Rays
Use rays to help students
choose a good-enough solution
Using Rays
Autistic students may have challenges with problem solving. This may manifest in several ways:
not knowing how to solve a problem
having only one solution in mind and getting "stuck" on that one solution
having a hard time brainstorming multiple solutions
Consider a student who's disappointed that there's no outside recess due to a rainy day. She may insist on going outside because she loves to play on the jungle gym. Using the rays dynamICON, a teacher may be able to help her see her other options.
Uh oh! I didn’t get to…
This example from Nina Barraclough at PS 396 in The Bronx, New York, shows multiple solutions for a student who didn’t get to talk. They brainstormed many different ideas—and he can see them, and decide!
Rays in academics
Rays aren’t just for social situations! Janine Treglia from PS 4, Staten Island, New York, used rays on a worksheet. She used the lines to demonstrate the three options for leads that students could use for a writing assignment. This visualized the options they had, and that they can pick any two.