Visual timetable

[Verona]

Can anyone direct me to a site that they have found successful for making a visual timetable please?

We have a child that can say one or two words but we are sure he doesn't understand. We use simple 1/2 word sentences to him and wait for a response but he still doesn't respond in any way. We play alongside modelling play and speech. He was 3 a week ago. His interests are vehicles - anything with wheels. We have lots of ideas and use different strategies using his interest in wheels. We encourage him to take cars to the playdough, paint etc to make marks and tracks, but he doesn't stay there for long. He wants the vehicles on the floor - lining them up and watching the wheels. He appears very happy on his own and he doesn't like anyone too close, he shouts and pushes them away. We pre-empt when another child goes near him and try to encourage sharing but again, he can't quite understand.

He gets very upset and has a melt down when we have to tidy up. We tell him that we will be putting things away in a minute, but he definitely doesn't understand. He won't come to any circle time or small group time, he just wants to play with the vehicles. we have tried not having the garage out to tempt him to play with other things but he throws a massive tantrum and points to the cupboard where the garage is kept.

I have contacted our FIRST team and they have taken all necessary details. They are so busy that they will be contacting me in 3 or 4 weeks time to arrange a visit!!! Meanwhile we are struggling - we are using a lot of different strategies and have made a little progress but he is very loud and physical and its upsetting some of the other children in our setting.

A visual timetable or, I have heard of "Now and Then" cards might help - any thoughts please?

Or any other suggestions please?

 

V

 

[Mouseketeer]

Hi, we took photos to make our visual time line, so our tidy up time card shows a picture of the instrument we play for tidy up time, we also use what we call 'when and then' cards, just a piece of board with 2 Velcro spots to stick cards on, so first might show 'tidy up' card, and next 'home' or 'lunch' card, sadly more and more children seem to need the visual prompts, we do find they help, especially when all staff are consistent in using them, we also take pics of things personal to them in the setting...ie their wellie boots or coat

[Verona]

Thank you Mouseketeer.

[bano4994]

Twinkl is brilliant has lots of different visual timetable aids and lots of other great resources in general

Edited February 16, 2015 by bano4994

[Foreveryoung]

Does your local team use a certain package as ours use pecks and Communication in print symbols, we all use these in our area. You don't want to start using certain signs if then the team come in and start using different symbols, but as mousekeeper says if his understanding is not there yet then actual photos or images off google of real objects is the best thing to start with.

 

Communication in print is fantastic I got it free but it's about £100 I think but the possibilities are endless and it is very universal well worth the outlay if you have a lot of s&l children or ASD x

[finleysmaid]

if possible i would start with 'real'items ...can he make a choice between these.....so car or train? (would he have a meltdown at this point because he can't have both?) have you tried to remove the wheeled objects from storage? what happens if they are just not there? ( i have had to remove all trains from my setting at the moment....long story!!!!)

first this then that cards i would definitely make from photos at this stage as he may not be able to use a representation.

Visual routines can also be made (for snacks/toileting/hand washing etc)

Write down your obs and see exactly what he is having problems with...gather evidence so that when your sen team come in you have very clear information...are his parents on board?

[Guest]

I am wondering if you should be referring to speech and language (if you have not done already) - but maybe you have to go through your FIRST team before you do that? If you can refer directly, it might save 4 weeks wait. You would need parent support though, so how likely is that?

[Fredbear]

Photos of the children in action as it were, with the main changes of routine. So it starts with self register, playing with equipment, snack-time, tidy up time, story/singing time, home time/ getting own belongings etc. these are backed with Velcro, so they can be removed as each routine changes. All these photos are in black and white. We have also used first and then, or now and then boards depending on the child's need.

I would do as Finleysmaid suggests and hide them away and see what happens.

We also have an album of photos of our pre-school, which can be very useful for visual prompts. So things like we wear an apron to play with the water, with a child wearing one.

The children love looking through these and are out each session.

Hope this helps.

[Guest]

Can anyone direct me to a site that they have found successful for making a visual timetable please?

