A Unique System of Scheduling that is Visual, Written, and Individualized

Have you ever struggled to find a unique way to schedule the daily classroom activities especially for students need to the consistency of routine? Have you ever wondered if visual images are better for scheduling or do some students need the name of the activity in front of them? What about students who participate in their homeroom and struggle with scheduling - knowing what to do and when? We all have. Scheduling is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to the world of special education, but here is a unique, one-of-a-kind scheduling system that incorporates visual images, written words, and can be individualized to meet student needs.

Want to learn more? Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this scheduling system.

1. To create a calendar schedule that is visual, written, and individualized, first make a weekly schedule that shows all the daily activities from Monday through Friday including the simpler activities. Once you have this made, use it to take pictures of those activities as well as create typed-up activity names to go next to the pictures - have these laminated, cut, and magnetized to stick to the whiteboard. Also, cut out a large, bright arrow and have it laminated, cut, and magnetized; this will be used to show students what activity the class is currently on throughout the day.
2. After all the materials are created, clear a place on the classroom whiteboard - on the left or right side - and put up the pictures then leave a space to write the times and, finally, put up the activity names. This provides students to see the activity, read what is is, and now exactly what time the activity will occur. Our students need structure and routine more than ever and this is the perfect way to provide it while still having the option of switching out images, types, and activity names easily.
   
3. For students who participate in their homerooms and struggle at times with the schedule, create an individualized, small schedule using images that can be placed in that student’s folder to look at. This helps them stay on-task while not drawing negative attention to their struggles.
   

"A Unique System of Scheduling" Example

Examples of Scheduling Material Items
(have bigger images/activity names)

Finished Schedule on the Whiteboard