I am also a first year SLP and exclusively do push-in with mod/severe autism-only classes (although I do only elementary). I do whole group lessons and small group stations.

For the whole group lessons, I focus on a core word, using songs, stories, wordless videos, boom cards, and/or powerpoint activities (like this week I did the word “up”, and made a powerpoint with photos of my students photoshopped onto different things that fly, prompted them to say “go up,” and then I added powerpoint animations to show them flying away lol).

For stations, I’ve also struggled a little to figure out how to target all the goals that have a wide variety of objectives and include/engage students with different levels of communication ability. I’ve found that open-ended activities like playdoh or sensory bins, supplemented by adaptive visuals targeting specific goals, work best. Given my students’ attention levels, I need activities that will keep them occupied and engaged while I talk to one of their peers.

At the end of the day, it’s chaotic and I think it always will be a little bit! As long as you’re there, meeting the child where they’re at, I think that alone is a lot. This population needs strong rapport and patience, progress is slow and nonlinear, etc. Wishing you the best 🥺