Running Head: Curricular Modifications

Assignment 2: Curricular Modifications

Tamara Quran
University of British Columbia
EPSE 449

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Introduction
For this assignment I have chosen to investigate the case of Samantha. Samantha is a four
year old that was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two years. She has recently been enrolled
in a neighbourhood preschool where the teacher, although eager to include Samantha in her
classroom, has found it challenging to get her to engage in the semi-structured day-to-day routine
and activities of the class. In order to create some context, I will begin by listing some of
Samanthas areas of strengths and some of the area of difficulties. Then I will move on to
suggesting some strategies that the teacher can use to adapt two curricular activities; Attendance
and Story Time, in ways that may lead to Samantha being more engaged and participating in the
activities with her peers.
Strengths and Difficulties
Strengths

Limitations

Interested in Technology

Non-verbal

Loves books

Difficulty understanding spoken

Quick to learn new Picture

Communication Symbols (PCS) when

language

Displays problem behaviours when a

they are taught in a meaningful context

non-preferred activity is taking place

Likes singing songs with actions

and/or transition is taking place

Responds to short meaningful

Needs some physical support with

commands

gross motor activities (doing actions

Can use PCS to make requests

with songs)

Likes looking at letters and words

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Adaptations and Modifications

Pre-teaching
Samanthas teacher has reported that Samantha is not staying seated on the carpet with
the group throughout many of the curricular activities. Also, she seems to not understand what
the expected behaviour is at certain times throughout the day. Accordingly, I believe it to be
essential that Samantha be taught the class rules and expectations before we even consider what
type of adaptations to make for specific curricular activities.
Goal 1: Teach Samantha the rules and schedule of the class.
Strategies:

A visual schedule describing activities which will be taking place each day can be created
using PCS. On a daily basis Samantha and her aid/ teacher will set up the schedule of the
day, preparing Samantha for what is to come. The schedule can look something like this:

The pictures used can be made by the teacher and it can be very basic.
For more information on visual schedules go to:
http://www.autismoutreach.ca/elearning/classroom-strategies/visual-schedules-set-anduse
Or http://www.handsinautism.org/pdf/How_To_Visual_Schedules.pdf

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*notes:
1. The visual schedule needs to be somewhere Samantha can see and access easily throughout
the day.
2. After each activity is done have Samantha take down the PCS representing that activity, in
order for her to understand that the activity is finished and that the class is moving on.
Goal 2: Teaching Samantha to stay seated with the group during activities.
Strategies:

When starting the visual schedule strategy Samantha may forget what is on the schedule
or may be resistant to sitting for a long period of time. In order to avoid this issue, start
by adding a preferred activity following non preferred activities. For example; after
attendance add a short singing activity in order to motivate Samantha to stay seated
throughout attendance.

Also, using a first-then schedule will help Samantha understand that she will need to sit
for attendance first in order to have a singing activity. The first-then visual schedule can
be used throughout the day as a within-activity reminder of what is expected of her.
This is a basic first-then visual schedule:

Introducing a visual prompt card of Samantha sitting down. This card can be given to
Samantha while she is seated in the group to serve as a reminder that she should be sitting
nicely with the group.

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Rationale: Samantha will not be able to participate in any of the class activities if she does
not know the class rules and expectations. Therefore, it is important to introduce her to these
rules and expectations through a communication system which she will be able to comprehend.
As is the case with many students with autism, Samantha is a visual learner. The strategies
provided here tap into Samanthas ability to use pictures to communicate and to form an
understanding of her surroundings. She has been taught to use visual schedules at home.
Accordingly, she already has an understanding of the concept of a schedule.
Curricular Modifications
In the next section I will be referring to strategies which can be used to adapt the two curricular
activities of attendance and Story Time, so as Samantha can be engaged and included in the
activities.
Attendance.
Samanthas aid believes that part of the reason she is unable to stay seated during
attendance is the fact that she does not know the names of her peers. In order for Samantha to not
only understand the taking attendance activity but also to be part of the group, she will need to
begin by learning the names of her peers.
Goal 1: teaching Samantha the names of her peers.
Strategies:

Creating a peer picture book. This book can be used at home and in school to teach
Samantha the names of her peers. One way to create connections between the pictures
and the students is to have Samantha select two pictures before sitting at the carpet. These

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pictures will represent the students that will be seated next to her for that carpet session.
These pictures can also be used for paring Samantha up with a different partner for
activities.

