TEACCH Workshop 22/10/09 Miriam Nadarajah, Inclusion Advisory Teacher miriam.nadarajah@camden.gov.uk

TEACCH Workshop 22/10/09

Miriam Nadarajah, Inclusion Advisory Teacher

miriam.nadarajah@camden.gov.uk

What is TEACCH?

• TEACCH is an evidence-based service, training, and research programme for individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. Established in the early 1970s by Eric Schopler and colleagues, the TEACCH program has worked with thousands of

individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. • Autism is presented as a culture: in what

ways do we adapt to interact with people from other cultures?

Division TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children

• Aims: The primary aim of the TEACCH programme is to prepare Autistic people to live or work more effectively at home, at school and in the community.

• Improved adaptation: through the two strategies of improving skills by means of education and of modifying the environment to accommodate deficits.

• Parent collaboration: parents work with professionals as co-therapists for their children so that techniques can be continued at home.

• Structured teaching: it has been found that children with autism benefit more from a structured educational environment than from free approaches.

Learning Style

Some characteristics:• Stronger visual learners - may think in pictures rather than

words• Difficulties with sequencing• Narrow beam – may focus on detail or area of interest• Difficulties with multiple perspectives – joint attention• Theory of mind – cannot ‘mind read’• More time is needed for processing• Time and organisational problems – need predictability

with clear beginnings and ends• Problems with engaging attention and then disengaging• Difficulties with sensory over of under stimulation – may

need breaks from stimulation to prevent outbursts

How would a person with autism describe their learning style?

• Show me, don’t tell me.

“Walk straight on up to the end of this road, turn left and then take the second left and it’s just there on the right.”

“Give me time to process.”

What is two plus two?

Put two in your head, and count

on two

Use your number line

Are you listening? Come on, what is two

add two?

“I am not a multi-tasker but rather single channelled.”

• “Have you eaten your sandwich?”

• “Finish your milk”• “Don’t spill any

when you get up”• “Line up when

you’ve finished”

“Lots of noise, light, heat, smells, texture or other stimulation can greatly disrupt me.”

“Details are my strength, concepts and meanings give me more problems.”

• They are wearing scarves.

• What time of year is it?

• Why are they wearing scarves?

“If you do not organise and structure things for me, I will do it myself and you will find it hard to change what I have done.”

“I have a good memory, but not a good sense of sequence.”

“Knowing what to expect is important to me. I hate uncertainty and ambiguity.”

“If you don’t tell me what to expect, I will make my own assumptions based on what occurred last time.”

Playtime?

•Fruit

•Swing

•Hoop

•Finished

“If you can help me make sense of what you are requesting or what I am doing, my performance goes way up.”

The basic TEACCH principle is Structured Teaching:

• Physical organization• Scheduling• Flexible grouping• Curriculum adapted to IEP goals• Relaxation opportunities

Physical Organisation:

• Develop areas based on the curriculum• Clear visual and physical boundaries• Material and contextual cues• Minimize distractions and stimulation:

placement/barriers• Teaching and independent work areas• Establish a routine: associate activities with

specific areas or places

Examples in Camden:

Schedule:

• Visual cues to indicate what will occur and in what sequence

• Objects, photos, symbols, words

• What work? How much work? Concept of finished? What happens next?

Examples in Camden:

The Where and the What:

• Schedule on wall shows where to go:

• Work system tells what to do:

Activities with a clear finish:

“I know what to do and I can see when I’m finished.”

not

“I can keep going for as long as I like”

www.tasksgalore.com

www.shoeboxtasks.com

Focus on independence not next skill level

• Teach the activity 1:1• Pupil can do at independent work

area• Pupil can do at group table• Ready for next skill level

Preparing for a schedule change:

• Introduce a symbol which means a change in the schedule

• Introduce in a positive way by substituting desired activity for undesired activity

• Even the unpredictable can be made predictable!

Relaxation and leisure time:

• As adults, we have a lot of leisure time: they need to be good at it!

• Balance curriculum with time for relaxation/down time in specified area

• Encourage to choose activities for enjoyment

5 a DayActivities for any age, any level which will stimulate the development of

key skills!

Joint Attention• High interest activities

(bubbles, lights)• Lots of noise/excitement • Teach them to show rather

than give: “Show me the…”• Pulling something out of a

bag with huge gasp• Sharing photos• Reading

Imitation •Introduce as focus early on•Games in morning group•Motor (hand actions) easier than social (facial expressions)•May imitate peers more than adultsInitiated Communication

•Request using whatever communication system•May be more likely to request from adult than peers

Teach Basic Facial Expressions•Enhances Theory of Mind www.transporters.com www.autismresearchcentre.com www.do2learn.com

Teach Categories•Have categorical minds but need rules•Need to see many examples before can generalise•Sorting activities•Start with colours then using same materials sort by different categories

www.transporters.com

www.do2learn.com