What is TEACHH?

[adrianna22]

( I think that's the spelling).

Is the TEACHH a useful approach?

What exactly is it? and how did it help your kids? If your kids used it.

mine hasnt used it..

Because i was as confused as you I went to this page. It confused me more. I almost felt like they were being very defensive.

Then I asked our independent EP, and I was told that when done properly TEACCH can work but very few schools in UK do it right. And also, there is no data and independent studies.

Also I will be honest, I kept asking for TEACCH(that is all I kept hearing in the special school I visited) when my daughter was 3 and no one knew it being done before reception or at home by parents

I use teacch at home with my children a lot, I would recommend the method. I went on a course about it because I couldn't find any info on it. The idea is to use the strength of people with autism to compensate for their deficit. It can be used across the spectrum and for more than just education. The nas and autismuk both run courses, they are pricey but well worth the money.

TEACCH is "Teaching and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children".

It is used to meet an individual's learning needs and provide a structure to promote independence. The best use of TEACCH is constantly assessing and fading the support measures very gradually add the individual progresses, just as in ABA.

It uses visual strategies to help the individual understand their environment and expectations. For example, a child who has limited understanding may at first be given a visual timetable that has 'objects of reference' -real items which signify a particular activity. A bar of soap for washing, a hairbrush for brushing hair, etc. Then, they may progress to having pictures of the actual hairbrush they use, the actual brand of crisps they'll eat for snack, etc. Then they may move on to a outline sketch with a Makaton symbol, then just the Makaton symbol and the word, until finally just the word.

'The best use of TEACCH is constantly assessing and fading the support measures very gradually add the individual progresses, just as in ABA.'

Yes. But I've never seen any version of TEACCH that does this. In it's pure form it is about adapting the environment so that the child requires little support from other people in order to complete tasks.

So for example, with toileting there can be a visual 'ladder' of the tasks required in the order in which they must be completed. 'Shut door, undo popper, pull down trousers, pull down pants, sit down, do what you need, stand up, wipe, pull pants up, pull trousers up, do up popper, turn on tap, put soap on hands, rub together, wash soap off, turn of taps, dry hands, open door.

As routine established you can then fade some aspects of the 'ladder' can then be 'take down trousers and pants, do what you need, pull up trousers/pants, wash hands' and maybe eventually not needed.

It does have research and evidence base in that it sets out to do what it achieves. When it first was developed it made huge differences to the quality of life of children and adults with autism

The problem I have is with a)the way it is implemented in the UK, b)the fact that it hasn't been updated using latest research, since the 1970s, c)the fact that there is research now for more effective interventions that don't cost any more, d)the fact that it is the preferred method of intervention because it is cheaper in the short term to have a child dependent on pictures than resource their intervention with other people, which reduces their opportunities for interaction and practising of getting their needs met through social interaction.

But the main aspect of it that I don't like is that TEACHH proper is claimed to be delivered but the reality is simply that a TA is given a laminator and told to make some visual supports, particularly in mainstream settings, without any training on what, how, and how to move the child on both progressively and away from visual supports.

I don't like the fact that TEACHH approach seems to be accepted as a cradle to grave approach with no target to reduce the intervention or stop it.

Lougle IIRC your dd's school uses the TEACHH approach, or their version of it and it always seems really impressive.

Evaluation is an essential element of any intervention, if you are trying to ensure the best outcomes for the child.

I think (from my experience) schools like Lougle's are not typical. I know enough about mainstream schools to know too that their version of TEACHH is shite.

Agree with Star, TEACHH often falls down on those final hurdles, whereby good practices are developed and the child develops and improves and then nothing, the child is effectively babysat through their time at school using visual aids in a secure environment that they know.

I often think this is why secondary transfers are so difficult for our children, because when TEACHH is (incorrectly) applied like this it will actually hamper the child's development and they hold onto that reliance, except now they are in an unknown environment and secondary support which is very different to primary support, whether you have a statement or not.

I think TEACHH is fantastic at the beginning, it's good at making children secure and aware of what's expected quite quickly, then it falls flat because the practitioners fail to move the child on to greater independence, which can be because of funds or lack of know how or just because its easier to stick with what's established.

This is where I think ABA really comes into its own and for me does a much better job of making a child more independent and less reliant on prompts. I also like that there's less of a nag involved (as moondog calls it)

All of that said I think TEACHH can be really effective but if done properly as molly has found, unfortunately it's rare to see especially in schools, actually the same could be said of any approach most have their merits, if delivered consistently and effectively.

Not sure that's helpful . But thought I'd throw my hat into the ring regardless

I don't know how it is elsewhere, Star, but I know that DD1's school is outstanding in every way (even got Outstanding ofsted, including outstanding for learning progress, which is virtually unheard of in special school, but they had the evidence to prove it).

DD1's school's outreach programme supports over 80 children in over 60 schools in our County, successfully enabling those children to remain in MS education.

We're expanding by 2 classes this year and there are still more children who have not secured a place.

Any strategy can be used well or badly. At DD1'S school the goal is always to allow a child to be as independent as possible, stretching their skill set.

It does work. They have children entering the school in need of a specialist class (6 children, 6/7 adults highly structured, etc.) who then progress enough to move to a less specialist class.

I never looked into aba, because we were recommended teacch. I know that people get great result with aba though.
teacch is not just visual templates, it also looks at the whole person including mental health. At the higher end of the spectrum the visuals templates can be replaced by tick lists, which can guide the child through a homework task for example, eventually the child can become independent by making their own tick list. On the course I also learned how to use time timers to teach my child the notion of time. Within a week I had great results with ongoing homework issue which could trigger 50 min meltdown. ( I am not kidding myself and know this is probably just a temporary fix but nevertheless: Nice breather! )
I think some method are badly used in mainstream. I have seen teacch completely battered! the other one that I think can be very badly used is social stories. People think they know what they are doing but they have not taken the time to learn the techniques.

