Supporting students with autism spectrum disorder

Evidence-based strategies to help students with autism spectrum disorder

Telephone02 6947 2164

Emailsnowyvalleys-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Literacy

Literacy is a key learning area for students at each stage of learning. The following visuals can be useful in having students understand what behaviours are appropriate for reading time, presenting in class and so on.

News

News telling and plan

Talking about the news does not necessarily mean current events! News can refer to events in the student's life, either at home or at school. In 'Telling News' and 'News Plan', it gives students clear instructions on how to talk about news and what details to provide, such as who, what, where, why and when.

Download and view Telling news (PPTX 62KB).

Download and view News plan (PPTX  218KB).

What you need sharing the news
Image: What you need sharing the news
News sharing prompts
Image: News sharing prompts

Stories

Storytime

Storytime depicts the various behaviours a student should enact when they have reading time at school. These behaviours include different sensory cues, such as how to sit, when to listen, when to speak and what to be looking at during story time.

Download and view Storytime (DOCX 82KB)

Download and view Storytime 2 (DOCX 57KB).

How to behave during storytime
Image: How to behave during storytime
What to do during storytime
Image: What to do during storytime

Writing 

Sentences

In these worksheets, students can learn how to write different parts of a sentence through visual representations. These worksheets go over the who, what, where, why and when of sentence writing.

Download and view Sentence writing (PPTX 533KB).

Download and view Writing a sentence (PPTX 383KB).

Sentence writing crayons
Image: Preview of 'Sentence writing' crayons
Cartoon pencil
Image: Cartoon pencil for 'Writing a sentence'

Writing a poem

In this worksheet, students use a visual outline to assist them in writing a poem. It engages sensory stimuli to help paint the picture of what the student is looking to write about.

Download and view Writing a poem (PPTX 119KB).

Writing a poem worksheet
Image: Writing a poem worksheet

Writing scaffolds

Writing scaffolds, or prompts, guide students in creating a narrative. These prompts and associated visuals assist students in creative writing. 

Download and view Writing scaffolds (PPTX 2256 KB).

A paper clip to help you imagine
Image: A paper clip to help you imagine

Visuals 

Alphabet

This is a simple alphabet visual. It shows each letter of the alphabet, in lower and upper case, with a drawing of something starting with that letter.

Download and view Alphabet visual (PPTX 152KB).

Download and view Alphabet visual (DOC 96KB).

Download and view A-Z visuals (DOCX 209KB).

Cartoon characters paired with alphabet letters.
Image: Preview of 'Alphabet visual'
Alphabet visuals
Image: Preview of 'Alphabet visual'
A to Z image
Image: Preview of 'A-Z Visuals'

Colours

In this simple visual, students learn different colours as well as objects that are that colour, for example the sky being blue and grass being green.

Download and view Colours visual (PPTX 103 KB).

Cartoon images and the matching colours
Image: Preview of 'Colours visual'

Days of the week

'Days of the week' includes visuals to help students learn the names of the week and the order of the days. It also shows different names of types of weather and what they look like.

Download and view Days of the week (DOC 39KB).

Download and view Calendar days (DOCX 23KB).

Days of the week and types of weather
Image: Preview of 'Days of the week'
Day of the week
Image: Preview of 'Calendar days'

Directions

'Directions' shows students the various ways in which objects can move and the words to describe each motion. It also asks students to idenify their motions with the words that describe them.

Download and view Directions (DOC 40KB).

Download and view Directions (DOCX 19KB).

prepositions
Image: Preview of 'Directions'
Directions
Image: Preview of 'Directions'

Go together

'Go together' is a visual exercise that helps students see associations between different objects. On the sheet, students must read each word and point out what other object goes with it, such as 'water' and 'boat'.

Go together (DOC 468KB).

Cartoon images of things that need to be matched together.
Image: Cartoon images of things that need to be matched together.

Opposites

In this visual, students can compare objects that are different and the words used to describe that difference. For example, short and long, open and shut, and wet and dry.

Download and view Opposites visual (PPTX 202KB).

Cartoon images of opposites.
Image: Preview of 'Opposites visual'

Related content

Supporting students with autism spectrum disorder

General enquiries

CallGet directionsMail

We would like to pay our respects and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and also pay respect to Elders both past and present.

Copyright for this website is owned by the State of New South Wales through the Department of Education. For more information go to http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/footer/copyright.