Rationale: Once again we are tapping into Samanthas ability to learn through pictures.
It might be difficult for Samantha to interact with many students at one time, therefor,
using this picture system to have Samantha choose partners or peers to sit next to, helps
to create a link between the pictures and the students and helps her meet and connect with
all of her peers. Samantha cannot be considered as part of the group if she does not know
any of her peers.

Goal 2: getting Samantha to respond during attendance taking.

Strategies:

Having Samantha seated closer to the teacher in order for her to be able to hear her name
being called out from the first time.

Here the smart board can be used as a tool to attract Samanthas attention to the activity.
First, the teacher places the pictures of all the students on the board. Then, when each
students name is called, they step up to the board and drag their picture to the other end
of the board under the column that says here. (Samantha may need some physical
support for this activity).

Or Samantha can be taught to respond by raising her hand. To start, she will need to be
prompted physically by the aid every time the teacher calls out her name. But then as she
learns to respond to her name being called the prompting can fade until she can respond
independently.

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Or a visual illustration of Samantha raising her hand when the teacher calls her name can
be presented to Samantha in order to teach her the expected behaviour.

Rationale:

Seating Samantha closer to the teacher will hopefully reduce the number of prompts she
needs in order to respond.

Using the smart board can be more engaging for Samantha due to her interest in
technology. Also, having to move her picture from one side of the board to the other
might be fun and motivating, not only for her but for the entire class!

Providing prompts can help Samantha learn what the expected response is to the teacher
calling her name during attendance. Providing a visual for this activity will make this
concept more concrete and might help Samantha in understanding why she is raising her
hand.
Story telling.

Goal 1: getting Samantha engaged in reading time.

Strategy:

Creating a book for Samantha to hold and flip through while the teacher is reading. This
book can either be an exact copy of the book the teacher is reading or a simplified version
of the teachers book.

You can use the SET BC website to find adapted books, or you can make it yourself.

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Rationale: Having a book in her hands can be more engaging for Samantha than looking up
at the book the teacher is holding. She will be able to examine the pictures for a longer period of
time, absorb the text, and flip through the pages at her own pace.
Goal 2: creating opportunities for Samantha to participate in the activity.
Strategy:

Samantha has been taught to match PCS to short sentences at home. This strategy can be
incorporated into the session when the teacher is asking all the students questions. The
teacher can ask Samantha to match PCS to short sentences on the board, or she can create
a small board with simple questions and place it next to Samantha for her to provide
answers on.

Samantha can also be asked to match letters. The teacher can place the letter of the week
on the board and ask Samantha to find the one that is the same (match).

Rationale: Samantha is non-verbal and finds difficulty in comprehending long abstract

sentences. Through these strategies, Samantha is given a familiar means of communicating
answers to questions which she can comprehend.
The matching letters activity gives Samantha the opportunity to use her fascination with
the alphabet in a way that will help her participate in a group activity.

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References
How-to-templates: Visual schedules. Retrieved from:
http://www.handsinautism.org/pdf/How_To_Visual_Schedules.pdf
Kluth, P. (2010). Youre going to love this kid!: Teaching students with autism in the inclusive
classroom (2nd ed). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co.
Mirenda, P. (2013). Visual and environmental supports [class handouts]. Department of
Educational and Counceling Psychology and Special Education, Vancouver, University
of British Columbia
Set BC website. Accessed: http://www.setbc.org/
Visual Schedules: set up and use. Retrieved from:
http://www.autismoutreach.ca/elearning/classroom-strategies/visual-schedules-set-anduse