Autism Classroom Setup Tips & Ideas

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Looking for tips for autism classroom setup? Here are 5 ideas to help you out.

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Whether you are a homeschooling parent of a child with autism or a classroom teacher with autistic students, it is vital to create a classroom that will help them succeed. There are several things that parents and educators can do to create a successful autism classroom or learning area.

We will provide you with tips for homeschooling families and educators on how to achieve this. It is important to remember that each child with autism will have different needs and abilities. You will need to make sure to take this into account when setting up your learning area or classroom.

5 Tips to Setup Successful Learning Areas at Home for Autistic Children

When homeschooling families decide to homeschool their children with autism, many forget to take into consideration how to set up learning areas for them. Many will get caught up with selecting the right curriculum and how to incorporate therapies (occupational, speech, and/or physical therapies) into their homeschool day.

Learning areas are areas in and outside of the house that will be used during the child’s homeschool day.

The following are examples of learning areas in the home: main learning area where instruction will be provided and assignments will be completed, kitchen for completing life skills of cooking, baking, and washing dishes, dining room for eating meals and snacks (some families lack space and the dining room table can be also used for instruction and assignment times), a scheduled area (this could include daily, weekly, and/or monthly schedules), an area for breaks, an area to calm down and problem solve, the outdoors for playing and/or reading books, etc.

Each family will have different learning areas depending on where they live as well as how much (or little) space they have. Here are some tips to remember.

#1 Remember Less is More

Children with autism thrive in environments that do not include a lot of visuals, noise, or other things that can overload their senses. Less is more when it comes to setting up learning areas. You will need to take into account which things will overstimulate your child.

Maybe you have a child who does not like loud sounds, then you will need to make sure that the learning area is quiet and/or use noise-canceling headphones (this will help your child focus on completing assignments during independent work time).

You might have a child that becomes overstimulated by light or too many visuals in the learning area. If this is the case, remove unnecessary posters, dim the lights in the room, use natural sunlight, etc. It is also important to remember to only have the items that your child will need to learn and complete tasks. For example, do not put a pile of schoolwork that needs to be completed for the entire day on his/her desk or table.

This will not only increase the child’s anxiety (i.e. he/she might be thinking, “Oh my! I have all this work to do.”), but also make it more challenging for the child with autism to know what to focus on first.

#2 Utilize Schedules

It is important to create schedules that are visual and labeled. Some families just use daily schedules whereas others might use daily, weekly, and/or monthly schedules.

Regardless of which type of schedule you choose to use, make sure that it is easily accessible as well as has visuals that are next to a written activity or class. Visuals on a schedule can be created by using PECS symbols (Picture Exchange Communication System), hand-drawn or Google images, or photos that you take on your phone or camera.

Make sure that the activity or class is written down next to the image. For example, if your schedule starts with breakfast, you would find a picture to represent breakfast (i.e. cereal, a bowl and spoon, waffles, whatever your child usually eats for breakfast) and then have the word breakfast written next to it.

It’s also important to know that if your child loves to get up and move around a lot, place the schedule in an area where your child will need to get up from his/her seat to remove the class or activity that has just been completed. This not only provides a great way to get children moving out of their seats but also a way to see what they have completed.

It is also a great way to answer the frequent question of, “What’s next?” or “What do I do now?” You can simply tell your child to check his/her schedule. Developing a schedule (or multiple schedules) can help children with autism know what is expected of them and what they will be doing that day. It will also lessen the amount of surprises. Surprises may be enjoyed by many, but many autistic children would rather know in advance. This will also reduce the amount of anxiety that they might experience.

#3 Use Labels & Color Coding

Another way to provide a successful learning environment for your child with autism is to use color coding and labels. Most children with autism thrive on consistency and knowing where things are. Color coding provides an opportunity for children to know what goes where and which things go together. For example, you could use the color blue for anything related to math (i.e. pick a color that goes with the main color of the math curriculum). Let’s say your child’s math curriculum is mainly blue, so you could use a blue folder, notebook, blue notecards, and blue cubby to place all the math materials that are needed. Not only does color coding help but also labeling materials and storage containers for school supplies help.

As discussed in regards to creating schedules, labeling materials and storage containers for school supplies can help. Make sure to use a visual (i.e. PECS, photo, or a printed image) with a written label to complete this task.

