Tips to implement Visual Schedules in Schools

A visual schedule is nothing but a graphical or a visual sequence of events and activities. This visualization can be through objects, photographs, images, or words.

A visual schedule helps the student in understanding where, when, and what is happening or about to happen.

When you give a visual schedule for the students, it makes it easy and a habit for them to follow the schedule on time.

How to use a visual schedule for students with ASD?

A visual schedule helps students with autism to understand the events through visualization.

Recent research has shown effective results that visualization helps kids with ASD understand better and faster than verbal communications.

Also, visual schedules help ASD students to track down the events with time while verbal communication makes it tougher for the students to track.

The visual schedule develops concentration as the student gets used to the objects or images and also follows the instructions that are in the visual form.

How do I implement visual schedules?

While designing visual schedules for students, one of the most important things is to design a format that fits the students' needs.

Here are the five things that should be considered by the teachers while designing a visual schedule identified by TEACCH.

1. Forms of representation

To begin with the visual schedules, the foremost thing is to identify your form of information. It can be an object, photo, icons, drawing, or text in a visual form that is easily understandable by the students.

For example, a set of students feel a lego block represents the play area better, while another set understands a photograph of a play area better, and some set of students may understand an appropriate icon or a drawing better.

As a teacher, it is important to understand the form that would help the majority of the students to understand the concept better.

2. Length of schedules and format to present

After determining the form of representation, the next important thing is to determine how much information can be presented to the students in one instance.

Some students understand a single piece of information while others are capable of understanding a series of information simultaneously.

The average time taken by the students in processing the available information plays a major role.

Once the number of information is decided, you can put it into a sequence either like a pyramid, linear graph, left to right, or right to left.

3. Ways of manipulating the schedule

The next important step is to determine how the student is going to execute or move on with the schedule.

Among all the forms of schedule, objects make it easy for the students to follow.

For example, if the student is instructed to go to different places in a day, he/she can use the objects with them to follow the instructions easily.

Similarly, the photograph helps them in understanding the sequence and following them in the expected order.

4. Location of the schedule

Though it might be difficult during the early stages to place and track the schedules, the students get used to a central or commonplace eventually.

This center place should be a common and well-known point for the students so that they don't lose track of it in the future.

Also, it should be easily accessible so that the students get a regular interval to move in and out of the prescribed location.

This commonplace should have all the schedules and events together.

5. Initiation of use of the schedule

Finally, as a staff, you should know whether the student can understand when to check the time or move to a different place.

If the students are not clear on when to check the schedule, the staff should guide them during the initial phases and the students will learn the timings and the process eventually.

You can also use the students' favorite object or image as a cue to check the schedule.

This will create a habit in the student and makes it easy for him or her to follow the schedule as given.

How to implement a Visual Schedule?

After determining the basic factors for your visual schedule, the foremost thing is to educate the students about the form and the materials that you are planning to use.

Also, explain the purpose of those materials and teach them how to use them. Use conversational cues and prompts rather than adult prompts.

For example, instead of just marking 'Play area' on an object, make it like a dialogue in a playful manner, "Hey Rani, come on let's go to the play area.

You are going to love it there!" This makes the children want to follow that schedule and routine,

After the students master your visual schedules, as a staff, you are free to design your upcoming schedules to involve the students more and to improvise the methods.

You can change the forms, timings, location, and patterns as you desire.

However, ensure that these changes only improvise and enhance the student's knowledge and practice rather than further confuse them.

To Wrap up

Visual schedules are one of the best techniques to keep students with ASD focused and engaged.

You can choose your form of schedule and the pattern on how you would want the students to enjoy and understand them.

With time, they will master your forms and engage themselves without prompts and cues.