Manage successful transitions
Help years 1-8 students to be successful in the learning environment by understanding and minimising challenges.
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Create a predictable environment
Create a predictable environment
Use predictable routines and systems
- Use class and personalised timetables so that students can anticipate transitions and manage themselves independently.
- Support routines and comprehension with visuals.
- Keep visuals and supports consistent over time.
- Use the same visuals, signals, language and cues across the school.
- Teach and model how to use planning and scheduling tools.
- Make visuals and resources easy to find by using clearly divided zones, for example a maths resources zone.
Signal and manage transitions and changes
- Use timers, timetables and visuals or task boards to clarify tasks and transitions.
- Talk through last minute changes that may be startling to students.
Support classroom transitions
Support classroom transitions
Sarah Batarseh talks about how she uses lights, music, visual schedules, time and modelling to help students to transition smoothly from one activity to the next.
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 timetable
Use a visual timetable
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]](https://inclusive-live-storagestack-assetstorages3bucket-3uty0hejzw6u.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/public/inclusive-education/example-images/Teacher-and-student-discussing-visual-timetable__ScaleMaxWidthWzEwODZd.jpg)
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”:
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Current page Manage successful transitions
Return to the guide “Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and learning”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: FASD and learning
Understand:
- Understanding FASD
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Teach students about alcohol harm during pregnancyShow suggestions for Teach students about alcohol harm during pregnancy
Strategies for action:
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Identify needs and how to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify needs and how to provide support
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Key areas to supportShow suggestions for Key areas to support
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Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 1-8
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Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies years 9-13