We have a child that can say one or two words but we are sure he doesn't understand. We use simple 1/2 word sentences to him and wait for a response but he still doesn't respond in any way. We play alongside modelling play and speech. He was 3 a week ago. His interests are vehicles - anything with wheels. We have lots of ideas and use different strategies using his interest in wheels. We encourage him to take cars to the playdough, paint etc to make marks and tracks, but he doesn't stay there for long. He wants the vehicles on the floor - lining them up and watching the wheels. He appears very happy on his own and he doesn't like anyone too close, he shouts and pushes them away. We pre-empt when another child goes near him and try to encourage sharing but again, he can't quite understand.

He gets very upset and has a melt down when we have to tidy up. We tell him that we will be putting things away in a minute, but he definitely doesn't understand. He won't come to any circle time or small group time, he just wants to play with the vehicles. we have tried not having the garage out to tempt him to play with other things but he throws a massive tantrum and points to the cupboard where the garage is kept.

I have contacted our FIRST team and they have taken all necessary details. They are so busy that they will be contacting me in 3 or 4 weeks time to arrange a visit!!! Meanwhile we are struggling - we are using a lot of different strategies and have made a little progress but he is very loud and physical and its upsetting some of the other children in our setting.

A visual timetable or, I have heard of "Now and Then" cards might help - any thoughts please?

Or any other suggestions please?

 

V

 

You're pretty much describing one of my key children when he first joined us 2 years ago.

 

We made our own visual timetable up using our persona doll Louis. We took pictures of just Louis doing various parts of the routine then cropped them down and put them onto a yellow square with a text box on the bottom that describes that part of the routine in no more than 2 words (snack, circle time etc).

 

Ours is on a canvas that we painted and stuck 2 strips of Velcro onto and we don't put the entire day's routine up. We put up breakfast to dinner for the morning, then once the kids are outside after lunch, the member of staff on sleepers duty sets it up for the afternoon. The cards for it are fairly big too, you get 4 on a page of A4.

 

With getting him to come to parts of the routine, why not allow him to bring a favourite car with him? That's how we started my key child off with it.

[Fredbear]

Hi Verona check out csefelvanderbiltmodules website, some great suggestions on there.

[Guest]

This sounds like a little one that definitely needs further assessment. Are parents sharing your concerns and would they give permission for you to contact their Health Visitor ASAP or see their GP so he can be referred to a Paediatrician? As others have said, he might not yet be at the stage of understanding that a picture (either photos or drawings) represents a real object. Given what you've described I'd stick to objects of reference (information attached) but I think you need to carefully consider your current provision from his point of view, what is he realistically able to access (in terms of routine/experiences) and this will help you plan to meet his needs, in partnership with parents. How do they deal with similar situations?

 

Have you completed any developmental assessments such as ECAT or the Early Support Developmental Journal to find out where he is? I've attached both. He may be chronologically aged 3 but from what you're describing, his social communication might be at a 12 - 18 month level so he'll need all the early cause/effect type experiences such as bubbles, pop up toys, ready steady go, posting etc Keep using cars as he's interested in these. This short film clip gives you some idea, it mentions Autism but it's what they're doing that's important, ignore the terminology!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-c50HNnPg0

Visual cues.pdf

early_support_assessment_statements_2014_v3.pdf

child_monitoring_tool-2.pdf

[finleysmaid]

Keep using cars as he's interested in these.

 

The problem is sometimes that objects like this can become a fixation and actually only by removing them will you get a child to respond differently. They could be used as a reward if that's possible...or for some down time but if he sees where you put it he will probably not respond to anything else and may fight his way to get to them (i've seen some extraordinary behaviour in these cases).

The train situation we have at the moment is a little chap who though very vocal and able in some areas is obsessed with trains (unfortunately been hammered home by well meaning relatives!) ....his behaviour changes at the drop of a hat if they come out...he will bite anyone who comes near or push them (two hands on chest) to get them away, even if these items are in the room it appears to trigger a very negative response. He does not play with them but rolls them back and forth along the carpet watching the wheels spin (i suspect there are some problems!)

So it might be worth seeing what happens if you remove them for a little while....what will he do? (keep one in your pocket for instant calm down if needed......can he be distracted by other things first???)

[Verona]

Thank you for all your replies. I will take photos for a visual timetable when we go back tomorrow.

As for the little chap I was writing about - his parents are fully on board. They have agreed for FIRST team to come in. We have completed an ECaT and he is 12-18 months. Thanks for the information Katkat.

V