📌 This is your working reference — not a static report. Update it after appointments, after breakthroughs, after noticing things. The deeper frameworks live in the linked documents at the bottom. This page is the backbone.
📍 Right Now — Current Snapshot
Last updated: 4 June 2026
Phase: Recently moved to new home. Novelty wearing off, regulation fluctuating. Spending most time in/near bedroom — his safe zone. Not attending school since 2024.
Recent milestone: ✨ Independently used Proloquo to request "squeezes" after dysregulation — first spontaneous, intentional AAC use for emotional regulation. Significant self-advocacy breakthrough.
Current learning approach: Stabilisation-focused. Safety and regulation come first, with learning delivered ambiently through play, routines and investigations rather than formal instruction. AAC modelling embedded in daily routines.
What's working right now: People coming to him — he's engaged and present when others join his world on his terms. Enjoying "conversations" on his iPad. Low-demand connection in familiar spaces is landing well. Tolerance for having people in his room is strong.
What's hard right now: Room-bound, not leaving much at all. High connection needs: he seeks company and closeness a lot, which is developmentally meaningful and requires sustained one-to-one support to meet safely.
🌱 How Fletcher Learns: Our Approach
Fletcher is educated at home through a low-demand, investigation-led program built around how he actually learns. He is always absorbing and learning from his environment. The program's job is to make that environment rich, predictable and safe, and to put learning in his path in forms he can reach on his own terms.
Regulation comes first. Fletcher's nervous system needs to feel safe before anything else can land (polyvagal theory, Porges). Every part of this program starts with a regulation check, and learning content is shaped around his capacity on the day, not the other way around.
Learning is embedded, not delivered. Literacy, numeracy, science and the arts are woven into play, music, routines and investigations rather than presented as lessons (inquiry-based, constructivist learning; Reggio Emilia emergent curriculum). Letters live in sensory bins and on walls. Counting lives inside games. Concepts like fast and slow are felt in music before they are named.
Language grows through connection. Fletcher is a gestalt language processor. He learns language in chunks, like song lyrics, and breaks them down into flexible language later (Natural Language Acquisition, Blanc). Adults model spoken words, AAC and key word sign throughout the day, with no expectation of copying. Adults comment rather than question (declarative language, Murphy), because comments invite and questions demand.
Adults work at the edge of what is comfortable, never past it. New words, ideas and experiences are layered just beyond where Fletcher already is, inside activities he already loves (Vygotsky's zone of proximal development; JASPER, Kasari et al., UCLA). Growth is measured in tolerance, lingering and returning, not in performance.
The program moves in expanding circles. Each ten week investigation starts with Fletcher himself and moves gently outward: his body, his home, his people, his neighbourhood, his community, his world (an ecological model of development, Bronfenbrenner). Investigation 1, Who Am I and Where Do I Belong, runs for ten weeks from Monday 15 June 2026. Investigation 2, How Does Water Move and Change, follows.
How progress is tracked and reported
Progress is assessed through structured observation, which suits a learner who shows what he knows through engagement rather than performance:
- Dated observation logs, reviewed against each strand's growth markers
- Photo and video evidence of engagement and communication
- Work samples from investigations (the Fletcher Book, gestalt wall entries)
- An end of investigation review every ten weeks: each strand's "we'll notice growth when" markers are checked against the logs, and the next investigation is adjusted from what was learned
The same records serve home education reporting and NDIS evidence.
Who does what
Nat designs and delivers the educational program. Fletcher's therapists (speech, OT, PBS) set therapy goals, and those goals are implemented across daily routines by everyone. Tahlia, Fletcher's support worker, implements therapy set goals around communication, regulation and daily living within naturally learning-rich routines. The educational program itself is designed and delivered by Nat.
👩⚕️ Current Therapy Focus
Update after each appointment. Date everything — it matters for NDIS evidence.
| Therapist | Role | Current focus | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aoife Corcoran | Speech — The Play Projects | Low-demand, relationship-based approaches throughout all routines. Follow his lead — participate alongside, don't direct. Respond consistently to ALL communication attempts (Proloquo, gestures, body language, vocal). Simplify Proloquo navigation — pin most-used items to home page, explore iPad shortcuts so device is always accessible. Continue documenting wins as NDIS evidence. Support Tahlia in implementing goals through natural low-demand interactions. | 3 June 2026 |
| Brooke Gilmore | OT — Redlands CTC | Housing modifications and sensory needs strategies (current focus). Sensory regulation and body awareness ongoing. Oral care desensitisation through gradual familiarity. Telehealth format. Note: OT goals haven't been as explicitly discussed as speech goals lately — worth raising at next session: what are we actively working toward together? | ⬜ Date |
| Naomi Abou-Sleiman | PBS — Positive Moods | PBS goals to be confirmed at the next appointment. To raise: Naomi's current focus and our active PBS goals, so they are documented here. | ⬜ Date |
| Tahlia | Support Worker (3hrs/wk NDIS + additional) | Low-demand activity approach — e.g. making biscuits, doing steps together in the corner of the room so Fletcher can join if he wants but is never asked to. No demand placed on him. Mix of: activity prep together, watching Fletcher, beginning Proloquo modelling, creating videos for Fletcher to watch and watching them together with him. Generally implementing the same therapy and learning approach as Nat. Goal: build toward consistent phrases, songs, and routines Tahlia uses — not established yet but wanted. | Ongoing |
Next appointments:
- Aoife (Speech): Mon 15 June @ 1pm
- ⬜ Brooke (OT): possibly back next week — date TBC
- ⬜ Naomi (PBS): date TBC
The 6 strands are not subjects or lessons. They run through everything, all the time, with Fletcher at the centre.
🌿 The 6 Strands — Where Fletcher Is Now
These aren't lessons or milestones. They're ongoing threads running through everything, all the time. The goal is always comfort and familiarity — never performance.
🌿 Strand 1 — Regulation & Emotional Safety
Core idea: Safety comes first. Everything else becomes possible when his nervous system is settled.
