47. Managing Classroom Transitions for Students with Special Needs

Teach, Task Box, Inspire: The Podcast (A Show for Special Educators)

Are you starting off the school year with behaviors you are unsure how to deal with? You won't want to miss episode 47! In this episode of Teach Task Box Inspire, Lisa discusses effective strategies for managing classroom transitions for students with special needs. Transitions can be challenging for students, often leading to anxiety and disruptive behaviors. Lisa explores how preparation, reducing anxiety, and streamlining transition processes can make these moments smoother and less stressful. She also shares practical tips such as using visual schedules, countdown timers, First-Then strategies, and creating calm corners to help students feel more secure and confident during transitions.

Episode Highlights:

• Visual Schedules:
• Utilize visual schedules to provide students with a clear and predictable sequence of events, helping them understand what’s coming next and reducing anxiety.
• Countdown Timers and Transition Cues:
• Use countdown timers and consistent transition cues to mentally prepare students for upcoming changes and make transitions smoother.
• First-Then Strategies:
• Implement First-Then strategies to help students manage anxiety by clearly outlining what needs to be done now and what they can look forward to afterward.
• Calm Corners and Positive Reinforcement:
• Offer access to calm corners for students who need to decompress during transitions and use positive reinforcement to motivate successful transitions.

Resources Mentioned:

• Token Boards
• Preference Assessments
• Color Coded Visual Schedules
• Visual Aids
• Free training: 3 Simple and Powerful Ways to Cultivate Independence in Your Special Education Classroom

Show Notes: https://chalkboardsuperhero.com/episode47