I Need Ideas to Help Shape Behavior in school...For a 6 Year Old.

ADD: Have you talked to him about it? Autism is something that's a part of him and that he'll be managing different aspects of as he grows up. Perhaps asking him to help YOU might frame things differently. Just a thought.

ORIGINAL: Has he been evaluated and are they providing any speech or OT for him? My son is on the spectrum, in 2nd grade. His issue was more with speaking out of turn than to get attention. He had speech (for pragmatic language) a couple of times a week, and they would also work on taking turns, classroom behavior, etc.

Our kiddos don't have all the behavior filters in place, so it is harder for them to manage behavior. Executive function, which is this skill, is a challenge. It can improve, but it takes extra work and help.
Also, one thing that helped a lot was a wobbly cushion (not sure which one, but it's like the gel cushions - http://funandfunction.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=seat)

My son got out of his seat several times a day (he wasn't really disruptive, but he couldn't sit still) until the school got him one of these cushions. It made a HUGE difference. If your son is a sensory seeker, request the school try this.

Also, visit Karla's ASD page on facebook. She may have some ideas on her site. She's an autistic adult at Intel and she does some IEP consulting. You might even be able to post your question on her page.

Visit www.autistikids.com - there are a ton of links on there to autistic bloggers. You may find some parent bloggers who can help with this as well. Feel free to PM me if you like.

Hi there!

I am an 8th grade teacher with an autistic student in one of my classes. He has reigned in a lot of his verbal disruptions (due to his age), but he loves to get a rise out of his classmates. I simply say his name, make eye contact, and/or touch his arm...these things seem to calm him, and he relaxes. If touch is okay with him, you might suggest that the teacher keep him close to her (during circle time, etc) and let him know what the non-verbal cue is for him to relax. He might also benefit from a stress ball (if that is something he might be able to use to control his verbal outbursts), or his teacher might allow him to stand near his desk if he needs to move around. I imagine this is difficult for you, but it will all be okay. He is still a little one and will learn to control himself! Good luck!

I have a son with autism also that used to LOVE to talk to his teachers about everything! One gave him a special notebook, and he would write to her during free time, and she would read it and write back during breaks, lunch, etc. It worked great :)

Personally, I believe in practice. Have him practice for limited times at home where he has to raise his hand and be called on by you before he speaks. I know it sounds funny but I firmly believe that practice makes perfect and that these are things (self control) that can and should be practiced at home.

He's on the spectrum. You REALLY believe he's going to associate punishment or any sort of reward hours and hours later?

His teacher needs to immediately give him consequences. Whether it's going to sit in a quiet area by himself, an office visit, an aid coming in and sitting with him throughout the day, or keeping him in at recess.

The teacher and the others on his 504 plan team should be there to reinforce this and to help manage him while he's at school.

If they don't get a handle on this it's going to end you with you going to school with him every day managing him yourself. He needs consequences directly from his teacher right then and there. His age and developmental issues will keep him from understanding a lot of what would work with other kids.

Have you requested a FBA and BIP yet from the school? I recommended this on your "that child" post. They will get to the function and the behavior and implement strategies targeted to the behavior and the function. I really hope you request this for your son.

Beyond that my son has a behavior chart (again tied to the BIP) and he gets happy faces / sticker when he makes good choices for the target behavior and sad faces when he doesn't. IE Raising hand, Completing work, Keeping hands to self.

Also does he have sensory breaks in his class?

I agree with Cheryl B., all of the other suggestions are school-related.

What is being taught and reinforced at home?