Transitioning Back to School

9 Tips to Help Your Children Transition Back To School:

1. Talk to your child about what to expect in the upcoming school year (e.g., new school/teacher, school schedule, extracurricular activities).

2. Create a calendar or countdown to prepare your child for when the school year begins (e.g., calendar, paper-chain countdown).

3. Create and practice a back to school morning, afternoon, and night routine. Have your child begin waking up a little earlier each morning so that he/she becomes acclimated to the new wake-up time. Do some “run-throughs” so that your child knows what to expect during the new morning, afternoon, and night routine. Implementing visual schedules may be beneficial.

4. Take a tour of the school so that your child can become familiar with the building and any room he/she may spend time in during the school year (e.g., classrooms, cafeteria, gym, library, bathrooms). Take pictures while you are on the tour so that your child can review it before transitioning back to school.

5. Set up a meeting with your child’s teachers. Remember to take pictures so that your child can review it before transitioning back to school.

6. Ask to meet the bus driver. Some bus drivers take a practice run during the last week of summer vacation. Take pictures!

7. Create a social story about what to expect when going back to school. Use the pictures you took from touring the school, meeting the teachers, and meeting the bus driver. This will help prepare your child for what to expect.

8. Write a letter outlining your child’s strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, possible sensory concerns or dietary restrictions, and motivational rewards to prepare the teachers that will be assisting with your child at school. You can send a copy to the principal, assistant principal, occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech therapist, physical education instructor, music teacher, etc.

9. If your child has sensory concerns, make sure that he/she has a favorite sensory item available. Some children on the spectrum who struggle with sensory overload can benefit from having certain objects that can offer comfort

Jamie Surell, M.S., CCC-SLP

If you have questions regarding your child’s development. Please call us at 410-358-1997. For more info on Pediatric Speech Therapy click here

Resources:

https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/17-tips-help-transition-back-school-kids-autism

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-life/back-to-school/10-ways-to-make-switch-summer-to-school.html