Environment:

• Ensure the student can hear you and see your face. Reduce background noise and sit them away from distractions.

• Remember cluttered and busy displays/spaces can be distracting too.

Support attention:

• Start all interactions and instructions with the student's name (to ensure attention), pause... (to allow processing time), followed by a specific instruction. e.g. ‘James... you need a protractor now', as opposed to 'Use a protractor James'.

• Allow the student additional time to process and respond if needed. If a student is feeling stressed or overwhelmed, pause and reduce communication to support them.

Use visuals:

• Make instructions and activities as visual as possible, e.g. demonstrate, write it down, use pictures or draw it. Show; don’t just tell.

• Verbal instructions disappear straight away, but visuals enable the student to look over it as many times as they need.

• Use visual timetables, visual schedules/task plans, graphic organisers, and visuals to support listening and positive behaviour.

Simplify language and chunk information:

• A useful strategy to use is:

CHUNK – give one instruction at a time and say things in the order you want them to do them (e.g. ‘pack your books away, then go to lunch’ rather than ‘before you go to lunch, pack your books away’).

CHILL – some students may find it helpful if you pause between instructions to support their processing of language.

CHECK – ask the student to repeat back task instructions to check understanding.

Vocabulary:

• Consider the vocabulary you use. If it is new or challenging use a visual cue to explain e.g. objects, pictures, film clips etc. to demonstrate.

• Pre-teach key words by linking new vocabulary with words the student is already familiar with.  Use words maps to make it more visual and display for future reference.

• Knowledge organisers containing key curriculum vocabulary can be useful for students to refer to before and during lessons, and also support homework tasks.

Be prepared to repeat questions and information:

• Some students benefit from hearing things more than once (check you have prefaced questions/instructions with their name and simplified your language) so be prepared to repeat.

• Be aware that if you rephrase the question or the information, this is new language the student will have to process again.

Modelling language:

• Repeat back what the student says using the correct grammar and vocabulary and/or expand the sentence by adding more information. Don’t correct them. e.g. student says ‘I done my homework’, adult says ‘You did your homework? That’s brilliant!’.

Asking for help:

• Check the student knows how to ask for help. Scripts or an agreed discrete method of asking for assistance can be helpful.

Reducing Demands:

• If a young person is highly anxious, they may be demand avoidant. Working in equal partnership with them to problem solve challenges they are facing is really important for helping them to follow rules.

• Spectrum Gaming have developed and kindly shared some guidance for staff members when supporting autistic and neurodivergent people in their community, including:

• Key principles when supporting neurodivergent young people: How Can Schools Better Support Neurodivergent Young People.pdf - Google Drive. 

• Supporting meltdowns using The Nest Approach: Understanding Meltdowns | Autism Barriers to Education

General Wellbeing

• If a young person is struggling with school because they have communication and interaction difficulties, consider their overall wellbeing and the impact this may have on learning: Do they understand and accept autism (if they are diagnosed)? Do they have meaningful friendships? Do they have a social life/ do they feel lonely? Do they feel understood by the people around them? Consider what support you could put in place to meet any of these social interaction needs.  Please see The Barriers to Education resource, co-produced with neurodivergent young people, their families and professionals: Trauma | Autism Barriers to Education