Transitions Throughout a Typical School Day: Strategies for Children with Autism in Early Childhood

Transitions within a classroom can be defined as “entering class and taking a seat, switching from one academic activity to another, and exiting class” (Finley, 2017). This process can be difficult for many students, especially if they have Autism. Most of these transitions occur during the school day. Therefore, it is necessary for children to adapt to these transitions at a young age so they can begin to rely on this cognitive/ affective process later in life. This process should begin as soon as the student is ready for school. Teachers, families, and peers can play an important role in creating and using strategies for a successful transition. These strategies will provide a smoother experience for those students with Autism who may need more assistance based upon their their individual characteristics and classroom needs. The content of this presentation will focus on adapting classroom transitions for students with Autism, and how teachers need to effectively implement these transition experiences in order to create a more efficient classroom