Picture This! Using Visuals to Facilitate Independence for Children with Autism

As evidenced by some recent articles in the New York Times regarding autism, the condition is heavily researched and often misunderstood. Although we aren’t sure about the exact pathology, there are best practices in terms of treatment. Among these, using pictures to facilitate language and overall education and understanding is essential in any program for students with autism. Researchers agree that one hallmark of those on the autism spectrum is that they better understand the world in pictures. While verbal communication is often subject to interpretation, clear, objective pictures can be used to easily convey intended meaning. To help understand this, let’s take the following sentence: “You stole the cookies from the jar!” Say that out loud and put the emphasis on different words. One simple sentence can have five different meanings, whereas a picture of a person grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar has more direct meaning.  

A picture activity schedule is a visual display of sequenced events that are expected to occur or be completed. Picture schedules can be used to present the steps required to complete an activity or outline the events of an entire day.  They generally include visual prompts like photographs and picture symbols.  Some teachers and parents use visual schedules in order to allow children to complete tasks more independently. These tasks may include: getting dressed, going to the bathroom, washing hands, and transitioning from one activity to another throughout the school day. Research indicates that using picture schedules allow for a more structured teaching environment where student-expectations are clear and adult prompting is minimized (Bryan & Gast, 2000).

Let’s take a look at how this might look for your student.

“Getting six-year-old Joseph ready for bed is such a struggle. I tell him to go get ready for bed, and he just looks at me. “Getting ready for bed” is an abstract concept that has a lot of different meanings for people—and it’s exactly the type of scenario that a student with autism struggles with. Below is a chart using pictures that will explain in an objective, sequential way how bedtime occurs.

Here is another example of a visual schedule. This one is perfect for building student independence during mealtime at school: 

Pictures can be used in a variety of situations, both at home and at school. Any time someone has difficulty understanding a scenario or expectations, best practice suggests using a multi-sensory approach to learning, which will allow for greater understanding. Our next post will be on using visuals to help men properly load the dishwasher!

References

Bryan, L.C. & Gast, D.L. (2000).  Teaching on-task and on-schedule behaviors to high-functioning children with autism via picture activity schedules. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30 (6), 553-567.