Running head: OBSERVATION AND APERS FORM COMPLETION 1

APERS Scale Classroom Learning Environment

Yadira Adame-Lopez

Brandman University: EDUU-676

July 06,2020
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APERS Scale Classroom Learning Environment

The Autism Program Environment Rating Scale-Preschool/Elementary (APERS-PE) is a

tool used for environmental assessment. An educator can use the self-assessment companion tool

that will let them know the strengths and challenges that they have in their own classroom

(National Professional Development Center for ASD, 2011). When educators rate their own

classrooms with fidelity they have the opportunity to make improvement in areas of challenges

to raise the quality of the program. It can be helpful if the educator asks for the support of a

fellow teacher to obtain a more reliable result from an outsider. The observer was able to

complete an observation in a 3rd-5th-grade autism classroom. The areas that were rated are:

Learning Environments, Learning Environments structure and schedule, and Positive Learning

Climate. We will analyze and reflect on the areas of strength with the students’ learning

environment and areas of need.

The first section that was rated is learning environment, that is to see if the classroom

design and the staff are distributed in different areas of the classroom to allow for students to be

monitored at all times. During English Language Arts the student work in small group and there

was a staff running each station. The classroom had clearly defined areas, which are highly

recommended, organizing classrooms for visual clarity (Ganz, 2007). The classroom had a

simple layout without a lot of dividers that can block centers. Another area that was rated was

whether students were able to independently access personal space. There was an area where the

students hang their backpacks and coats. There was a shelf for the lunch bags. Each child had an

individual desk as well as task boxes that contain their materials. There was not many structure

or boundaries in the classroom. There were no dividers or low shelves to clearly divide the
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different stations in the classroom. It might be that the students do not need that extra support

and that is acceptable because we want students to be in the least restrictive environment.

The second area was in Learning Environment Structure and Schedule. The structure and

schedule of this room was a real strength. There was picture schedule, written schedules, and

objects within the environment. The educator implemented visual task analysis, which is a list of

how to complete a task (Front of the Class, 2014). The students are well prepared to deal with

any changes in their routines. There are visual task analysis that address different situations that

might happen in the classroom. The teacher projects the task analysis on the white board so that

the students will know what to do. The educator had individual visual schedules that were

designed according to the students needs. According to Ganz, schedules need to be

individualized according to each student’s reading level and understanding of abstract concepts,

that explain why some students had picture schedules and other had written schedules (Ganz,

2007).

The third area that was rated was Positive Learning Climate. To create a positive learning

climate educators need to limit their verbal directions and use short, precise sentences

(Sturdivant, 2016). Educators interacted with students in a positive manner, even when students

were struggling with the task and the educator had to keep prompting, her voice was always

positive. Using positive reinforcement can also help to establish a positive learning environment.

When student made the correct response the teacher gave him a verbal praise. Some

reinforcement that can be used in the classroom is tokens, stickers, and certificates. There was a

student that used a token economy and the educator was consistent at all times, when the student

earned all his tokens the teacher have him his reward. Educators and support staff need to be

aware of students engagement level and respond to off-task behavior in positive way. For
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example if Alex is up and walking around the classroom the educator can praise a student that is

on-task, allowing Alex to self-direct. In the classroom one of the students was talking about a

new toy that he bought to class, after a while he looking away from the audience, the teacher

quietly walk to him an gave him a gentle physical redirection. Positive Learning Climate was an

area of strength for this classroom.

In conclusion, APERS-PE is a very useful tool for educators to use for self-identifying

strengths and challenges in their classroom. Learning Environments, Learning Environments

structure and schedule, and Positive Learning Climate are important components of a classroom.

It is important that educators have a positive learning environment in which the student feel safe

to learn, participate, and form relationships with peers and staff. The learning environment needs

to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of the student.

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References

Ganz, J. B. (2007). Classroom Structuring Methods and Strategies for Children and Youth with

Autism Spectrum Disorders. Exceptionality,15(4), 249-260.

doi:10.1080/09362830701655816

Front of the Class (2014). Visual Supports. Retrieved July 02, 2020, from

http://cancanpro.com/frontoftheclassDE/visual-supports/

National Professional Development Center for ASD. (2011). Autism Program Environment

Rating Scale Self-Assessment .... Retrieved July 2, 2020, from

http://www.captain.ca.gov/documents/APERS-PE%20Self%20Assessment%20Revised

%202011%20Fillable.pdf

Sturdivant, L. (2016). Positive Learning Environments for Students with Autism. Retrieved July

02, 2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/positive-learning-environments-for-

students-with-autism.html