Where he is now: Most settled in familiar, low-demand home spaces. Changes, transitions, or unexpected moments can quickly feel overwhelming. Responds best when adults move slowly, use familiar language patterns, and offer sensory supports without pressure.
Growth direction this half-year: Strengthen his sense of safety within everyday home routines. Keep rhythms predictable, offer sensory tools gently, layer small novelty only when he's steady. Goal is deeper comfort and trust — not independence.
Active focus areas:
- Repeating calming phrases and co-regulation scripts daily
- Keeping sensory tools available and easy to access
- Maintaining simple, uncluttered spaces
- Introducing small, predictable changes slowly
- Reinforcing "this is your safe place" through routines
We'll notice growth when: He settles more quickly after disruptions. Stays near during calm shared moments. Body softens, lingers, or returns on his own.
Recent observations: People coming to his room is the connection approach that's working right now — he's present and engaged when others join his world on his terms. Low-demand, familiar spaces.
💬 Strand 2 — Communication & Language Development
Core idea: Language grows through connection — not instruction or testing.
Where he is now: Communicates through vocal rhythms, sounds, gestures, preference-based engagement. Responds best when language is patterned, playful, emotionally attuned. AAC and key word sign introduced through modelling — needs to feel like part of the environment.
Growth direction this half-year: Increasing comfort with language being around him in multiple forms. Adults model core words, meaningful gestalts, simple key word signs, gentle AAC taps throughout daily routines. Goal: language feels predictable, safe, connected to real life.
Active focus areas:
- Modelling core words during natural routines
- Using rhythmic, meaningful gestalts in play and transitions
- Pairing spoken words with AAC taps and key word signs (no expectation of copying)
- Offering supported choices using simple language
- Embedding First-Then visuals in low-pressure ways
- Repeating familiar phrases so they become part of shared rhythm
AAC note: "Squeezes" request is a Stage 1 NLA gestalt — his brain is doing exactly what it should. Keep modelling. Keep building core vocabulary around what's already happening.
We'll notice growth when: Fletcher stays near during modelling moments. Orients toward familiar phrases, signs, or rhythms. Subtle shifts in vocal patterns.
Recent observations: Enjoying "conversations" on his iPad — engaging interactively, not just passively. Independently requesting "squeezes" and "kisses" via Proloquo; beginning to indicate specific body parts for these interactions. AAC modelling TikTok channel @words.with.fletch created — seeding his algorithm so Proloquo modelling appears naturally in his feed.
🤝 Strand 3 — Social Engagement & Joint Attention
Core idea: Shared moments first — small connected experiences of being in something together.
Where he is now: Engages most deeply in familiar, rhythmic activities and sensory play. Shared attention strongest during preferred routines where adults follow his lead. May move away when interactions feel too fast, too direct, or pressured.
Growth direction this half-year: Short, low-demand shared play moments throughout the day. Adults position nearby, follow his interests, build predictable play patterns (pause-wait-repeat).
Active focus areas:
- Side-by-side shared play (not face-to-face pressure)
- JASPER-style following his lead
- Turn-taking within preferred activities
- Pause-wait-anticipate routines
- Building simple "our game" patterns
- Celebrating shared laughter, rhythm, and repetition
We'll notice growth when: Fletcher lingers in shared space for longer. Returns to familiar shared routines. Anticipation during pause moments. Smiles, glances, shared sounds.
Recent observations: ⬜
🧠 Strand 4 — Body & Internal Awareness
Core idea: Slowly and safely building awareness of his body — inside and outside. Familiarity, not performance.
Where he is now: Shows body awareness through movement, sensory seeking, and avoidance. Hands and feet more comfortable than mouth or face. Internal sensations (tired, hungry, sore, overwhelmed) still emerging — need consistent modelling in calm moments.
Growth direction this half-year: Gently increasing exposure to body-part language and simple internal-state words during regulated moments. Pairing words with real experiences ("hands wet," "tummy full," "feet jumping"). Building familiarity and safety — not testing understanding.
Active focus areas:
- Naming body parts during play and routines
- Pairing movement with simple language ("jumping feet," "washing hands")
- Introducing basic internal-state words (tired, hungry, sore, calm)
- Gentle oral and facial sensory exploration
- Connecting feelings with body cues ("heart fast," "body tight")
- Using mirrors, songs, and sensory play to reinforce awareness
We'll notice growth when: Increased tolerance of body-part language. Curiosity toward mirrors or body-based games. Subtle shifts when internal states are named.
Recent observations: ⬜
🏡 Strand 5 — Independence, Participation & Daily Living
Core idea: Everyday life feeling safe and manageable — at home first, then gradually in the community.
Where he is now: Safest within familiar home environments. Leaving the house can feel overwhelming when spaces are busy, loud, or unpredictable. Responds best to high-interest destinations, clear structure, knowing what to expect.
Growth direction this half-year: Strengthen sense of control within everyday routines. Begin gently expanding safety beyond home. Hygiene routines (including oral care) through gradual desensitisation — not expectation.
Active focus areas:
- Offering two clear, manageable choices within routines
- Using First-Then visuals to reduce unpredictability
- Supporting participation in mealtimes and transitions
- Building oral care familiarity through gentle exposure
- Preparing for outings using visual and verbal previews
- Keeping outings short, predictable, and success-focused
We'll notice growth when: Reduced resistance to leaving the house. Returning home more settled. Clearer preference signalling about destinations.
Recent observations: ⬜
🎨 Strand 6 — Play, Literacy & Numeracy Foundations
Core idea: Learning through curiosity — embedded in play and investigations, not delivered as lessons.
Where he is now: Engages most deeply through sensory-based play, repetition, and cause-and-effect experiences. Responds to rhythm, familiar stories, patterned language when embedded in preferred activities. Formal table-based learning is not appropriate.
Current approach: Academics are delivered ambiently through play, music, routines and investigations rather than formal instruction, in line with his current regulation needs. Literacy and numeracy surround him without pressure.
