Editable Visual Schedule Templates for Autism
The most important thing I can put in place for my classroom for students with autism is a daily visual schedule based on my visual schedule templates. Students with autism strive on schedules. The easier to the schedule is to understand, the more likely my students are to have success.
However, I know that not all schedules are created equally. And not all students will thrive on the same schedule. Let me show you how I go about organizing visual schedule templates for students with autism.
How do you develop a visual schedule for autism?
I use one of my favorite programs to make all of my visual schedule templates. Mayer-Johnson’s Boardmaker is chocked full of easy to understand pictures along with some ready to use templates. This program is a must for my students’ special needs.
First off, I actually start with an excel grid of all of my students’ and staff members’ daily schedules. This includes my students who stay in my self-contained classroom all day long. Next it also includes students who visit me for a short period of time and those who are fully or almost fully included in general education. My support staff are all assigned to certain students and areas as am I.
Afterward, I get this schedule solidified I can use Boardmaker picture pieces to lay out each student’s daily schedule. My younger students typically have schedules laid out in a long strip from top to bottom on a cubby door. Older students often have a three ring binder with their schedule hole punched and secured into this folder.
Several of my students on the move use the three ring binders but they might be more successful with a digital version of my visual schedule templates. Three ring binders are use for my students who are fully included in the classroom.
How do I make a daily visual schedule?
After I have my Excel grid done, I can get my visual schedule templates ready. I use a few different sizes of daily visual schedule pieces including 1.5″ x 1.5” and 1″ x 3”. The square sizes are used for my little ones in kindergarten and first grade. Long skinny schedule pieces are typically reserved for my older students.
Of course, Boardmaker is my go to creator for all of these pieces. I always print my visuals for students with autism in color. This isn’t because I want to make the visual prettier but instead to help the visual to be as easy to be understood as possible. Also, the colors also seem to grab the students’ attention and keep it longer.
This seems to be the same issue I have when someone wants to watch a black-and-white movie. I’m just not into it because I can watch one in color and see so much more details. Is this just a me thing or are you with me?
Visual Schedules for Students with Autism
After printing and laminate all the pieces, I cut them all out. I make sure the template pieces that go on the walls or cubby doors are laminated. Lastly, I use clear package tape to put them up on the wall. My schedule templates for the three ring binders are laminated and placed inside the binder.
On each template, I add a circle dot of hard Velcro. The movable pieces get a circle dot of soft Velcro on their back sides. With the slogan “soft travels,” I make sure that anyone working on schedules in my classroom builds them correctly. This helps me make sure that all pieces are interchangeable.
Now I use my excel grid as a guide to set the visual schedule templates with all the pieces. I usually take a copy of my master schedule and place it in areas that have student schedules. This lets staff quickly reference the sheet as they’re laying out the schedules. Also, when changes to the master schedule are made, I transferred those to the student schedules, of course.
Finally, when students are using printed visual schedule templates, I have them pull the schedule piece off of the schedule before moving to that activity. My students need a place to put these now discarded pieces as the day goes on. To hold these schedule pieces, I give each student a paper pocket or a plastic baggie taped to the wall next to their schedules. For students with binders, I use the three ring pencil pouches with zipper pockets.
What is a visual schedule in autism?
A visual schedule in autism is any thing that helps a student understand the order of the day. This could be pictures only. Simple and quick schedules can also be a simple a hand written list that the student can read.
A more concrete example of a visual schedule for autism would be actual items representing an activity. For example, I could represent hygiene time in the classroom with a toothbrush. Story time on the rug could symbolized with a small piece of carpet square. Lunchtime could be a plastic spoon and so on and so forth.
I like to think about my own schedule. I use a digital schedule on my cell phone’s calendar along with a handwritten to do list. Without these items, I get some of my work done but it takes me longer and I would most certainly forget several of the items I wanted to do. I tell my co-workers that if I don’t write it down, it’s not going to get done!
A visual schedule for autism is the same thing. It helps the student know what is happening and understand the order of the day. A visual schedule does not need to be removed from a student or faded as the student gets older.
I know I would be livid if I was told that I was no longer allowed to use my preferred method of daily organization. I train students how to use daily visual schedule templates so they can have something similar when they are in the workplace.
As a special education teacher, I recognize that keeping moveable visual schedule templates up every day for each single student is quite a challenge. In the end it’s worth it because it helps them be successful and can translate over to long-term success in the workplace.
What should a visual schedule include?
