More on Following Directions
Parents, teachers, and therapists have sent in more questions about helping individuals with autism learn to follow directions. Compliance is a life skill that is critical for functioning in society. We celebrate the fact that our friends with autism are clever and creative, but we also recognize that they must learn to follow directions so that they can participate in group activities at home, at school, on the job, and in the community.
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SOME GUIDELINES: Most successful strategies for teaching folks to follow directions have five key components.
(1) PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. Figure out what is wrong. Take a close look at the situation and determine what exactly is preventing the individual from following a direction. We’ve explored this issue in previous podcasts. Click on these episodes in the Behavior Issues section on the FAQautism.com website for more details about pinpointing the problem: 19, 20, 57, 96, 99, 101, and 103.
(2) SAY IT CLEARLY. State exactly what behavior you expect in specific terms. No need to use lengthy explanations or to use extra words. Use photos, a picture schedule, or other visual cues when possible. Avoid nagging, steer clear of threats, and don’t say “don’t!” Click on episodes 2, 12, 86 and 93 for helpful hints about effective ways to state directions. Also click on the “In Depth” section for more detailed discussions.
(3) SET UP FOR SUCCESS. Systematically encourage the desired behavior. Remove all distractions and help the individual focus on responding to the direction. Don’t expect perfection – help them move gradually toward the goal. Click on episodes 33 and 80 for more strategies in this area.
(4) FOLLOW THROUGH. If you really want to teach a person to follow directions, you must be consistent. Tell them exactly what you want them to do, and then stand there with an expectant look on your face until the task is complete. Make certain you praise and reward appropriate behavior. Take a look at episodes 86, 80, and 78 for thoughts about following through.
(5) BEGIN AGAIN. If the strategy doesn’t work or if a behavior plan quits working, then take a step back, look at the situation, and try again. Don’t blame “failure” on the individual with autism, and don’t wait until disaster strikes. If we notice things are going downhill, that just means we need to make some adjustments and begin moving forward again. Check out episodes 47 and 97 for more ideas in this area.
Our website, FAQautism.com, has many more ideas presented in previous podcasts and in our “In-Depth Discussion” related to following directions. Just click on the “Behavior Issues” or the “In-Depth” section to read more about the challenges and effective strategies.
So, hang in there. Keep these overarching principles in mind. Remember that no single strategy works every time for every individual. Be patient. Send us questions about specific situations you are encountering. We will respond with a private e-mail with some ideas.
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