If you're reading this post, I am guessing you have some idea of what TEACCH is, but if not I will give a brief synopsis of the program...
By definition, Structured Teaching (or TEACCH) "is an instructional strategy that emphasizes visual supports. Its aims are to increase and maximize independent functioning and reduce the frequent need for teacher correction and reprimand (Schopler, Mesibov, & Hearsey, 1995)."
Fits right into what you are trying to do in your functional classroom right?!? I like this particular definition better than others I have seen out there, because it doesn't specify a WHO. The program was designed for individuals on the Autism spectrum, but ALL learners can benefit from it, those without disabilities
When I attended training in the program several years ago, I left feeling slightly overwhelmed and not quite sure how this program would look in MY classroom, teaching only functional skills, with learning happening in the community more than the classroom. So, I started small. I followed the program. I shifted and adjusted the physical organization of my classroom. I created specific work environments and tried to embed them into what would be a natural environment in the adult world. From there I began creating schedules...lots and lots of schedules. There were student specific schedules and there were schedules within tasks. As I saw successes, I began to feel more comfortable and continued adding more and more TEACCH elements to my classroom, quickly realizing that TEACCH wasn't a program that one followed so much as it was a way of thinking, or an approach to instruction. TEACCH is the modifications and supports we provide across all settings for our students. My worries about how TEACCH would work in my classroom melted away and I began to wonder how my classroom ever ran smoothly without TEACCH!
One of the parts I have really enjoyed in incorporating these methods and approaches into my classroom, has been the introduction of what we call "Independent Work Tasks." These are tasks that train an individual to start, follow through, complete, and move on from a task independently. Throw "TEACCH tasks" into the search bar of Pinterest and you will find a SLEW of ideas. Or you can check out my board: TEACCH Work Tasks and Ideas, to see what I have found out there. When I am working on creating new tasks, I try to think about the areas that my students may have deficets, and create a task around those particular skills. These tasks provide great opportunities to work on fine motor, organization, and following multi-step directions. In my functional classroom, we have 20 bins and counting. I have created all that the space on my shelf will allow, and would like to now start creating additional tasks that can be rotated in and out. Below I show and describe some of my favorite tasks.
This is our coupon cutting task. I have a stash of the coupon flyers from the Sunday paper, that I collect, and have colleagues collect for me. Students cut the coupon and place in the labeled bins.
Using the coupons we acquire from the cutting task mentioned above, we have a task that asks students to sort the coupons into identified areas of the grocery store.
For several years we had some young men come through our program that enjoyed partaking in "handy" activities around the center. Their interest fueled this work task. Students match colors to place the different screws in the right hole and then use the appropriate screw driver to screw them into place, or remove them.
This task requires alphabetizing basic dolch words. I would like to create a new stack of cards that include survival words as well.
Our "Office Supply Sort" requires placement of office supplies into a bag. Right now the task requires just one of each item. We are working on creating cards that make specific requests for each bag to add another level of difficulty to the task.
This hardward sort was also inspired my my handy young men a few years ago.
Silverware sorting.
This is one I found on Pinterest. The shirts have polka dots and the individual has to match the number of polka dots on the shirt to the written number on a pair of pants and clothes pin them together.
This task was inspired by a need. Upon returning from the grocery store each week, our students are required to empty their bags and put away their groceries. Many times, after they had left the kitchen, we would find items in the most bizarre locations. One day, when attempting to make pigs in a blanket for lunch, we discovered our crescent rolls in the cabinet! So our pigs were left without blankets, and this teacher decided some direct instruction on WHERE food items are stored was necessary!
This task was also inspired while preparing lunch. If found that when given the task of "picking out a vegetable" or "picking out a fruit" to prepare for lunch, many of our students did not know the difference. We also made sure when creating this task, to not just include FRESH fruit and vegetable items, but canned and frozen items as well, as that is where a lot of the confusion was occurring!
I saved my very favorite for the very end. This one too, came out of student need. Very early on in the school year we discovered that a young lady had a VERY difficult time plugging in a vacuum during chores. Chatting during planning time with my paras one morning, and processing aloud my attempts to solve this problem, I mentioned how awesome it would be to take extension cords and a powerstrip and some how put together a work task for this young lady. The next evening, I received a phone call from one of my paras who asked if I was home, she had something she HAD to show me. A short time later, I opened my front door to her, holding this amazing creation. She had chatted with her husband, and he had whipped this together. Amazing! Just about a week after introducing this task to that fine young lady, she was plugging in the vacuum with ease!
Through structures and routines, students in our program know that if they have a little extra time, after completing a work sheet, before heading out on the bus, or in between lunch and work experience, they are to select and complete an independent work task. And, as the year goes on, I know I have to come up with more and more tasks to keep them busy, engaged, and challenged!
Do you have any awesome work tasks that you use in your classroom?
Come to the edge with me...
Mackenzie
