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Using TomTag Visual Timetables in the Primary Classroom- Susi’s story

“TomTag has made a positive difference for staff and pupils at my school”. Susi, Inclusion Leader at a mainstream primary school

Find out how TomTag made life easier for Susi and her pupils…

Why do we need visual supports at my school?

 

anxious face symbol

Many children at my school are anxious about transitions and struggle with describing their feelings and emotions.

Using visual timetables to show the children their routines makes their school day more predictable. As a result, they feel less anxious, which increases positive behaviour making teaching less stressful. In addition, visual support to communicate feelings and emotions makes it easier for staff to recognise and respond to the children’s needs.

 

What we did before using TomTag

 

Before we used TomTag, staff used a variety of visual supports, including ‘home-made’ visual timetables, picture cards and whiteboards. This ad hoc approach was not ideal. Making picture timetables and cards was time-consuming for staff, and the whiteboards were too bulky for the children to carry around. This meant the boards were often not to hand when visual support was most needed.

 

 

How we use TomTag

 

Every classroom has a First-Then kit, which we use as a visual timetable to help children know what is happening during their day and encourage them to complete tasks using simple First-Then-Next visual prompts.

 

 

 

Every staff member wears a Share How I Feel tag on a lanyard around their neck. This feelings tag has six colour-graded feelings faces, which we use to explain feelings and emotions visually and support the children in identifying their feelings and emotions.

 

 

How TomTag has helped

Both staff and pupils find TomTag very helpful. The teachers find it quick and easy to set up TomTag. They don’t have to waste time printing and laminating pictures.

The older children in Years 3-5 enjoy setting up their own First -Then TomTags. It is a fun activity, and they love clicking the buttons in and out of their tags! In addition, being involved in setting up their TomTags means they find it more motivating to use them.

Children don’t like to feel that they are different.  TomTag is excellent because they are discrete compared with whiteboards. Children can check their timetable independently without drawing attention to themselves.  

The feelings tag works well to help teach and model abstract feelings and emotions. For example, a teacher can say, ‘I’m feeling quite sad now’ whilst pointing at the appropriate colour-graded feelings face and then ask a child, ‘I can see you’re feeling red. You must be upset.’  

We already use the Zones of Regulation, a framework that uses colours to help children identify their feelings.  But what staff like about the TomTag feelings tag is that it is easily accessible and can be used with children when needed, either in the classroom or outside. The children also find the TomTag feelings tag easier to understand than the Zones.

I think TomTag is an excellent resource for schools, it has made a positive difference for both staff and pupils at my school, and I would highly recommend it.

Want to try TomTag at YOUR school? 

Would you like to try a First -Then At School Mini Kit and Feeling Tag in your school?

Email Clare@orkidideas.com to request a FREE sample pack for your school.

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School Bag Packing Checklist

Reduce your child’s anxiety and frustration over forgotten things with this  school bag packing checklist.

We created this printable checklist using some of the beautifully illustrated pictures featured in the TomTag My School Kit Sticker Pack.

Print and put it where your child will see it to help them remember what to take to school each day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Back-to-School Self-Talk Prompt Sheet

  • Back-to-School Toolkit

  • Feelings Bundle

  • I Can Do It Pack My Bag For School Kit

  • My School Kit Sticker Pack

  • School Bag Packing Checklist

 

 

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Getting dressed – TomTag Tips to help Autistic Children learn dressing skills

Plastic yellow tag showing sequence of clothing items

 Getting dressed independently is an important life skill for autistic children. Teaching dressing skills to my autistic son required a lot of time, practice, and patience.Putting on clothes in the right order, fastening buttons and zips and tying shoelaces involves mastering many skills. Add sensory triggers into the mix and it is easy to see why it took him longer to develop dressing skills compared with other children his age.

 However, it is worth the effort. Being able to get dressed by themselves gives autistic children confidence to function independently at school and it’s one less thing for you to worry about in the mornings!

Now is the perfect time for your autistic child to start developing their dressing skills. With schools closed, there’s no pressure to get everyone fed, dressed and out of the front door in the morning so there’s plenty of time to practice at your child’s own pace.

