Classroom Interventions for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Characteristics of Autism Can Include:

 trouble using and understanding language or certain aspects of language such as
sarcasm, expressions, and body language.
 difficulty taking in sensory input in an ordinary way. For example, a vacuum cleaner may
sound overly loud, a smell may be extra strong, or the feel of something may be extra
itchy.
 a need for a particular routine so they know what to expect as they can become
frustrated when things don’t go the way they had expected.
 trouble recognizing another person’s opinion or understanding another person’s feelings.
 difficulty working on or participating in activities with no clear ending (e.g., an open
ended writing activity, a class lecture)
 difficulty switching from one activity to another, especially if they have to switch from
something enjoyable to something not enjoyable (I think everyone can relate to that).
 difficulty organizing themselves in productive play when not directed or given specific
instructions.
*Keep in mind that there is no magic answer. All you can do is try your best. If you are putting
sincere effort into implementing effective strategies and trying your best to meet the needs of
your child/student, you are doing the right thing, even if you are not getting the results you
hoped for.

Behavior Strategies to Help Kids with Autism

1 – Let the child know what will happen next.
For example, “After you finish the puzzle, it is time to brush your teeth”, or “In five minutes it is
time to turn off the computer and start your writing assignment.” For some children it is helpful to
set a timer so the child can keep track of how much time is left. So in the example above “In five
minutes it is time to turn off the computer and start your writing assignment” you would set the
timer for five minutes. Some children need reminders as the time is winding down to 2 minutes,
1 minute, etc.
For children who have trouble understanding the concept of time or numbers, a visual timer can
be helpful because the child can see how much time is left.
Sand timers let children know that time is up when the sand at the top gets to the bottom.
Some children respond better to a visual countdown chart, than a visual timer. An example
would be a piece of laminated construction paper with the numbers 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 Velcroed
on. When there is 5 minutes left you show the child the countdown (e.g., we have five more
minutes of computer time). At four minutes you pull off the number 5. You keep doing this each
minute until you pull off the 1 and that is the signal that the activity is over and you will be
moving on to the next activity). Here is an example:

You would need to get the paper laminated and purchase Velcro to make this kind of chart
(there are instructions at the bottom of this article for how to do this).
Side Note: *Children who have difficulty understanding language may respond better to pictures
telling them what is expected, rather than verbal directions. For example, if you want the child to
work on math and then have a play activity, you can show them a “first/then” board rather than
saying “First we will do math and then play a fun game.” See an example of a “first/then” board
below (you can find instructions for how to make this at the bottom of the article).

2-Set Expectations, be Consistent, and Follow Through

For example, if you tell your child that you will play a game with him if he plays quietly while you
talk on the phone for five minutes, make sure that you keep your end of the bargain (barring
unforeseen circumstances).You may need to give him a choice of what activity to do during
that time that you are on the phone. If your child can’t tell time, set a timer that your child can
see, get off the phone in exactly 5 minutes (barring unforeseen consequences), and play the
game. If you do this consistently, your child will come to know what is expected and will believe
in what you say. As he improves, you can increase the time. Once he learns how to play
independently while you talk on the phone, you may be able to fade back on such a rigid set-up,
but it is a good starting point to teach him how to act while you talk on the phone. This is one
example but can be applied to many scenarios.
If you don’t implement expectations with consistency and follow through on your words, your
child will not know what to expect. This can lead to anxiety and challenging behavior (e.g.,
talking to you while you are on the phone, repeatedly asking when you will be off the phone,
etc.). Children with autism or other challenging behaviors thrive on predictability, so do your best
to make their world predictable. Another example of predictability would be having a set routine
each night (e.g. first homework…then TV or first put pajamas on…then read a story). Keep in
mind that difficult behaviors are more likely to come out when things aren’t predictable, and we
know we can’t make everything predictable all the time. Just know that if you are doing your
best, it is not yours or your child’s fault when things don’t go according to plan. Just get back in
the swing of a predictable routine as soon as possible.
3 – Acknowledge your child or students for complying with your requests
For instance, if your child is using a loud voice in the movie theater and you say, “whisper in the
theater,” praise the child with a comment such as “nice job whispering”, or “thank you for being
respectful in the theater.” For children who understand language well, situations like this are a
good time to teach about other people’s perspectives (e.g., “Thank you for whispering. This let’s
other people hear the movie.”).
4 – Tell the child specifically what you expect and allow him to earn privileges for
complying with your expectations
For instance, if your child often has a tantrum in a store when he can’t go to the toy aisle, tell
him exactly what you expect of him before you go to the store and reward him with a privilege
for following that expectation. For instance, you can say something like “We are going to Target.
We are going to the school supply aisle to buy paper and pens, and then we will pay and go
home.” Once in the store you can give reminders (e.g., now we are going to get the paper and
pens, now we will go pay, you’re doing a nice job following the rules, now we are going home,
etc.).
Let the child know that he can earn a privilege for following the rules. Privilege ideas include
getting a sticker of a favorite character, playing a favorite game once at home, watching a
favorite show, going on the computer, staying up ten minutes past bed time, etc. Try to think of a
privilege that your child might like or ask him what he would like to work towards.
When the child earns the privilege, praise him with specific language. In the example above you
could say, “You followed the rules at the Target. We got the paper and pens, paid, and came
home. Nice work! Now you can enjoy some computer time.” Make sure the privilege is
something the child wants. You can let the child choose what he would like to work for ahead of
time. Children also benefit from nonverbal praise such as high fives, smiles, thumbs up, etc.
Side Note: *Children with difficulty understanding language often respond better to pictures,
visual cues, demonstrations or physical prompting than verbal instructions. For example, many
children I have worked with with autism walked nicely in the hall after I demonstrated how,
rather than after I said “walk nicely.”
5 – Give Choices
All children, including those with autism, like to feel a sense of control over their world. Many
children benefit from having the choices limited to two to four options (depending on the child),
as they get overwhelmed with too many choices and cannot decide. Examples of choices are:
“Do you want to play a board game or watch TV,” “Do you want butter or jelly on your bagel,”
“Do you want to wear the green or red shirt?” Again, children with language difficulties often
have more success making choices when you show them the options or pictures of the options
(e.g., hold up the red and green shirt and let them point to the one they want). A free IPAD App
for generating pictures to show kids choices isChoiceBoard-Creator. See an example below:

