Executive Functioning Forum: Priming for Expectations

Many of our students with executive functioning differences benefit from the use of visual supports to prime them throughout the school day. Most commonly, you may see visual schedules being used to prime students of the sequence of activities throughout the day. Social Narratives are another effective support often used for priming students of expected behaviors or social skills. 

Priming is so incredibly effective that it is one of the most common recommendations we make so that students know exactly what is expected. Predictability is very calming and organizing particularly for students with autism. 

Today's Executive Functioning Forum provides a variety of examples of ways we have seen visuals used in our districts to effectively prime students of various expectations. 

Priming for Instructional Expectations

Letting students know exactly what work is expected during class can be a great way to provide motivation and cognitive clarity. 

Weekly class agenda
Scott Caudill
Brookville High School, Brookville

Explanation of writing expectations to ease student anxiety
Jen Everett
Springcreek Elementary, Piqua

Daily assignment list
Terri Weiss
Kettering Middle School, Kettering

Priming for Technology Use

Technology is increasingly more present in the lives of our students inside and outside of the classroom. Technology requirements and expectations may be different in class than students are used to. Use visuals to prime students on exactly what is expected to prevent unexpected behaviors and distractions. 

Voice and phone expectations
Thurgood Marshall High School, Dayton

iPad use visual

Permitted and not permitted website lists
Bobbi Jo Chapman
Snyder Park Elementary, Springfield

Priming for Turn-Taking

Many of our referral students can become fixated or obsessive about turn-taking. They may race to the front of the line, get upset when others get to do their favorite classroom job, or struggle with taking their turn when appropriate. Use visual supports to make turn-taking more predictable and clearly communicate to the student what their responsibility is. 

Calendar time jobs
Sarah Janosik
Tipp High School, Tipp

Line leader visual
Jamie Minnish
Prass Elementary, Kettering

Helper turn visual
Jessica Burns
Vandalia Preschool, Vandalia

Priming for Voice Volume

Modulating voice volume can be another challenge for some of our students (and really all students at times!). Visual supports can be used in this area along with explicit instruction of what the visuals represent. During class times, refer to the voice volume visuals to prime students of what their volume should be when working independently or as part of a group. Or prime students before entering the hallway or during safety drills. 

Colored voice volume scale
Baker Middle School, Fairborn

PAX voice volume with visual cues
Taylor Ruef
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Voice volume push light cues
Kelsey Keen
Tri-Village Elementary, Tri-Village

Voice volume scale
Jackie Vollmer
Driscoll Elementary, Centerville

Priming for Changes

Change is hard! Especially for individuals with autism who strive with predictability and may have a fear of the unknown events that may occur when a change happens. Ease anxiety through using visual supports to provide a predictable way to prime for unpredictable changes. Pair the visual with an explanation of what to expect as a result of the change. 

Change visual
Jennifer Schmidt
Beavercreek High School, Beavercreek

Change card
Jessica Stewart
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood

Post-it note change reminder on schedule
Angela Crum
Parkwood Elementary, Beavercreek

Fire drill board visual
Shanon Vance
Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights

Once you increase the amount of priming for expectations you use in your classroom, we think you will be surprised how it not only benefits your students with executive functioning differences but your class as a whole!

Around Town Round Up: Token Economies

Token economies are a popular positive behavior support in many of the classrooms we coach. They increase positive behaviors because they provide a way to immediately reward desirable behavior. Typically, students are able to trade in tokens for activities or tangible rewards of their choosing at a designated time each day or week. Today we rounded up some of the token economies we have seen across the Miami Valley in our Around Town Round Up. 

Token Economies using Money

One of the most popular ways to implement a token economy is to use money as the tokens to symbolize "paying" the student for good behaviors or work completion. This also provides repetitive practice with counting coins. 

Jamie Minnish
Prass Elementary, Kettering

Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Sarah Janosik
Tipp High School, Tipp City

Token Economies using Tickets

Tickets are another common token economy that we see in school-wide PBIS systems and classroom systems. Tickets can be generic to reward any behavior or may be labeled to reward specific behaviors. 

Allysson Leapley
Tipp High School, Tipp City

Elisha Volp
Northridge Elementary, Northeastern

Token Economies using Tokens

Super Duper Publications have these great Token Towers. We love how this teacher individualized student behavior goals by using a visual cue of how many tokens they need. 

Tabitha Eaton
Main Elementary, Beavercreek

Token Economies using Visuals

For some students, the tangible token is not always necessary. Using visuals such as stamps, stickers, check marks, or tallies can be a great way to visually show them they have received reinforcement. 

Shanon Vance
Valley Forge Elementary, Huber Heights

Ann-Marie Small
Driscoll Elementary, Centerville

For additional ideas on incorporating positive reinforcement in the classroom, don't miss our previous blog posts:

Reinforcement Systems

More Reinforcement Systems

Reinforcement for Task Completion

Tips for Incorporating Reinforcement

Schedule-Based Reinforcement Plans

Super Star Schedule: 5 Step Implementation of a Location-Based Visual Schedule

Location-based visual schedules are an excellent support for students who struggle with physically transitioning between activities throughout the school day. When using a location-based visual schedule, students take the icon off their schedule and match it to a corresponding location label within the classroom or school environment. Today's Super Star Schedules will walk you step by step through implementing this effective support. 

Step 1- Make a list: Identify locations the student will transition to throughout the day.

• Locations should include various places throughout the classroom (carpet, desk, table, cubbies, etc.) and the school building (cafeteria, bathroom, music room, etc).