Active focus areas — Literacy:
- Shared book moments connected to investigations (read alongside, not at)
- Repeated story structures and familiar phrases
- Exposure to environmental print (labels, signs, visuals)
- Rhythm, rhyme, and patterned language
- Letters abundant everywhere — in sensory bins, on walls, in water — never rationed
- Captions ON for all videos, always
Active focus areas — Numeracy:
- Counting within play routines ("1-2-3 go!")
- Number symbols 1-15 in meaningful contexts in the environment
- Exploring big/small, more/less, fast/slow
- Subitising invitations — dot cards, dice faces, ten-frames (plays to his visual strengths)
- Recognising patterns in rhythm and movement
Active investigation: Investigation 1 — Who Am I & Where Do I Belong? (15 June to 23 August 2026)
We'll notice growth when: Increased tolerance of books or print nearby. Anticipation during counting sequences. Returning to favourite stories. Recognition of familiar number visuals.
Recent observations: ⬜
📚 Where the Learning Areas Live
The strands and investigations carry the learning areas between them. This map shows where each area lives in Fletcher's program and what it looks like in practice right now.
| Learning area | Where it lives | What it looks like right now |
|---|---|---|
| English (literacy) | Strand 2, Strand 6, Music thread | Shared book moments, environmental print, letters in sensory bins and water, captions on for all videos, repeated story structures, core word and gestalt modelling through speech and AAC |
| Mathematics (numeracy) | Strand 6, Music thread | Counting inside play routines, number symbols 1 to 15 in the environment, subitising invitations (dot cards, dice faces, ten-frames), big and small, fast and slow, pattern and rhythm in music |
| Science | Investigations, Strand 4 | Sensory exploration trays, cause and effect play, body and senses focus in Investigation 1. Investigation 2 (How Does Water Move and Change) is a full science unit |
| HASS | Investigation 1 | Identity, family, home, neighbourhood, community, country and planet: the whole arc of Who Am I and Where Do I Belong |
| The Arts | Music thread, Strand 6 | Music as a cross-strand thread (rhythm, movement, body percussion, song of the week), sensory and creative play, visual media |
| Health and Physical Education | Strands 1, 4, 5 | Body awareness and internal state language, movement and sensory regulation, hygiene routines through gradual familiarity, emotional regulation supports |
| Technologies (digital literacy) | Strand 2, daily life | AAC (Proloquo) as his communication technology, intentional iPad use, interactive iPad "conversations", video modelling through his own feed, creating and watching videos with Tahlia |
| Personal and social capability | Strands 1, 3 | Co-regulation, shared attention, turn-taking, "our game" patterns, self-advocacy through AAC (requesting squeezes after dysregulation) |
📕 Literacy Curriculum
Fletcher's literacy program uses Comprehensive Emergent Literacy (Erickson and Koppenhaver, UNC Centre for Literacy and Disability Studies), a framework built specifically for nonspeaking AAC users. It rejects the idea that children must prove they are "ready" before being given access to literacy. Every child has the right to rich, immersive print exposure from the start. Reading and writing are communication rights, not rewards.
The five strands, all running all the time:
- Shared reading: adults read alongside Fletcher, not at him. The same book forty times is deep literacy work, not boredom. Comment, respond, wait. His proximity is participation.
- Shared writing (the Fletcher Book): a growing photo book he authors across the year. His photos are the pages, his gestalts and AAC words are the captions, written exactly as he produced them. He hears his own words read back as text.
- Alphabet and sound awareness through play: all 26 letters, always available, never rationed. Letters live in the bath, the sensory bins, on walls. Sound awareness grows through rhythm, clapping, drumming and rhyme, not drills.
- Independent writing with alternative pencils: magnetic letters, stamps, salt trays, the Proloquo keyboard. His arrangements are his writing. Nobody rearranges them. Everything is photographed as a work sample.
- Self-directed reading: books in every room, never demanded. Captions on for every video, always. A captioned video of a favourite song is reading, literally.
How it is delivered: the environment does the teaching (Reggio Emilia's "third teacher"). Research on nonspeaking autistic people shows print knowledge builds invisibly through ambient exposure over years, even without instruction (Jaswal, Lampi and Stockwell 2024). Music is the primary access pathway, not an extra: autistic brains process song through more intact neural pathways than speech, and for a gestalt language processor melody is language (Blanc). Delivery is always declarative and low-demand (Murphy), because Fletcher's nervous system reads questions and commands as threat.
What counts as literacy engagement: glancing at a letter on the wall is environmental print absorption. Humming part of a song is phonological recall. Lining letters up in his own pattern is possible early encoding. Carrying a book from room to room is a literacy relationship. It rarely looks like school, and it is all documented as learning.
What is tracked: provision goals for the adults (shared reading five times a week, captions always on, letters permanently available, the gestalt wall updated, a Fletcher Book page each week) and observation goals for Fletcher (noticed when they occur naturally, documented quietly, never tested or called back to).
The full framework, research base and room-by-room guide live in the Literacy Master Spine (see Reference Documents).
🔢 Maths Curriculum
Fletcher's numeracy program is a strengths profile, not a deficit one. Autistic visual learners often excel at pattern recognition and subitising (instantly seeing how many without counting), and the program is built on those strengths. The map underneath it is the Learning Trajectories framework (Clements and Sarama), which describes how mathematical understanding actually develops, so invitations can sit one gentle step ahead of where Fletcher is without testing him.
The five strands, all running all the time:
- Subitising and pattern recognition: dot cards, dice and ten-frames live in his environment. The adult says "I see three" and that is the whole transaction. His visual system does the mathematics automatically.
- Counting in meaningful context: only real things that matter to him get counted. Three nuggets, two squeezes, four people home today, seven steps to the gate. Counting for counting's sake teaches nothing he cares about.
- Number symbols in the environment: his age on his door, the family count in the kitchen, numerals on food labels and the calendar. Ambient and unremarkable, the same way letters work.
- Functional quantity language: Fletcher already owns maths vocabulary. "All gone" is zero. "One more" is addition. "Again" is iteration. His highest-frequency AAC words are his maths words, so communication and numeracy grow together.
