I’m back to talk more about independent work stations. I don’t know if you’ve realized, but I’m basically obsessed with them. I think I’ve written about independent work stations at least a half dozen times on this blog if not more! I love them because not only do they provide an opportunity to teach students ... Read More about 5 Mistakes you are Making in your Independent Work Stations

The concept of the "Work Station" comes from Division TEACCH and is designed for individuals with autism or related conditions. I am in no way an expert, but have basic training and have had the privilege working in a class that follows TEACCH principles. Here is a pack I produced to assist people when creating workstations- I hope you find it useful. I would HIGHLY recommend training with TEACCH if you are given the opportunity

Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

Do you want to try task boxes, but think your students are too high for them? They aren’t! I find it easier to do higher level academics in task boxes than coming up with new ways to practice lower level skills such as “put in”. This post may include affiliate links. First, let’s talk about ... Read More about Higher Level Academics In Task Boxes

You can never have enough work tasks, but are the work tasks you have doing what they should? In the effort to build up a set of work tasks, it's easy to forget that some tasks fit the needs of independent work while others don't.

These no prep cut and glue pages are great for addressing 3 step sequencing goals while also practicing fine motor skills. Includes 2 levels of difficulty.

Setting up structured work systems (TEACCH) are a staple in many autism classrooms. Here are 10 tips to get your started on setting up and using them.

Every school year, I identify a few "grows" that I want to work on over the course of the year. This year, I want to improve my relationships with families, continue to learn new ways to teach core vocabulary and to incorporate more functional skills for my kiddos! I decided to make some new task boxes to work on some basic functional skills. Check out my new sorting and put-in independent work/ task boxes! Everything is made from stuff I already had in my classroom or from the Dollar Tree. Sort the game pieces. Pack the toiletry bag. Put the pencils in the pencil pouch. Sort by pencils and pens. Put the money in the piggy bank (just a painted yogurt container). Sort the office supplies. Stock the art caddy. Do you make functional skills task boxes? Please link any posts/ pictures you have of functional task boxes in the comments! I'd love for us to all share our ideas :)

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Are you looking for new ways to increase your students' independence? Read this post to learn more about types of structured work systems!

Free Life Skills File Folder Activities for the independent work station in special education classrooms. Practice life skills for community integration!

At the beginning of the year, I am always that hot mess teacher; HOWEVER, there is always one thing I make sure I have running smoothly by the end of Septem ...

I was observing a little guy in preschool who had just entered school the other day. He was still working on basic skills like following directions and had limited things that he could do to engage himself independently. The teacher was working on having him do a simple put-in task of putting cards in a coffee can, but because his skills were so limited, he was completing this task repeatedly throughout his day. This wasn't the only thing he was doing and there was time in the day when he was working on discrete trials for learning readiness skills, learning to wait his turn, and working on communication through a number of activities in his day. However, one way that he was working on communicating was to use the coffee can task, that he seemed to enjoy, to have him request the cards to put in from other students. That got me thinking about one of my pet subjects over the years--creating put-in tasks that are age-appropriate and have some variety for learners who are just starting to gain other skills. These are typically the types of tasks that we start work systems with because they are easy for students to do independently. You can see from the picture a variety of types of tasks and materials you can use. I particularly like the seasonal tasks like the jack-o-lanterns that the students is putting in for 1-1 correspondence (a little more advance than just putting in).

Want to set up a work task system in your classroom? All you need to know to get started is here! Read on to learn about Work Tasks for Students with Autism

Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

Work Boxes in Autism Classrooms are great to help students work towards independence! This article explains more on how, why, and what you should do next!

I am focusing on assembly work tasks for the the first Workbasket Wednesday of the new year! I thought I would share some assembly tasks

Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

I've talked about structured work systems frequently in the past, I've created starter kits for them on TPT, and I've even written a book about them (forgive the shameless plug, but I do really love the book!). One of the things I really like about work systems is that because they address mastered tasks that students must complete independently (as their focus is teaching independence), they are a great center to be staffed by paraprofessionals. I even had one high school teacher who staffed the center with her peer helpers who volunteered in her classroom. However, with that in mind, it's critical to make sure that the staff who supervise and teach the work system center know how to do that. There is a lot more to it than just putting in tasks.

In my last post and the one before that, I've talked about receptive vocabulary and how to help students learn in ways that are fun and functional. In this one I want to introduce a new product, share a couple more ideas of how to teach vocabulary in fun ways. And I want to tell you how to get a free sample.

