Token Economy

My inquiry focuses on improving both key competencies - Managing Self and Relating to Others to work on the fundamental skills in order to improve my students reading levels.
One strategy I have put in place is a token economy to use during playtime to encourage appropriate play. Tokens are given for appropriate play throughout playtime to work towards a reward at the end of play if he has 5 coins on his chart. The teacher on duty wears the lanyard around their neck and provides continuous positive reinforcement for the desired behavior.
There are many different tokens you can use, I have used the same coin system that Tamaki Primary have used for their school wide points system.




http://www.educateautism.com/token-economy.html

Sight Words

Each morning we practice learning the words from the word wall. Some of my students need extra practice with their sight words. Each morning when the boys arrive they will complete a work-box with individualized activities. I made a sight word reveal game for the students who struggle to remember certain sight words. You could also add photos or pictures of their favourite cartoon characters.

                                    

 

Visual Checklists

A visual checklist provides the individual with ownership over their own learning and the ability for them to manage themselves. Those familiar with AFL (Assessment For Learning) will recognise the importance of allowing students the opportunity to participate in assessing their own learning. Students who use self assessment strategies become more independent and motivated learners.
bsolum, M. (2006). Clarity in the classroom. Auckland: Hodder Education.pp 98–117.

Whilst this is particularly challenging with students who have communication difficulties; a visual checklist will allow them to be able to participate and it is a good starting point.
My students use many different checklists throughout the day to identify what they have to do at each step and what to do next.
Students who are not yet able to read or associate meaning to written words will find a visual checklist particularly useful.
This is a photo of one of my students using a self assessment checklist to assess his writing.

Visuals and Assessment

One of my students is able to use key words to express himself and request items. He does not yet have the spoken language to be able to answer questions about the text during guided reading sessions.

To overcome this hurdle I am using a reading core board which is a board of core vocabulary from the text which they can use to answer questions. The visuals i have displayed on this board have both correct and incorrect answers. 

Usually my core-board's would contain colour coded prompts used in a programme called "Colourful Somantics" however i have taken them off this core-board for the function of a running record. 

Once the text has been read I will ask him questions about the story and he will point to the appropriate picture. I make sure that he has a core board for every guided reading book so that he is given the opportunity to answer questions about the story or comment on the book.