Learning to Play...Playing to Learn!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

In my classroom, we help students to be successful in a highly structured program in order to allow them to mainstream back into the general education classes. We also make sure our students receive opportunities to acquire and develop their social skills inside and outside the classroom.

I am currently teaching a group of nine charming boys with autism between the ages of 5 and 7 years old.

All of these boys are unique in their own particular way. Each one of them brings his energy into the classroom; their high functioning skills have allowed them to grow and accomplish all of their learning goals. Five of these boys are in kindergarten and the other four are in first grade. Most students are currently mainstreaming in the general education classroom in both academic subjects and other extracurricular activities. All of the boys are very motivated about school and every day they come to their classroom ready to learn and participate in all of the daily activities. This high functioning autism program for kindergarten and first grade is brand new to my school. As a result, there is not enough access to the outdoor play structure. Also, there is very limited access to appropriate active play equipment needed to ease the vigorous bursts of high energy.

My Project

The first person who acknowledged the poor access to outdoor equipment in my classroom was the occupational therapist. I decided to incorporate games and opportunities for outdoor play, but the access to outdoor play equipment is very limited. The materials I am requesting are tricycles and scooters. Having access to this type of equipment will allow my students to acquire play skills, develop social interaction, and practice turn taking skills as well as develop motor skills such as posture, balance, and manipulation of objects. My students need 3 school trikes and 1 taxi-trike. With these resources, my students will be able to grow in other areas such as gross motor skills used for walking, climbing stairs, or riding a bike. The trikes will help my students build sitting, posture, or perceptual skills, such as telling the differences between colors, shapes, and sizes, strengthen awareness of their bodies and its relation to others, and, most relevant, improve their communication and social skills.

By working on these skills during outdoor play, my students with autism will be able to develop peer and adult relationships and learn how to focus on tasks, express feelings in more appropriate ways, engage in play with peers and self-regulate.

Having these experiences in school will allow my students to transfer this knowledge outside the special education classroom and school settings. It will be an important incentive because it will motivate them during non-preferred activities.