Give Warnings When Completing Work Some autistic students need warnings to know when work must be completed. Always give a five minute and a one minute warning. Timers can also be helpful. It can also be helpful to the student if you say at the one minute warning, “It is okay if you are not done with your work.” Tese work time warnings can be given orally and are good for all stu- dents to hear in your classroom.


Headphones If noise seems to be the issue, have students wear head- phones. Older students may prefer ear plugs. I have found that most of the time they take them off. Sound may be an issue but most of the time it is just anxiety usually coming from the fear of the unknown, fear of transitions. Use visual schedules to help a student if they are taking off the head- phones aſter wearing them.


Aides Aides need to model the behaviors for the student they are helping. If the class is singing, playing instruments, or moving, the aide should also be participating. If you have more than one aide, they should also be focusing on their assigned student/s. Aides should not be conversing with the other aides, just as it would not be appropriate for students to be talking during your lesson. Always provide written guidelines for your aides. Written expectations will let the aide know upfront what you expect and that can include no phones or texting during your lessons. Always have an open communication with your aide. Brainstorm with them when a student is struggling. Tey are with the student all day and they can sometimes provide insight into what the student is capable of doing.


Playing the Recorder and the Ukulele Te aide will need to help the student with the recorder as the teacher will be busy working and checking the rest of the class. Te aide can sit behind the student and put their hands over the hands of the student to help them hold and play the recorder. Aides can also sit next to their student and model the fingerings by holding a recorder next to the students recorder. Te music teacher can draw fingerings above the notes for visual help. Te music teacher can also provide the aide with an enlarged fingering chart. Te aide can point to the fingering for each note in the song. Some- times the aide will need to track the music notes, or point to the notes on the music page. When beginning recorder, it is sometimes helpful to put a paper ring reinforcement label around the thumb hold so the student can feel the hole. Sometimes it will help a beginner student if masking tape is put around the thumb hole and the B hole. A social story can be used to remind the student of the rules for recorder: 1) Blow lightly, like blowing out one small birthday candle, 2) All water stays inside your mouth, 3) Move your fingers


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for the notes and cover the holes when playing, 4) Look at the fingering chart if you need help.


Hot Cross Buns


& # 4 4 œ œ ˙


3 & # B œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ A G


© Figure 3: Color Coding for Recorder and Ukulele


Coloring coding may help a beginner student. The music notes can be color coded to match the color coding on the recorder. The fingering chart can be colored coded to match the color coding on the recorder. The same can be done for the ukulele using the ukulele chord changer device.


Performances Te music teacher may need to make accommodations for the student. If a student cannot stand for a long period of time, the teacher may need to provide a chair for the stu- dent to sit on. Risers can sometimes be hard for a student to stand still. Provide a row of chairs for several students to sit together in front of your risers. If your autistic students needs reminders to sing, clap or not talk, have a helper student hold visual cards to cue the student. Te music teacher can also flashcards to the student during the perfor- mance. Use student helpers to guide the autistic student to the risers, the stage or to participate in a dance or playing of instruments. If student helpers will not work, have the aide sit and help the student. Sometimes a performance may be overstimulating and the student will not be able to participate. Te music teacher will need to have a conversation with the parents so they understand that the student will not be successful and that you don’t want them to be embarrassed because they are struggling during the performance practices.


Conclusion


It is rewarding when: 1) Someone comes to observe your classroom and they cannot identify the autistic student from the oth- er students in your room.


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