Around Town Round Up-- Individualizing Structured Work Systems

Structured Work Systems are a support that we often recommend to teams who need assistance is providing more structure and predictability to work times or who make be looking at increasing student independence.

We have done a couple of previous blog posts regarding structured work systems in the past which can be found here:

Structured Work and Teaching

Structured Work Systems

But today's Around Town Round Up provides examples of how our referral teams have individualized the structured work system concept to better meet the needs of their students or classroom.

In classrooms without a lot of extra space, drawer systems can be used to provide a portable structured work system that can be taken to a desk or table when it is time for the student to complete the work provided.

Angie Kleinhans
Stebbins High School, Mad River

Rylie Jarrett
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

The drawer system below was modified for a student with a visual impairment that needed work system visual supports that could be more easily seen.

Annie Coil
Warder Park Wayne Elementary, Springfield

Another example of a portable work system is a work system binder. Binders can travel with students throughout the classroom or throughout the school environment such as to inclusion or related services. The numbers on the front can correspond with pockets or folders within the binder.

Laurie Maravetz
Schaefer Middle School, Springfield

Another portable option is a folder. Rather than using numbers, this folder system allows the student shared control by allowing them to put the activity icons in their preferred order. This is a great way to individualize for those students who are resistant to task completion and need forced choices.

Bobbi Jo Chapman
Snyder Park Elementary, Springfield

When students have an extremely difficult time with complying to adult-directed tasks, structured work systems may need to be individualized so that reinforcement is more immediate. In the example below, the classroom staff first gives the student the choice between two reinforcing toys. Then, they place the toy in the star bin. Next, the student works left to right and is only required to do one activity, then place it in the center bin before getting the chosen toy to play with. Gradually, the team will increase the number of work bins and/or the complexity of the task in the work bin to increase the students compliance.

Dora Grogean
Demmitt Elementary Preschool, Vandalia

Here is another example of a structured work system where the student needed a place for the tangible reinforcer to be visible while working.

Therese Garison
Helke Elementary, Vandalia

Want to learn more about incorporating this support in your classroom? Check out the Autism Internet Module on Structured Work Systems and Activities.