When creating visual schedule templates I make sure to include all of the major changes in the day. This includes subject changes, bathroom breaks, lunchtime, recess, sensory room breaks, and changes in people. Students with autism often need to know who they’re working with that day including the special education teacher, assistants, and therapists.
Visual schedule templates also need to have flexibility to change when unknown activities occur. Because of this, I like to practice with my students giving them either a change in the schedule card or a more specific card. This could include any time there’s a safety drill for school.
Want to see Caroline’s favorite things for kids with autism? Click here!
Making sure that I practice this with my students helps set them up for success. Typically, when an alarm goes off for a fire drill, almost all my students are going to be willing to get out of the building as quickly as possible to get away from the noise. However, this noise could trigger some of my students to shut down and refuse to move. Yes, I’m absolutely speaking from experience on this one. When I practice with my students by giving them one of the drill cards, we are all one step closer to remaining safe.
Autism Visual Schedule Printables
I have acquired quite a set of autism visual schedule printables. I use my basic printables of visual schedule templates to start out and if my students’s are successful with those that’s what I stick with. If not, I go to some of my back-up options and try those. These are typically my pull flap schedule and a single sheet of check off schedules. Sometimes, the back up options don’t work and I’m looking at creating an entirely new visual schedule template for that individual student. Here’s a list of schedule templates that I typically use.
- Horizontally mounted templates
- Vertically mounted templates
- Three ring binder template holders
- Check off schedule templates
- Pull flap schedules
- Digital visual schedule templates
- Visual schedule templates gameboard style
- First then boards
- First next then boards
- Mini schedules
Autism Classroom Visual Supports
Not all my students are able to thrive with my standard visual schedule templates. Often I have to look for some more options for visual schedule templates.
My favorite alternative is the pull flap schedule. I had a student who was so excited about certain activities that she would jump over the sequence and pull off the picture that she wanted to do.
If the schedule had been up to her, we would have been doing art and classroom chores the whole day! Seriously, she loved doing dishes and cleaning.
She’s kinda my hero. After several visual schedule templates experiments, I found that having a flap covering all of the activities allowed her to pace herself. Every now and then she would be spying under the flaps to see what was happening but she could stay on track with a flap schedule.
I found another student in my class wasn’t drawn to any standard visual schedule templates. He was very active and absolutely loved any kind of game. So, I created his schedule like a board game.
Using a hundreds chart, his schedule pieces a laid out just like a game. I took a picture of him in game form action was used as the game piece to move along to each activity as the day went on.
Subsequently, he became highly successful with this type of schedule. And I loved it because it was adorable and, of course, that it worked!
What are examples of visual supports for autism?
Sometimes, students don’t need or want an entire visual schedule template to be successful. Oftentimes, I have students who only need a first – then – next board. This has the same type of layout as the visual schedule except the student can only see up to three activities at a time. This can be a great way to teach a child how to use a visual schedule if they appear to need one. I find that these can be really helpful for students who are young or are participating in an unpreferred activity.
Of course, some of my students with autism can also be successful with a simple reminder visual on their desk. I make these look like visual schedule templates but specifically altered for each individual student. It’s often a basic checklist of to do‘s for either an assignment or a class.
In fact, I actually use visual schedule templates throughout the school building for many of my students with autism. I have visual schedule templates for toileting, hand washing, brushing teeth, and dressing or changing clothes. These are all hygiene activities that the students in my self-contained classroom practice daily. So, while their master daily schedule might just say “restroom” there is a visual guide in the restroom to help walk the students through the steps of toileting.
Sometimes something as simple as a sign saying “pull your pants up in the bathroom” can prevent many problems. Yep, that’s a problem I’ve fixed in my classroom.
Visual schedule apps
All students are on the computer or some sort of device more and more each school year. I realized the need for a visual schedule apps years ago and couldn’t find one that fit my students needs.
Consequently, I designed one that runs on computers, iPads, and cellphones via the internet. I created it so that a teacher has the ability to modify the schedule and build it as needed. Then, when I give the schedule to the student, they can mark off tasks but aren’t able to delete pages.
In short if your school district uses Chromebooks, PCs, or iPads, I highly suggest using something like this. Unfortunately, the Chromebooks won’t let me add visual schedule apps but I can share a schedule through Google easily. My students in secondary education have been really successful with these types of digital visual schedules. I love the fact that there is no printing, no laminating, and no missing pieces. Plus resetting the schedule is super fast.
Nevertheless, take my advice. Sit down with your computer and type out each student’s schedule. Then, start making the visual schedule templates that goes with each. After a few rolls of lamination and several sticky Velcro dots later, you’ll have your visual schedule templates ready to go for years to come.