An example would be labeling each container that is holding a different school supply item. Let’s say you have a container of pencils and you place them in a pencil box. Make sure that you label with a picture of pencils and the word pencil written/typed out.

Using color coding and labels can help a child with autism not only know where things are but can also help promote independence. If you are getting ready to do math, you can tell your child, “Please get the blue folder and math book.”

This will help the child to develop a way to become more independent and also decrease the amount of anxiety. As they say, “A place for everything and everything in its place.”

#4 Develop Specific Areas

Another thing that can create a successful learning area for children with autism is to develop specific areas. You can first develop specific areas by deciding what each area will be used for different classes and activities.

For example, you might decide that the dining room is going to be used as the main area for instruction and assignment completion. This area will only have the necessary materials, curriculum, and supplies for instruction. It would also need to have a storage area (color-coded and labeled) so that the child can access the items that are needed for the instruction at that time (i.e. if it’s math time, the child could grab the blue storage container and its blue contents from a nearby shelf or cubby).

In addition to this, you can also use PECS symbols to label the different learning areas, just make sure to include a written label to go with it. Other areas that can be used as learning areas are the following: family room, living room, bedroom, kitchen, backyard, nearby park, etc.

Choosing specific areas for learning will vary from family to family, it depends on where you live and how much (or little) space you have.

#5 Create Areas for Taking Breaks and Calming Down

It is important that you have areas for your child with autism to take breaks and calm down. Autistic children need to be able to take breaks whether it is built into their schedules or asked by the child.

An area to take breaks should take place in a room or area that is quiet, has two to three items to be used (i.e. iPad, paper and crayons, books, toys, etc.), and a timer. A break area is used by the child to do something that he or she enjoys for five to ten minutes at a time. Some children with autism will need a break after completing a class or an activity and others may be able to request a break when they need one.

In addition to having a break area, it is important to find a spot in your home for a calm-down area. This is an area to use when a child is really struggling, and exhibiting escalating behaviors (i.e. yelling, being noncompliant, crying, hitting, destroying items, etc.). For a calming down area, you need to make sure that it is quiet and that it only has items that provide comfort to the child (i.e. stuffed animals, weighted blanket, soft pillows, favorite book, etc.).

When your child has calmed down, then it is time to talk with your child about what happened calmly. Make sure to discuss what happened and what to do differently next (you can also use social stories to help with this). This will be a great teaching moment for the homeschooling family and a learning experience for the child.

5 Tips to Setup Successful Autism Classrooms

The 5 tips to set up learning areas for homeschooled children with autism can apply also to classrooms with autistic students. Educators may have to make adjustments depending on their classroom size and the number of students with autism.

For example, a special educator will need to make an individualized schedule for each child and have a monthly calendar to show birthdays and special events. It’s still important to make sure that in the student’s instructional and work areas to make sure that only the needed items to complete the assignments are there.

If the student doesn’t need an item, it shouldn’t be present until it is needed. It is still important to use the following in the classroom for children with autism: color coding and labels, developing specific areas, and making sure that there are places in the classroom for students to take breaks and calm down. 

#1 Use Visuals to Clearly Define Spaces

Using visuals to clearly define different spaces in the classroom can benefit students with autism. Visuals can include the following: using PECS symbols to label different areas and materials within each area, colored tape to identify different areas in the classroom as well as areas that students are not allowed in (i.e. blue tape around the math area, green tape for the science area, red tape for areas that the student is not allowed to go in, etc.), and furniture to build boundaries.

Many special educators will forget that furniture can be used to create different spaces. For example, the back side of a bookcase and a couple of portable walls can create a space for students to complete their independent work, calm down, take a break, etc. If you don’t have access or have enough space to use furniture to create a clearly defined space, you can create a student’s independent work area by facing the desk against a wall or using some folders to place on the student’s desk.

This will help students focus on the task instead of everything that is going on in the classroom. Using these various visuals can help clearly define spaces for autistic students and therefore, increase the student’s knowledge of what is expected and decrease anxiety.

#2 Use Two Trays During Independent Work Time

Using two trays during independent work time can help provide a successful learning environment for students with autism. These two trays can be plastic trays that you buy at your local dollar store or brown cardboard boxes that can hold a dozen cans from your grocery store.

After you find your two trays, label one as work (have a visual of someone working and the word work in writing) and one as done (have a visual to represent done and the word done in writing). The tray that is labeled with work will have the materials that are needed to complete the task (only do one assignment or task at a time to reduce stress and anxiety) and will need to be placed on the left side of the desk or work area. The second tray is labeled done; place it empty on the right side of the desk or work area.

