Changing Schedules

For some students, the schedule does not end at bedtime but needs to continue in the morning, and must lead to a pleasurable activity.

One student was looking forward to going to his grandmother’s house the next day. However, his language made it clear that he did not know the difference between today and tomorrow. His parents said, “Nap, bedtime, then grandmother’s house.” We soon realized he needed the details between these events. His parents added dinner, breakfast and work time to his schedule, so that he knew he was not waking up and going directly to his grandmother’s house.

Many students learn their schedules quickly. A schedule then takes on other purposes. One is to differentiate Mondays from other days, or to help students understand on which day they have art and when gym occurs. Because many school holidays are on Mondays, the student needs to understand that in the case of a Monday holiday, he or she begins the week with the Tuesday schedule. Another purpose for schedules is to indicate changes in the usual routine. Since many students with autism love routines, they become upset when their schedule is changed. We can use a schedule to teach them how to cope with change. For example, an assembly will occur instead of reading and math. For younger students, place a “surprise” card with a “?” on it over reading and math, and slowly say, “Surprise. No reading. No math. Assembly.”

For students who are better readers and understand more language, use a “schedule change” card and say, “Schedule change. Instead of reading and math, we have an assembly.” Start using these types of cards for fun changes, such as extra snack time or a sensory activity--something the student really likes. The students learn that change can be okay. Then they learn that change is okay even if they are not excited by the other event.

If we just remove the activity being changed from the schedule for the day, the student does not clearly understand that it will not take place--he just sees that his schedule has been changed. He does not know whether it will ever occur again. Instead, use a “surprise” or “schedule change” card. If possible, put up a picture of the substituted activity so that the student will know that something is taking its place. If the schedule is written, use a surprise or schedule change card nonetheless. Place the card over the change and write what will happen next to it.

For example, if the speech pathologist is absent, put a line through "speech" or "speech group" and write what the student will be doing next to it. Tell the student, “No speech today. Reading.” Some teachers use the schedule to organize their classrooms. When a subject is complete, all the students return to their desks and read the schedule together. For example, as a group they say, “Math is finished. Time for speech group.” One teacher would shut off the lights to indicate that a subject was finished. The students moved to their desks and the lights were turned on when they were ready to review their schedules. One student was selected to remove the subject that was finished from the schedule and point to the next item. The class read the next activity together.

For students who do not understand photographs or line drawings, use an object schedule. Select one object to represent an activity. For example, for young children, use a diaper to indicate that it is time to use the bathroom, or a crayon to show that it is time to color.

For older individuals, use a roll of toilet paper to show that it is time to use the bathroom or a bottle of Windex and some paper towels to indicate that it is time to wash the desks or tables. These objects can be placed in attached shoeboxes. Put three or four shoeboxes together. Add a new set of objects as the student goes through the first set.