GSO Test

GSO Test

TEACCH Strategies

Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children

 

TEACCH is a training and intervention programme for individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. Originating from a child research project in 1964 by Eric Schopler TEACCH methodology continues to evolve and refine its approach.  The TEACCH philosophy recognises autism as a lifelong condition and does not aim to cure but to respond to autism as a culture.

The TEACCH philosophy includes an understanding of the effects of autism on individuals; use of assessment to assist program design around individual strengths, skills, interests and needs; enabling the individual to be as independent as possible and working in collaboration with parents and families. Whereas some interventions focus on addressing areas of weakness, the TEACCH approach works with existing strengths and emerging skill areas.

TEACCH addresses the difficulties with communication, organisation, generalisation, concepts, sensory processing and change by introducing structure and predictability into the day to day activities of the individual. This is done in several ways:

  1. Structuring the day
  2. Structuring the environment
  3. Structuring tasks and activities.

People with autism spectrum disorders often have difficulty processing verbal information and thus it is essential that the structured classroom presents information visually wherever possible. 

  1. Structuring the day

Each day needs a visual structure in the form of a timetable comprising of either objects of reference, photographs, symbols and /or text depending on the needs of the student. Length and complexity of the timetable will vary according to the individual and may only show the next task on it or cover the entire day. The timetable should include group work, 1-1 work, structured play and reward or special interest time.

  1. Structuring the environment:

Each area in the classroom is clearly defined and has a definite meaning which is visually apparent i.e. a work area, leisure area, group work area and so forth. Children also benefit from other visual cues such as a photo or name tag on chairs and other designated personal areas.

  1. Structuring tasks and activities:

Each child learns the relevant work system (task structure) which visually answers four key questions for them:

  1. What work must I do?
  2. How much work must I do?
  3. How will I know when I am finished?
  4. What will I do when I am finished?

 

  • Each task will be tailored to the individual, using special interests wherever possible, and should be something that can be done independently with no additional input from the adult.
  • Therefore, tasks must be learned thoroughly in 1-1 sessions before being worked on independently and must be well within their level of ability.
  • Tasks must be highly visually structured and unambiguous to promote error-free learning.
  • Tasks must have a clear beginning and ending that is obvious to the individual.
  • The system always works top down and left to right, mirroring our writing system.
  • The focus is on developing independence, self-reliance, teaching systematic thinking and reducing prompt-dependency.
  • Learning to work independently requires being taught to ‘read’ the visual cues so they can organise their thoughts and actions in sequence.
  • Transitions to workstation/work area can be supported by matching their photo or a picture of their special interest, (car, cartoon figure).
  • Work systems will be matched individual needs and abilities e.g. shoebox tasks, tray tasks, folder tasks.
  • Start with fewer, simple tasks, build towards more, complex, wider range of tasks.
  • Work systems may be organised using numbered trays, schedules with colours matching to folders, or even a separate instruction sheet at the front of a folder (for high flyers/students who are independent readers)
  • There should be clear instructions prompting individual what to do when work is finished – a visual prompt of where to go (e.g. play room) or leisure activity.
  • There is no age or ability limit to TEACCH structure and the system can be adapted to practical life-skills tasks such as hoovering, weeding, washing etc.

Routines:

Routines are essential for people with autism.  Routines help with feeling in control in a world that is often confusing and seemingly unpredictable. Routines need to be consistent with a degree of flexibility to be used in different situations. The essential routine in structured teaching is “work then reward”. Children learn to recognise that actions result in consequences. It is thus very important that agreements are adhered to, irrespective of the adult running out of time. The concepts of ‘later, in a minute, another time’ etc are too vague and the child will not trust the schedule in the future. So when the work is complete, the reward should follow. It is often best to have immediate “in the moment” rewards of time with a favoured activity rather than a sticker or other star chart system as some individuals can find these overwhelming and may become overly-anxious and fixated upon achieving their target for the day. Individuals will also need regular breaks for self-regulation and this should be built into their schedule as well as available on request.

 

The TEACCH approach is one of many interventions advocated for people with autism spectrum disorders but the advantage is its flexibility and the structure which is appropriate for many children with special needs.

 

Further reading:

Mesibov GB, Shea V, Schopler E (2010). The TEACCH Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer.  

Mesibov, G. and Howley, M. (2015). Accessing the Curriculum for Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Using the TEACCH Programme to Help Inclusion. Routledge.