- Pattern, shape and spatial sense: when he lines objects up or arranges them in groups, he is doing mathematics. It gets named, documented and never rearranged. Spatial reasoning is one of the strongest predictors of later maths understanding.
How it is delivered: the same four layers as literacy: regulation first, presumed competence, low-demand delivery, then content. All maths talk is declarative: "I see three," never "how many?" Counting songs are number gestalts (Five Little Ducks is a whole unit before it is five separate numbers), so song is the maths curriculum too. Maths lives inside the bath, mealtimes, the trampoline and even regulation: "one squeeze, two squeezes, three." The counting is incidental, the regulation is the point.
What counts as maths engagement: rolling a dice and ignoring it (his visual cortex processed the pattern). Filling a numbered cup with water (measurement in direct sensory experience). Emptying a container (zero, in action). Sorting stones into groups (mathematical classification).
What is tracked: provision goals (subitising materials permanently available, quantity language modelled daily, a counting song attached to at least one routine, numerals ambient) and observation goals (spontaneous counting, quantity language in context, pattern creation, signs of numeral recognition), documented as they occur, never elicited.
The full framework, research base and room-by-room guide live in the Numeracy Master Spine (see Reference Documents).
🎯 Goals: What We Are Working Toward
Every week of the program traces back to these goals. The codes (N for NDIS, T for therapy, L for learning) appear on each week card so anyone can see exactly what a week is serving.
NDIS Plan Goals
- N1 · Communication: Develop functional communication and receptive language so Fletcher can understand what is happening around him and express needs, wants, feelings and choices, through AAC, visuals, gestures and vocalisations
- N2 · Safety and regulation: Build safety, regulation and emotional resilience so Fletcher can cope with change, tolerate transitions and gradually expand his world beyond familiar spaces
- N3 · Participation: Gradually increase participation in home, community and shared activities in ways that feel safe and manageable, including building trust with adults beyond Mum
- N4 · Movement and body: Develop strength, coordination, body awareness and movement skills through play, sensory and movement activities matched to his interests
- N5 · Daily living: Build participation and tolerance in self-care and daily routines through low-pressure, supported, repeated experiences
The full goal wording lives in Fletcher's NDIS plan documents.
Therapy Goals
- T1 · Speech (Aoife): Low-demand, relationship-based communication throughout all routines. Respond to every communication attempt. Keep Proloquo simple and always within reach. (updated 3 June 2026)
- T2 · OT (Brooke): Sensory regulation and body awareness, housing and sensory strategies, oral care familiarity through gradual exposure
- T3 · PBS (Naomi): Goals to be confirmed at the next appointment
Learning Goals (this half-year, one per strand)
- L1 · Regulation: Deeper comfort and trust within everyday home routines
- L2 · Communication: Growing comfort with language in many forms around him, with no pressure to perform
- L3 · Social: Longer, easier shared moments built on his interests
- L4 · Body awareness: Familiarity with body part and internal state language during calm moments
- L5 · Daily living: A stronger sense of control in routines and gentle steps beyond home
- L6 · Play, literacy and numeracy: Curiosity-led contact with print, story, number and pattern, embedded in play
🎵 Music — A Cross-Strand Learning Thread
Music isn't a lesson. It's a window — into regulation, language, body awareness, and connection. Fletcher has already shown us he's open to it.
Why Music for Fletcher
Music is uniquely powerful for nervous-system-sensitive learners. It's predictable and patterned (low demand), provides proprioceptive and vestibular input through movement and rhythm, creates natural gestalt chunks that support language development, and offers co-regulation when adults join in without directing.
Key observation: when Nat matched the beat, rocked alongside him, and narrated fast/slow — he tolerated it. Music is a low-demand window where language input doesn't trigger shutdown.
📋 What We've Noticed So Far
- (June 2026) Fletcher seeks out Al's marble music TikToks independently — visual + musical cause/effect, mesmerising for him
- (June 2026) Has a distinct "dance move" — rocking forward and back. Regulated, intentional movement ✨
- (June 2026) Nat matched his beat drumming on her body + rocking alongside — he stayed. That's meaningful.
- (June 2026) Nat commented on fast/slow changes in songs — he tolerated language input during music. This is his window.
🌿 What Music Can Carry — Cross-Strand Goals
→ Strand 1 — Regulation
- Music as a co-regulation tool — Nat joins his musical world on his terms
- Predictable songs = nervous system safety (same version every time)
- Tracking: does he settle faster after music? Are transitions smoother?
→ Strand 2 — Language
- Fast/slow, loud/quiet, start/stop — felt concepts attached to real words
- Requesting music via AAC ("more", "again", song name)
- Gestalt chunks from songs → possible functional language later
- Commenting during music is low-pressure ("that's fast!" — not "what is this?")
→ Strand 3 — Social & Joint Attention
- Side-by-side shared music — both watching/listening together
- Turn-taking through movement: Nat rocks, pauses, waits, he joins
- "Our game" building: the rock-and-drum-along routine
→ Strand 4 — Body Awareness
- Body percussion = proprioceptive input + body part naming
- Fast/slow, loud/quiet linked to felt physical experience
- Naming body parts used: "your hands are drumming"
→ Strand 6 — Play, Literacy & Numeracy
- Rhythm = counting (1-2-3, clap-clap-clap)
- Pattern recognition (music is pure pattern)
- Fast/slow as a mathematical concept, embedded in experience
- Captions ON for music videos — always (environmental print)
🎶 What "Music Time" Looks Like for Fletcher
Not a lesson. Not scheduled. An invitation zone.
- He's already in the music → you join in, not the other way around
- Match his body first — mirror, then layer
- Language is declarative and sparse: "that's fast" / "I hear the beat" / "oh — it changed"
- No questions, no testing, no expectations
- Duration: his lead. 2 minutes or 20 — both are perfect.
Green-light check (same as always):
- Is he regulated?
- Am I following his lead — or pulling him toward mine?
- Am I genuinely expecting nothing from him?