Teach students the language and concepts they need at the beginning of the school year. Do you have students who need targeted instruction & repeated progress? This theme unit is designed to enhance & further your student's language development, vocabulary, reading, and math skills through hands-on and visually supported lessons and activities.  WHO IS IT FOR? Hands-on learners Students who need repetition & varied practice in order to progress and generalize skills Classrooms with students at multiple levels Students with language-based disabilities such as autism FEATURES: Differentiated to save you time Detailed instructions for each activity for easy implementation Language & vocabulary based  Designed to immerse students in the vocabulary and concepts leading to better learning while targeting standards 10 extension activities are included to help you use the materials in even more lessons WHAT’S INCLUDED? Vocabulary word wall cards Vocabulary graphic organizers: 3 levels Full-page & color easy reader Half-page black-line easy readers: 2 levels Write the room: 2 levels of recording sheets Language & vocabulary concept activities: targets receptive understanding of feature, function, and class Vocabulary sorting: 3 levels of sorting cards Alphabet clip cards: matching upper and lower case letters Counting clip cards: one-to-one correspondence School bus themed tens frames center Making sets 1 through 20 Sizing tasks Addition Center and worksheets Count the room: 2 levels of recording sheets Addition clip cards Graphing Center: 2 Levels Yes or No Clip Cards Reading Comprehension Activities Leveled Texts: 3 books with 3 versions I Spy: 2 levels Scrambled Sentences: 3 levels 10 Extension activities to keep the learning going Get HUGE savings by buying the Special Ed Thematic Unit BUNDLE*** Here’s what teachers are saying: ✏️ "Love these thematic units! Makes my life so much easier! I can prep easily and spend more time teaching ❤" -Wendy Z. ✏️ "I love this thematic unit! I did community helpers and dentist units last year and my kiddos LOVED them! I bought the bundle and cannot wait to have a theme every couple of weeks using these! I especially can't wait to use this one soon! Great work! I love your entire store." -Deanna B. ✏️ "So happy with this resource. This has been a beginning of the year lifesaver!" -Robyn M. Connect with me: Newsletter • Instagram • Facebook • Blog Don’t miss out on discounts, freebies, and new products! Simply click the green star under my store name to follow my store. NEED HELP? Before leaving feedback: submit a help ticket ask a question on the Q& A tab Don’t miss out on discounts, freebies, and new products! Simply click the green star under my store name to follow my store. This product by Pamela Petralia is copyrighted for single classroom or caseload use only. This product may not be resold and can be copied for personal use within a classroom only. If you have questions, please email [email protected]  ©Pamela Petralia

A blog about autism resources and support from a special ed teacher with first-hand experience.

In February I blogged for the first time about what was actually INSIDE my work boxes. My first post focused specifically on "put in" work t...

Overwhelmed and understaffed my first year as a special education teacher in the self-contained classroom, I discovered that implementing an effective independent workstation helped my students become more successful and independent. Click to learn how I got control using task boxes and independent workstations in my special education classroom. My students loved the differentiated math, language arts, science, and social studies curriculum with age appropriate clip art and real photographs.

So, the strike is OVER!! And I finally get to go back in my classroom and teach my lovely students again. Our first day back went pretty well (I feel like we started up almost exactly where we left off a week and a half ago...not too shabby!). Now that I am able to work again, I wanted to give you a tour of my classroom. It is still a work in progress...but over the next couple days, I will go station by station around my classroom to give you some ideas of activities that work well for kids with autism. A couple weeks ago, I showed you my morning group area. (click here). Other areas in my room I will show you are: Work Station Reading Centers/Math Centers Science Teacher Time Language Quiet Reading Today I will start with Work Station. This is an area in my classroom where students complete independent work on concepts which they have already mastered. The purpose of this area is to get my students to work 100% on their own without any adult prompts or attention. How it Works: *Students come to the station and check their drawer for work. *Students take their work out of their drawer, find a desk to work at, sit down, and complete their work. *When their work is finished, students put work back in their drawer. *Last the students request a preferred item as their reward. (Teaching assistants take apart the work and set-up for the next day.) In my school, we have multiple classes of kids with autism. My coworker and I set up a couple stations in our classrooms for both of our classes. That way, our kids can switch classrooms throughout the day and have a greater variety of activities to complete. This is one of those stations (as you can see, it is set up for about 20 students). Set Up (what you need): *Place for students to find their work when they arrive at the station (I use these drawer bins). Each student's name is on a label on their drawer (I blurred the names for posting purposes). *Place to store each students' additional work (I use these blue bins). This way, you can change the work students complete each day. *Place to store supplies students may need to complete work. *Work for students to do (I use puzzles, file folders, worksheets, sorting tasks, etc.) See any of my Work Task Tuesday posts for ideas. *Rules/Directions posted *Reinforcer List (left image) and Choice Board (right image). For the reinforcer list, each student's name is written in a box (I blurred them in this image). In each box, we keep a running list of items each student prefers as well as pictures of those times (on the choice boards) for students to use when requesting their reinforcer after they finish their work. The marker is velcroed to the wall above the reinforcer lists for whenever we need to add a new preferred item.