Yes molly and with social stories a one size fits all approach too.

TEACHH seems like a one size fits all kind of approach whereas aba is specific to my and we work on her reaching her strength

With TEACHH my child was pushed into using visual aid, pecs etc when she is bilingual and able to request independently ..... V confusing

At the end of the day every parent has to make a decision for themselves. I have only seen outstanding, individualised approaches at DD1's school.

Unfortunately lougle that seems to be the exception rather than the norm. I think TEACHH is very effective, if delivered in the correct way and followed through to the end.

However in the mainstream schools that I have seen (haven't seen a specialist environment). The things that sammy describe are all too evident, and more often than not used to impress an Ofsted inspection rather than any real thought applied to what the child needs. It's like Senco's and professionals have read the first couple of chapters in the TEACHH manual and think that's it learned and everything they need to deliver.

I'm not arguing about TEACCH here. I'm just not going to waste my energy. ABA proponents criticise TEACCH, while TEACCH proponents criticise ABA. I'm not interested in any of it. I admire the people who see the child as an individual and do what works for them. Full stop. Whatever you call it.

Was that directed at me Lougle I'm not arguing about anything and I run neither ABA or TEACCH in its entirety, I pick what's good for my ds. In fact I have said that all methods are effective when delivered correctly. I was just making point that they rarely are, and I did not say one method was better than the other.

I should've added that that was my experience of TEACHH obviously Lougle has had a successful programme for her daughter, it's just a shame that it's not practiced everywhere.

Op I would look into what your child needs and see if the school can meet them using their approach.

I have no issue with anyone saying that the approach that was used with their child, which they were told was 'TEACCH', was ineffective.

I do have issue with the generalisation that is often used on MNSN that 'TEACCH is rubbish' and 'TEACCH is only about visual timetables' and that anyone who is experiencing TEACCH is being sold down the river.

DD1 is getting an outstanding education. Her school uses principles from TEACCH but I don't think they would describe themselves as a 'TEACCH school'. They are a school who use the method which works for the child they are working with. As they are designated simply a 'LD school', they take any child with complex needs that the LA decide to give them. The range is massive from highly pervasive ASD (I don't think 'severe' is a helpful term in the world of ASD) to PMLD, to PD, to high medical needs (we get a fair few ambulances at the school each year), to SLD, MLD, PDA, ASD, DS, Retts....and the list goes on. So their approach to teaching has to change each and every year. The resources they have to use change each and every year.

Lots of children across the country, either in MS or SS, don't enjoy such high quality teaching. I don't think it is necessarily the principles that the teaching staff work with that determines that. DD1's school has a culture of high expectation, both of the staff and the children. That's probably more important than anything. By high expectation, by the way, I'm not talking about the stupid notions that children who have very weak fine motor skills should still have beautiful cursive writing and children who are practically non-verbal should still answer every question in full and meaningful sentences. I just mean that they don't set limits on the children and restrict them. They aim for the sky.

DD1 would certainly be a laptop user in MS. Her handwriting is exhausting for her. So her school, after suggesting that she use a keyboard, have accepted that DD1 wants to write by hand. They celebrate that she has the gutsy determination to keep trying despite the fatigue it gives her and allow her to just do her best. One day she may have to realise that a laptop is the only way she'll be able to write more than a sentence or two, but that day doesn't have to be today. She doesn't see her writing as a problem, so they don't.

No one said Teacch was rubbish Lougle, the op asked what it was, which you explained and gave your experience and others including me gave theirs which was different from yours.
I don't and have never in anything I've contributed to this board, told anyone their approach is rubbish, wrong or any other such negative nonsense, equally if I've found something that's worked for my ds, I make it clear it worked for him but may not work for others.

I think I'm quite careful about this because I wouldn't want to be responsible for someone on this board seeking help and placing their hopes in something I'm claiming is an absolute cert, equally I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from trying something because it didn't work for me.

Your dd1 has a fantastic set up in her school and had my ds had that kind of mindset and commitment, I doubt I would have needed to look at anything else.

As it was Teacch was fantastic at helping him settle, making him feel secure and giving him structure in a way that was comforting to him. Then, cognitively ds moved on and so the Teacch should have moved on, but it didn't, and because it didn't it then began to hold him back somewhat. Had the Teacch moved on then all probably would have been fine.
If the op is looking at this approach then they need to be aware of potential pit falls and be watching out for it.

Ultimately, I'm not saying Teacch or any other approach for that matter is rubbish.

My child went to a school which used TEACCH principles. Individual workstation cubicles, high emphasis on independence (usually long before he children were ready to be independent), and an over reliance on visual timetables (even continued using them when they proved to be aversive).

All it taught my child was that school was baffling and isolating, and a place where you had to knuckle down and get on with your bewilderment in independent silence before you could query anything - even if the query you had was concerning the work set out at your workstation, the tasks had to be completed tithe best of your abilities (or the best guess you could make) before any questions could be asked. Which is a truly bizarre way to try to educate someone, imo.

I've viewed a lot of schools who claim to use TEACCH principles. None of them have used the same set up or structure (bar visual timetables), so I am none the wiser as to what TEACCH actually is (but given the disparity between what I have seen in different settings, I am fairly sure it isn't what is delivered by many schools claiming to do so).