🎵 Fletch's Music Favourites
Update as you discover more
| What | Where | What he does | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al's marble music videos | TikTok | Rocks forward and back | Seeks independently. Visual cause/effect + music |
| ⬜ | |||
| ⬜ |
📅 Music in the Week — Loose Rhythm
No schedule. But some shape helps Nat and Tahlia know what to do:
- Spontaneous — Follow him when he gravitates to music. Join in, match, mirror.
- Invitational — Instruments in a low tray (shakers, small drum): available if he wants them. Never handed over with expectation.
- One song of the week — Tied to Investigation theme. Same version, every time. Consistency is more important than variety.
🎼 Song of the Week — Investigation 1
One song per weekly theme. Same version every time — for all adults. Consistency is regulating.
| Week | Theme | Song | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | My Name | ⬜ | Personalised name song |
| Week 2 | My Body | ⬜ | Body percussion / movement song |
| Week 3 | My Feelings & My Calm | ⬜ | Regulation / calm-down song |
| Week 4 | My Family | ⬜ | Our family song |
| Week 5 | My Home & Safe Spaces | ⬜ | Safe place / home song |
| Week 6 | My Favourite Things | ⬜ | Things I love |
| Week 7 | My Neighbourhood | ⬜ | Alex Hills / outside |
| Week 8 | My Community | ⬜ | |
| Week 9 | My Country | ⬜ | |
| Week 10 | My Planet | ⬜ |
🎶 Music With Fletcher
Same rules as everything else, plus:
- Don't pick the music — let Fletcher choose, or follow what he's already watching
- Match his body first — if he's rocking, rock. If he's still, be still.
- Comment, don't quiz — "oh that part changed!" not "was that fast or slow?"
- Instruments in a low tray — available, never handed to him with expectation
- Same songs, same versions — check the Song of the Week table above
- Sit beside him, not in front of him — side-by-side, not performance
📝 Music Observations Log
Date and note anything: what he did, what you did, how he responded. Small things count.
- (10 June 2026) Nat matched the beat alongside Fletcher watching marble video — drummed on body, changed pace when song changed, narrated fast/slow. Fletcher tolerated language input and stayed present. Baseline established ✨
Investigation 1 moves in expanding circles: it starts with Fletcher himself and moves gently outward, one safe step at a time (an ecological model of development, Bronfenbrenner).
🗓️ The Shape of a Week
This is a rhythm, not a timetable. The anchors stay the same; everything else flexes with Fletcher's regulation on the day.
Daily anchors:
- Morning: slow start in his safe space, connection on his terms
- Through the day: invitations set out and then left alone, AAC modelled inside whatever is already happening
- Music moments: follow him when he gravitates there, song of the week woven in
- Evening: predictable wind-down routine
Weekly anchors:
- Tahlia (support work): 3 hours plus additional time, low-demand activities and modelling, days flexible
- Speech with Aoife: next session Mon 15 June at 1pm
- OT with Brooke: telehealth, date to be confirmed
- A new week card opens each Monday: the focus shifts, the song changes, the invitations refresh. Week 1 begins Monday 15 June 2026
The rule underneath all of it: the traffic light comes first. A red or yellow day reshapes the week, and that is the program working, not failing.
📖 Current Investigation — Investigation 1
Who Am I & Where Do I Belong?
15 June to 23 August 2026 | 10 Weeks | Literacy + Numeracy running together
Three phases:
- Phase 1 — This Is Me (Weeks 1-3): Body, senses, likes and dislikes. Body pal, mirror moments, sensory exploration trays, favourite things.
- Phase 2 — This Is Home (Weeks 4-6): My room, favourite things, my people. Room tour video, cosy nest-making, Our Home book, safe people photos.
- Phase 3 — My Place in the World (Weeks 7-9): Beyond the front door, gently. Bush at back fence, letterbox walk when ready, neighbourhood map, world map.
People in materials: use the safe people photo list.
This week's invitations: ⬜ Pick 1-2 from the Activity Menu and note them here
What landed this week: ⬜
Fletcher Book progress: ⬜ Note any pages added
Gestalt wall entries this block: ⬜ New vocal patterns or phrases to add
📖 Week 1: My Name
Every week of every investigation follows this template.
Working toward: N1 · N2 · T1 · L1 · L2 · L6 (codes explained on the Goals page)
Focus (15 to 21 June): Fletcher's name is everywhere. His name is the first and most important word. Every surface, every cup, every door. This week is setup; everything else builds on it.
Learning intentions (opportunities, never expectations). Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See and hear his name in many forms: spoken, sung, signed, on Proloquo, in print
- Notice the letter F as the start of his name
- Feel his name as rhythm (clapping the syllables: Fletch er)
- See himself reflected in his space: mirror moments, photos of himself and his safe people
Song of the week: personalised name song. Same version, every time, for every adult. ⬜ Pick one and note it here so everyone uses the identical version.
Invitations (set them up, walk away, mean it):
- His name on his door, at his eye level
- The letters of his name in a sensory bin or water tray, F most abundant
- A name card beside the mirror
- Nat writes "Fletcher" in foam, sand or steam on glass while narrating: "There's the F. That's the start of Fletcher."
- First page of the Fletcher Book: his name page, with a photo he likes
- Proloquo modelling of his name and "me" during natural moments
Tips for adults this week:
- Declarative only. "There's the F," never "What letter is this?"
- Count the letters as rhythm, not as a quiz: "F l e t c h e r. Eight letters."
- If he looks, lingers or returns, that is engagement. Receive it quietly.
- Captions on for everything, as always
- Traffic light check before every invitation (see Quick Reference)
We'll notice growth when: he lingers near his name in print, orients to the name song, tolerates the mirror with the name card beside it, or shows anticipation during the clapping rhythm.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which form of his name drew the most attention: sung, printed, on screen, on Proloquo?
- Which invitation got a linger or a return? Repeat it next week.
- What was his regulation pattern this week? Did anything land even on a yellow day?