6 – For some children with language difficulties, showing the child the activity or toy that
he will be utilizing next is helpful to encourage him to move from one activity to another
For example, if the child is on the computer and you want him to come work on a puzzle, show
him the puzzle so he knows what it is you want him to come do.
7 – If possible, use a schedule to let the child know how his day will go
For children who have trouble reading or understanding language, a visual schedule would be
best. A schedule for after school could include “eating a snack”, “doing homework”, “watching
TV”, “playing a game with the family”, “reading a book”, “taking a bath” and “going to bed.” A
visual schedule at school could include “math”, “reading”, “gym”, “lunch”, “recess”, “art”,
“science”, “packing up”, and “getting on the bus.” Below is an example of a visual schedule:
8 – Allow the child to bring a transitional object from one activity to the next.
For instance, if the child has to leave the classroom to go with a new staff member such as a
speech therapist, let him bring a favorite object from the classroom such as a stress ball or toy
car. This can assist with helping him feel more comfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings.
9 – Distract and redirect problematic behavior instead of saying “stop” or “no.”
For example, if the child is running in the store, remind him or show him how to walk nicely. If
necessary, find something interesting to show him and call his attention to it, rather than
focusing on the problematic behavior. If he is running in the hall at school, redirect him back to
the line, with a short directive such as, “Come back to your spot in line” or remind him to “walk in
the hallway.” For children with trouble understanding language, try demonstrating what is
expected or use a gesture, rather than just giving the verbal direction.
10 – If the child seems over stimulated from sensory input, such as in a large crowd,
bring him to a quieter place to de-stress.
Be mindful of situations where your child might feel overwhelmed before you take him there
(e.g., a fireworks show, a crowded festival, etc.).
11 – Make directions clear, short, and concrete.
For example, if your child is throwing food at the table say, “eat your food” rather than “Be good
at the table,” “Don’t throw your food” or “Would you stop with that! You are always throwing your
food.” For children with difficulty understanding language, showing them a picture or a visual
demonstration of the behavior you want to see, can be helpful.
12 – Take advantage of teachable moments.
For example, If the child snatches a toy from another child, teach him how to use his words to
ask for they toy (if he has the language capabilities to do so) rather than reprimanding him for
snatching the toy.
13 – When giving tasks, assignments, chores, etc. many children do better if they know
when the task will end.
Some examples of activities with a clear ending include puzzles, a specific number of math
problems, a specific number of pages to read, a timed event (e.g., the lesson will last ten
minutes – set a timer), a specified way to complete a chore such as “Put ten toys in the bin.” or
“Spray the window three times and use the paper towel to wipe the spots off,” a specific number
of lines to write on the page for a writing assignment, etc. (visually defining the task is helpful as
well; for example numbering the paper for a math assignment, using a visual timer or graphic
organizer for a lecture, numbering the lines for a writing assignment, etc.).
Additionally, when the task has a clear visual ending, it eliminates the need for a timer. For
instance, if the child is working on a 10 piece puzzle you can let him know what comes next
(after you finish the puzzle, it is time for dinner) and no timer would be needed. This concept
can be applied to anything with a clear visual ending (e.g., after you finish the ten math
problems, you can go on the computer). Whether you are using a timer or giving an activity with
a clear visual ending, give a break in between for the child to do something enjoyable if he gets
overwhelmed or frustrated with lengthy tasks. For example, if the child is supposed to write 20
sentences for homework, let him write ten, take a 10 minute break to do a preferred activity, and
then do the next ten. (set a timer or use another method to clearly indicate when the break is
coming to an end, such as a countdown chart or a short task with a clear ending).
14 – Some children thrive when given structured hands-on or visual activities:
Many children I have worked with or have observed, did very well (sat nicely, worked diligently,
etc.) when given a hands-on/visual activity. Examples include playing a computer game, sorting
objects by color or object type (for example, putting the silverware away from the dishwasher,
sorting laundry by light and dark, putting materials away in the correct boxes, etc.) completing a
puzzle, constructing a model car, tracing or coloring in a picture, etc. As another example, some
teachers of children with autism teach academic skills through sorting tasks. For instance, an
activity about learning colors would require the child to put all the yellow chips in a yellow cup,
all the blue chips in a blue cup, etc. Keeping a child focused with an activity they do well at is a
great way to encourage calm behavior. However, if the child is feeling overwhelmed or frustrated
from the activity, allow a break or a change in the task.
15 – Stay calm when interacting with the child (I know it can be hard at times but make
every effort to be as calm as possible).
If you are regularly having trouble staying calm, you may benefit from talking to a friend, family
member, or therapist for support. Do not take it out on your child. Yelling and threatening will not
make behavior better. It may stop the behavior in the short-term, but the behaviors will occur
again. You may actually make the behaviors worse because the child may start to feel anxious,
scared, angry, embarrassed, or sad. Children with autism are not choosing to act in a way that
is frustrating to you or anyone else. They legitimately need positive support from you to help
them meet their emotional/behavioral needs.
Finally, it is important to recognize that some children on the autism spectrum have trouble
generalizing expectations across situations, so the same strategies may need to be used in
situations that are similar to one another.