After researching students with Autism and their struggles to communicate, I will be posting some strategies teachers can use to help bridge the communication gap. Break cards are an excellent way for students with Autism to communicate that they need to take a break from the activity, especially if they are non-verbal. But this strategy is great for students who are very verbal too!To request the break, students must point to or give the teacher the break card and the student can receive the break. It is best to make the break a consistent time, such as 5 minutes. Set a timer and when the timer goes off the student must return to the activity that he/she took a break from. This a usually used as a replacement behavior/ an can be included in a student's Positive Behavior Support plan. The behaviors the break card is attempting to replace is non-compliance, verbal/physical acting out etc. due to the student's frustration over the task at hand.
In my classroom, we use break cards all of the time, because we are trying to get students to self-monitor their behavior, know when they are frustrated and advocate for themselves (the 5 minute break). At every table, a break card is attached via velcro and if a student needs a break they can physically hand the teacher a break card and/or verbally request a break. It is used best when explicitly taught and modeled, and describing when is the best time to use them and how.
http://www.erinoakkids.ca/getattachment/Resources/Autism/Visual-Supports/Requesting-a-Break.pdf.aspx
https://www.spectronicsinoz.com/product/pecs-break-wait-and-help-cards
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures that go along with this post! They really help explain what a break card is and how to use them within the learning environment. I also like your ideas on how to use the break cards; for example, pointing to the break card they wish to use and setting a timer for five minutes to complete the task. I think setting a timer is great because it will help the student understand that they only have a certain amount of time, rather than taking their own time to complete the task. When a student takes their own time, rather than using a timer, the situation will end with the student taking too long, engaging in behavioral problems, and/or fooling around.