- Anything new for the gestalt wall or the observations log?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 2: My Body
Working toward: N1 · N4 · T2 · L4
Focus (22 to 28 June): Body parts, senses, and what his body can do. Body awareness is identity. This week also opens body maths: two eyes, ten fingers, four people in the family.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- Hear body part names paired with real experiences during play and routines
- Explore his senses through touch, scent, sound and movement trays
- Meet his body as a counting place: fingers, toes, eyes, ears
Song of the week: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes. Same version, every time, for every adult.
Invitations:
- Touch tray: smooth, rough, bumpy and soft items to explore freely
- Body tracing on butcher paper, Mum traces an outline near him
- Handprint station: paper and washable paint left on a tray
- Body maths card on the bathroom wall: TWO EYES, TEN FINGERS, TWO LEGS
- A FLETCHER'S BODY homemade book: "These are Fletcher's eyes. Brown eyes."
- Bubble play for visual tracking, mirror play with no instructions
Tips for adults this week:
- Pair words with what is actually happening: "jumping feet", "wet hands"
- Count his body declaratively: "Ten fingers. I see ten," never "how many fingers?"
- Deep pressure gets named as body awareness: "heavy pressure, big squeeze"
We'll notice growth when: he tolerates body part language nearby, shows curiosity toward the mirror or the traced outline, or lingers with the texture tray.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which sense drew him in most: touch, sound, scent or movement?
- Did any body part name get a glance, a touch or a repeat visit?
- What body moments belong in the Fletcher Book?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 3: My Feelings & My Calm
Working toward: N1 · N2 · T1 · L1
Focus (29 June to 5 July): Naming feelings as they happen, near him, without expectation. The traffic light becomes visible on the wall this week, and his regulation tools get named as known friends. This week is as much for the adults as for Fletcher: embedding the language.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- Hear simple feeling words named in calm moments, with no expectation
- See his own regulation tools (squeezes, nest, water, music) in print and photos
- Experience calm as something that has colours, textures and sounds
Song of the week: True Colors (the Trolls version), played captioned near him. Same version, every time.
Invitations:
- Calm tray: blue water beads in a clear tub
- Lavender rice tray with small stones hidden inside
- His own regulation box: squeeze ball, smooth stone, fidget, soft cloth, his name on it
- Traffic light chart on the wall with Fletcher's own photos at each state
- A regulation tools book: one page per tool, SQUEEZE, NEST, WATER, MUSIC
- The Colour Monster read nearby, no expectation
Tips for adults this week:
- Model feelings language constantly, near him, not at him: "I feel calm." "I feel excited."
- Name his tools as they work: "Squeezes. That helped. Body soft now."
- All feelings are okay. The wall says it, the adults live it.
We'll notice growth when: he reaches for a named tool, settles faster after a named feeling, or shows interest in the traffic light photos of himself.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which regulation tool did he choose most, and was it named when he did?
- Did any feeling word land: a pause, a look, a softening?
- What did the adults learn about their own state this week?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 4: My Family
Working toward: N1 · N3 · T1 · L3
Focus (6 to 12 July): Family is his belonging. Mum, Jett and Talan: names in print, faces in photos. The family wall comes alive this week. Family is also numeracy: four people, two brothers, one mum.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See and hear his people's names in print, song and photos
- Experience belonging as something visible on his walls
- Meet the family as a countable set: four people, four dots
Song of the week: You Are My Sunshine, sung by Mum. Same version, every time.
Invitations:
- Family photo dig: laminated family photos buried in sand or rice
- Family wall at his eye level: each person's photo, name and one word ("MUM: safe")
- "Fletcher's family has 4 people" dot card in the kitchen (subitising and family count together)
- Adapted Brown Bear book: "Fletcher, Fletcher, who do you see? I see MUM looking at me"
- A small physical photo album of family photos to flip through freely
- Koala Lou read nearby: I will always love you, no matter what
Tips for adults this week:
- Comment on faces and names warmly, no quizzing: "There's Talan. Talan's home today."
- Count the family declaratively: "Four people home today."
- Looking at photos together side by side, never face to face
We'll notice growth when: he lingers at the family wall, returns to the photo album, or orients when a family name is sung or spoken.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which face or name drew the most attention?
- Did the family count card get any notice?
- Any new gestalts about his people for the wall?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 5: My Home & Safe Spaces
Working toward: N2 · N5 · T2 · L1 · L5
Focus (13 to 19 July): The rooms, the nest, the bath, the yard. His specific home in Alex Hills. Safe places as identity, because home is regulation. The zooming world map starts on his wall this week: just ME and OUR HOME for now.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See his own home named and mapped: room labels, a simple floor plan, photos
- Hear spatial language in real moments: in the nest, under the blanket, near the window
- Build and shape safe spaces with his own hands
Song of the week: the home chant: "This is my house, this is my home, I live here, this is where I belong." Same melody, every time.
Invitations:
- Nest building tray: soft fabrics, cotton wool, feathers, small sticks
- Den building: blankets, cushions and a laundry basket left out, whatever he creates gets photographed
- A FLETCHER'S HOME photo book: every room with a simple label
- Simple floor plan on the wall with his room marked with his name
- Inside-outside bucket: a leaf, a stone, a stick brought in from the yard
- Start the zooming map: ME → OUR HOME circles on his wall
Tips for adults this week:
- Narrate rooms declaratively on a slow tour: "This is the kitchen. This is where we make nuggets."
- Spatial words live in real moments: "You're IN the nest. Cosy."
- His den designs are documentation: photograph before tidying, never rearrange
We'll notice growth when: he builds or returns to a nest, pauses at the floor plan or room photos, or tolerates the yard for longer stretches.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which space did he choose most this week, and did it get named?
- Did any spatial word (in, under, near) land in a real moment?
- What does his ideal safe space look like, based on what he built?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 6: My Favourite Things
Working toward: N1 · N3 · T1 · L2 · L6
Focus (20 to 26 July): His passions are his identity. Balls, water, music, food, movement: these are not distractions from learning, they are the learning. This week names what he loves and treats it as worthy of print.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See his interests celebrated in print and on his walls
- Hear his loves named and counted in real, wanted moments
- Notice which songs and activities are becoming his
Song of the week: whichever song he has responded to most in weeks 1 to 5. His demonstrated preference leads.
