NJ PBSIS Strategies for Transitions and Staggered Work Endings 1

Strategies and Practices to Promote Effective Transitions and Staggered Work Endings

Practices for Effective Transitions

 Have a visible daily schedule for group assignments

 Have group schedule posted at each station as a reminder.

 Define an explicit procedure for the routine in terms of discrete steps and actions. For example:

 Use signal to gain attention and then give a 2 minute warning.

. When 2 minute warning is given, adults provide social coaching to prepare students in their group for the transition:

o Prompt to take last turn, finish up last item, make last comment

o Prompt to clean up materials

 Give final warning at 30 seconds to prompt groups to gather materials and clean up.

. Adults review where the students in their group are going next and the expectations for moving from one area to another

o Expectations should be short, positively stated, and action oriented

 Use a digital clock so that students can match the actual time with the center assigned time

NJ PBSIS (2015). NJ PBSIS is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. NJ PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org NJ PBSIS Strategies for Transitions and Staggered Work Endings 2

 Using a timer, clap, or some other signal cue students that time is up and it is time to rotate.

 Use 30 seconds of music during transition (when the music stops, everyone in seat)

 Provide frequent social praise / Caught being Good tickets to reinforce following the expectations/routine

Ensuring Constructively Engaged Time during Staggered Work Endings

 Teach students a planning strategy for free time:

EXAMPLE: End of class/finished with work  “How much time do I have?” (10 minutes)  “What can I do in 10 minutes?” (read, draw, work on math homework)  “Do I have what I need to do these things?” (book, pencil and paper, math worksheet)  “Pick one and get started”

 Have a ‘class basket’ prepared with activities they can engage in during indoor recess (e.g., coloring, game boards, review flashcards, etc.).

 Develop an activity choice board or center that students can self-select an activity while waiting (e.g., if they finish a task early or there is delay in going down to an assembly, etc.).

 Help the student to develop a ‘structure’ for the time (e.g., break the time block into chunks with a targeted activity or targeted steps to accomplish: first, next, finally).

 ‘Pre-correct’ behavior by providing a verbal reminder just before the student begins the routine (e.g., “Remember mind your space and keep moving in the hallway”).

 Help the student to have short ‘time fillers’ ready (e.g., flashcards, book to read, journal to write or draw in etc.) for when there are delays or unstructured free time

 Unfinished Work: keep an expandable file so that students may file unfinished work to complete when they have extra time.