reinforcer is helpful, so the “All done” card might
have a Velcro spot on the end where a symbol for "choice" or a previously chosen reward
is attached. A nonverbal child might learn to bring you the card, then you point to the
finished and reward symbols and say “All done! Time for jumping (or crackers, music,
choice, etc)”. A child with echolalia will soon learn to bring you the card and say those
words. A highly verbal child might just have the card to remind him of the need to report
in at the end and it could say something like “I’ve finished my work and for choice time I
would like to…”. Some might not need a visual cue, but should be taught to tell a
supervisor when the tasks are completed to avoid aimless time gaps and develop a
responsibility that will be helpful in job settings.
Specifics and modifications for
Date of plan:
Location:
Materials:
Procedural specifics:
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