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Strategies to Improve Work Completion and Organization for Students with ASD

Julie A. Donnelly, Ph.D. Associate Director, Project ACCESS

Missouri’s Educational Agency for Autism http://education.missouristate.edu/access/

Jdonnell@tranquility.net

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Cognitive Differences in ASD

       

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Deficits in Executive Function

Executive Function has to do with organization skills. Picture a secretary in the brain that organizes the day and plans and prioritizes. For some people this part that provides structure is inactive. They tend to flounder or react by needing to hold on to the few patterns they can establish. They become rigid about their patterns instead of being able to organize and reorganize with flexibility. It impairs their problem-solving abilities because they fear moving away from established patterns.

Associative Thinking •  Nonautistic people describe the way they think as

logical. Sometimes it follows what is thought of as mathematical logic. But mostly it relies on what we have learned from others and is common thought.

•  Persons with autism often think in an associative way, rather than using typical patterns and their associations may be different from common thought.

•  Most tests expect typical answers, they may give them more, or a higher level or just a different point of view. Individuals with ASD are out of the box thinkers.

•  You think they are changing topic, but to them the topic they move to is associated.

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Central Coherence Some individuals on the autism spectrum have difficulty seeing the larger picture or meaning. They tend to focus on the details, the parts, and do not relate their information back to the larger pattern. Difficulty integrating the pieces to the whole. Can not see the forest for the trees.

Shifting attention and over focus While some individuals on the autism spectrum are diagnosed with hyperactivity, you will find that many can focus intensely on things they find interesting. However, they have difficulty shifting that focus. Some brain research has located an area of the brain responsible for difficulty in shifting attention. Many individuals on the autism spectrum have more than typical problems during transitions or change because it requires attention shifting.

                  

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Visual Thinkers Many, but not all, individuals on the autism spectrum are visual thinkers. Some report that they think in pictures rather than words. Even those individuals whose strength area is not their vision can be well supported by the use of visual cues because they are concrete and not time limited.

Struggles with comprehension of more abstract meanings

Many autism spectrum individuals have difficulty understanding abstract concepts. This is especially a problem when these concepts are related to people and their thoughts and feelings. It is important to help them connect the new concept with concrete and visual examples from what they already know. Some ASD individuals are brilliant in abstract concepts. Most can learn with a lot of patient explanation and illustration.

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Rote & Long term memory strengths •  Most individuals on the autism

spectrum have a strength in remembering memorized information. Some have photographic memories or total recall of auditory information. However, some individuals can struggle with understanding the meaning behind the information or seeing it as a part of a whole picture.

•  However, the same individuals may forget common short term items

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Classic Problems

•  Work completion •  Organization •  Motivation: Will

work only when interested

•  Learning problems

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Work Completion •  Hearing, comprehending

and following directions •  Keeping track of short

term and long term assignments

•  Working singly, in small and large groups. Doing their part and only their part.

•  Getting the work to the correct place by the correct time

Typical problems that interfere with work behavior

•  Attention or focus •  Having the correct materials •  Comprehension, Application, Evaluation,

Inference •  Memory, the good and the bad •  Knowing when and where •  Working with others •  The work is too hard, too overwhelming or too

boring

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Attention or focus ��� •  Additional adult help to prompt student to attend to

instruction. Not just repeating instructions!! •  Interest: When possible involve a topic of interest •  Lively, meaningful, hands on, active & interactive lessons •  Motivation systems: positive or negative •  Peer prompts •  Frequent breaks or sensory input •  Self management systems •  OK, medication as part of the plan •  Remember attention is not the same as eye contact

•  When I heard the beep my eyes, my hands and my mind were on task. My opinion Teacher’s opinion

•  8:15 yes yes •  8:22 yes no •  8:30 8 5 •  8:38 10 10 •  8:45 •  8:52 •  9:00 Score for 45 minutes Score earns Top score for the month

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Getting to class with the right materials •  Carry everything with you in a backpack •  Stashes at the classroom with the teacher •  Opportunity to go to locker when it is not so noisy •  Index cards on a ring to remind what to take to

each class •  Checklist on a small clipboard •  List in a plastic protector on the front of notebook •  Trucker’s wallet held to belt by chain •  Motivation to get there with the right stuff

Had my materials ���6 = 20 minutes on computer

•  English •  Math •  PE •  Lunch •  Social Studies •  Science •  Study Hall

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Comprehension��� •  Make sure that you have the student’s attention

•  Add a visual to directions. Write it on the board or the overhead. Give them a written copy.

