Visual Schedules
Visual schedules are so important in special education. Everyone wants to know when they are going to be arriving at work, what their daily tasks will be, when their lunch break is, and when they finally get to head home. This is the same for individuals with special needs. Individuals with special needs thrive off of visual schedules and knowing what to expect. Visual schedules help individuals with special needs gain independence and relieve anxiety. There are many different types of visual schedules that can meet the needs of any learner. Click on each resource below to open a FREE, fully editable copy (opens in Microsoft Word).
This is a complex visual schedule for individuals who benefit from seeing their entire week and are able to access a schedule without pictures. This schedule is simple and to the point. This schedule can be edited to include rules (target behaviors) and reinforcement if needed.
This is a mini visual picture schedule that can be customized to small tasks that are a part of an individual's day. This could be customized for a bathroom routine, bedtime routine, academic rotations, homework, chores, etc. Individuals can pull down the pictures and put them in an "all done" bag or container, match the pictures to each part of the task, or check off the pictures for each part of the task.
This is a bus visual schedule to help individuals visualize how many stops until they are home and what rules they need to follow while on the bus. This could be edited for car rides or road trips as well.
This is a picture visual schedule that includes pictures for individuals who rely on picture support as well as a reinforcement system attached. The rules (target behaviors that the individual are to follow) are noted at the top of the schedule. Rules should be reviewed before and after each activity. If the rules are followed, a happy face can be earned. Individuals work to earn a certain amount of happy faces towards a reward at the end of their schedule. This schedule can be edited to include rewards in between activities, more/less rules, etc.
This is a first, then schedule. This schedule shows individuals 2 activities, tasks, or steps at a time. This schedule helps individuals visualize what they need to do prior to something and what will happen immediately after. This schedule can be edited to include individuals first completing a task and then earning reinforcement/a reward if needed.
This is a time visual schedule. This schedule shows all parts of an individual's day and what time each activity is to start. The individual can check off each activity when they have completed it. This visual schedule could be edited to include visuals of each activity, a reinforcement system attached, or to not include times for each activity.