Step 2- Create and hang location signs: Create pictures to represent each of the locations on the list. Designate the location by hanging the sign or placing in a free standing frame. Use velcro to provide a space for student’s to affix their schedule cards.

• The schedule pictures can consist of line drawings, photographs, shape symbols, or color cards depending on what is the most accessible for your students. 

Symbolstix Location Signs
Sandy McIntosh
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood-Madison

Activity-based Location Sign
Rylie Jarrett
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Location Sign
Rylie Jarrett
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Color-based Location Sign
Molly Magoteaux
Kleptz ELC, Northmont

Step 3- Create schedule cards and schedules: Create schedule cards that correspond with the location signs. Create an individual schedule for the student that consists of a long rectangle card with a strip of Velcro. Sequence small Velcro pictures on Velcro strip in order of student’s school day.  Determine a stationary area of the classroom where the student’s schedule can be kept.

• Using a laminated file folder for individual schedules allows flexibility of storing extra pictures on the inside or folding/flipping the schedule to reveal certain times of day.
• Some students have difficulty visually scanning too many pictures.  It may be necessary to divide the day into to parts (i.e. morning schedule, afternoon schedule)

Student Schedules
Sandy McIntosh
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood

Student Schedule
Rylie Jarrett
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Step 4- Teach the schedule: Students will need to be directly taught to transition when staff says “check schedule” by traveling to their stationary schedule location, taking off the top card, and traveling to location to match to matching picture.

• Also, directly teach what to do when they get to that location (i.e. sit at own desk, sit on carpet, choose computer, line up, etc.). After the student transitions to a location within his schedule, a mini schedule or visual work contract may be used to break up the tasks within that location (i.e. morning unpacking schedule, afternoon pack up schedule, independent work sequence, etc.).

Shape-based Location Sign with Matching Icons
Sandy McIntosh
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood-Madison

Step 5- Signal each transition: At the end of the activity, cue the end of the current activity using auditory (timer, bell, or chime and verbal cue to “check schedule”) and or a visual cue (visual countdown, “check schedule” card) to prompt the student to return to their schedule and see what comes next.

• Transition signals (visual, auditory, and/or verbal) should be used consistently across environments and staff members.
• If a student struggles with transitioning to the designated schedule location, a favorite picture card to match to their schedule can be an additional tactile cue.

Student Schedule with Mickey Mouse Visual Cue
Sanday McIntosh
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood-Madison

For more ideas when implementing location-based schedules don't miss our previous posts:

Location-Based Schedules

And for more examples for each of the steps above check out our previous post:

Steps for Implementing a Location-Based Schedule

Academic Area: Focus Walls

When setting up classrooms for the new year, we have seen many teachers in recent years designate a bulletin board or whiteboard space to creating a Focus Wall. This is a great place to display thematic vocabulary, featured I can statements, and resources for students to review during learning activities. We love this idea because it limits the amount of visual clutter added to the walls throughout the year by containing all of the most important information to one location and changing it out when learning units change. Today's Academic Area highlights some of the Focus Wall ideas we have seen out in our districts. 

Unit Focus Walls

Unique Learning System Focus Wall with Extended Content Standards
Taylor Ruef
Stevenson Elementary, Mad River

Weekly Focus Anchor Chart
Nicia Cook
Kenwood Elementary, Springfield

Language Arts Vocabulary Focus Wall
Annette Black
Springfield High School, Springfield

I Can Statement Focus Walls

Grade Specific I Can Statements
Sara Tinnermann
Bradford Middle School, Bradford

I Can Statement for Extended Standards
Annette Black
Springfield High School, Springfield

For more information on classroom displays check out our previous posts:

Classroom Displays

Purposeful Displays

Organization Station: Using Physical Boundaries in Your Classroom Layout

Physical boundaries are an effective way to visually divide up the classroom space to reduce visual distractions, decrease wandering behavior, and clearly define learning spaces. When we are out in our district buildings we get to see tons of great ideas for using physical boundaries to structure the classroom layout. Today's Organization Station provides ideas for using existing classroom furniture, seating, and/or dividers in your classroom layout. 

Furniture

The easiest and most cost-effective way to create physical boundaries is to use existing classroom furniture to separate the space into designated learning areas. Shelving, file cabinets, and even tables can provide great boundaries. 

Structured Work Areas separated with shelves
Jessica Stewart
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood

Structured Work Areas separated with shelves
Pandy Pugh
Indian Riffle Elementary, Kettering

Shelves and tables used to separate table work spaces
Debi Gnau
Mad River Preschool, Mad River

Shelves and toy tables to separate free play areas
Debi Gnau
Mad River Preschool, Mad River

Seating

Using adapted or assigned seating during group times can be a great way to clearly define where students are supposed to be during that time. Seating with sides or arm rests provide an added boundary.

Rifton chairs at group table
Jessica Stewart
Trotwood ELC, Trotwood

Various adapted seating options with boundaries at carpet area
Keelin DiMuccio
Fairbrook Elementary, Beavercreek

Dividers

One of the most effective physical boundaries are room divders which are specially designed to break up the learning space. Not only do they provide a physical boundary but they are often very effective at limiting visual distractions as well. 

Portable divider 
Jennifer Lause
Mississinawa Valley Middle School, Mississinawa

Structured Work Areas separated with PVC pipe dividers

Pool noodle wheelchair boundary
Heidi Grumpp
Miami County CLC

For more ideas check out our previous posts:

Classroom Layout

More Classroom Layouts

ACT Fall 2021 Strategy Snapshot Series

ACT Strategy Snapshot Flyer- Fall 2021 by Allison Officer