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First/Then

EllenML

I am a SEN Learning Support Assistant to a child with autism. I'm fairly new to education and working with children, and particularly to autism, but have made great progress in the few weeks I've been in my job.

Something I'm finding difficult to get my head around, however, is the First/Then book that "my child's" autism support worker (from the council) insists I use. Whilst I realise that a lot of adults do say "He doesn't need that", when in fact, autistic child in question does need something, I really REALLY feel like the first/then book is not working.

There are a few issues:

  1. He is too forward thinking. He wants to know what is happening first and then...and then...and then...whereas the book only allows for the first activity
  2. The first activity may change very quickly and, apart from the fact that he struggles with change, I don't even have the chance to make the change of activity in the book before it's started and new, unexpected demands are being made of him.
  3. He doesn't seem that motivated by rewards. He won't get on with something because he knows something else is coming. I don't see it drives his behaviour.

I've pushed back a few times, trying to come up with alternatives, but keep being told I need to use it. It just seems pointless. And given that I spend the most amount of time with him at school, and she sees him once a week for 5-10 minutes, shouldn't she be listening to me when I tell her it's more of a hinderance than a help?

Has anyone else had experience of using this? How effective was it? Any tips on how I can better integrate it into his day?

Thanks!

Ellen

Parents

  • I think it boils down to a simple question - are all people on the autistic spectrum exactly the same?

    The reality is that individuals vary greatly, some symptoms strongly present, some mildly, some absent, so that it is very hard to generalise.

    First/then is highly prescriptive. It may be very valid for children who have difficulty initiating an activity, who need prompting. But not all children on the spectrum need so much prompting.

    There also seems to be a rather oppressive element of punishment about this method, that it is being used to brainwash children to somehow learn their way out of autism.

    I don't think there is anything like sufficient understanding of how children deal with autism, even after decades of methods and research.

    As NAS is one of the supporters/providers of First/Then perhaps they could explain why they think it works.....

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  • I think it boils down to a simple question - are all people on the autistic spectrum exactly the same?

    The reality is that individuals vary greatly, some symptoms strongly present, some mildly, some absent, so that it is very hard to generalise.

    First/then is highly prescriptive. It may be very valid for children who have difficulty initiating an activity, who need prompting. But not all children on the spectrum need so much prompting.

    There also seems to be a rather oppressive element of punishment about this method, that it is being used to brainwash children to somehow learn their way out of autism.

    I don't think there is anything like sufficient understanding of how children deal with autism, even after decades of methods and research.

    As NAS is one of the supporters/providers of First/Then perhaps they could explain why they think it works.....

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