Structured Learning Environments
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5 Elements of Structured Teaching |
Why is classroom structure important? If designed well, it can....
- decrease negative behaviors
- lessen student anxiety
- increase independence
- increase efficiency
Characteristics of a Structured Learning Environment
Physical Structure -
The environment should be cozy and home like so the students feel comfortable. It should be non-distracting and non-threatening. There should be clearly defined boundaries and furniture should be flexible and arranged for comfort to to facilitate group and individual work.
Scheduling -
Visual schedules should be displayed and individual ones available to students to assist them in planning and understanding their day. These can involve picture, words or diagrams or electronically.
Visual Supports and Structure -
Visual cues should be used in the classroom to support organization, instructions and clarity. For example using color coded bins for specific items or clearly defined areas for specific activities, such as a reading corner.
Routines -
Routines are important in order to be able to predict what comes next in the day. These should be easy to navigate, structured and predictable.
Sensory -
The classroom should be sensory friendly and considerate towards the specific sensory challenges of their students. This can include having comfortable furniture, specific lighting, a designated sensory area in the classroom that a student can go to if they feel overwhelmed or need specific sensory stimulation.
Physical Structure -
The environment should be cozy and home like so the students feel comfortable. It should be non-distracting and non-threatening. There should be clearly defined boundaries and furniture should be flexible and arranged for comfort to to facilitate group and individual work.
Scheduling -
Visual schedules should be displayed and individual ones available to students to assist them in planning and understanding their day. These can involve picture, words or diagrams or electronically.
Visual Supports and Structure -
Visual cues should be used in the classroom to support organization, instructions and clarity. For example using color coded bins for specific items or clearly defined areas for specific activities, such as a reading corner.
Routines -
Routines are important in order to be able to predict what comes next in the day. These should be easy to navigate, structured and predictable.
Sensory -
The classroom should be sensory friendly and considerate towards the specific sensory challenges of their students. This can include having comfortable furniture, specific lighting, a designated sensory area in the classroom that a student can go to if they feel overwhelmed or need specific sensory stimulation.
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Examples of Structured Learning Environments
Click on these links to see examples Classroom 1 Classroom 2 Classroom 3 |
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Tips for effective Classroom Design
Provide a structured, predictable classroom environment A structured, predictable environment is not to be confused with an authoritarian approach. The environment should be structured in order to provide consistency and clarity, so that students know where things belong, what is expected of the min a specific situation, and can anticipate what comes next.
Provide a customized visual daily schedule The individualized schedule for a student with ASD should fit comfortably into the overall classroom schedule. Vary tasks to prevent boredom, and alternate activities to reduce anxiety and possibly prevent some inappropriate behaviors. For example, alternate familiar, successful experiences with less preferred activities. Large group activities may be alternated with opportunities for calming down in a quiet environment. Incorporating physical activity and exercise throughout the day is helpful. Planned activities can be charted in a visual form and posted at or near the desks of students with ASD so that they can understand changes in activities and know what to expect. The student can be helped to learn to use the schedule independently. Staff can direct the student to the schedule when it is time to change activities ,which should smooth the transition times
Note aspects of the tasks and activities that create frustration Examine the instructional plan and non-instructional activities for problem areas that may result in sensory overload or frustration for the student. Accompany sensory experiences that are calming for the student with potentially frustrating tasks. Adapt tasks and materials to promote successful participation. Decrease environmental distractors and reduce activities that confuse, disorient, or upset the student and interfere with learning.
Provide relaxation opportunities and areas A calm, quiet, designated area where the student can go to relax can be helpful. Relaxing for some students with ASD may mean engaging in repetitive behaviours that have a calming effect on them. In some cases ,students who crave certain repetitive movement, such as rocking or other self-stimulating movements, can be provided with a time and space where this movement is permitted. This could be included as an activity in the student’s schedule. Other relaxation techniques to help students may include counting to 10, taking deep breaths, as well as tensing and relaxing muscles
Provide opportunities for meaningful contact with peers who have appropriate social behavior Students with ASD must be taught appropriate social behavior and provided with situation-specific expectations for behavior.Opportunities for contact with peers may include:
Plan for transitions and prepare the student for change Students with ASD often find changes in activity, setting, or planned routine stressful. Visual schedules can be used to help them understand and co-operate with necessary changes. Social stories with illustrations can also be used to prepare the student for new situations.
Consider the impact of sensory factors An inventory of possible sensory factors can help minimize the negative effect that sensory information may have on students with ASD. Parents and others who have experience with the student are valuable sources of information about sensory difficulties. Here are some questions to ask and points to consider when developing an inventory:
Auditory:
Source: Strategies for Classroom Management -https://www.autism.nf.net
Classroom Design Article -
file:///Users/parent/Downloads/DesignShare%20%20Classroom%20Design%20for%20Living%20and%20Learning%20with%20Autism(1).html
Provide a structured, predictable classroom environment A structured, predictable environment is not to be confused with an authoritarian approach. The environment should be structured in order to provide consistency and clarity, so that students know where things belong, what is expected of the min a specific situation, and can anticipate what comes next.