This packet of Basic Concepts Fall Task Cards covers 10 different basic skills your special education students should be practicing every day! Each concept has 2 levels for a total of 200 task cards. Also includes data sheets for tracking IEP goals, sorting mats and student response worksheets. These differentiated and fall themed task cards are perfect for task boxes, independent work stations, direct instruction, morning work and warm-ups! Super Savings Alert! This is part of a larger yearlong bundle. Check it out here and get all 12 months at a huge discount! Contents 200 task cards - 10 basic concepts x 2 levels per concept x 10 cards per level Level 1: multiple choice - use clothespins, dot markers, tokens, dry erase markers etc Level 2: expressive complete the sentence Cover and quick data chart for each set Sorting mats for 7 of the concepts (all but colors, shapes or numbers) Student response worksheets - 3 levels Level 1: write the word Level 2: trace the word Level 3: circle the word Two data sheets for tracking IEP goals Concepts included: Colors Numbers to 10 Shapes Same or Different Big or Small In or Out On or Under In front or Behind Right or Left None or Some Prefer file folders to task cards? I’ve got you covered! Check out my Basic Concepts File Folder Bundle for these same concepts in a different format. Please note: This is a digital download.  You will download, print, and prep as needed. No physical items will be sent to you.

These no prep cut and glue pages are great for addressing 3 step sequencing goals while also practicing fine motor skills. Includes 2 levels of difficulty.

Today I thought I would share some reasons for foldables to be a good fit in structured work systems for students on the spectrum.

There are 6 different types of independent work systems that you can be using in your self-contained classrooms.

Enhancing linguistic organization, discrimination, and vocabulary, these task cards assist in identifying items by their features or functions, supporting various IEP goals. The extensive examples, diverse feature/function types, and variety foster an enjoyable and enriching practice environment for students. Ideal for independent work, guided practice, stations, or therapy sessions, this resource includes 72 Feature Function Cards, complete with labels for convenient storage.

Finding something for kindergarten early finishers to do can be a challenge! Check out these task cards to keep students learning and engaged!

Independent work systems on the job can help your students be rock star employees! Find out how teaching them in your classroom can help your students.

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This year I have been part of our Math PD team and it has really made in impact in my classroom. While my students are still working on many basic skills, I’ve been able to get some great insight into where we should be going and let me tell you, they’re flying! Check out these ... Read More about 4 Tips for Building Math Fluency

Have you been struggling to find a way to engage your students in writing activities? I was too until I found these daily writing journals!

Activities for Math Centres My Centres are the tables that my students rotate around to learn, practice and master skills. I’ve colour coordinated each table and in this post I’ve liste…

Hello! I'm Chris Reeve. Welcome to our special educator community. My passion is bringing special educators together to help them serve their students. Join our FREE Resource Library ! ! ! Subscribe I Agree to

Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

Work Boxes in Autism Classrooms are great to help students work towards independence! This article explains more on how, why, and what you should do next!

Free Life Skills File Folder Activities for the independent work station in special education classrooms. Practice life skills for community integration!

The post Tips for Setting Up Your Independent Work System appeared first on The Autism Helper.

Many of you have emailed me asking about resources for setting up your own Life Skills Classroom. I have some great news….I finally have a TPT product that supplies you with everything to start your own life skills classroom! This product includes: *4 Labels for different areas of the room (Kitchen, Bathroom, Laundry, and Office). *14 Tasks (3-4 from each different area). All of the directions/visuals are included for each task. (NOTE: You will still need the "real life items" for tasks…i.e. silverware, containers, clothes, etc.). *Color-Coded Schedule System (enough task labels and schedule pieces for 20 tasks). *Editable Schedule to add in students' names. *Data sheet for tracking level of independence on the life skills tasks. *Real life photos of all tasks. Here are the labels for the different areas of the room. We taped these on the walls and then had certain tasks related to that theme in that general area of the room. For kitchen tasks, this product includes visuals and set-up instructions for: Setting the Table, Sorting Silverware, Sorting Food by food group, and Sorting Recycling For office tasks, this product includes visuals and set-up instructions for: Collating Paperclip Task, Filing by Color, Sorting Pens vs. Pencils, Packaging School Supplies For laundry tasks, this product includes visuals and set-up instructions for: Sorting Colored vs. White Laundry, Matching/Folding Socks, Hanging Clothes For Bathroom Tasks, this product includes visuals and set-up interactions for: Packaging Bathroom Supplies, Labeling Body Parts/Clothes, Packaging Toothbrushes Also included, are all the materials you need to make a Life Skills schedule. An editable template is available for you to add in your own student names. There are also 20, color-coded task labels that you can post by each task and corresponding schedule pieces. I also included the data sheet we use as well as a task list for you to track which tasks you have. This product also contains extremely detailed instructions on how to set up each task as well as ideas on setting up your life skills room in general. It is a great step-by-step resource!