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Using Visual Schedules: A Guide for Parents

Using Visual Schedules: A Guide for Parents

ContributedByCatherineDavies Thereisclearresearchevidenceregardingthebenefitsofusingvisualscheduleswithindividualswithautismspectrum disorders(ASD)(e.g.,Mesibov,etal,2002Massey&Wheeler,2000Bryan&Gast,2000).Additionally,awealthof anecdotalevidenceexists.Forexample,aparentwasaskedtosharethemosthelpfulthingthatshehadtriedwithherson(a15yearold withadiagnosisofHighFunctioningAutism).Sherepliedthatavisualschedulehasbeenthekeytoincreasinghisindependenceand managinghisanxiety.Shereflectedthatshewishedmoreparentsknewaboutthedifferencethiswouldmakeforboththeirlivesandforthat oftheirchild.Thisarticlewillthereforeoutlinebotharationaleforusingschedulesathomewithindividualsacrosstheautismspectrum (ASD)(bothchildrenandadultchildren)andthestepsparentscantaketodoso.

Rationale
Mostofusdonotfollowavisualscheduleforourtimeathome.However,individualswithASDhavegreaterdifficultiescopingwith unstructuredtimethanneurotypicalpeopleandbenefitfromincreasedstructureintheirlives(VanBourgondienetal.(2003) TheadvantagestousingavisualschedulewithindividualswithASDinclude(Mesibovetal.,2005): Itutilizestheindividualsvisualstrengthsandthereforeprovidesareceptivecommunicationsystemtoincreaseunderstanding Ithelpstheindividualtolearnnewthingsandbroadentheirinterests Itprovidestoolsthatallowtheindividualtouseskillsinavarietyofsettings Itcanincreasetheindividualsflexibility Ithelpstheindividualremaincalmandreducesinappropriatebehaviorsand Ithelpstheindividualtodevelopindependenceandresultingselfesteem.

Reasons that parents may not use visual schedules

Despitetheseadvantages,settingupavisualschedulecanseemlikeadaunting,timeconsumingtaskformanyfamilies.Keepinmindthat thescheduledoesnthavetobeperfect,computerprintedandlaminatedliketheonesyouoftenseeatworkshopsorthatteachersmake workjustfine.Yoursonordaughterisequallylikelytorespondtostickfigurepicturesthatyoudrawonpostitnotesastheyaretoprinted images. Additionally,thetimeyouinvestinputtingtogethertheschedulewillresultinsavingyoutimeintheformofdealingwithbehaviorproblems andleadingyouroverdependentsonordaughterthroughactivities.Itisalsolikelytosaveyoursonordaughtertimebyincreasingtheir skills.

What Does a Visual Schedule Do?

Ittellsyoursonordaughterwhatisgoingtohappenandtheorderofevents.Someofyoumayhavechildrenthatareabletomemorizea sequenceofevents.Theproblemwiththisisthat(especiallyastheygetolder)mostthingsinlifedonothappeninthesameorderoratthe sametimeeveryday.Thiscanthenleadtobehaviorproblemswhenunexpectedchangesoccur.Usingavisualschedulecandevelopa positiveroutineoflookingforinformationandthusincreaseflexibilityandtheabilitytocopewithlifesupsanddownsinthefuture. Astheaboveresearchhasshown,anadditionalpositiveaspectofusingavisualscheduleisthatitcanincreaseyoursonordaughters independence.Theycanlearntomovefromoneactivitytoanotherusingthescheduleratherthanrelyingonsomeoneelsetoleadthemor verballypromptthemtothenextactivity.

Steps for Setting Up a Visual Schedule

1.Decideontheformatoftheschedule. AlltypescanbeusedwithallagesandalltypesofASD.Thescheduletypestoconsiderare: A.ObjectSchedules:Thesearemostappropriateforindividualswhohavefewlanguageskillsandaremostlynonverbal.Thesimplestway touseanobjectscheduleisfortheparenttohandanobjecttotheirsonordaughterjustbeforetheyareabouttomovetothenextactivity. Theindividualthentakestheobjectandusesitintheactivity.Themainthingtothinkaboutwithanobjectscheduleismakingalistofwhich objectsyouaregoingtousetorepresenteachactivity. Exampleofobjectsusedforyoungchildandthewrittenlistforparents.

