Resources+for+Autistic+Students.

Many children with autism have difficulty recognising when they have had enough of a play activity, and have trouble finishing the activity in an appropriate way. Often at times, it is at this point that the child becomes destructive in an attempt to finish the play activity and move on. Children with autism will need adult help and support to recognise that they are ready to finish an activity. A “Finishing Box” is a container or tray that has a black and white chequered symbol on it. Providing the child with a consistent visual image for finishing helps to generalise the skills required for finishing an activity appropriately. The child places the item into the finish box to symbolise that they have finished. This is a concrete way for the child to then move on to another task. When the child appears to be disengaging form the activity, it is helpful for an adult to make comments such as “you look like you might want to finish with the blocks”, or “I wonder if there’s something else you’d like to do?”, in order to prompt the child to recognise signs of needing to finish. These sorts of strategies can often avoid a disruptive ending to an activity. The finishing box would be a good resource for autistic students at a younger age (early childhood and lower primary years). However, this resource can also be used for the whole class as a way of getting the students to finish their work or activity.

Reference Brereton, A., Broadbent, K. //Helping young people to grow.// http://www.med.monash.edu.au/spppm/research/devpsych/actnow/download/factsheet33.pdf (Retrieved 28/6/11)