Structured TEACCH Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children Blanche McKenna Autism Specialist

Physical Structure Physical structure refers to the actual layout or surroundings of a person's environment, such as a classroom, home, or group home. The physical boundaries are clearly defined and usually include activities like: work, play, snack, music, and transitioning.

In a classroom setting these areas may include: Small group work area Independent work area 1:1 work area Play/recreation/leisure area Sensory motor area Break area.

Physical structure break center

Scheduling A schedule or planner is set up which indicates what the person is supposed to do and when it is supposed to happen. From the next activity all the way to a day or week are clearly shown to the person through words, photographs, objects, drawings, or whatever medium is easiest for the person to retain.

Beginning schedule

Object schedule

Written/picture schedule

Work System The work system tells the person what is expected of him/her during an activity, how much is supposed to be completed, and what’s next after the activity is completed. The goal is to teach the person to work independently. The work system is also organized in such a way that the person has little or no difficulty figuring out what to do. For example, the activity or task should be performed from top to bottom or from left to right.

Work System This refers to the systematic and organized presentation of tasks/materials in order for students to learn to work independently, without adult directions/prompts

Work Systems address 4 questions What is the work to be done? What is the nature of the task? (e.g., sorting by colors; adding/subtracting 2 digit numbers, making a sandwich, brushing teeth, etc.).

How much work? Visually represent to the student exactly how much work is to be done. If the student is to cut out only 10 soup can labels, don't give him a whole stack and expect him to independently count and/or understand that he is to cut out only 10 soup can labels, for the task to be considered complete. Seeing the whole stack of labels - even if told that he is going to cut only ten - can cause a child with autism a great deal of frustration and anxiety in not being able to understand exactly how much work to complete.

When am I finished? The student needs to independently recognize when he is finished with a task/activity. The task itself may define this, or the use of timers or visual cues, such as a red dot, to indicate where to stop on a particular worksheet, has proven effective.

What comes next? Items such as reinforcers, highly desired activities, break times or free choice are highly motivating toward task completion. In some cases, being "all done" with the task motivates the child enough to complete it. Always check schedule

Routine A routine is a Task Analysis. In the TEACCH method, the most functional skill for autistic individuals is a routine which involves checking one's schedule and following the established work system. This routine can then be used throughout the person's lifetime and in multiple situations.

Visual structure Visual structure refers to visually-based cues regarding organization, clarification, and instructions to assist the person in understanding what is expected of him/her. For example, a visual structure may involve using colored containers to assist the person in sorting colored materials into various groups or displaying an example (jig) of a stamped envelope when the person is asked to place stamps on envelopes.

The schedule tells you where to go The work system tells you what to do