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Using Visual Schedules: A Guide for Parents

Exampleofwrittenlistofobjectsusedforyoungadult(hisjobwasfoldingtowelsatlocalgym):

Formoreideasregardingwaystouseobjectswithyoursonordaughter,visitwww.objectsymbol.com. B.Pictureorphotographschedules:Youwillknowifyoursonordaughterisreadyforapictureorphotographscheduleiftheycan consistentlymatchpicturesorphotographs(suchasinasimplelottogame).Someindividualsfindphotoseasiertorecognizewhileothers dobetterwithlinedrawing.Youcaneitherdrawtheseyourselforusecomputergeneratedpicturesfromtheresourcesbelow. Yoursonordaughterpullsoffthefirstpictureandthengoestotheactivitythatitrepresents.Ifyoursonordaughterisdistractible,andlikely tolosefocusonthewaytoanactivity,youcanuseamatchingpictureschedule.Inthistypeofschedule,youplaceanidenticalpictureinthe areatheyaregoingto(oratthedoorwayifforexampletheyaregoingoutside).Theythentaketheirpictureandmatchittotheoneyouhave mountedinthearea.Velcrocanbeusedtomakethepicturessticktoeachother. Belowisanexampleofaphotographscheduleusedafterschool.Whengoingshoppingtheparenttookthematchingphotoandhelditon thedoorforthechildtomatchbeforeenteringAthometheparenthaspocketswithmatchingpicturesasshownbelow:

Iftheyareabletomaintaintheirfocusonwhatthepicturewasevenastheymoveacrosstheroom/buildingtothenextactivity,youmaynot needamatchingpicture. Belowisanexampleofapicturescheduleusedforamorningroutine.Theindividualturnseachpictureoverthendoestheactivity.

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Using Visual Schedules: A Guide for Parents

Forprintablepicturesandmoreinformationonusingpicturescheduleswithyoursonordaughter,seewww.do2learn.comor www.kidaccess.com. C.WrittenSchedules:Theseschedulesarebestforreaders.Ifyoursonordaughterisjustbeginningtolearntoreadyoucanaddsome wordstoapictureschedule.Againyoucanuseamatchingschedulesuchastheoneshownbelow: Schedule

Matchingwordpostedinthearea. Oryoucanuseabasicwrittenlistwhereyoursonordaughtercrossesoffeachthingastheycompleteitsuchasthisonebelow:

Formoreadvancedlearners,youcanmovetoamorecomplexwrittenscheduleformatsuchasdayplannersandelectronicorganizers.

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Using Visual Schedules: A Guide for Parents

FormoreinformationaboutusingwrittenscheduleswithyoursonordaughterseeFaherty(2000). Whenchoosingascheduletype,theimportantthingtorememberisthattheschedulehastoworkforyoursonordaughterwhentheyare havingareallybadday.Asmostofusdontperformatourbestwhenwearestressed,thismeansthatthescheduleformatislikelytobe moreeffectiveifyoumakeiteasierthanyouthinkyoursonordaughtercanhandle. 2.Decideonthelengthoftheschedule. Againthiswillbebasedonyoursonordaughtersneedsandabilities.Somemaybeabletouseawholedayschedulewhileotherswillbe overwhelmedbythisamountofinformationandwillneedtoseejustoneortwoitemsatatime.Youcantakeaguessatthenumberofitems thatyouthinkwillworkandthentryitoutmakingmodifications,ifneeded. 3.Decideonthecueyouaregoingtousetogetyoursonordaughtertotheirschedule. Sinceverbalinstructionandcuesarenotthemosteffectivewayforindividualswithautismtolearn(Mesibovetal.,2005),itcanbehelpfulto useavisualmethodoftellingyoursonordaughterthatitistimetochecktheirschedule.Thiscanalsobeanespeciallyusefultoolwhen yoursonordaughterisstressed.Asgivingverbalinstructionduringacrisisislikelytocausedifficultbehaviorstoincrease. Ifyoursonordaughterisusinganobjectschedule,thenyouaretheirvisualcueasyouhandthemtheobject.Forpictureschedules,youcan useapicturerepresentationoftheirscheduleasshownbeloworaphotographofthemselvesortheschedule.

