Learning Diversity

TEACCH - Structured Teaching

Last Tuesday, one of the areas of focus for the school closure was on Learning Environments.

We had a consultant from TEACCH, Gail Preston, who provided professional development for staff on the TEACCH program. TEACCH is a program that helps teachers provide environments for children with neurodiverse challenges. 

We need to understand the whole child

Structured Teaching has five elements that build on one another, and all emphasise the importance of- 

• predictability 

• flexible routines and; 

• environments 

Schools and Structured Teaching

Structured Teaching utilises the students’ strengths to help to make their world more predictable-

- decreasing confusion

- increasing independence

- decreasing behaviour problems

- increasing capacity for flexibility

- increasing capacity for generalisation of skills

What the student in your class wants to know

• Where am I going?

• What do I do when I get there?

• How many steps are in the task?

• How many tasks do I need to do?

• How will I know when I am finished?

Looking at our students and recommendations from the TEACCH consultant, teachers spent the afternoon rearranging learning spaces to cater for individual needs. Needless to say, they got a big thumbs up from the boys and girls the next day.