Invitations:
- FLETCHER LOVES wall collage: photos of all his favourite things
- Ball discovery tray: different balls hidden in cloud dough or kinetic sand
- A FLETCHER LOVES homemade book: one page per favourite thing, his photo with it
- Favourite food counting book with real photos: nuggets one to five
- His playlist written out as environmental print
- One of his own object arrangements photographed, printed and displayed as art
Tips for adults this week:
- Count real wanted things at real moments: "Three nuggets on your plate"
- Narrate your own enjoyment of his things in parallel play, never invite him in
- This week's observation focus: what he moves toward. Document it carefully.
We'll notice growth when: he notices his interests on the wall, returns to the favourite things box, or shows anticipation when his playlist starts.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- What did he move toward most, and was it on our list or new information?
- Which song is the strongest contender for "his song"?
- What new favourite belongs in the Fletcher Book?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 7: My Neighbourhood
Working toward: N2 · N3 · T2 · L5 · L6
Focus (27 July to 2 August): His specific local world: Alex Hills, the letterbox, the bush behind the house, the kookaburra he might hear. Real and local beats abstract and generic every time. The neighbourhood layer joins the zooming map.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- Touch, smell and arrange nature from his own garden and street
- Experience the letterbox walk as a predictable, sung ritual
- Hear local bird and plant names attached to real things
Song of the week: the letterbox walk song: "Walking to the letterbox, walking walking walking." Same words, every walk.
Invitations:
- Nature collection tray gathered from their own garden: bark, leaves, soil, rocks
- The letterbox walk with the First-Then visual: WALK → LETTERBOX → HOME
- Bark rubbings of local trees
- Local bird chart: kookaburra, magpie, lorikeet, with what they sound like
- Alex Hills marked on a Queensland map, neighbourhood layer added to the zooming map
- Nature loose parts on an outside table: leaves, sticks, pebbles to arrange freely
Tips for adults this week:
- Keep outings short, predictable and success-focused; home is always the end of the song
- Count the walk declaratively: "Seven steps to the gate. Almost there."
- Possum Magic read nearby: the Australian book for this investigation
We'll notice growth when: reduced resistance to the letterbox walk, returning home settled, lingering with the nature tray, or orienting to bird sounds.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- How did the letterbox walk go, and what would make it feel safer next time?
- Which natural material held his attention?
- Any patterns in his nature arrangements worth photographing for the portfolio?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 8: My Community
Working toward: N3 · T1 · L3
Focus (3 to 9 August): The wider circle of safety: Tahlia, Aoife, the people who help. His team in print means his team as safe and known. This week also has immediate practical value: preparation visuals for real visits.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See his team's faces and names as part of his environment
- Experience visits as predictable: who comes, what happens, then they go home
- Build trust with adults beyond Mum at his own pace
Song of the week: Count on Me (Bruno Mars), captioned, played near him. If Tahlia has a song she already sings, that becomes the song instead.
Invitations:
- Fletcher's team wall: photos of his actual people with names and what they do
- Prepare-for-visit visual near the front door: "Tahlia is coming. Tahlia helps. Then she goes home."
- A People Who Help Fletcher homemade book with real photos
- Delivery play: small envelopes, stamps and parcels to post and discover
- A 30 second hello video from Tahlia he can watch before she arrives
- Bluey episodes with community members, captioned
Tips for adults this week:
- Brief Tahlia on the theme in three lines: focus, song, say this
- Narrate visits declaratively before and after: "Aoife came. Aoife helped with words. Aoife went home."
- The team chart doubles as NDIS documentation. Photograph it.
We'll notice growth when: he checks the prepare-for-visit visual, tolerates a visit with less lead-in, or shows recognition at team photos or names.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Did the preparation visual change how a visit started?
- Which team member's photo or name got the most notice?
- What should each team member know about what worked?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 9: My Country
Working toward: N1 · N3 · L2 · L6
Focus (10 to 16 August): Zooming out to Queensland and Australia. Australian animals, the coast, his country. Queensland and Australia layers join the zooming map. This week quietly seeds Investigation 5 (Living Things).
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- Meet Australian animals through figures, photos, books and real backyard sightings
- See his place on a map: Alex Hills, inside Queensland, inside Australia
- Hear Australian songs and rhythms as part of his week
Song of the week: I Am Australian (The Seekers). Same version, every time.
Invitations:
- Outback tray: red kinetic sand with Australian animal figures hidden inside
- Gum leaf sensory bag: fresh leaves in a ziplock, squeeze for the eucalyptus scent
- Australian animal photo card set: six to eight animals, laminated, his to handle
- Australia map on the wall with Queensland highlighted and a star on Alex Hills
- An "I live in AUSTRALIA. I live in QUEENSLAND. I live in ALEX HILLS." zooming photo book
- Animal habitat play: water creatures near the water bin, bush animals in the dirt
Tips for adults this week:
- Real beats abstract: the kookaburra he hears outside is worth ten flashcards
- Sort and count animals declaratively: "Three bush animals. One water animal."
- Australian food tastes offered with zero expectation: a lamington crumb counts
We'll notice growth when: he handles the animal cards, orients to bird sounds outside, or pauses at the map with his place marked on it.
Reflection at the end of the week:
- Which animal earned his attention, and is it a thread for Investigation 5?
- Did the zooming map layers get any notice?
- What Australian song response should carry forward?
What landed this week: ⬜
📖 Week 10: My Planet
Working toward: N1 · N2 · L2 · L6
Focus (17 to 23 August): The biggest zoom out: Me, Home, Neighbourhood, Country, Earth. The zooming map is completed, the Fletcher Book investigation closes, and one simple water moment seeds Investigation 2.
Learning intentions. Fletcher will have opportunities to:
- See the whole journey of the investigation laid out in one place
- Meet Earth as colours, textures and images: blue and green in his hands
- Hear that he belongs, in song and in print
Song of the week: What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong), captioned. Twinkle Twinkle begins quietly, seeding Investigation 6.
