What time is it?

Awhile back a wonderful autism specialist came to my school. She was there to help some teachers and me serve a precious little boy with autism in a way that was best for him.

While she was there she told me about a neat watch that changed colors throughout the day according to the time. She said it had been a lifesaver for older students who could not tell time. We all know that many people on the spectrum are very schedule oriented. And in elementary school we can make lots of great picture schedules to help them understand what to expect throughout the day. But let’s face it, once these students hit Jr. High a picture schedule may cause these students to stand out even more.

Enter the Noon watch! This invention allows students to have a sense of a schedule without making them stick out among their peers. They learn what activities are associated with the colors position on the watch.

While I am sure that there are several brands of watches that do the same basic thing, this just happens to be the one I saw in real life. The pictures are from watchizmo.com. (Watches are available there as well.) The colors change as the hands of the watch move. Your student may not be able to know that it is 2:45, but they can understand that when a certain area of the watch turns blue (or whatever color you like) it means school is almost over. It is also a great alternative to a timer. Timers work miracles for younger students, but once again it is not so cool once you hit the 10^th grade.

These little babies can be expensive, but with sales on every corner, this is the best time of year to get one!

Have any of you ever used anything like this? If so, did you like it? What other products have been beneficial for your older students?