•  Break it down into steps and give only one or two steps at a time or give one worksheet or assignment at a time.

•  Show a model. Give an idea of the big picture and then the steps to get there.

•  Ask them to repeat the instructions. Watch for echolalia. Have them speak in their own words.

•  Be sure that they know how & who to ask for help •  Seat them near a competent peer •  Check in regularly to see if they are on target

One strategy is to break assignments down into steps, and either give the steps one at a time or have them on a checklist so completion can be tracked. Some of the steps of a checklist of instructions may include:

•  1. Exactly which work to do •  2. Where and when they begin •  3. What are the time limits and how will they

know when time is up? •  4. What materials they need and where to find

them? •  5. What to do and in what order?

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•  6. When it is finished •  7. What will be the standard for grading the

work? •  8. What the finished product will look like? •  9. Where to put the finished product and

materials when they are finished? •  10. How and who to ask for help? •  11. What to do next? •  14. What is the positive consequence for

doing this assignment?

Rating Scale for School work: Self rate and teacher rate

10 The best, all right 9 Excellent Job! 8 Good Job! 7 OK 6 Not quite good enough 5 Poor, try again 4 Need to do better than this 3 Way below what you are able to do 2 Lousy 1 The worst, no effort, totally wrong

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Rating scale of badness •  10 War, or natural disaster 9 Horrible, Grandpa died or someone got really hurt 8 Traumatic, lost a cared for friend or loved one 7 Hurt and angry, someone I cared for was mean 6 Very Angry, I got angry back and got in trouble 5 Angry, someone sad something unkind or was mean 4 Really upset, missed the bus, my sister’s fault 3 Felt upset, missed the bus, bus driver’s fault 2 Felt really sorry, accidentally knocked someone down 1 Felt sorry, bumped someone in the hall

Application, Evaluation, Inference���

• Generalizing and applying knowledge • Applying Math concepts and procedures •  Evaluating: truth and falsehood,

advertisments, fantasy and reality, videos & TV vs real life, prioritizing

• Getting non literal meaning, idioms, figurative speech

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Memory ������

Use of memory tools written and pictorial •  Agendas •  Calendars •  Lists & checklists •  PDAs •  Mnemonics •  Rehearsal and repetition •  Practice routines: E.g.. write it 5 times, sign it, act it out,

draw it, stomp it out •  Reduce information to its essence. •  Highlight key points •  Webbing

House

Roof

Walls

Shingles Foundation

floor basement

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Working with others •  Teach cooperative group skills with roles •  Give a specified role, write or draw it out •  Teach taking turns, write or draw it out •  Everyone contributes, write or draw it out •  Polite language, kind language •  Make a limited time for group work •  Sometimes, allow them to work alone, but

remember they need group skills for life

•  Jon’s turn 111 •  Judy’s turn 111 •  Terry’s turn 111 •  Don’s turn 1111

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Terry edits the first draft

Everyone talks about the topic and decides

what to write.

Don researches topic

Judy writes first draft

Jon types the final draft

Knowing when ��� •  An additional problem is difficulty understanding time and having a

sense of how much time has passed. Some individuals have difficulty with time concepts such as “yesterday,” “later,” “wait a minute,” “a while,” or understanding how long they have to do things if they are told they have a specific amount of time such as “30 minutes,” or “a week.” Learning to sequence can be the first step but this is often conceptually difficult also. It involves relationships between events and transitions

•  Graphically teach the cycles of life: months, days, hours, minutes •  Make time as visual as possible •  Have them keep a calendar, on their level of comprehension •  Use a timer, such as a time timer •  Help them to plot out long term assignments in their agenda •  Color code by days due •  Folders for work that are by days due

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Knowing where •  Have a clear consistent place to put assignments •  Have a routine time of day that assignments are handed

in •  Announce what assignments are due and if necessary

prompt student to put his/hers in the site. Fade back the prompts

•  Have folders for work that is due •  Teach students a system to organize their papers, create a

visual map of the organization system •  Assist them in keeping the system up •  Have a visual map of how to organize desk or locker •  Fade out as they learn to self manage

The work is too hard, overwhelming or boring: Modifications

•  Cut out the busy work. Give less work. •  Many students with ASD have fine motor problems

and dread written work. Decrease the written part of the assignment. Use alternative ways to show mastery: typing, taping, oral, scribing, drawing, acting it out

