The TEACCH Approach at Rosslyn School
TEACCH stands for: Treatment & education of autistic related communication handicapped children.
1970s North Carolina state wide system – pre school, education & post school adult services.
Principles
At Rosslyn School elements of the TEACCH approach are incorporated into our practice – quite extensively for some pupils with autism & to varying degrees for all pupils. The principles of this approach include:
- Specifically for people on Autistic Spectrum to help them overcome difficulties in understanding their world & to reduce anxiety
- Building activities around pupil interests to engage & motivate
- Importance of visual clues
- Highly structured routines
- Aiming to promote independence
What does this look like in mainstream?
*Key areas for specific activities
– some children learn to associate place with an activity
– reduces anxiety if they feel secure & understand what might happen/where they are to go
– some children might learn to go there independently
*minimise distractions
* de-clutter the environment – as appropriate to needs
Lots of pupils with ASD can have sensory processing difficulties and might not cope with too much visual stimulation.
Structure of the School Day
Developing timetables:
Provide visual clues to what will happen each step of the day
(helps pupils feel secure & develop understanding of what is happening, what is next).
Different levels as appropriate to pupil needs
- Object of reference
- Photo
- Symbols – 1 at a time; 1st/ next; daily schedules; weekly; term; written timetables
Visually explicit; At first this should be very tightly followed; pupils can learn to rely on this; trust this will happen. Some children can learn from strict structure to relax.
Unsettled behaviour can be helped by increasing structure.
Once routine is learnt we aim to teach pupils to cope with minor changes – planned changes; alter order; not available (start with things which won’t be too difficult, then gradually build up to more challenging contexts etc)
This links to our nurturing approaches – link below
Staff MUST be consistent. Within our Nurture presentation there is a video that supports staff in understanding WHY this is so important to the learner.
5 Key Questions
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Where am I going?
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What I am doing?
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How long will it last?
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When will it finish?
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What will I do next?
Structure within activities to support learning
- Clear beginnings/endings
- Clear expectations (what we want them to do)
- Visual support (steps within activities)
- Enough repetition of activities to give pupils time to become familiar with routines – once relaxed – can lead to increased participation, learning & independence. Symbolised routines – hand wash etc – different levels of complexity
Promotes independence; clear expectations of what they have to do/or will happen to them.
TEACCH Table
At Rosslyn we do not stick strictly to the TEACCH approach, but embrace it’s principles. This includes:
- Introduced a distinct area for 1-1 teaching where new skills & activities are taught. Distinct from work table /different style/approach.
- Adult teaches the skills- using words, signs, symbols, showing pupils what to do & helping them. As pupil becomes confident, help is gradually reduced.
- Specific target related activities/concept development.
- Some of these activities may move to the work table if/when pupils learn to do them independently.
Work Table
Specific TEACCH setting – for some pupils
Aim is to provide the best setting to encourage independent working skills
- Task should be motivating for pupils
- Visually logical as to what is to be done
- Clear routine which pupils find rewarding
Children use familiar/easy task to begin with – adults are able to give minimal help – pupils learn this is not an area for interaction – lots of pupils enjoy this aspect!
New activities/more complex tasks can be added as pupil becomes more confident.
Conclusion
Key points from TEACCH used in our setting:
VISUAL
STRUCTURE
INDEPENDENCE
Not all pupils use everything discussed (most children with autism will), but all pupils will benefit from & experience parts of the broad principles as appropriate to their needs & interests.
This approach was designed specifically for people on the Autistic Spectrum to help overcome difficulties in understanding the world, and to reduce anxiety, however it is an approach that we have incorporated elements into our school practice to varying degrees for all learners.
Core to the success of this approach is building activities around learner interests to engage and motivate them. The aim is to promote independence using visual clues and a highly structured environment that is driven by routines to support learners.
There are 4 aspects to the approach that we use at Rosslyn School;
Classroom organisation; key areas for specific activities
Some children learn to associate place with an activity, this reduces anxiety if they feel secure and understand what might happen/where they are to go. Learners then learn to go there independently.
Structuring the school day; developing timetables
To provide visual clues to what will happen each step of the day helps learners feel secure and develop understanding of what is happening now and what is next. Visuals may include Objects of reference – Photos – Symbols – 1 at a time; 1st/ next; daily schedules; weekly; term; written timetables
Once routine is learnt we aim to teach learners to cope with minor changes – planned changes; alter order; not available etc.
Structure within activities to support learning
Activities have a clear beginning and end. Visuals are used so that learners can see the expectations within the task, and the passing of time.
Tasks are repeated in exactly the same format so that, through repetition of activities, learners become familiar with routines. Once they are able to anticipate the experiences this can lead to increased participation, learning and independence.
We ensure our learners have links with our local early years, primary and secondary provisions as appropriate. Any shortfall in meeting leaner needs within our own provision is then met through links with mainstream schools.
