How do you break this skill down into teachable units?
The exact sequence and areas of emphasis will depend on such aspects as the functioning level of the student, his capacity to acquire and initiate organizational strategies, and his motivation to arrive on time for particular events.
The first step is to assess the student’s ability to tell time and to use the concept of time in his activities. Telling time and using the time concept are two different skills. Many individuals tell time and may be quite focused on concrete times. However, you may know individuals who cannot ‘plan’ or adjust their activities related to an amount of time. Telling time is different from using the concept of time: estimating time necessary, adjusting your actions within the time available, or seeking assistance because you know that time is running out.
Can he tell time? Does he use a watch or the clock on his phone?
Consider how well the student currently arrives on time to classes, job sites, or social activities. Does he lose track of time? There may be patterns that you and others observe with regards to his punctuality (or lack thereof). It may be difficult to accurately estimate how long an activity (e.g. traveling from one location to the next; getting ready in the morning) will take him. Also assess what distracts him. Does he get distracted when traveling from point A to point B so that it interferes with his ability to arrive on time?
The second step may be to determine the student’s social perception and understanding of the importance of being on time and the potential consequences of being late. Depending on the student’s capacity, you might only focus on the more concrete consequences (e.g. tardies/detention at school, job demotion or firing, missing a preferred activity), or you might also emphasize the less tangible results (e.g. being viewed by peers and others as unreliable, which may lead to fewer social opportunities, and fewer educational and professional advancement opportunities).
Third, you may create a framework to help the student identify when it is important to arrive on time. For most, it is appropriate to first identify the situations where a “rule” applies (e.g. you should always be on time for…..”). For some students, it is also appropriate to address the more complex, “gray” areas – when should a person arrive early (interview, plane flight, doctor’s appointment), or when is it okay to arrive late? When is it okay to arrive a bit late, but not okay to be super early (e.g. a party)? Role-playing, visual cues, social narratives and graphic organizers can support the teaching process here.
The fourth step could be to examine any time management strategies the student currently uses, if they are effective, and what other strategies need to be taught and practiced. This might have to be coordinated with family members if it involves preparations at home. Does the student use/need a watch or clock with an alarm? Does he currently use a written checklist or schedule? Does he use a planner to write down appointments? Does he need visual cues or checklists?
Finally, the fifth step is to put the steps into practice. Consider whether the student is able to process and problem-solve what he will need to do beforehand in order to be on time. He may need a graphic organizer or visual cue to check off items he needs to do. He may need to pack his backpack or lay out clothes the night before. For many students, your effort should be to promote a shift from parent/instructor-directed organizational systems to organizational systems and strategies that the student devises and initiates. Who sets the alarm? Who writes down the schedule? Who initiates checking that schedule? Who initiates the organization of materials on the night before?
In assessing a student for employment situations it might be helpful to assess the student’s personality style. If the student moves really slowly in the morning and needs lots of time for morning preparation, a job with an early start time might be difficult for the student to successfully manage. That student might have more success with a second shift or a job with a later starting time.
What sub-skill within the sequence above should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?