Tag: education

Reward Strategies in Special Education

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Making Learning Fun: Using Token Reward Systems in Special Education for Preschoolers

Helping young children stay engaged and motivated can feel like chasing bubbles—joyful but fleeting! For preschoolers, especially those in special education, structure and predictability are key. That’s where Token Reward Systems come in: they’re simple, effective, and incredibly adaptable.

Let’s break it down into friendly, easy steps so you can bring smiles and success to your classroom or home environment.

What Is a Token Reward System?

A token system uses small items (stickers, stars, check marks, coins, etc.) to reward positive behavior or task completion. Once a child earns enough tokens, they exchange them for a preferred item or activity.

It’s like earning stamps for good behavior and trading them in for extra playtime or a favorite book!

Why It Works for Preschoolers in Special Education

Preschoolers thrive on routine, visual cues, and positive reinforcement. Token systems work well because they:

  • Offer concrete visuals they can understand
  • Create consistent motivation
  • Encourage independence and decision-making
  • Reinforce specific behaviors or skills

Step-by-Step: How to Set It Up

Here’s a super simple plan:

  1. Choose a Target Behavior
    • Example: “Use kind hands,” “Stay seated during circle time,” or “Ask for help with words.”
  2. Pick Your Tokens
    • Use stickers, Velcro stars, plastic coins—anything tactile and fun.
    • Make sure they’re large and colorful for easy visibility.
  3. Create a Visual Chart
    • Use a laminated board or a sheet with empty boxes.
    • Label how many tokens are needed to earn the reward (e.g., “5 stars = 5 minutes on the swing”).
  4. Select Reinforcers
    • Offer choices: a toy, a song, playtime, cuddly reading time, or even a high-five parade!
    • Rotate them to keep it fresh.
  5. Start Using the System
    • Give tokens IMMEDIATELY after the behavior occurs.
    • Pair it with verbal praise: “You shared your crayons—great job! Here’s a star!”
  6. Celebrate the Success
    • When tokens are exchanged, make it a moment! Clap, cheer, and smile.

Visual Reinforcement Tips

Preschoolers are visual learners—so let’s make it pop!

  • Use pictures of rewards (photos or symbols)
  • Create emotion faces to pair with behaviors (“happy face when we wait patiently”)
  • Display charts at eye level so kids can see their progress
  • Use gesture praise (thumbs up, high-fives, dance)

Every child is wonderfully unique. Some may respond to sticker stars; others might prefer putting Velcro apples on a felt tree. Adjust the system to fit each child’s needs and celebrate the differences—it’s part of the magic.

Token systems aren’t just tools—they’re celebrations of growth, effort, and joy. With visuals, praise, and a bit of creativity, you’ll turn everyday moments into milestones.

Welcome back-to-school season!

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It’s such an exciting time, especially for our littlest learners who thrive with hands-on, visual, and sensory-rich activities. If you’re working with children in a preschool/Kindergarten, special education setting, these transition table-top activities can be a gentle and engaging way to ease into routines while learning to transition between tasks. Here’s a list of 5 simple tabletop activities perfect for those early days back, with a focus on fine motor skills, early literacy, and numeracy:

1. Playdough letter & Number Mats

Squish, roll, press! Create custom laminated mats with each child’s name and numbers 1–5. Let them form the letters and numerals using playdough snakes, encouraging finger strength and shape recognition. Add cookie cutters or rollers for extra sensory fun.

2. Pom-Pom Drop with Tongs

Set up cups labeled with numbers and a bin of colorful pom-poms. Children use tongs or adapted tweezers to transfer the pom-poms into the correct cup—fantastic for counting practice and fine motor coordination. Try textured pom-poms for added tactile input.

3. Alphabet Soup Sensory Tray

Fill a shallow bin with dry pasta or rice and scatter plastic or foam letters inside. Provide spoons, scoops, or small ladles for learners to “scoop” letters out and match to visual cue cards or alphabet mats. Engages multiple senses while working on letter ID.

4. Stickers, Dots, Letters and Numbers

Offer large printouts of letters and numbers and invite children to place small circle stickers (like garage sale dots) along the lines. It’s calming, fun, and fantastic for developing finger dexterity and spatial awareness.

