Date
24 March 2024

Manage successful transitions

Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8’

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Classroom transitions

Classroom transitions

For students with FASD, ending one activity then beginning another can be a daunting task.

Directly teach the routines and expectations, then practise frequently.

Provide frequent guidance and positive feedback.

Transitions between activities

Transitions between activities

  • Use a calm, quiet voice to tell students what is happening.
  • Provide a signal to warn students that a transition is approaching. For example, use a hand sign or a sound to indicate the end of an activity.
  • Give advance warning of a planned transition. For example, “The lunch bell is going to ring soon. Put away your books now.”
  • Refer to the visual timetable to show students what is happening next.
  • Supervise transitions so they happen smoothly.

Use a visual time table

Use a visual time table

For children with FASD, a sense of time must be imposed by external means.

Students who have an established routine are better able to create a sense of time but they need plenty of preparation for changes.

7075 [Teacher-and-student-discussing-visual-timetable.jpg]

Source: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

Source:
Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

Manage pressure points

Manage pressure points

I hate going into the cloakroom in the morning as there is lots of pushing and shoving.

Mr Jack noticed that I was always grumpy first thing in the morning so he talked to me and my mum and we decided that I would come to class first and then go and hang up my bag after the bell.

Now I come into class happy and complete my handwriting without hurting others beside me.

Student (NZ)

Prepare students ahead of time

Prepare students ahead of time

To help a student prepare for their first school camp, students at Houghton Valley School made a book using digital photos with simple captions. 

Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8”:

Return to the guide “Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and learning”

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