Educational task boxes are just that - boxes that contain all the materials needed to complete a task. Task boxes help organize and structure work for special education students. They provide a clear beginning and end to the task that will be completed, thus fostering independent work skills.
How to Make a Task Box
Making a task box is easy. First of all, you will need some boxes. Shoeboxes are the ideal size for task boxes but any other type of box will also do. You can paint or cover your task box with colored paper if you wish. On the outside end of each task box write what the box contains so that it can easily be found when needed. Also, a picture of the task taped to the lid of the box helps students identify which task box they will be working with.
Decide what skill you want your student to practice with this particular task box and include all the materials that will be needed.
Initially, students will need direct instruction to learn how to use the different task boxes. As they familiarize themselves with the different tasks they will no longer require this direct instruction.
Activities for Task Boxes
There are an infinite number of activities that can be used for task boxes. Following are some examples to help get you started.
Motor Tasks
Place 10-15 clothespins inside a task box. The student will take the clothespins and attach them in a row all around the border of the box. This simple activity helps strengthen the fine motor muscles of the hand which are needed later for holding a pencil.
Matching Tasks
Ice trays and egg cartons are ideal for matching tasks. Stick different colored dots in each ice cube spot. Using colored blocks the student will place each block in the spot with the same color. This task helps teach colors and matching.
Reading Tasks
On the lid of a shoebox or a shirt box place a strip of velcro horizontally and attach-in alphabetical order - letter cards of the alphabet. Below each letter place a velcro dot. Have a second set of letter cards with velcro attached to the back side for the student to match. This task works with letter recognition and alphabetical order. More advanced students will not need the top row of letters for guidance.
For a more advanced reading task write different words on the top half of various index cards and place a loop velcro strip on the bottom half. Have a set of opposite words written on rectangular pieces of cardstock with velcro dots on the back. The student will read each word and look for its opposite to place on the velcro strip. This activity can easily be changed to work with specific vocabulary words and their meanings, word families, sight words, etc...
Writing Tasks
Make two sets of identical letter cards that spell the child's name. Affix one set of letter cards to the top portion of a rectangular piece of cardstock and place a strip of velcro on the bottom. Place velcro dots on the back of the other set of cards. The student will match each letter card to spell his name.
As with the reading tasks, writing tasks are easily adapted to each student's abilities and more advanced tasks can be made easily with the same materials.
Math Tasks
Write numbers 1-5 vertically on the left side of the top inside lid of the shoebox and place a strip of velcro to the right of each number. Place velcro dots on one side of a set of colored blocks. The student will match each number with the quantity of blocks needed.
Task boxes are easy to make and can be made to target almost any skill from simple fine motor skills to more advanced reading and writing skills. Students can work independently and at their own pace as they complete different tasks. Task boxes provide the hands-on type of learning experiences that benefit special education students.
For additional activities for task boxes, read How Do I Teach This Kid? by K. Henry [Future Horizons, 2005].
Elizabeth Scott - Elizabeth Scott is currently a stay at home mother of two school-aged children. She has always had a passion for reading and teaching ...