Let’s practice!

Getting dressed takes a lot of motor skills that autistic children may need time to develop. Balance and co-ordination of movements are needed to get their limbs in all the right places. Fine motor skills help them deal with many types of fastenings. 

Improving motor skills does not have to be boring! Here are some activities you can do at home with your child to make practice fun.

  • Practice balance by making a line on the floor and step with one foot in front of the other like “tightrope walking”. You could make it more interesting by pretending that they are walking a tightrope across a river full of snapping crocodiles!
  • Work on fine motor skills with a hidden treasure hunt. Fill a tub with rice or another pulse and hide small objects such as cars, or small figures and ask your child to find them. Sand play and messy play are also activities which practice fine motor skills.
  • Therapy putty is ideal for developing the hand strength needed to manipulate clothing and fastenings.

coloured buckets fuoll of sand and tag showing choice of play activtiesUse a TomTag visual list to help your child choose their preferred activity. Our new Early Years Activities sticker pack has lots  of activities that make fine motor skill practice part of playtime.

Getting Dressed

Once you’re ready to practice dressing try ‘backward chaining‘ . This method lets the child feel accomplished every time. They start with the last step then work backward from there.

Little changes can make a big difference in reducing your child’s frustrations while dressing. Here are some things you can do to make things easier for them.

Clothes

plastic yellow tag showing dressing sequence and yellow t shirt and blu jeans

 

  • Choose trousers or skirts with elasticated waists where possible and opt for loose fitting items with velcro or large buttons which are easier to put on than tight fitting ones.
  • Use a simple visual checklist like TomTag showing what order each item of clothing should be put on. You could also lay the clothes out in the shape of a body to help with visualisation.
  • Offer a choice, “ you can wear the blue shirt or the red shirt”.
  • Lay out clothes the night before, making sure they are the right side out.
  • Organise the wardrobe separating play clothes, school clothes and ‘going out’ clothes

 socksSocks

  • Begin with large, short socks that slip more easily over the feet.
  • Show  your child how to scrunch longer socks up first before pulling them on
  • Socks with colored heels make it easier to get them the right way round. We love the brightly coloured Ez Socks  from Special Kids Company that also have handy pull up loops.
  • Try Little Grippers school socks for socks that stay on – and up! – all day long.

shoesShoes

  • Having a designated place for shoes will save valuable time spent hunting for them
  • Start with slip on shoes or use no tie elastic laces such as Hickies, Greepers and Lock Laces
  • Teach shoe tying with a  step by step approach. The ‘bunny ears’ is a popular method and YouTube is an excellent resource for demonstrations of this and other tying methods.

coatCoat

  • Start practising with different, larger types of coat.
  • If the sleeve by sleeve approach isn’t working try this flip flop over the top method  wonderfully described by Connectability.ca – you might want to stand well back until they get better at this one though!
  • Attach a zip pull or a key ring to the zip to help with gripping the tab and make zipping easier.

starWell done!

Don’t forget to give plenty of praise to your child for their efforts at each stage and consider using a star chart to help them establish their routine.

 

Sensory and developmental issues 

If your child is sensitive to clothing consider how to reduce their sensory triggers .

Check for labels and seams that might cause irritation and cut them out where possible. Wash clothes several times before wearing to help  soften them. 

The Sensory Smart Store started by a mum of an autistic boy with sensory processing disorder has a great range of clothes to help sensitive and sensory children and adults. Whilst EcoOutfitters offer school clothing made from 100% pure organic cotton.

Dressing in front of a mirror provides important visual cues that can help a child with sequencing, body planning and body awareness. If your child continues to have difficulty with dressing, a qualified occupational therapist should be able to help.

Have you any tips or experiences to share about teaching dressing skills? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Resources

  • Back-to-School Toolkit

  • I Can Do It Learn At Home Kit

  • I Can Do It Self Care Skills Kit

  • I Know What To Expect At Home Kit

  • School Morning Routines

  • Self Care Sticker Pack