Young Children - May 2008 - (Page 22) procedures to follow, such as how much soap to use, what to do when it is not your turn, and how many paper towels are needed. When a child does not follow the steps for hand washing (or any other transition), teachers should determine if the child understands the expectations and steps. For children to learn the expectations associated with any transition, teachers need to explain or model expectations multiple times in multiple ways (Sandall & Schwartz 2002). One way to accomplish this is to describe the steps using pictures and then role-play each step during group time. After a few days, mix up the photos showing the steps and recruit children to rearrange them. Place the pictures near the area where the transition is going to occur and model the expectations while referring to the pictures. This shows the children how to use the visual supports on their own. Children also can be models for their peers. One child can demonstrate while the teacher narrates. For example, Ms. Lin might say, “Let’s watch Noel at the sink. First, she turns the handles a bit. What does she need next? That’s right, soap! She pumps once because that is all she needs! Now she is rinsing off the bubbles and is ready for her paper towel. How many pulls does she need? Let’s say it together—1, 2, that will do!” (Such rhymes are a fun and easy way to help children remember transition expectations. Another example is to have children chant, “1, 2, 3, save some for me!” to keep the line moving when getting water.) Visual cues or representations (for example, photographs, clip art) assist children in understanding expectations, anticipating the transition, and knowing what to do. Post a visual schedule with removable pieces that each represent activities. As the class completes activities, children remove the corresponding pieces from the schedule. This will help children learn the order of activities across the day, prepare for what is going to happen next, and anticipate transitions between activities. Teachers can place visual reminders strategically throughout the classroom. For example, laminated pictures on the floor cue children about where to line up; a paper strip with photos of the cleanup routine can remind children what to do after snack; and a stop sign on the daily calendar can cue children that something different is happening that day. Use transition times to teach social skills and foster emotional development Transitions provide opportunities for supporting social skills and emotional competencies. Teachers can encourage children to work together and can provide descriptive feedback when they do so (“Look at all of you cleaning up!” “Wow, you have your coat on already? That was fast! Can you help Michael get his coat on?”). Promoting friendship skills can make transitions easier for children: have children find a buddy to sit with, walk down the hall in pairs, work with a friend to clean up, choose a friend to play with, and so on. Acknowledging a child’s feelings validates emotions, teaches emotion words, and helps children learn to handle their feelings appropriately. When a child shows frustration, anger, or sadness at the end of an activity, the teacher can use this as a teachable moment. Acknowledge the emotion (“Caleb, it’s hard to clean up. I can tell you’re worried about leaving your castle”); engage the child in problem solving (“What can we do? Would you like to take a picture? Save it on my desk?”); and help the child follow through on a solution (“Let’s save it on a shelf for tomorrow and go over to snack”). By labeling emotions and finding a solution, teachers help children transition while simultaneously teaching appropriate ways to respond to difficult situations. When some children still have difficulty: Individualizing transition strategies Even when teachers plan transitions, use visual schedules, and create interactive activities, some children may have a difficult time. Teachers can give 5- or 10-minute warnings prior to transitions, use visual cues, and provide prompts to help all children; but when some Barbara Bent/© NAEYC 22 Young Children • May 2008
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