Provide a customized visual daily schedule The individualized schedule for a student with ASD should fit comfortably into the overall classroom schedule. Vary tasks to prevent boredom, and alternate activities to reduce anxiety and possibly prevent some inappropriate behaviors. For example, alternate familiar, successful experiences with less preferred activities. Large group activities may be alternated with opportunities for calming down in a quiet environment. Incorporating physical activity and exercise throughout the day is helpful. Planned activities can be charted in a visual form and posted at or near the desks of students with ASD so that they can understand changes in activities and know what to expect. The student can be helped to learn to use the schedule independently. Staff can direct the student to the schedule when it is time to change activities ,which should smooth the transition times
Note aspects of the tasks and activities that create frustration Examine the instructional plan and non-instructional activities for problem areas that may result in sensory overload or frustration for the student. Accompany sensory experiences that are calming for the student with potentially frustrating tasks. Adapt tasks and materials to promote successful participation. Decrease environmental distractors and reduce activities that confuse, disorient, or upset the student and interfere with learning.
Provide relaxation opportunities and areas A calm, quiet, designated area where the student can go to relax can be helpful. Relaxing for some students with ASD may mean engaging in repetitive behaviours that have a calming effect on them. In some cases ,students who crave certain repetitive movement, such as rocking or other self-stimulating movements, can be provided with a time and space where this movement is permitted. This could be included as an activity in the student’s schedule. Other relaxation techniques to help students may include counting to 10, taking deep breaths, as well as tensing and relaxing muscles
Provide opportunities for meaningful contact with peers who have appropriate social behavior Students with ASD must be taught appropriate social behavior and provided with situation-specific expectations for behavior.Opportunities for contact with peers may include:
- involving the student in shared learning arrangements
- pairing the student with buddies for walking down the hall, on the playground playing games, and during other unstructured time
- varying peer buddies across time and activities, to prevent dependence on one student
- involving peers in providing individualized instruction
- arranging cross-age peer supports/buddies by assigning an older student to assist the student with ASD
- pairing students while attending special school events such as assemblies and clubs
- facilitating involvement in after-school or extracurricular activities
Plan for transitions and prepare the student for change Students with ASD often find changes in activity, setting, or planned routine stressful. Visual schedules can be used to help them understand and co-operate with necessary changes. Social stories with illustrations can also be used to prepare the student for new situations.
Consider the impact of sensory factors An inventory of possible sensory factors can help minimize the negative effect that sensory information may have on students with ASD. Parents and others who have experience with the student are valuable sources of information about sensory difficulties. Here are some questions to ask and points to consider when developing an inventory:
Auditory:
- Are there fans, loudspeakers, fire alarms, several people talking at once, air conditioners, bells, dogs barking, or scraping?
- What is the general sound level and the predictability and repetitiveness of sounds?
- What can be done to minimize the negative effect these stimuli may have on the student with ASD in the class?
- What is the individual’s comprehension of verbal information?
- What is the time typically required by the student to process auditory information and/or to shift attention between auditory stimuli?
- Are there distractors, such as light, movement, reflection or background patterns, that affect the student’s ability to attend to the learning activity?
- What is the eye level of the student ,the position of the teacher in relation to the student, and the distractors that may interfere with attention?
- How much time is required to shift visual attention?
- What effort is given to reducing the effects of aversive visual stimuli, so that the management of the student’s behaviour is facilitated, and his ability to learn is enhanced?
- Are there textures that seem to be abrasive?
- Are temperatures appropriate to minimize negative effect on the student?
- Does the student demonstrate a need to explore through touch, and yet avoid being touched?
- What is the level of ability or defensiveness in the use of certain objects intended to support instruction?
- How is the student’s need to move and exercise accommodated?
- What are the individuals reactions to movement?
- How can the students program incorporate needed movement without unduly jeopardizing the attention and learning of other students in the class?
- What are the students preferences in taste and smell with foods and other materials?
- How are the students responses to the smell of materials incorporated into decisions made about activities?
Source: Strategies for Classroom Management -https://www.autism.nf.net
Classroom Design Article -
file:///Users/parent/Downloads/DesignShare%20%20Classroom%20Design%20for%20Living%20and%20Learning%20with%20Autism(1).html
Information for this page :
Vogel, C. (2008). Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism. Autism Asperger's Digest
Maguire, B. & Mcallister, K. (2012). Design Considerations for the autism discover-friendly Key Stage 1 classroom. Support for Learning. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.
Kara Hume, Indiana Resource Center for Autism . Structured Teaching Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/article/structured-teaching-strategies-students-autism-spectrum-disorder
Creating a Model Classroom For students with autism and other developmental disabilities. Jinger Quimby & Christy Nobles. Houston County Itinerant Autism Teachers
Vogel, C. (2008). Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism. Autism Asperger's Digest
Maguire, B. & Mcallister, K. (2012). Design Considerations for the autism discover-friendly Key Stage 1 classroom. Support for Learning. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.
Kara Hume, Indiana Resource Center for Autism . Structured Teaching Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/article/structured-teaching-strategies-students-autism-spectrum-disorder
Creating a Model Classroom For students with autism and other developmental disabilities. Jinger Quimby & Christy Nobles. Houston County Itinerant Autism Teachers
