Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Transition Planning Chapter Six
The TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related
Communication handicapped CHildren) program from North Carolina
has many suggestions for schedules.
Providing a signal as a warning of a change
A schedule may not be sufficient to prepare the student for change.
Some students require a consistent symbol, or an object that will be
used in the next activity or setting, to help them understand what is
coming next. For example, as lunchtime approaches, students can be
shown their lunch boxes or bags.
When preparing to move from the class to the library, the student
can carry a book as a reminder of the purpose of the change. Using
a watch, clock, or timer may help the student to understand time periods
and when changes will occur.
Using social stories
Social stories, especially when accompanied by photographs or
pictures, are effective in preparing some students for change, and
particularly in preparing students for new situations and unfamiliar
activities. Visual cues used in combination with verbal instructions
can help the student to understand what is expected. (For more
information, see Chapter 3.)
Transitions Between Grade Levels and Class
Transfers
When preparing for the annual transition between grades in school,
prepare both the student and the receiving teachers. Preparation for
transition should begin in early spring for the fall. The same kinds
of issues need to be addressed when students are moving to a new
class in the school or to a new community where they will enter a new
class. Preparing for these transitions should be addressed through the
SEP process.
Students can be prepared for the new classroom setting by showing
them videotapes or photographs of the new teacher and classroom.
Prepare a small scrapbook that the student can refer to over the summer.
The student may make visits to the future classroom, facilitated by
the current teacher.
The receiving teachers need information about the student’s strengths
and needs and the goals of the SEP, information about ASD, and
information about the educational implications of the student’s learning
style.
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 75