First-Then Board | ePortfolio

🛠️ Strategy: First-Then Board

> [!INFO] Quick Summary > Target Goal: Reducing transition anxiety, increasing willingness to engage in non-preferred tasks, and establishing clear behavioral boundaries [1]. > Best Suited For: BC Category H (Intensive Behaviour Support) or Category G (Autism Spectrum Disorder) students who struggle with unstructured transitions, verbal overload, or low frustration tolerance [1].

📋 EA Field Guide (How to Implement)

🎒 Materials & Location

Where are the physical tools stored? Portable visual boards, Velcro icon strips, and timer pouches are in the Green Storage Bin on the resource shelf in room 104 [1].
Digital links/files to print replacements: G-Drive/Classroom-Resources/Visuals/First-Then-Master-Icons.pdf

🚶‍♂️ Step-by-Step Routine

The Setup: Place the board directly in front of the student before the transition begins [1]. Place a visual icon for the target task under "First" and a visual icon for the chosen reward under "Then" [1].
The Prompt: Point to the board and state the sequence using simple, low-demand language [1]: "First math sheet, then 5 minutes on iPad." Do not add extra verbal explanations or negotiating words [1].
The Execution: Keep the board visible throughout the task [1]. If the student gets off track, point silently to the "First" icon without raising your voice [1].
The Reward: As soon as the "First" task is finished, immediately transition to the "Then" item [1]. Honor the reward instantly to build trust in the sequence [1].

🚨 Troubleshooting & Avoidance (When things go wrong)

If the student pushes the board away or says "No": Do not enter a verbal debate [1]. Drop demands, wait 10 seconds, then re-present the board with a gestural point to the "Then" reward icon [1].
What NEVER to do: Never remove or withhold the "Then" reward after the "First" task has been completed as a punishment for previous behavior [1]. Keep the sequence strictly predictable [1].
Signs this strategy is causing frustration: Look for physical tension, heavy sighing, or tearing off Velcro cards [1]. If seen, reduce the demand of the "First" task (e.g., change "complete worksheet" to "complete 2 problems") while keeping the reward constant [1].

📊 Live Classroom Performance

This automated table gathers data from all daily logs to show how this specific strategy performs across different learning profiles [1].

TABLE WITHOUT ID Profile AS "Learning Profile ID", round(average(rows.Effectiveness), 1) AS "Avg Success (1-5)", unique(rows.Prompt_Level) AS "Prompt Levels Recorded", unique(rows.Regulation_State) AS "Regulation States" FROM "Accommodation Journal/03_observations/Daily" WHERE Strategy = this.file.link GROUP BY Profile SORT round(average(rows.Effectiveness), 1) DESC