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Structured Teaching within the TEACCH framework

Typology
Methodological
Resource description
The TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children) Structured Teaching approach is a comprehensive framework designed to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). It emphasizes creating structured learning environments tailored to the unique strengths and challenges of each individual. The primary goal is to enhance independence, reduce anxiety, and promote meaningful engagement in educational settings.

Structured Teaching within the TEACCH framework is built upon five interrelated components, often depicted as a pyramid, each building upon the other to create a cohesive support system:
- Physical Structure: Organizing the physical environment to provide clear visual and spatial boundaries.
Application: Designating specific areas for individual tasks, group activities, and leisure, helping students understand where activities occur.
- Visual Schedules: Utilizing visual cues to represent the sequence of daily activities.
Application: Implementing schedules with pictures or symbols to indicate the order of tasks, aiding in predictability and routine.
- Work Systems: Providing clear instructions on what work needs to be done, the order, and the expected outcome.
Application: Setting up systems that outline tasks to be completed, materials needed, and the sequence, fostering independence.
- Visual Structure: Incorporating visual supports to clarify instructions and expectations within tasks.
Application: Using color-coding, labels, and visual cues to guide students through activities, enhancing comprehension.
- Routines and Strategies: Establishing consistent routines and teaching strategies to support learning and behavior.
Application: Developing step-by-step routines for daily activities and employing consistent teaching methods to reinforce learning.
https://teacch.com/
Sample of use in education with students with IDD
Implementing Structured Teaching in educational settings for students with IDD can involve:

Classroom Setup: Arranging the classroom with clearly defined areas for specific activities, such as a reading corner, a math station, and a sensory break area, to provide visual cues and reduce confusion.
Daily Schedules: Creating individualized visual schedules using symbols or photographs that outline the day's activities, helping students anticipate transitions and reduce anxiety.
Task Organization: Developing work systems that break down tasks into manageable steps with visual instructions, enabling students to complete activities with minimal assistance.
Consistent Routines: Establishing and maintaining consistent daily routines to provide stability and predictability, which are crucial for students with IDD.

Hume, K., Plavnick, J., & Odom, S. (2012). Promoting Task Accuracy and Independence in Students with Autism Across Educational Setting Through the Use of Visual Schedules. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(2), 2084–2099.
Difficulties to which it could be applied
Executive Functioning and Flexibility, Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests, Specialized Skills and Talents
  • Intense attachment to objects or activities
Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests, Specialized Skills and Talents
  • Intense focus
  • Memory and attention to detail
Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests, Specialized Skills and Talents, Executive Functioning and Flexibility
  • Fixed Interest
Learning Objetives
  • Organization of space
  • Learning competences
  • Learning Engineering concepts
  • Learning Maths concepts
  • Learning Science concepts
  • Learning Technology concepts
  • Listening competences
  • Memory improvement
  • Organization of class structure
  • Learning breathing and relaxation techniques
  • Organization of time
  • Practical competences
  • Promote reading comprehension
  • Promote self-management
  • Promoting Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Regulating hyperactivity
  • Regulating impulsivity
  • Cognitive and Behavioral Flexibility
  • Learning Arts concepts
  • Improving Social Communication Skills
  • Improving metacognition (learning to learn)
  • Improving knowledge application
  • Improving Attention and focus
  • Improve Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors
  • Facilitating Peer Interaction and Social Interaction Skills
  • Executive functions
  • Strategies for Effective Studying
  • Enhancing Sensory Regulation Strategies
  • Enhancing Language Skills
  • Engage in abstract thinking and Symbolic Though
  • Emphasize self-reliance
  • Distinguising Meaningful contents
  • Develop functional writing skills