Monday, March 17, 2014

Break Cards



While in an educational setting, many students have difficulty sitting through an entire lesson.  This is especially true for students who have Autism.  For this reason, it is important that the teacher provides the student with the opportunity to take breaks when they are needed.  Breaks should not be taken every few minutes or simply because the child is bored with what they are learning, but when they are feeling overwhelmed, confused, angry, or upset.  "Break cards" can be given to those students who require breaks, but should only be used after the student expresses to the teacher the reason behind needing a break.  "Because the individual may need to access the card in other environments, consider creating a portable card system" that the student can carry with them when they leave your classroom (HANDS in Autism).


Break cards can also be used for an entire class, as the teacher can use them to play a quick game to allow the students to stretch and take a break.  The example to the left shows that a teacher can use "brain break" cards to play a game of "Simon Says" to allow the students to stand up, take a stretch, or do a little dance.  This is a great way to have students relax for a few minutes and to keep them motivated throughout the school day.  





References:

HANDS in Autism. (n.d). How to Templates: Help and Break Cards. Retrieved from https://handsinautism.iupui.edu/pdf/How_To_Help_Break_Cards.pdf

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