TEACCH

REPORTED BY: JOANNA RUTH C. PLOTADO

SUBJECT IN PHD SPED 303 MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHING STRATEGY
PROFESOR: DR. ELVIRA ROCAL
Learning Goals:
Origin of TEACCH
Definition and Goals
Structured teaching and techniques
 About TEACCH
Treatment and Education of Autistic and related
Communication handicapped Children
Teacch is a program for individuals of all ages and
skill levels with autism spectrum disorders.
It was developed at University of North Carolina
(UNC) Chapel Hill in the early 1970s by Eric Scopler
and colleagues.

 Structured Teaching
At the core of TEACCH is the idea of structured
teaching, which is compromised of 3
comoponents; physical organization, scheduling,
and teaching methods.
It places heavy relience upon teaching through
visual means due to the difficulties that children
with autism have with processing verbal
information
 Structured Teaching
Some of the TEACCH priorities are:
• focusing on the person, their skills, interests and needs
• understanding the ‘culture of autism’ and identifying differences based on
individualised assessments
• using visual structures to organise the environment and tasks when teaching
skills
• being broad-based, i.e. teaching skills but also ensuring that people are
supported during leisure and/or social activities
• being flexible and teaching flexibility
 What does TEACCH involve?
Physical structure Physical structure refers to the layout of the classroom.
The physical boundaries are clearly defined and usually include activities like:
work, play, snack and transitioning
Children with autism find their environment easier to navigate if:
• Areas for different activities look different, e.g. a red carpet to sit on for
• group times, a hard, blue floor for wet activities, a table cloth to indicate
that an activity
• table is now a snack table etc.
• Activities always happen in the same area and the layout of the room is not
changed too
 What does TEACCH involve?
• often or without prior preparation
• Areas are labelled with pictures and words
• Drawers, boxes etc. are clearly labelled (again with pictures and words). This
helps all
• children tidy up, find things independently etc.
• They know where they should sit, e.g. carpet square, names on chairs •
Physical limits and boundaries are made visually clear, e.g. no entry or no
touching signs
 What does TEACCH involve?
Scheduling A schedule or visual timetable shows the child with autism what to
do and when it is to happen during the day, week or month (depending on the
age and ability of the child). Timetables can be displayed from top to bottom
or left to right.

Visual cues are essential for children with autism; they also help children with
speech, language and communication difficulties, learning difficulties, high
anxiety, EAL etc. so are a must for any classroom. Visual timetables help
children to understand what has happened and what is going to happen.
 What does TEACCH involve?
Consider the following when using your timetable:
• its position in the room
• when you will discuss it with the children to ensure it is given an appropriate
level of importance
• how much information to display at one time
• whether you will use a ‘finished’ pocket for pictures of completed activities
(which helps the children to visualise time passing)
• whose responsibility it will be to ensure the correct symbols are displayed
each day
•
 What does TEACCH involve?
whose responsibility it will be to ensure you stick to the activities displayed on
the timetable
• OR if adaptations are needed to the routine who will make sure the symbols
are
• altered accordingly
• where you will keep the symbols so that everybody knows where they can
find spare ones
• how often you will review its use as a staff group
 What does TEACCH involve?
A visual timetable can be whole class and/or individual, depending on the
needs and ability of the child. For young children the visual timetable should
not be too lengthy or complex, covering only the main activities of the
morning/afternoon. Further support and detail can be added by using generic
symbols, e.g. ‘choosing time’. This can be followed up by guiding the child to
check a ‘choice board’ to support him/her to engage in constructive play at
non-structured times.
 What does TEACCH involve?
Work system
The visual timetable or schedule helps children to know what activities are
happening during their morning or afternoon at school. For those children
with autism who need even greater detail, work systems can be developed to
tell the child exactly what is expected of him/her during an activity, how much
work to do, and what happens after the activity is completed. The goal is to
teach the child to work independently. The work system is also organized so
that the child can easily work out what to do, for example, the activity or task
should be performed from top to bottom and from left to right. Each activity
is also visually clear in itself, e.g. a box of 6 beads to thread on a piece of lace,
a puzzle to complete etc
The place where the child completes these activities is often known as a ‘workstation’.
Workstations can be in a quiet corner of the classroom, or in another area away from
the classroom, depending on the needs of the child and the space available.
 What does TEACCH involve?
Routine

We know that children with autism respond well to routine. According to the
TEACCH method, the best approach for children with autism is a routine
which involves them learning to check their schedule and to follow their work
system. This routine can then be used throughout the person's lifetime and
in multiple situations and so can be used to help prepare the child for
adulthood.
 Possible workstation activities
Maths Fine motor skills
Literacy
• Matching objects, • Threading
• Matching letters or
pictures, colours, • Puzzles
words
numbers, letters, words • Cutting out pre-
drawn shapes/pictures
• Matching words to
• Sorting (as matching)
• Pegboards pictures
• Ordering numbers
• Using pegs to put • Tracing over
• Matching objects to
pictures, numbers, letters/name
numerals
• Puzzles colours etc. on a • Sorting
• Things that go washing line letters/words
together
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