Remote Learning Tips & Tricks: 5 Step Plan for Remote Learning

We know that all of our teams are faced with the challenge of facilitating remote learning during the COVID19 closures. This is an overwhelming obstacle for everyone! Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to handle this challenge. It is new for everyone involved so be kind to yourselves! To help you get started, we will be sharing some Remote Learning Tips & Tricks this month. Today we will focus on getting started. 

Although the teaching format may be new, this doesn't mean you need to bombard parents, students, or yourselves with a ton of new expectations. Use familiar lesson plans (although shorter in most cases), learning materials, and visual supports and follow our 5 Step Plan:

Step 1: Set Up

Step 2: Conduct Virtual Meeting

Step 3: Assign Assignments

Step 4: Follow Up

Step 5: Reflect

Step 1: Set Up

• Set up your work space: A good work space is free from visual and auditory distractions. You will be spending a lot of time sitting and using your computer so make sure you are comfortable! 
• Set up your technology: You will need a computer/laptop. If you plan on live video conferencing you will need a webcam and internet connection. Determine a web conferencing platform. Zoom is currently offering free memberships or if you use Google Classroom you can use Google Meet. Familiarize yourself with how to add students, mute participants, and share your screen if you plan on presenting information. 
• Create a schedule: Establishing a schedule is an effective way to reduce feeling overwhelmed. Determine when you will communicate with families, collaborate with colleagues, plan lessons, and provide direct instruction either individually or in groups. Make time to research new resources and professional development. 

• Create a lesson plan: It is important to still plan your lessons. During remote learning, lessons should be shorter to keep students engaged and focused. 
• Prep materials: Prepare any materials you will need during your lessons as well as any materials that will need to be sent home for students (i.e. work packets, file folder activities, taskboxes, etc). Make sure they are readily accessible to minimize distractions. Include visual supports such as reinforcement systems and visual countdowns. Click the images below for our free visual support templates, video models, and handouts. 

Visual Contract Reinforcement System

Visual Contract To Do List Reinforcement System

Visual Countdown

• Communicate with families: It is more important now than ever to have good communication with your student families. Provide them with your schedule for virtual meetings, explain how you will be assigning assignments, and the best way for them to contact you if they need help. There are a variety of options that you can use including Remind, Class Dojo, or Google Classroom. If you are concerned about sharing your personal phone information, you can use Google Voice to set up a free phone number that can be used for making calls and text messaging.
• Provide priming tools for families: Social distancing and remote learning are huge changes for your students. Consider what priming tools they may need such as social stories or visual tools to help this transition go smoothly. If there are visual tools you are currently using in your classroom, provide those same tools to your families to increase consistency and familiarity. Click the image below to access our free visual tool templates, handouts, and videos to share with your families. 

ACT Remote Learning Tools Google Folder

• Record videos: If you want to use the same content multiple times, record it! This is a great option for students who need multiple repetitions of content, families who have limited internet access, or when you have limited time to continually do live virtual meetings. Some great content to video could be morning meeting, calendar, or read-alouds. Consider videoing content that you would want to access in the future. Read-alouds could be used at your classroom listening center. You can also create videos for assignment instructions, use of visual tools, and modeling instructional methods. Not only would these videos help students and families now but they can be used during paraprofessional training in the future. Click the image below to access videos of our visual tools and sensory supports you can share with families:

Step 2: Conducting Virtual Meetings

• Send a reminder: Don't forget to remind families when you will be going live. 
• Make personal connections: Make sure to take time to connect with your students. They miss you and the normalcy of their typical school schedule! Allow time to ask questions and see how they are doing. If you are conducting virtual group sessions, be sure to give student time to interact with one another. If this is all you accomplish the first few sessions that is okay! Students are still getting used to the new format and you are learning how to navigate and manage remote learning. 
• Set Expectations: As you begin conducting lessons, use visuals to set expectations. We love our simple mini-schedule which can be used to preview what you will be covering during the virtual meeting and is a great tool you can use in the classroom as well. Click the image below for our free template and a handout with more information. 

• Build routine and familiarity- To start, use familiar routines and content that students have mastered in the classroom such as morning meeting, read-alouds, or call and response activities. You can even use screen presentation tools to share online calendar activities (such as Starfall or News2You) or songs on YouTube. 
• Slowly add new content: Go slow! Once your student (and you!) have a handle on remote learning, begin teaching new content. Consider sending home interactive learning tools for students to engage with while you are instructing such as an interactive calendar book, word building mats, or graphic organizers. 

Step 3: Assign Assignments

• Independent practice: Assign tasks that students can do independently between virtual meetings to practice their skills. Start with familiar assignments that the students have done in the classroom such as taskboxes or repetitive paper-pencil tasks. Differentiate these assignments not only on student needs but based on their student's ability to access the internet. You may need to consider options that can be printed and sent home for students. 
• Provide explicit instructions: Although your students may be familiar with some of the tasks assigned during remote learning, often students with autism or low-incidence disabilities struggle to generalize skills they have learned in the classroom. Provide students and parents with explicit instructions on what is expected with the assignment. Communicate with parents to provide coaching, send home a video model, or use screencasting to demonstrate. 

• Consider online assignments: Some online platforms allow you to assign tasks that students can do remotely and you can check  later including Unique Learning System, SMART Learning Suite, or Google Classroom.  Click the image below to access our Google activities that can be assigned to students. 

• Think ahead: Don’t overdo it with creating materials you will never use again. Consider what activities you would be interested in incorporating into the classroom in the future. 

Step 4: Follow Up

• Follow up regarding virtual meetings: After a virtual meeting, send an email to families with next steps, assignment reminders, and deadlines. It is easy for everyone to forget what is expected during these unprecedented times. 
• Give ideas for supplemental activities: For some families, keeping their child entertained throughout the day can be really difficult. Provide practical ideas for families to engage their child with such as cooking activities, games, sensory activities, or daily living routines. Share fun websites or apps for read-alouds or academic practice. This will help parents stay sane and hopefully will keep students from spending all day on YouTube! We love the free activity guide and choice boards for families below (click the images to access). 

Step 5: Reflect

• Get feedback from families: Check-in to see how things are going and periodically survey parents to get their feedback regarding remote learning. You can easily set up a free survey through Google Forms that can be sent to families through email or text. 
• Document everything!: Keep track of lessons, assignments, and attempts to contact families. Also determine how you will monitor student progress towards learning objectives and IEP goals. Use work samples or assess students individually during virtual meetings. Consider asking parents to video students completing tasks. 
• Rinse and repeat: Reflect on your data and parent feedback when planning for your future virtual meetings and assignments. 
• Don't forget self-care: As you reflect, take time to check in with yourself. Determine what areas you feel are going well and what you need more support with. Reach out to your colleagues and don't hesitate to contact the Autism & Low-Incidence Coaching Team if you want our support. We are always happy to help! Most importantly, be kind to yourself!