5. Build-a-Tower Counting Game

Provide numbered cards (1–10) alongside a set of stacking blocks or Duplo bricks. Kids draw a card and build a tower with the matching number of blocks. Add visual supports for non-verbal communication—like number boards or thumbs-up visuals—for celebrating each success.

Visual supports are a superpower in the special ed classroom—especially for non-verbal learners! They make abstract concepts concrete, help with transitions and understanding, and boost independence.

These low-prep, hands-on activities are not only accessible for non-verbal kiddos, but they’re also filled with opportunities for choice-making, shared attention, and joyful participation.

For more back to school resources try my TPT Store

Helping Students with Autism Thrive:

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Positive Behavior in the Elementary Classroom

As an elementary teacher, you’re more than just an educator—you’re a guide, a mentor, and sometimes even a safe harbor for students navigating big emotions and complex social worlds. For students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the classroom can be both a place of opportunity and a source of sensory or social overwhelm.

The good news? With a few intentional strategies, you can make a huge difference. By fostering social growth and supporting positive behavior, you create an environment where students with autism feel seen, heard, and empowered.

1. Create Predictability with Visual Structure

Students with autism often feel most secure in environments that are structured and predictable. A consistent classroom routine reduces anxiety and helps them focus on learning.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Daily visual schedules (use icons or pictures for younger students).
  • Timers for transitions between activities.
  • “First-Then” boards (e.g., “First finish math, then iPad time”) to help with task motivation.

💡 Tip: Post the schedule at eye level and refer to it throughout the day.

Daily visual schedule

first and then boards

2. Teach Social Skills Explicitly

Social cues, like knowing when to speak or how to join a game, don’t always come naturally. These skills need to be taught just like reading or math.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Social stories tailored to your students’ needs (e.g., “How to ask for help”).
  • Role-playing during morning meetings or small groups.
  • Visual cue cards (e.g., “Stop,” “Wait,” “I need a break”).

💡 Use puppets, stories, or posters to model positive social behavior.

social stories

cue cards

posters

3. Reinforce the Behavior You Want to See

Students with autism may not always connect their behavior with social consequences. Positive reinforcement helps make that connection clear and motivating.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Immediate praise (“I love how you used your words to ask for help!”).
  • Sticker charts or token boards with small rewards.
  • Class-wide systems that include visual reminders and cues.

💡 Focus on effort and progress—not perfection.

4. Create a Calm Corner or Regulation Zone

All students benefit from self-regulation tools, but for students with autism, a quiet, safe space is essential for managing sensory overload or emotional stress.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Set up a “calm corner” with noise-reducing headphones, fidgets, books, or a weighted lap pad.
  • Practice calming strategies during calm moments (deep breathing, wall pushes, mindfulness).
  • Offer regular sensory breaks, especially after transitions or assemblies.

💡 Make the calm space part of the routine—not just a place for “bad days.”

5. Support Peer Connections with Guidance

Friendships are important, but forming them can be tough. You can nurture social opportunities with a bit of structure.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Assign peer buddies for classroom activities.
  • Use circle time to practice turn-taking and sharing ideas.
  • Play cooperative games with clear rules and predictable outcomes.

💡 Pair students intentionally and coach them through interactions as needed.

6. Partner with Families and Support Staff

You don’t have to do it alone. Parents, special educators, and therapists are invaluable partners in supporting your students.

Strategies You Can Use:

  • Share positive moments from the week via email or a home-school notebook.
  • Ask parents what works at home—sometimes they have powerful insights!
  • Use a consistent language and strategy across home and school if possible.

💡 Team meetings and IEPs are more productive when built on shared goals and mutual respect.

Bonus: Tools You Can Use Right Away

Here are a few free or low-cost resources to get you started:

Supporting students with autism isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing things intentionally. With clear expectations, visual supports, and compassionate teaching, you’re creating a classroom where everyone has the tools to grow.

You might not see change overnight—but each connection, each kind word, and each opportunity to succeed adds up.

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Empowering Kids with Autism: The Power of Social Skills Stories

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Hey there, Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers!

Are you stuck trying to explain social situations to a child with autism, you’re definitely not alone. That’s where social skills stories come in—and they can be total game-changers!

