Start with one single color at a time and its shades. Keep three pictures in front of the child to show them the difference between light green, dark green, and regular green. This way, they will be able to learn that there are different shades of the same color.
In terms of colors, it is very easy for the child to become confused if they are asked to choose a color from a broad range of options. Try to limit the child’s choices so that they feel confident about what color they are supposed to pick. For example, if you want them to choose red, place a different color (e. g. blue) on the desk, and then ask which color is red. This will prevent them from getting confused by colors that are too similar.
If a child is just given one thing for a very long time, they might get bored and stop responding to it in the way they are supposed to, even if they know what the right answer to the question “what is this color?” is. Try to keep up an average learning pace, do not exasperate the child by asking them the same question over and over again. Pick a color for a week and ask them to recognize it no more than twice a day. Encourage the right answers by reinforcing the child with praise and rewards. This way, the child’s interest in the subject will stay intact and they will know that something new is coming up each week.
This prevents the child from becoming confused by multiple different learning methods. This is important, as confusion may cause an autistic child to become anxious and frustrated. The procedures that are followed in a school setting should be applicable to a home setting and vice versa.
For instance, sometimes the presence of a particular color in a picture—no matter how subtle it is—can bother a child and prevent them from comprehending the picture as a whole. Therefore, it helps to understand the child and their individual preferences before you present them with too many colors. Until you’ve identified the child’s preferences, colors should be kept simple and used one at a time. In some instances, using black and white pictures is the safest option.
For example, you could write the word “sun” on a flashcard while showing them a picture of a bright yellow sun at the same time. This allows them to make an association between the picture and the card. Flashcards can also be used to teach autistic children verbs. For example, you could write the verb “laugh” down on a flashcard and then act it out for them so that they can remember it through your actions. Different actions can be taught this way by showing flashcards of words and then asking the child to act them out. In this way, the words and the actions both are being taught at the same time.
It is important for the child to be able to relate the objects in pictures with their real-life counterparts. For instance, if you show the child a picture of a vase, place a similar-looking vase on the table to show them how it looks in real life. Later, you can expand the activity by placing a selection of different objects on the table along with the vase and asking them to pick out the vase. When they gain a vivid image of a real vase in their mind, it will be easier for them to recognize vases of different kinds as well.
For instance, if a child has fixated on a picture of a train, teach them mathematics based on that picture only. You might ask them to count the number of compartments each picture of a train has or ask them to calculate the time a certain picture of a train would take to reach the station.
Scatter a lot of items of different colors over a table and then ask the child to group all the same colors together and place each set of colors in a separate corner of the room. Sorting and dividing things teaches a lot of math skills, while also helping the child in everyday life, where being systematic and well-organized is a positive thing.
Create symbols that can help the child convey that they are done with a task. This could be a symbol like a ‘thumbs up’ or a ‘tick mark’. Create symbols that help the child express what they did that day. Some autistic children can find it difficult to talk about past events, so pictorial or visual representation could be helpful. Some templates can be used for this purpose. The templates can carry pictures of some tasks and activities such as reading a book, playing outside, eating, soccer, swimming.
With time, they can be taught to do away with this practice and to raise their hand instead.
The calendar should be developed in such a manner that uses mostly symbolic representation. On the days when the child has school, a small image/photo/picture of the school could be put on the calendar; on days when the child has no school, a picture of a house can be used; if the child has an activity like soccer to attend, then a picture of a small soccer ball could be drawn. Color-coding could also be used. On the days when there is school, those days on the calendar could be colored blue; when there is no school, it could be colored yellow. Then other colors can be used to represent other activities.
A picture of a red circle with a line passing through the circle indicates “no”. This symbol can be used to let the child know that something - be it their behavior or their movement in a particular place - is not allowed. If a child needs to be prevented from leaving the classroom, then this symbol could be put on the door. If certain behaviors are to be prevented, a chart or poster showing all the behaviors which are unacceptable with a universal “no” symbol beside each of them can be used. This can help them to understand that behaviors such as ripping up paper or hitting others are not allowed.
The places where the spoons, forks, knives, plates, cups, and bowls are kept could be indicated by pasting/sticking a picture of that particular item over the shelf/drawer/cabinet. Those places could be further highlighted by giving a specific color to those items - say orange for bowls, yellow for cups, green for placemats. The child is then encouraged to pick the items accordingly.
Designated bins/racks/shelves/drawers/baskets could be provided. A picture of the item along with the name of the item could be prominently projected To make them more distinct, color-coding could be followed. Hang cards with a picture of the item in a color that is specific to the item.
For example, pictures that suggest the child is suffering from a health problem (a stomach pain, headache, ear infection, or something else) can be used with words attached to them so that the child ultimately picks up the vocabulary and language needed to communicate effectively.
