May 2023 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

     Welcome to our workshop where ShoeboxTasks® are assembled, packaged and shipped throughout the world.

Following on from Autism Awareness Month, I wanted to give you a closer look at our Model Workshop and how we support our autistic team members to achieve success and independence in the workplace.

If you find yourself in Asheville, NC, and have some extra time, please arrange a tour of our workshop! Just send me an email at ron@shoeboxtasks.com or call (828) 252-5111.

Thanks! Ron Larsen, Centering on Children

Our Model Workshop

     Since we began our business in 1996, an important aspect of our mission statement has been to empower adults on the autism spectrum in our workplace. Over the years we have employed individuals diagnosed from the very mild to the severe ends of this spectrum. From individuals with minimum verbal skills and sensory challenges to those who appear indistinguishable from their so-called “normal” peers. During the creation of our workshop, we designed it with the needs and abilities of our most challenged individuals in mind. For if they are able to navigate the workshop successfully and independently, then everyone else should also.

     Most of our autistic employees are accompanied by a job coach. They support their worker by setting up what work is to be done on that day and, also, to be there, if the worker gets “stuck” and help is needed.

Bucky and Jeffrey (pictured below) do a fantastic job of bagging all of the various parts that go into our Basic and Advanced Curriculum Tasks!

     The workshop is organized so there is no question where an item might be located.  Each ShoeboxTask® is numbered and has its own shelving unit. All distinct parts for that Task, visual instructions (jig) and finished box are located here. Additional raw materials are located either beneath the shelving unit or on nearby shelves. Having materials always located in the same place allows for the autistic worker to develop the routine of knowing where to go when an item is needed.

Relying on the physical structure already in place, the job coach helps his worker answer these four questions:

1.      What is my work?

2.      How much work do I do?

3.      When am I finished?

4.      What do I do next?

    For a packaging activity these four questions are answered as follows:

1.      A ShoeboxTask® number, indicated on his/her schedule, brings the worker to the appropriate shelving unit (Task 2, from our Basic Curriculum is shown in the image above).

2.      A color matching system is in place, allowing the worker to know what materials are needed for his/her packaging activity. The workers table has a template that designates where all materials from the shelving unit are placed prior to packaging.

3.      The job coach labels a set number of bags to be packaged. When the last bag is filled, that job is finished!

4.      A number on the worker’s clipboard indicates the next Task to be packaged.

     Besides relying on the visual strength generally attributed to this population, incorporating routines into the rhythm of the workers day is an important element of the overall structure employed. Working left to right (following how our culture reads and writes) and knowing that a list goes from top to bottom or left to right greatly increase the chances for independence. 

Structured work sessions are one part of the teaching approach developed by TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children)—a statewide program serving the autistic population of North Carolina.

We will be exploring in greater detail various aspects of the visual aids and physical structure that encourage a worker’s success and independence in future newsletters.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Ron at ron@shoeboxtasks.com. Thank you!

To learn more about the TEACCH® Structured Teaching Approach use these Links to Additional Resources

Autism Speaks share a really helpful article about the TEACCH structured teaching approach here. Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan. Autism Speaks do this through advocacy, services, support, research and innovation, and advances in care for autistic individuals and their families.

The University of North Carolina TEACCH® Autism Program is a University-based system of community regional centers that offers a set of core services along with unique demonstration programs meeting the clinical, training, and research needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, their families, and professionals across the state of North Carolina. TEACCH® Autism Program, founded by Dr. Eric Schopler in 1972, is a model for other programs around the world.

ShoeboxTasks® are structured activities designed to help meet the educational and developmental needs of children on the autism spectrum. Find out more about our model workshop here and how we follow the TEACCH structured teaching approach here.

Customer Testimonials - we love to hear from you!

"ShoeboxTasks are well made, have a clear start and finish, and are suitable for all of our children’s development levels. We use the same Task for a week at a time, which helps the  children develop their skills and confidence independently, day by day. They begin using them at a workstation and follow the TEACCH strategy by working from left to right; eventually they are able to complete it independently in a more challenging environment.

Not only do ShoeboxTasks develop functional skills, they also teach literacy skills, mathematical and life skills. We find the Tasks multi-functional and occasionally use them alongside object exchange, picture exchange, using ‘now and next’ and as a motivator.

We thank all of those involved in producing ShoeboxTasks for allowing children with additional needs to begin to access different areas of the curriculum in a way that is differentiated and accessible for them."

~ Michelle O, Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Have you achieved success or overcome challenges with the help of ShoeboxTasks? Or perhaps adapted a Task to suit your child/students interests? If so, we would love to hear from you!

For every testimonial we feature in our newsletter or post on our website/social media channels, not only will we gift you a free Task of your choice, but your story may also inspire others who are experiencing similar situations. 

Please send your testimonials and any photos you are happy for us to share publicly to information@shoeboxtasks.com. Thank you so much!

Educational activities designed for children with autism

There are 37 different ShoeboxTasks® - visit our website to find out more!

Half Price Mystery Bags and Sound Cylinders!

We are discontinuing our Mystery Bags and Sound Cylinders and are offering a huge 50% discount until stock runs out!

Just visit our website, add your Mystery Bag and/or Sound Cylinders to your basket and your discount will be automatically applied at checkout.