This articles provides a review of visually based strategies for organizing classrooms for children and youth with ASD using a review of the literature.
Findings
Environmental and visual structuring methods for use with individuals with ASD have been shown to have research support.
These methods have also been recommended by high functioning adults with ASD.
The methods have the potential for increasing independent functioning among students with ASD and decreasing the effects of challenges associated with ASD.
Reference
Ganz, J. (2007). Classroom Structuring Methods and Strategies for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Exceptionality. 15(4). 249-260.
Task Initiation is often a challenge for children and adults with an executive functioning disorder. For a child, it may be lack of initiative in doing homework while for an adult, it may include forgetting or putting off paying bills. Children and adults with task initiation issues generally have a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, Intellectual disability or a learning disorder.
Signs of a task initiation impaired executive functioning skill would be someone having difficulty in getting started on a task and keeping the effort needed in order to complete the task. A child or an adult require external cues in order to complete the task. Also, it will require understanding what is expected and understanding the task. Here are a few strategies:
Limit Distractions. In the classroom any type of added sensory input can defer the student from getting started in their school work.
Create a List. Visual support will help to increase getting the work done for a school-age child, you may want to create a to-do list which the steps are broken down into smaller steps. When a person with an executive function is given a task, it may be overwhelming, making it more difficult to get started.
Use Cues. A clock or a timer will help the child or adult stay on time and understanding the amount of time it will take to complete a task
Break task down. Create where the work is done in chunks so that the work will not be as overwhelming for the student.
