Episode description

It’s starting to get to the end of 2021, and you might already be starting to think about how you will ease the transition for the children you know. Or if you are just coming out of learning from home and moving to in-person teaching, these transition tips will help reduce anxiety and stress!

Transition can be big or small changes: it includes change in teacher, change in room, change in students in the class not just starting preschool, school, high school and beyond.

The nature of autism is such that transition can be extremely stressful, no matter what age or how BIG or SMALL the change, maybe.

Changing Teacher is like…. Moving to a Foreign Country

For children with autism, moving to a new teacher, classroom or campus is like moving to a foreign country. There is a different language (e.g. old teacher says ‘pack away’, new teacher says ‘clean up’). Teachers and other students have different facial expressions and body language to interpret, new rules, new schedules, new smells, different pencils, just to mention a few changes. This new ‘foreign country’ causes the child to feel enormous anxiety and stress, which in turn can lead to behaviour. This anxiety and behaviour can be managed by effective planning and transition strategies.

https://suelarkey.com.au/cheat-sheets-for-transition/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/suelarkeypodcastcommunity/

https://elearning.suelarkey.com.au