The First Six Weeks of Supporting Students with Autism and Learning Disability
- Lari Kharkongor
- Sep 9
- 7 min read
The new school year is here—fresh, exciting, and maybe a little overwhelming. Those first six weeks are key to building a strong foundation, especially when supporting students with autism or learning disabilities.
Not long ago, I was in your shoes—even as a seasoned autism teacher, it never really gets easier. And here’s the part I need you to hear: you don’t have to figure it all out, and you don’t have to be perfect. (I know what you’re thinking: “But I’m not a perfectionist.” Wrong. If you’re a teacher, you are. We all are. It comes with the territory.) You really need to take care of yourself. So let me repeat it—you don’t have to be perfect. You and your little humans will be okay.
Let’s get started!
Why Do the First Six Weeks Matter?
The first six weeks aren’t only about settling in—they’re about creating routines and procedures, and setting up an environment where students feel safe, seen, and ready to take risks. Yes, learning is about taking risks. Students with autism thrive in classrooms that are structured and predictable. By building clear routines early on, you’re fostering confidence and independence.
Again, you DO NOT need to figure out everything in these six weeks. Take a deep breath- you will grow, adapt and be able to pivot on the spot six months from now. What I just shared are the big-picture ideas. The trick is not to get overwhelmed or lost in the nitty-gritty details.
In these early weeks, you’ll focus on:
Building routines and procedures – essentially, a system for how things work in your classroom.
Creating trust and open communication – a classroom or community agreement.
Discovering each student’s unique strengths and needs – take notes!
Introducing visual supports that empower learning – don’t use visuals just for the sake of it. Every visual should have a purpose else it’s just visual clutter.
Establishing expected behaviour and behaviour management systems that are kind and effective. Don’t wait until things get out of control.
Week-by-Week Action Plan
Week 1: Laying the Foundation (Days 1–5) Focus: Safety and Structure Your main goal this week is to help students feel safe and know what to expect. Clear routines—like what to do when they arrive in the morning (play, colour, or read), where to line up, how morning meetings run, what transitions look like, and where calm spaces are—go a long way in making your classroom welcoming and predictable.
Environment setup: Create defined learning zones (morning meeting spot, small group area, reading nook, clearly labeled supplies). Minimise clutter and include a quiet space for breaks. Need ideas? Check Pintrest.
It may not be Instagram worthy and storage was an issue but we made it work for us.
Visual supports: Introduce picture schedules. While you can display them on your smart board, I strongly recommend having one on a wall or easel so students always have access. This reduces anxiety about “what’s next.” Depending on student needs, visual cues for simple routines also help those with processing difficulties break tasks into manageable chunks.
Visual Schedule inspiration from Pintrest Routine practice: Rehearse routines together and adjust as you learn what works best. For example, teach lining up and walking in line early. If students are allowed to just run to the playground, things can quickly become chaotic and hard to manage. Believe it or not, something as simple as waiting in line or lining up is actually an important life skill.
Our morning meeting routine in April—gradually built up over time to include an end-of-meeting message
Success looks like: Students beginning to understand classroom rhythms, visual supports in place, and a sense of calm starting to settle in.
Week 2: Communication and Connection (Days 6–10) Focus: Building Relationships This week is about discovering how each student communicates and finding ways to connect.
Explore communication tools (picture cards, AAC devices, choice boards).
Learn what motivates and excites each student—interests are powerful teaching tools.
Begin weaving those interests into activities.
Success looks like: Stronger student-teacher trust, clearer communication, and an atmosphere of mutual understanding.
Week 3: Bringing in Academics (Days 11–15) Focus: Structured Learning Now that routines and communication are in place, you can gently introduce academic work. Keep it low risk/low stakes—this is not about testing yet. These activities warm students up for more rigorous work and help you fine-tune routines around lesson time (e.g., whole group to small group, or warm-up then transition to main lesson).
Use visual aids and step-by-step instructions.
Encourage independence through small, manageable tasks.
Celebrate progress, no matter how small—it builds confidence for both you and your students.
Success looks like: Students beginning to engage with academic routines and showing growing independence.
Week 4: Fine-Tuning and Growing (Days 16–20) Focus: Refinement and Collaboration This week is about reflecting and connecting with others. Around this time, parent-teacher conferences or information evenings usually happen.
Skim through IEPs or learning plans before meeting parents—this is a goldmine of information.
Use conferences to share positives and ask questions about the transition. (This is not the time to overload parents with concerns—you’ve only known their child for a month.)
Begin collaborating with speech or OT specialists. Discuss schedules and add them to the student’s visual schedule or create a social story.
