Autism Classroom Materials and Teaching Supplies
Autism Classroom Materials and Teaching Supplies
No two people are exactly the same. Everyone requires a slightly different approach when it comes to learning at school. This is especially true of neurodiverse students, who may struggle to comfortably focus as easily as their classroom peers. At Cali & Caro, we understand that typical books and reading tasks aren’t always a favorite. That’s why we’ve put together this helpful list of autism classroom materials and teaching supplies to promote better learning.
Since neurodivergent kids, such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), respond better to activities that engage the senses, it helps to equip the classroom to meet this need.
Usually, teachers have to think about preparing worksheets, presentations, and text books for their lesson materials. Here, you’ll find some useful ideas and inspiration to help create a more autism-friendly classroom environment.
Board Games & Cards
Turning learning into a fun and engaging game is a great way to get everyone learning. By taking relevant information and turning it into rules for a game, students can apply what they’re learning into practical scenarios. Board games could be turned into a fun task that demonstrates how well students are learning, too. The class can be divided into groups, designing and creating their own board game for other classmates to play later. Taking this approach is great for boosting social interaction between autistic children and their classmates, which they can sometimes struggle with.
Cards are perfect for engaging the visual sense. Ensuring different shapes and colors are used helps to keep the attention of a child with ASD. This also keeps boredom at bay, which is a real concentration killer in the classroom.
Learning materials like cards can be made before class, as part of subject’s teaching supplies. Or, again, students can be tasked with creating flashcards, which can be used later for games or fun tests.
Interactive Workbooks
Copying off the board or writing in a text book can present more of a challenge to students with autism than neurotypical learners. This can be because some kids with ASD find it difficult to organize their thoughts before recording them on paper. In some cases, autistic children may not possess the fine motor skills necessary for writing large amounts of text in a short space of time.
Instead of relying solely on written work, teachers can easily introduce autism classroom materials and teaching supplies by way of more interesting and interactive workbooks.
For example, a variety of activities could be included in a workbook, from coloring in and drawing, to playing and acting. A range of tasks avoids activities becoming tiresome, stopping students from switching off. By bringing physical movement into the mix, an autistic student who may not enjoy sitting still for lengthy periods can use their body to convey their learning.
Toys with Texture
Ordinarily, toys in the classroom might sound like a big distraction. Or, maybe toys are used as a reward for good behavior. Whilst this is certainly the case in a lot of school, different toys can be used as perfect autism classroom materials.
Children with autism experience and see the world differently to others, and different textures help to stimulate the brain. Making these available in the classroom can help a student to feel more comfortable and confident, as they try to complete tasks and work.
One fantastic example of toys with texture is Lego and building blocks. Different angles and edges, ridges and bumps help with stimulation and are ideal for tactile learners. Again, building with blocks with classmates boosts social interaction, and offers the opportunity for practicing things like sharing.
Sensory friendly toys like rubber balls or fidget spinners also help children to maintain focus and regulate their own behavior.
Alternative Communication
Looking beyond colored pens or paper as teaching supplies, there are alternative forms of communication that can aid students with autism in the classroom. In some cases, a person with autism may lack in confidence and self-esteem, which can make it much harder to speak in front of a whole class.
To help with this, schools can equip themselves with teaching supplies like augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. These are tablets or laptops that can help a person to communicate, often by pressing buttons with phrases attached. These don’t always need to be specialist pieces of kit, and a regular iPad can be used as one.
A less technological way to support communication is by using pictures or picture boards. Students can utilize these to convey their thoughts and feelings, as well as give answers to questions during lessons.
Task Slicing Tools
Large tasks can be daunting sometimes. If a student feels like too much is asked of them, it can be challenging for them to know where to begin. Classroom materials that help with breaking activities down into smaller tasks are hugely beneficial to students with autism and low self-esteem.
A task slicing tool acts as a visual aid to break tasks into smaller, achievable goals. When asking a student to write a story, this can be broken down into four simple sections: think of a story idea, plan your story, write the story, read and check the story.
These tools use very few words, meaning less reading and writing is necessary. Some tools are magnetic, adding another great sensory element to them. Simple post-it notes or notebooks can be used as a DIY task slicing tool.
Support Autism with the Right Classroom Materials
Using autism classroom material and teaching supplies can make a significant difference to the comfort and confidence of autistic students. By empowering all learners to be able to engage and take part in classroom activities, a more inclusive and positive educational space is created.
The right classroom materials can promote better communication, boost social interaction, regulate sensory experiences, increase confidence, and banish boredom. To learn more about how Cali & Caro supports neurodiversity in students, check out our website today!