Details: Category: Classroom Set Up

An Educator's Overview to Setting Up an Autism Classroom

Inside: Information, Ideas and Materials for Setting Up an Autism Classroom

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Although it might seem daunting, setting up an autism classroom doesn’t have to be complicated! Here are the best methods teachers can employ to perfect their autism classroom setup:

1. Figure Out Your Starting Point

To properly set up your classroom, you need to find out how your student is functioning and which areas they lack. Figuring out their starting point is vital to develop plans and lessons that cater specifically to their needs. Use checklists and assessments to gauge where each of them is at.

2. Use Schedules

Students with autism need structure and routine to learn new material better and focus on their tasks. Not only will scheduling help you organize and manage your classroom correctly, but it will also help your students become more independent learners. When you have consistent and visual schedules, the students become more capable and aware of their self-management.

3. Decorate and Organize the Classroom

It would be best to make your classroom feel like a supportive and welcoming environment for your students with autism. You should set up your room to have separate areas to allow for various types of work, such as small groups, individual, and one-on-ones. If you include labels, storage, and fun decorations, you also make the space more inviting yet functional.

4. Monitor Progress

There will never be an improvement in your teaching unless you learn to monitor progress. Maintaining steady records and data sheets will help you understand which practices are successful and which need to be altered. Use assessments and check-ins to try out different approaches and teaching methods consistently.

5. Remember the Team Effort

It takes a lot of teamwork to succeed in special education classroom management, so remember to meet with your co-teachers and aides to determine how best to tackle the various duties. You can assign designated roles and locations, use shorthand or jargon to talk to each other during class, and hold regular meetings to discuss any issues.

6. Use Evidence-Based Practices

There are dozens of research-backed instructional procedures that you should try out within your classroom. Focus on only one or two at a time and rotate through them to find out which ones work best for your students. Self-management, prompting, video modeling, and scripting are all standard evidence-based practices that you could try.

7. Focus on Communication

Not every student can communicate with speech, but they still have so much they want to say to you, regardless of whether they are limited in speech or entirely nonverbal. Figure out which methods work best in your classroom to enable your students to get their point across. Some popular autism teacher strategies are picture cards, voice apps or devices, choice boards, and more.

8. Utilize Antecedent-Based Interventions

Set up your autism classroom to stop behaviors before they begin. Create a routine, expectations, structure, and materials to support positive behaviors such as organized plans, visual schedules, verbal/visual warnings, and dedicated staff positions. Whenever these methods fail, conduct Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) to help eliminate certain behaviors.

9. Respect Sensory Differences

Not every student will have the same preferences when it comes to sensations. They might dislike a particular texture or need to have something in their hands at all times--always remember to respect these differences! Fidget toys are a great option in any SPED class to keep their hands busy and help them focus their attention more on you.

10. Keep Hands and Brains Active

You should never set up your classroom like a typical lecture, where the students are forced to sit still and listen to you talk all day. Add movement, visual supports and other interactive elements. Carefully plan out your schedule and activities so they constantly think, respond, and react to the material. Try using visual response boards for the students to point out their answers and become active participants.

Try any of these ten strategies if you are trying to figure out how to support a child with autism in the classroom. Addressing these strategies are an essential part of our website resources that we share, our book for autism support teachers and our Foundation to Impact - Autism Teacher Prep Course.

Materials and Resources for Setting Up

The book How to Set Up a Classroom for Students with Autism (3rd Edition) gives ideas to teachers, student teachers, paraprofessionals, program coordinators and adminiatrators related to organizing an autistic classroom and practical materials and techniques to support students in ASD classrooms. Support and information for each chapter of the book How to Set Up a Classroom for Students with Autism (3rd Edition) can be found below.