Success looks like: Strong collaboration, data-informed adjustments, reviewed IEPs/learning plans, and a sense of pride in how far you’ve come together.
Week 5: Data-Driven Instruction (Days 21–25) Focus: Sustainable, Systematic Workflow If you haven’t yet, focus this week on familiarising yourself with IEPs and learning plans. Review student goals, incorporate them into planning, and set up systems for assessment and evaluation. Establish a sustainable data collection process. Document behaviour and comments to highlight progress or concerns.
Success looks like: Clear learning goals, sustainable documentation systems, and lesson plans in place. Yay—you did it!
Week 6: Team Collaboration (Days 26–30) Focus: By now, you and your teaching assistant have been in survival mode together for five weeks. You may notice your working styles syncing—or clashing. Open communication is critical.
I once worked with someone who was also passionate about teaching but had personal challenges that created tension. I avoided confrontation to “keep the peace,” but it left us both resentful. Later, I realised it was largely a cultural misunderstanding. Take it from me: if you work with someone culturally different, have the heart-to-heart conversation at the first sign of trouble. This goes for collaborating with multiple teachers too. We all want to help children learn—and enjoy the process.
Success looks like: A dedicated time and day for classroom team meetings, clear working expectations, and a shared responsibility list. For example: Later on, I created a shared list of daily or monthly tasks the teaching assistant could work on. Oh! Another important point for discussion is having common understanding of how to handle student behaviour.
So, you’ve gotten through the first six weeks—yay! Keep adjusting and refining as you move forward. And if you need more time, so what? This isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Stay hydrated, and stay zen.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Even the most caring teachers stumble. Here are a few common challenges—and supportive solutions:
Overlooking sensory needs: Pay attention to lighting, noise, and seating. Small changes can make students feel safer.
Not using visual supports and breaks: Pictures and schedules reduce anxiety and increase independence. Break down activities into manageable chunks with breaks—helps with anxiety and on task behaviour. Students with autism or learning disabilities can’t sustain long periods of information overload. You can gradually teach perseverance, and they will learn to stay on task longer—but not right away.
Assuming non-compliance is defiance: Behaviour is communicative. Behind the behaviour, students may be expressing discomfort, anxiety, or avoidance. Respond with patience and curiosity because there's more than meets the eye.
Using a one-size-fits-all approach: Every student is unique. Let their strengths guide your teaching. (And no, you don’t need to include trains, dinosaurs or Pokèmon in every lesson—but sprinkle in interests where possible.)
Know thyself: One of my professors once told the class that children, like dogs, thrive with a strong pack leader; otherwise, they’ll take over. From my personal experience: never let them “smell your fear.” Remember, you are in charge here. I’ll be honest—working with students with autism isn’t for the faint of heart but it sure is a flex.
Working in isolation: Reach out to families, specialists, and colleagues—you don’t have to do this alone. People want to help!But, if sadly you are on your own, then seek your Marigold elsewhere.
Evidence-Based Strategies That Truly Help
Four practices make a big difference right away:
Visual Supports and Schedules – build predictability and structure.
Structured Teaching – create organised spaces and routines.
Positive Reinforcement – highlight successes and celebrate effort.
Positive, explicit phrasing – instead of “don’t run,” say “walk”; instead of “don’t throw,” say “put the toy/book/iPad down.”
Consistency is underrated – small, steady actions in your daily lessons, responses and expectations adds up.
Sustaining Your Success
Stay flexible within structure: Routines are essential, but so is adapting when needed.
Take care of yourself too: Teaching is all-consuming. Set boundaries, rest, lean on trusted peers, and celebrate small wins.
Keep learning: Seek out training, mentorship, and collaboration. Someone once told me, “As a teacher, the day you think you know everything is the day you must retire.” We are walking examples of lifelong learning.
As a teacher, the day you think you know everything is the day you must retire.
Your Path Forward
The first six weeks are just the beginning. What you’re building now—routines, trust, communication—are stepping stones for a year of growth and success.
Remember: you don’t need to have it all figured out right away. I even dare say—make mistakes! Mistakes are teaching opportunities. You get to model in real time how to respond: “Oops! I made a mistake. I can try again.” Children are highly observant and they will notice your response or reaction. Every win and every misstep matters. Every connection counts. And every effort you make helps create a safe, supportive, joyful learning space.
Your students don’t need a perfect teacher—they need a caring one. And that’s exactly what you’re becoming.
Supporting students with autism or a different learning deficit is a journey we’re all learning from. I’d love to hear your insights—what’s worked for you in your classroom? Share your tips and funny teacher stories you couldn’t make up if you tried stories in the comments so we can all grow together.
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