Next, you will need to model this (i.e. put a simple task in the left tray, complete it, and put it in the right tray when it’s done). If you have your students check their schedules after completing a task, then make sure that you model this as well.

Most students with autism thrive on consistency. This will help your students know what is expected of them during independent work.

#3 Remember Sensory Processing Struggles

It is important to remember that many students with autism struggle with sensory processing. Sensory processing disorder is a disorder that impacts how a student’s brain processes sensory information (i.e. sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste).

There are two different types of individuals with sensory processing disorder, sensory seekers and sensory avoiders. Sensory seekers are students who are looking for more sensory input. For example, a young girl constantly wants to be hugged, hold her hand, etc. This student is seeking sensory input for the sense of touch.

Sensory avoiders are students who are trying to find a way to get away from a specific sense. For example, a young boy is rocking back and forth and putting his hands over his ears. He is telling others that he does not like the loud sound and is trying to find a way to make it quiet.

It’s important to know your students. Determining which students are impacted by their five senses, whether students are sensory seekers or avoiders, and which of their senses will impact them, is a great way to determine how to help your students with autism.

Each student with autism is different and will need different things in their learning areas in the classroom to help them with their sensory processing needs.

#4 Create Break and Calm Down Areas

Creating a break area and an area to calm down area are important to have for students with special needs, especially those with autism. You will need to find two different spaces, one for each area. This is to ensure that your students will know where to go for a break and where to go to calm down.

A break area needs to be an area that a student can go to where it’s quiet, has different things to do that he/she enjoys, and a timer (breaks should only last five to ten minutes each time). If you have several students who will need to use the break area, ensure you have containers of their items outside the break area. Then when a student needs to use it, the container of items can be taken into the break area.

Make sure to label (with visuals) each container for each student who will be using the break area. Each container should have two to three items at a time to reduce sensory overload and the feeling of being overwhelmed with too many choices. It is important to note that the items in each student’s container for the break room should be replaced with new items every couple of weeks to prevent boredom. This can be done by using a reinforcement inventory sheet.

In addition to finding a break area within your classroom, it is also important to identify a place in the classroom to create a calming down area. The calming down area (some educators call it a calming corner) is a designated quiet spot that provides a safe and comforting environment. Students will go to this area, on their own or when told by a staff member, when they are feeling angry or upset.

Special educators need to teach children with autism when and how to use this area through modeling as well as social stories. When students arrive at the calming down area, they need to sit down or lay down, use their de-escalating strategies, and calm down by doing quiet activities (i.e. read a book, color, use sensory toys to calm down, hold onto a soft stuffed animal, use a weighted lap blanket, etc.).

When students are completely calmed down and ready to talk, the special educator or paraeducator should discuss what they should do differently next time (i.e. problem-solving skills can be taught using social stories, modeling how to problem-solve, etc.). It is crucial to have an area for autistic students to take breaks and a calming down area in your classroom.

#5 Reduce Clutter

Reducing clutter or items that are not needed in a classroom provides an environment in which students with autism can thrive. On a daily basis, autistic students deal with sensory overload which can impact their learning.

Simply removing unnecessary posters and keeping different areas in the classroom decluttered can help them focus on their instruction, assignments, and directions when provided by staff.  Less is more. Make sure to only have what is needed for instruction, an assignment, or an activity available, anything else should be removed from the area.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are a homeschooling family or a professional educator in a traditional classroom, it’s important to know how to set up a learning area or classroom to provide a successful learning environment for students with autism.

Some tips on how to achieve this are by doing the following: make sure that areas are decluttered, create an area to take breaks, create a calming down area or calming corner, develop specific areas by using visuals and furniture (as applicable), use color coding and labeling, create and use schedules (daily, weekly, and/or monthly), and remember to incorporate changes to accommodate for sensory processing struggles.

Using these tips not only will help you set up a successful learning environment for your student but also help increase self-advocacy (asking for a break independently), independence, and develop problem-solving skills. These are all skills that we want our students with autism to learn and generalize into different settings.

Here are some other articles you may be interested in:

• The Potential Advantages of Homeschooling a Special Needs Child
• The Ultimate Guide to the Best Homeschool Curriculum for Special Needs Students
• Special Needs Homeschooling: Important Tips for Parents