5 Tips for Preparing Your Child for Back to School
After the holidays, people with Autism need to adjust to the new school environment. The child with Autism will be learning new things, may meet new teachers and friends, and may be in different classrooms. Children with Autism can be stressed if they are not well prepared.
To help children feel comfortable returning to school, here are five steps that parents and schools can take:
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Take the Children on a School Tour
Before the first day of school, it is important to familiarize your child with the school environment. If possible, take your child around the school to see important places such as classrooms, canteen, toilets, library and playground. This will help your child feel more comfortable when entering a new environment.
To maximize this experience, we can take photographs of these places. Then we can put them together in the form of social stories. Social stories are a very powerful tool to help children understand social situations and what is expected of them.
With this visualization, children will be better prepared. They will understand what they will be facing at school.
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Create a Cozy Home
After a day full of activities and stimulation at school, children feel physically and emotionally exhausted. It is therefore important for us to create a comfortable home environment for our children.
Home should be a place where children feel calm and free to express themselves. Whether it's to rest, play or do activities they enjoy.
Having a dedicated space in the home can help children relieve stress. This ensures that children have a safe place to deal with their emotions.
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Create a Consistent Routine
Children with Autism tend to settle into a routine. It is therefore important to re-establish a routine similar to school before the holidays end.
For example, you can start by waking your children at the same time as they have to get up for school. We can also start to reintroduce daily activities that are synonymous with school, such as preparing a bag or putting on a uniform.
By getting children back into this routine, they are better prepared when school starts. The transition from holiday to school doesn't feel too abrupt and disruptive.
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Ensure an Inclusive School Environment
Schools should play an active role in creating an inclusive environment for all children, including those with Autism. Teachers have a huge responsibility to ensure that every child feels safe, accepted and valued at school.
An inclusive school environment means not only providing physical access, but also promoting healthy relationships between pupils and providing appropriate emotional and academic support.
Teachers can use various strategies, such as encouraging self-monitoring, providing game-based support and encouraging positive social interactions between students.
In this way, children with Autism can feel that they have a place and a role in school, which is important for their sense of security and comfort.
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Establish effective communication between teachers and parents
Open and honest communication between teachers and parents is key to supporting children's success at school. Each child with Autism has unique needs and characteristics, so the teaching approach should be tailored to the individual.
We can help teachers understand children by providing a child profile with strengths, challenges and effective communication strategies. With good communication, teachers can better understand the child's needs and use the most appropriate teaching methods. Good collaboration between the school and parents will ensure that the child receives the best support during this transition process.
Transition will not be confusing for children with Autism if we prepare well. Good transition preparation will make the child feel comfortable and secure in his or her daily routine.