Smooth transitions support social skill development
Change and uncertainty are challenging for most of us. Often, neurodiverse folks need more time than is culturally customary to orient themselves to new spaces, people, and information. Anchors like consistent routines and familiar spaces or objects provide a sense of security and safety. When these anchors reshuffle at the start of a new school year or other big transitions, it can be disorienting and stressful. Previewing can help.
How we use previewing at PlayGroup:
At PlayGroup, we use repetition and layered communication methods to reinforce new information and provide increased time for processing changes.
Introduce new information and upcoming changes a few weeks in advance, if possible. Repeat references to the new information regularly throughout the lead-up time.
Provide information in multiple formats. For example, to introduce a new teacher, show a picture of the teacher with that teacher’s name written next to them, and also read the name aloud. For a new space, pictures/maps and explanations of layout and contents are important.
Pay attention to the way your child prefers to take in new information and reinforce those methods. For example, if your child is overwhelmed by sounds but loves to read, visual-only information such as text and pictures may be best. If your child struggles to read, but loves music, make up songs to add a layer to the auditory information.
Reinforce the information somewhere consistent that the child can connect with it, such as keeping visual information on a refrigerator, near doorknob, with other related materials, etc. Prioritize context by keeping school preview information near a backpack and dentist previews near toothbrush, singing the new-school-song every day at breakfast, etc.
Provide a test run, if possible. Can you visit a new space before the big day? If not, can you at least practice the commute and check out the building exterior? Can you practice the routine of getting ready for school a day or two before the actual first day or have packed lunch from a lunchbox at home? It can help to add some fun to these practices as well. For example, after the practice of getting ready for school on a non-school day, perhaps instead there is a movie to watch or an ice cream trip.