A visual schedule shows the steps of part of the day in pictures, in order, so a child can see what is happening now and what comes next. A first-then board is the smallest version: just two steps, "first shoes, then park". The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) describes activity schedules and visual supports as "objects, photographs, drawings, or written words that act as cues or prompts". The idea is simple: a picture stays put after the words have gone.
First-then: two steps
A first-then board has two spaces. The first is the task, the second is what comes after it, often something the child is looking forward to.
- Pick a real moment. Choose a task that happens every day and is sometimes hard, such as shoes on, teeth brushed or toys away.
- Show it before the task, not during an argument. Point and say it: "First teeth, then story."
- Keep the promise. When the first step is done, the second one happens straight away. That is what makes the board worth trusting.
- Keep it honest. Don't put something in the "then" space that isn't going to happen.
Visual schedules: the shape of the day
A schedule is a longer list for a part of the day, such as the morning, the school run or bedtime.
- Start short. Four to six steps for one routine is plenty at first. Add more once the child knows how it works.
- Go top to bottom (or left to right). Use the same direction every time.
- Mark what's done. Ticking off, turning over or moving a finished step shows progress and makes "what's next?" easy to answer.
- Plan for changes. If something is different today, change the schedule with the child and say why: "No swimming today, the pool is closed. We'll go to the library instead."
- Keep it where the routine happens. A bathroom routine belongs in the bathroom.
Talk while you use it
Say each step out loud as you point to it. The schedule doesn't replace talking; it gives the words something to stay attached to. This is the same idea as modeling on an AAC board: show it and say it together.
Schedules in Talking Cards
Talking Cards is a picture-card app made by Plapl Games. It supports a child's own talking and is used alongside it, and it is not therapy. It has two ways to lay out steps, both set up by a grown-up in the Parent panel:
- Day plans show part of the day, with Now and Next marked. There are ready-made Morning, School day and Bedtime plans, or you can build your own with up to 12 steps. When the child taps a finished step, the app says it aloud and ticks it off, and the plan starts fresh each new day.
- Routines are short first/then steps for one task. There are ready-made ones for brushing, washing, lunch, bath, bed, getting dressed, a trip and the potty.
The guide Day plans and routines walks through setting up the Morning plan, step by step.
This is general information, not clinical advice. Your child's speech-language pathologist or teacher can help you choose the right kind of schedule for your child.
Sources
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Autism (Practice Portal), section "Activity Schedule and Visual Supports".