5 Ways to Support Flexibility in Autistic Students

5 Ways to Support Flexibility in Autistic Students

In this episode, Lisa dives into practical strategies for teaching flexibility and reducing rigid thinking in autistic students. Since many kids with autism find comfort in routines, Lisa highlights the need to balance maintain structure and create room for growth. She shares insights on how understanding the roots of rigidity, modeling flexible behaviors, using visual supports, and incorporating play can make a big difference in helping students manage change.

Lisa’s approach centers on supporting students with empathy and equipping them with essential life skills to navigate a world that often demands adaptability. Tune in for valuable tips and inspiration to create a more flexible, supportive learning environment!

Episode Highlights:

Identify the Need for Change: Evaluate whether a student’s rigid behavior truly needs addressing and understand the implications of maintaining certain routines versus allowing flexibility.

Investigate Underlying Causes: Look into the reasons behind rigid behaviors, such as sensory sensitivities or anxiety, to inform a supportive approach in addressing these behaviors.

Model Flexibility: Demonstrate adaptable behaviors in everyday situations to provide students with a real-life example of handling unexpected changes.

Incorporate Play: Use games with changing rules to practice flexibility in a fun and engaging way, helping students build adaptability in low-pressure environments.

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More About Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast:

Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast is your go-to educational podcast dedicated to making your job as a special education teacher easier and more enjoyable. Your host, Lisa Hollady, is a veteran special education teacher with a passion for helping teachers like you make a real difference in the lives of your students.

In your demanding roles, you’re constantly juggling various responsibilities, from differentiated instruction and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to data collection, and, of course, teaching. That’s where task boxes come in.

Task boxes aren’t just teaching tools. They’re the key to unlocking student independence, student engagement, and personalized learning. Through this podcast, you’ll uncover the incredible task box benefits for your special needs students and practical implementation tips that you can take to your classroom.

Tune in each Monday for a new episode that will equip you with essential strategies and motivation to approach your week with confidence and enthusiasm. Topics will include task box activities, social and emotional development, adaptive teaching, inclusive teaching, supporting diverse learners, classroom management, scheduling, visual aids, and more.