Pre-Teaching for Schedule Change

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.

Pre-teaching for schedule change is a procedure for teaching a child how to understand and discriminate visual changes to his/her schedule.

• Child's Age: 3-5, 6-10
• Planning Effort: Low
• Difficulty Level: Easy

Ability to learn picture or object representation

1. 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).

2. 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 – what is the weather today? It is raining (pair the picture with the rain visual in the group). We play INSIDE (show picture).

3. Provide verbal rehearsal opportunities throughout the day: Look at your schedule – It is raining outside. What is it doing? Where will be play today? (provide verbal model if needed)

4. When it is time for the transition, have him check his schedule, and restate what is happening providing close proximity during the transition to ensure success.