Tips for engaging students with ASD for learning
using motivations and reinforcements
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can have high levels of anxiety due to
difficulties with sensory processing and communication. Using motivations and reinforcements
can help support students to manage the anxiety associated with new or difficult tasks.
For other students with ASD, motivations and reinforcements are helpful to engage them in
activities that would otherwise not be of interest due to issues such as their focus on a limited
range of topics or lack of social awareness.
Planning for success
Using the student’s interests in activities is an easy way to support their engagement in
learning. Counting with dinosaurs, sorting TV characters using beginning sounds, reading facts
about the weather or labeling emotions in the faces of a preferred character are all ways of
including a student’s individual interests and fascinations into content and the possibilities are
endless.
Using the student’s interests as rewards and motivators can help students with ASD to attempt
activities that they may otherwise avoid. If the motivator is more rewarding to the student than
the outcome of the current behaviour that they are using (such as avoiding the activity) then the
student is more likely to engage in the activity.
Points to consider when planning for the use of rewards and motivators within the
classroom:

When using token economies or reward systems, it is important to ensure that the student
actually wants the reward item enough to change their behaviour. Many students with ASD
are not always motivated by the same rewards as their peers and often have very individual
or specific preferences for reward items or activities.

Compile a list of the individual reward or motivating activities available to the student by
asking yourself:
o what are some of the things the student would do if he or she were able to do
whatever they wanted to at school?
o what is the student successful at?
Also ask the student what they would like to work for. Update the lists regularly as
preferences change.

Rewards or motivating activities do not have to be of monetary value or a ‘treat’. Would the
student enjoy time alone with his or her interests or being able to go outside early for play?

Plan for success. Initially provide the reward to the student for work that you already have
seen them easily achieve (e.g. complexity or length of time). Then progressively increase
the expectations (eg. increase the length of time before gaining access to the reward;
increase the complexity of demands; decrease the amount of time the student has access to
the reward; include peers).

When introducing a token reward system or a motivating activity into the student’s schedule,
remember you may need to teach the student how the system or sequence works. That is
they may not realise that they need to complete handwriting first (non-preferred task) then
they may choose their book (motivating task). Use visual representations to support
comprehension.

Carefully observe and consider how long the student is able to sustain engagement at the
moment and plan your teaching sequence around this. How many activities can the student
complete before they will need access to a motivating, strengths-based, or calming activity?
How long can they sustain the desired behaviour without any break or reward?

Make it clear to the student what the actual desired behaviour is, such as ‘quiet mouth’,
‘hands and feet to yourself’ or two jobs completed.

Ensure that it is obvious to the student just how much of the desired behaviour they must
demonstrate before gaining the reward or motivating activity (e.g. 10 computer images to
tick for quiet work = computer; maths, reading groups, THEN choose your book; work quietly
until the bell goes). Many students with ASD do not easily comprehend how good is ’good
enough’ to receive a reward or access to a preferred activity for ’being good’.

Manipulate the density of reinforcement as necessary. That is, increase rewards and access
to motivating activities when it appears the student requires extra motivation to sustain a
desired behaviour and progressively extend work periods or expectations as the student
becomes more successful.

Stay calm. If the student becomes overly anxious and upset, it may be useful to have a
break and plan to try again later to ensure the interaction ends well.

Use peers and others as models. Use another student or adult to demonstrate completing
the tasks and then gaining access to the motivating activity.

Ensure you consider and plan for what will happen should the student refuse to complete the
desired behaviour. That is, if you suggest that the student will gain access to the playground
if they pack away an activity, then this will not work if the student is likely to gain access
anyway. If this occurs, go back and renegotiate the reward.

Consider your language. Make the spoken rules about rewards as simple as possible. Even
with students who are using verbal language regularly, say “Maths first, then choose book”
rather than “When you’ve finished all that maths, then you can go and look at the book shelf
and choose your animals book”.

Be very specific about the praise you provide so the student knows exactly what it is they
have done well, for example “good sitting” or “good quiet working” is more specific than
“good boy”.

Consider how to include social reinforcements in the student’s day. Pair rewards with social
comments and actions or look for interactions which are motivating to the student (jokes,
routines with a specific person, an adult helping with a motivating task or a high 5). This
builds rapport (increasing motivation) and supports the student to develop motivation for
increased social engagement.

Choose behaviours to be addressed wisely. Does the behaviour harm anyone? What might
replace this behaviour? What skills does the student need to learn? What changes can I
make to the learning environment to increase the likelihood of the desired behaviour
occurring?
Students who display behaviours that persistently interfere with learning may benefit from a
more detailed investigation of the behaviour, triggers to the behaviour, environmental factors
and skills to be learnt. Further information regarding this is available in the Positive behaviour
support section.