Workbook: Autumn/fall

 Autumn is full of colours, changes, and new sensory experiences – perfect as a starting point for language and learning. This workbook is designed to help pupils explore autumn themes in a concrete, visual, and engaging way. The activities suit both children who learn through images and action, and pupils who need extra support with language, concept development, and comprehension.

A visual and concrete learning tool

The workbook is built on the principle that learning happens best when pupils see, do, and speak simultaneously. Many pupils – particularly those using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) or those needing visual support – require clear images and tasks that make sense in the here and now. This also applies to the youngest learners.

Through autumn motifs, they get opportunities to practise:

🍁describing what they see

🍁understanding and using prepositions

🍁counting and comparing

🍁reading and finding words in context

🍁linking language to action

This makes the activities suitable for special needs education, pupils with English as a second language, those needing extra language practice in class, and the youngest pupils.

Activities in the workbook

The workbook includes several types of activities covering various learning objectives:

🍂 Descriptive tasks: Pupils look at an image and write or say sentences about it. This trains observation, sentence construction, and oral expression.

🍂 Concept learning: Tasks such as “high and low” make it easier to concretise differences and categories.

🍂 Maze and problem-solving: Children help characters reach the apple orchard – a great way to practise planning and perseverance while staying focused on an autumn theme.

🍂 Word search: A crossword with autumn words like “autumn”, “rain”, “mushroom”, “wind”, and “lingonberry” trains visual discrimination, attention, and word recognition. Pupils learn to scan systematically and recognise words in a new format.

🍂 Prepositions: Pupils place images based on descriptions such as “on”, “behind”, “in front of”, and “next to” – a central area for language comprehension.

🍂 Reading comprehension and concepts: In the task “Who are they?”, pupils match sentences to the correct images: “Silje is driving the tractor”, “Emilie is riding the horse”. This trains basic reading comprehension, visual attention, and farm-related concepts.

🍂 Counting tasks: A page where pupils count scarves, hats, trees, dogs, and jackets provides good practice in counting, quantities, and visual scanning.

Practical use in teaching

The workbook can be used in many ways – depending on the pupil’s level and needs.

💡 For AAC users:

Use a speech-generating device or communication board to comment on the images together. Let the pupil choose words like “wind”, “leaf”, “cold”, or “mushroom” from their vocabulary base. The activities provide many natural opportunities to use language in context.

💡 For pupils needing motor adaptations:

The activities can be laminated and used with Velcro instead of cutting, gluing, or writing. The figures on the cut-out page can then be moved around, allowing pupils to participate without using a pencil or scissors.

💡 For pupils with English as a second language:

The autumn theme offers many words to link to concrete experiences. Use the workbook as a conversation starter before going on a walk to observe “real autumn”.

💡 For the whole class:

Several activities work well as station work or extra tasks in autumn for lower primary levels. Pupils enjoy counting, finding words, and helping characters through the maze – regardless of level.

Tips for reuse

If you want to use the workbook multiple times, it is recommended to laminate the pages. You can then attach the figures with Velcro and use a whiteboard pen. This makes the workbook more durable, and pupils can erase and try again.

You can also use the pages as stations in the classroom. Let one station focus on counting, another on prepositions, and a third on word search. This way, pupils get variation and movement while repeating important concepts.

Why the autumn theme works so well

Autumn is a time rich in sensory impressions. One can see leaves changing colour, feel the wind, smell the rain, and taste apples and berries. When teaching is based on this, learning becomes more vivid.

The autumn theme invites natural conversations such as:

What happens to the trees when it gets cold?

Why do we wear scarves and hats?

Which animals live on the farm?

Which colour do the leaves turn first?

These questions give pupils the chance to express their own observations, use new words, and build understanding – all without feeling like a test.

Diverse learning

The workbook is designed to be used in many ways and for many types of pupils. It suits those who speak, and those who use symbols or speech-generating devices. It works in groups, one-to-one teaching, or as homework.

The goal is always the same: to create mastery.

🍁Download the workbook