Invitations:
- Earth tray: blue water beads over brown sand, the planet in layers
- Earth colours playdough: blue and green, mixed and separated
- A globe to handle, spin and look at freely
- The completed zooming map: ME → HOME → NEIGHBOURHOOD → QLD → AUSTRALIA → EARTH
- The gestalt harvest: every phrase from ten weeks displayed together
- The full Fletcher Book laid out, Mum reads the whole thing back near him
Tips for adults this week:
- The celebration is quiet warmth, not performance: "We did this together."
- Order the printed Fletcher Book; it is his first authored work and NDIS evidence
- Write the one-page investigation summary: what was offered, what was noticed, what surprised you
We'll notice growth when: he engages with the globe or Earth colours, lingers over the Fletcher Book read-back, or shows recognition at his own gestalt wall.
Reflection at the end of the investigation:
- Review every strand's "we'll notice growth when" markers against ten weeks of observations
- What does the evidence say about where Investigation 2 should start?
- What worked so well it becomes permanent practice?
What landed this week: ⬜
🗺️ Future Investigations
The year ahead, sketched lightly. Themes firm up close to time, following Fletcher's interests (emergent curriculum). Each runs about ten weeks in the same expanding-circles shape as Investigation 1.
🌊 Investigation 2: How Does Water Move & Change? (from about September 2026)
Built on one of Fletcher's strongest interests: water play.
Weekly arc (draft): water on my body · water in my home (taps, bath, washing) · pouring and filling · floating and sinking · hot and cold · rain and weather · water outside (hose, puddles) · water in nature (the bush at the back fence) · water in our community (pools, beaches, when ready) · water on our planet
Carries: sensory regulation (N2, T2), cause and effect science, more/less and full/empty maths (L6), movement (N4), the language of felt experience (N1)
🍽️ Investigation 3: What Does My Body Need? (about November 2026 to February 2027)
Food, rest, movement and care. Literacy: body needs vocabulary in print, food labels, his "all gone" and "one more" gestalts as environmental print, meal and sleep songs. Maths: counting real food at every meal, "enough" as a functional quantity idea, morning sequence as first/next/last. Working toward: N1 · N4 · N5 · T2 · L4 · L5
🌙 Investigation 4: Day Turns Into Night (about February to April 2027)
Light, dark, routines and time. Literacy: daily routine words in print, light and dark vocabulary, goodnight and morning songs. Maths: days of the week as a repeating pattern of seven, calendar numerals, counting down to things he looks forward to. Working toward: N1 · N2 · T1 · L1 · L6
🦩 Investigation 5: Living Things & Safe Places (about May to July 2027)
The bush at the back fence, animals, habitats and safety. Literacy: nature labels, Australian animal books, habitat words, kookaburra and bush songs. Maths: counting living things, patterns in nature (spirals, symmetry), near and far spatial language outdoors. Working toward: N2 · N3 · N4 · T2 · L3 · L5
🚀 Investigation 6: Movement & Space (about July to September 2027)
His body in motion, then the planets. Literacy: movement words, planet names as print, his own movement described and written, Twinkle Twinkle and movement songs. Maths: eight planets as a counting unit, big, bigger and biggest, orbits as repeating patterns, counting bounces and spins. Working toward: N1 · N4 · T2 · L4 · L6
📝 Running Observations Log
Add dated notes here as you notice things. No structure needed — just capture. Small things count.
- (4 June 2026) Independently requested "squeezes" on Proloquo after dysregulation — first spontaneous emotional self-advocacy AAC use ✨
- (5 June 2026) TikTok channel @words.with.fletch created for AAC modelling — plan is to post videos of Proloquo use and modelling in daily life, and seed the algorithm so Fletcher sees AAC modelling naturally in his own feed. Connects video modelling (well-evidenced for AAC learners) with his existing TikTok engagement. ✨
- (5 June 2026) Enjoying "conversations" on his iPad — engaging interactively rather than just passively watching. People coming to his room is working well as a connection approach.
🔗 Reference Documents
The deep frameworks. This page is your daily reference; the spines are your theory. Don't re-read the spines — just come back here.
- Literacy Master Spine — full framework, 8 research threads, 4 layers, 5 CEL strands — iCloud/Fletcher's Learning Folder
- Numeracy Master Spine — full framework, 5 research threads, 5 numeracy strands, room-by-room guide — iCloud/Fletcher's Learning Folder
- Investigation 1 Activity Menu — weekly activity picker, BRAIN STARTUP boxes — iCloud/Fletcher's Learning Folder
- Fletcher's Strands PDF — therapy strand summaries, half-year growth directions — iCloud
- Research Queue — all completed deep dives — Notion Brain Command Centre
📅 Key Dates
- NDIS Plan: 05/02/2026-05/02/2027 | Change of circumstances submitted April 2026 — in progress
- Home Education plan: ⬜ Submission date
- Investigation 1: 15 June to 23 August 2026 (Week 1 begins Monday 15 June)
- Investigation 2 start: about September 2026 (Water — How Does Water Move & Change?)
The check that comes before every single invitation. When in doubt, drop a level.
🧰 Quick Reference — How to Be With Fletcher
Read at the start of the day, before a new activity, or any time you're off your game. For every adult in Fletcher's world.
Traffic light — check before every invitation:
- Red: Shutdown — just be present. No invitations. Quiet, warm, no agenda.
- Yellow: Activated — regulation supports first. Squeezes, nest, water, quiet. Invitations wait.
- Green: Available — invitations may land. Keep them silent and low-demand.
4 checks before any literacy or numeracy moment:
- Is he regulated? (green)
- Am I commenting — not questioning?
- Am I genuinely expecting nothing?
- Am I ready to receive quietly whatever he does?
Declarative language — say this, not that:
- Instead of "How many?" say: I see three.
- Instead of "What letter is this?" say: There's the F.
- Instead of "Can you find the H?" say: I'm looking for the H... here it is.
- Instead of "Come read with me" say: I'm going to read this book. (then read it, near him)
His engagement is his business. Set the invitation. Walk away. Mean it.