Illinois, USA
"I taught special ED in Illinois for nine years. When I started structured teaching I had several students who would not work in their independent center at all. When the TEACCH coach gave me the Red Buttons in Water Task (#17), that did the trick! Those students would put objects in water. That was the only motivating task, and it was a big hit with the students! They liked seeing the red buttons drop in the tube. Thank you for that! I won Teacher of the Year two years in a row and #17 was the task that helped me keep my students working when nothing else worked. Thanks again for that task!" ~ Lynn R.
Glasgow, Scotland
"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you again. No words can describe how magical our Christmas has been, and we owe that to ShoeboxTasks. They've allowed us to reset routines and balance the scales with learning, social skills, and communication within the few weeks we had left until Christmas, and have helped Lucius accept and enjoy the festive season." ~ Cara C.
Rome, Italy
"I have been working with a three-year-old child for the last month. He was very closed, no interests, very short attention span and had problems with fine motor skills. He was not independent at all. But when he sees ShoeboxTasks, his eyes are full of curiosity, he works independently, and he really achieves success. When he smiles, I cry--it's magical!!" ~ Silvia N.
Wisconsin, USA
We have been using ShoeboxTasks daily in our autism classroom; they are the backbone of our curriculum. The students demonstrate significant learning and behavior needs, including limited functional communication, sensory dysregulation, and joint attention issues. We love these Tasks because they promote independence while meeting the unique learning needs of our students. They support learning a variety of skills including academic, fine visual motor control, and pre-vocational assembly. Additionally, many of our students find ShoeboxTasks to be calming because they are close-ended and predictable. We have seen students make great strides in their ability to sit, attend to their work, and complete a wide range of tasks as a result of using ShoeboxTasks in the classroom.
~ Sarah D., Special Education Teacher
Luton, UK
We initially purchased the Basic Curriculum set of ShoeboxTasks and then a year or so later purchased some of the Tasks that focus on developing fine motor skills – as this is an area of challenge for our children.
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 the 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