Help a child or student prepare and understand that their daily routine or schedule may change through pre-teaching strategies.
How to Pre-Teach Schedule Changes?
Pre-teaching for schedule changes is a procedure for preparing a child to understand and discriminate visual changes to their schedule and routine. Pre-teaching schedule changes is a strategy to proactively prevent behavioral issues and reduce anxiety in the child or student by making the unknown more predictable and for them to build emotional resilience in the face of changes.
Example:
An educator describes a student who has a meltdown when there is a change from outdoor play / recess to indoor play. How can the educator help the child or student understand the visual picture change to their schedule?
Pre-Teaching Scheduling Changes with Visual Icons
Place indoor AND outdoor visual icons on the student’s schedule. Create opportunities to teach the student weather concepts associated with the icons. Place a visual “X” over the OUTDOOR visual when recess is inside to signify a change.
Quick Facts
- Child’s Age: 3-10
- Planning Effort: Low
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Pre-Teaching Schedule Change Requirements
Child must have the ability to learn picture or object representation
How to Handle Scheduling Changes
- Always have both indoor and outdoor recess icons on the schedule. Place a large red “X” over the picture of the outdoor visual (or the visual not occurring that day).
- Create opportunities throughout the day BEFORE the play/recess time to teach the student the difference in the pictures and relate to weather activities in group time. For Example: say, “Look outside – what is the weather today? Is it raining (pair the picture with the rain visual in the group)? We play INSIDE (show picture).”
- Provide verbal rehearsal opportunities throughout the day: Look at your schedule – It is raining outside. What is it doing? Where will we play today? (provide verbal model if needed)
- When it is time for the transition, have the student or child check their schedule and restate what is happening, providing proximity during the transition to ensure success.
Handling Schedule Changes Resources
do2learn.com (link to website for examples)
This resource was authored by Watson Institute Special Education Consultant, Rachel Schwartz, PhD, BCBA-D
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute’s use of this information, please contact us.