Forwrittenschedules,youcanusecheckschedulecardssuchastheoneshownbeloworformoreableindividuals,justhandthema pencil.Bothpictureandwrittencuescanbemountedonindexcardsthatyouhandtoyoursonordaughterwhenyouwantthemtocheck theirschedule. Ifyoursonordaughterismanagingamoreadvancedschedulesuchasadayplannerorelectronicorganizer,theycansetanalarmontheir watchororganizerthatremindsthemtocheckitatkeytimes. 4.Teachscheduleuse. Likeanynewconcept,usingascheduleissomethingthatyouneedtoteachyoursonordaughter.Foranindividualwithlittleorlowverbal understanding,youcandothisbyplacingthescheduleobjectorpictureintheirhandandgentlyphysicallypromptingthem(frombehind)to gotothedesiredarea.Itisimportantnottobeinfrontofthemleadingthemtotheareaasthiscancausethemtobecomeoverlydependent onyouratherthanlookingattheschedule. Forindividualswithmoreverbalskills,youcanexplain(briefly)theconceptofschedules,Forsomeindividuals,thiswillbemosteffectiveif youdoitinwriting.Youcanalsoshowthemyourscheduleandpicturesofschedulesthatotheradultsusetoincreasetheirmotivationtouse aschedule. 5.Monitorhowyoursonordaughterisdoing. Onceyoursonordaughterisusingtheirschedule,noticewhethertheyareindependentinusingit.Yoursonordaughterisindependent whentheygotothescheduleontheirownonceyouhandthemtheirvisualcuetocheckscheduleandthenusethenextscheduleitemto goindependentlytothenextactivity. 6.Makechangestothescheduleformatifneeded. Ifyouhavebeenteachingthescheduleforacoupleofweeksandfindthereisnoprogressinindependence,thisisasignthatyoumayneed tomodifytheschedule.Forexample,reducethenumberofitemsorchangetheformatfrompicturestoobjects. 7.Beconsistentinputtingdownalltheactivitiesonthescheduleespeciallyifunexpectedthingshappen. AcharacteristicofindividualswithASDisthattheyarequicktodeveloproutinesandareintolerantofchange(Mesibovetal.,2005).This canoftenleadtobehavioraldifficulties.Byusingthescheduletoshowupcomingchanges,youareteachingyoursonordaughtertobecome moreflexibleandmoreacceptingofchangebecauseitishappeningwithinthefamiliarroutineofcheckingtheschedule. 8.Asyoursonordaughtergrowsanddevelopsnewskills,youmaydecidetochangethescheduleformat. Avoidthetemptationtoeliminatetheschedule.Individualswithautismarelikelytoregressbacktooverdependenceorlossofskillsifyour aimistograduallyfadethesupportoftheschedule.However,formostindividuals,thescheduleformatislikelytochangeasnewskills emerge.

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Summary
VisualscheduleshavemanyadvantagesbothtotheindividualwithASDandtotheirfamilies.Faherty(2000)hassuggestedthatvisual schedulesmaybemoreimportanttouseathomethanatschool.Thisisduetotheroutinizednatureoftheschooldayandthefactthatmany childrenwithASDareunabletomaintaintheintenseefforttheyneedtofunctionsuccessfullyatschoolwhentheyreturnhome.Timespent makingvisualschedulesnowwillnotonlysaveyoutimeinthefuturebutcanincreaseyoursonordaughtersskillsandindependent functioningwhiledecreasinganxietyanddifficultbehaviors. References Bryan,L.&Gast,D.(2000).Teachingontaskandonschedulebehaviorstohighfunctioningchildrenwithautismviapictureactivity schedules.JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,30,553567. Faherty,C.(2000)Aspergers:WhatDoesitMeantoMe?Arlington,TX:FutureHorizons Massey,G.&Wheeler,J.(2000).Acquisitionandgeneralizationofactivityschedulesandtheireffectsontaskengagementinayoungchild withautisminaninclusivepreschoolclassroom.EducationandTraininginMentalRetardationandDevelopmentalDisabilities,35,326335. Mesibov,G.,Browder,D.,&Kirkland,C.(2002).Usingindividualizedschedulesasacomponentofpositivebehaviorsupportforstudents withdevelopmentaldisabilities.JournalofPositiveBehaviorInterventions,25,5872. Mesibov,G.,Shea,V.,&Schopler,E.(2005).TheTEACCHapproachtoautismspectrumdisorders.NewYork,NewYork::PlenumPress. VanBourgondien,M.,Reichle,N.&Schopler,E.(2003).Effectsofamodeltreatmentapproachonadultswithautism.JournalofAutismand DevelopmentalDisorders,33,131140. ThePictureCommunicationSymbols19812005byMayerJohnsonLLC.AllRightsReservedWorldwide. Davies,C.(2008).Usingvisualschedules:Aguideforparents.TheReporter,14(1),1822. IRCA|2853ETenthSt|Bloomington,IN47408|8128556508|irca@indiana.edu

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