•  Adapted curriculum, adapted goals, adapted work and tests

•  Concerns: Students who are academically able need to learn to complete typical work

•  What I hear: They can when they are motivated. •  Enrichment, time to work on special interests, read

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Homework Policy •  For some families, homework becomes a battle ground. •  Some students with ASD need a break after the stress of a school

day. Most students think they need a break. •  A policy of no homework can cause problems, because if they are

not using their school time well, then they never get work done. •  Some school work cannot be learned by just listening. It requires

practice. For instance, math and writing. •  Students who are going on to higher education need to develop their

independent work skills. •  You may need an individual homework policy based on the

student’s needs and abilities which can change according to the type of work and progress and the student becomes more able and responsible.

•  There may need to be a motivation to become more able and responsible.

•  Getting the correct assignments home and the materials to do them can be a problem

•  Agendas, sometimes have to be checked to see that assignments are listed correctly. They may need to be initialed by teachers or parents

•  homework hotlines & websites with assignments can be very helpful.

•  School based after school tutoring •  Study halls with academic or special ed support •  A social story or counseling is often needed to

help students understand why they need to do their work.

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Social Story: Why is homework important? •  Assignments made by your teachers that you did not get

done at school are called homework. Teachers give work so that you can practice what they teach you. Many skills cannot be learned just by listening. You have to practice math to really learn how to do it. You have to practice writing to become a good writer.

•  There is some homework to do in elementary school. There is even more homework to do in Middle School, Junior High and High School. If you go to college, you must know how to get your work done outside school hours. Students must learn how to work independently and do their homework. Doing your work is part of being responsible.

•  Good students know that they must get their homework done each night and turned in the day that it is due. Students are given grades such as A, B, C, D or F. Good students like to get A’s and B’s. They turn their homework in and try to do their best job. Many times they get rewards for having good grades. But good students feel happy, just because they did the right thing.

•  Some students forget to do their homework, or do a poor job or don’t hand in their work. It makes the teacher angry. It makes their parents angry. It makes those students feel bad about themselves. Sometimes they lose a privilege because they did not do their job.

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•  I want to feel good about myself and I want my parents and teachers to know that I try my best. I will try to get my work done. When it is not done at school, I will take it home and complete it. If I get behind, I will ask for help.

•  All school work is important to get me ready for life. Homework is important because it teaches me my subjects and shows that I am responsible.

What is organization?

•  Pile of cards…find the P •  Cards in alphabetical order •  Organization is putting things in some kind of

order. •  Some of us have more or less need for order •  Everyone needs a certain amount of order to make

their life work, however, they may not know how much they need it.

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What is organization? •  Keeping track of assignments •  Keeping track of materials •  Prioritizing •  Getting together the appropriate resources •  Spreading the work out over time, if necessary •  Seeking help in the correct places and ways •  Knowing where to start •  Knowing when it is enough, when to stop

What needs done first, second, third…���(Prioritizing)

•  1. •  2. •  3. •  4. A.  The report for next week B.  Study for spelling test first thing tomorrow C.  Home work for tomorrow afternoon D.  Creative story I want to write.

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Organization Strategies • Teach structure and visual

organizational supports. Demonstrate and model the use of these structures, tools and strategies, and then gradually fade out the adult or peer support when they have internalized the organization strategies.

Motivation Strategies •  Often don’t care about grades, teacher opinions of them,

what other kids think, typical reward systems •  Have to find a hook •  Video game system with points and levels •  Earn something they really want •  Delayed reinforcers: puzzles, checkmarks, charts, tickets,

tokens •  Earn: attention, computer time, home rewards, activities,

responsibilities, breaks, sensory time •  Social reinforcers: Praise, home or school awards, grades,

smile faces •  Important: Make it visual and clear what they are earning

and how close they are to getting it.

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•  10 checks = computer time

•  Initials of 5 teachers = computer time

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Teaching kids to do boring work

•  The boring moment (Michelle Garcia Winner) •  Visual: what happens if I do this work? What happens if I don’t do this work?

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Science work to do

Don’t do work

Stay after school

Do Work Free time

Learning problems

•  Comprehension •  Abstract concepts •  Understanding characters •  Inference •  Application •  Word problems •  Concepts

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Immaturity •  Two to three years behind •  Some students work behavior improves as they get

older •  With some highly structured visual help and they

can learn and internalize strategies •  Try to have some patience. Accept that these are

square pegs we are trying to fit into round holes. They may never really fit but they are interesting and unique in their own way.