Grab a free Classroom expectations poster at the end of this post!

A social skills story is a simple, short story that helps kids understand everyday situations, new experiences, or tough emotions. They’re usually written with pictures and clear, calm language—perfect for helping children know what to expect and how to respond.

Think of it like giving your child a friendly “heads-up” before something happens.

Kids with autism often like routines and predictability. Social skills stories give them a little “preview” of what’s coming. That makes things feel less scary and more manageable. Whether it’s going to the dentist, starting a new class, or learning how to ask for help, social stories can make things a whole lot smooth.

Here’s a super simple example:

Going to the Doctor

Sometimes, I go to the doctor.
The doctor helps me stay healthy.
The doctor might look in my ears or check my heart.
It’s okay to feel nervous.
I can take deep breaths.
After the visit, I can go home and play!

You can include pictures of the child, the place, or the activity to make it feel more personal.

  • Before new experiences (like the first day of school)
  • To teach social skills (like saying “hello”)
  • To help with changes in routine (like a substitute teacher)
  • To support emotional regulation (like what to do when feeling upset)
  • Use clear, positive language
  • Keep it short and to the point
  • Include pictures if you can
  • Read it together a few times before the event
  • Involve your child in making it, if they enjoy that!

Social Skills Stories are a gentle, helpful way to support kids with autism in navigating the world. They build confidence, reduce anxiety, and encourage independence—and that’s something every child deserves.

Find Social Skills Stories Resources on My TPT Store

Free Poster

Bringing Pictures to Life: Using Interactive, Adapted Books.

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For many children with autism or other special needs, traditional books can sometimes be a passive experience. But what if books could become hands-on, engaging, and tailored to each child’s communication and learning style? Enter *interactive, adapted books with detachable visuals*—a game-changer in special education classrooms.

What Are Interactive, Adapted Books?

Interactive books are modified versions of regular storybooks or nonfiction texts that include:

1. Velcro-backed visuals** (like symbols, pictures, or words)

2. Interactive elements** (like flaps, matching tasks, or fill-in-the-blank pages)

3. Simple, repetitive language** to build understanding

These books are especially helpful for:

* Students with autism

* Nonverbal or minimally verbal learners

* Kids working on expressive and receptive language skills

Detachable visuals allow students to:

* **Actively participate** in reading by matching, choosing, or sequencing pictures

* **Reinforce communication** with photos, pictures or symbols

* **Improve attention span** by making reading more dynamic

* **Practice fine motor skills** by pulling and placing Velcro-backed pieces

How to Use Adapted Books in the Classroom

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

1. **Choose the Right Book**

   * Pick a story or concept that matches the student’s interest and comprehension level.

   * Common themes include: feelings, animals, routines, weather, or food.

2. **Prepare the Book**

   * Print and laminate each page.

   * Add Velcro dots to the detachable visuals and matching spots in the book.

   * Organize visuals on a “choice board” or in a binder for easy access.

3. **Model and Prompt**

   * Read the book aloud and model how to match or place visuals.

   * Prompt students to interact (“Can you find the red apple?” or “What comes next?”).

4. **Encourage Communication**

   * Use visuals to practice answering WH-questions (What? Where? Who?).

   * Offer sentence starters or AAC support to promote expressive language.

5. **Make it Routine**

   * Use adapted books during circle time, one-on-one sessions, or independent work stations.

### Tips for Success

* **Start simple**: Use 2–3 visuals per page and gradually increase as the student grows more confident.

* **Use themes**: Rotate books based on seasons, holidays, or IEP goals.

* **Personalize visuals**: Include real photos of students or classroom objects when possible.

* **Celebrate participation**: Use praise, tokens, or sensory breaks as reinforcement.

### Free & Low-Cost Resources

Looking for ready-made templates or printable adapted books? Try:

* **Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT)**

* **Tarheel Reader**

* **Twinkl or Boardmaker**

* **Pinterest for DIY ideas**

Interactive, adapted books don’t just teach literacy—they create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that build communication, confidence, and connection. Whether you’re working with a pre-verbal preschooler or a student learning to use AAC, these books offer a powerful tool for inclusive, engaging education.

Adapted books on TPT

Free Summer adapted book

Free Adapted resources on TPT

All my TPT Resources