Transition to Big School

Sylvia Choo
Department of Child Development
18 Dec 2021
Timeline

Last Quarter K2
4th Quarter K1 2nd Quarter K2
Gather Transition Reports.
Case Conference with EIPIC teachers School Readiness Assessments for
Arrange meetings with receiving
PTM K1 teachers EIPIC children/children headed to
school – AE(LBS), VP, teachers.
Pathlight
Attend Orientation.

K1 T3 K1 T4 K2 T1 K2 T2 K2 T3 K2 T4

3rd Quarter K1 1st Quarter K2 3rd Quarter K2

Start talking to EIPIC/K1 teachers School Readiness Assessments for Registration for P1
EIPIC children/children headed to Starts July
Pathlight
 School Readiness Assessments
• Psychologist in EIPIC
– Familiar environment
– Possibility of familiar
faces around him – EIPIC
psych has possibility of
getting to know the child
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• Why do an assessment?
– Significant developmental
delays attending EIPIC
– Developmental/learning/
cognitive profile
§ Strengths, challenges
– Useful for school, all
stakeholders
– Whether SPEd is a
consideration or not
 Types of School Readiness Assessments
• SRA Assessment • Learning
• SRC Consult – Literacy skills
• SRE Evaluation – Numeracy skills

• SRT Test • IQ
• Adaptive skills
Results of these assessments & reports should inform & support the transition

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 Supporting Transitions
• EIPIC/K2 • In all settings
– Information to support – Understanding
transition
§ reports
– Support
– Monitoring
• KKH DCD/NUH CDU
– KKH DCD
§ Social skills group
§ P1 Transition Program ASD
– NUH CDU
§ STARS
• External Programs

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 Considering Deferment
• Why? • What is the Plan for
– Language Deferment Year?
– Learning
– Classroom behaviour

– No retention in Primary
School

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Ultimately…
• We want our child to
– Be healthy & happy!
– Enjoy going to school
– Enjoy learning (though
perhaps at a different pace)
 WHAT ABOUT AT HOME?

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A Happy Healthy Child!
• We are physical beings
– We learn better when our bodies
are physically healthy
§ Sleeping enough
§ Eating nutritious food
§ Getting physically active

Singapore Integrated 24-hour Activity Guidelines for Children & Adolescents

Sleep!
• Sleep Hygiene
– Make pre-sleep routines
enjoyable!
§ Warm milky drink
§ Brush teeth, toilet
– Environment
§ Quiet, calm, dark
– Activities
§ ↓ toys, screens
– Shared reading
 Eat & Move!
• Eat nutritious, balanced • Incorporate physical
meals activity/exercise into
every day
– 1h/day activity
– 2h/day outdoors

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Happy Healthy Child!
• We are social beings
– Our brains work better if
we are not feeling socially
isolated
§ Belonging, fitting in
§ An adult who believes that
the child can succeed and
do well
“In order to develop normally, a child requires progressively more
complex joint activity with one or more adults who have an
irrational emotional relationship with the child.
Somebody's got to be crazy about that kid. That's number one.
First, last and always.”

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)

Co-founder, HeadStart Program
Communications
Anxiety
• Not uncommon in preschoolers
• From so many possible aspects
– Awareness of differences
– Fear of making mistakes
– ‘Intolerance of uncertainty’ in autism
Anxiety in Autism
www.city.ac.uk Nov 2018
 Building Confidence
• Reduce Anxiety • Teach specific ‘skills’ in
– Structures, routines
different situations
– Predictability
– Don't assume that children will
• Building Confidence learn these by themselves
– Role model
– Encourage independence • We need to give our child
– Teach & encourage problem- – Time & opportunities to practise
solving
– Positive successful experiences
– Give your child a
job/responsibility that is § Remember these!!!
doable/attainable
– Praise effort over
personal characteristics

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Schedules & Routines
• Routines and Schedules
– Allows us to be consistent
– Can predict next course of action
§ Reduce anxiety
§ Build confidence

§ Schedules
– big picture of main activities to be completed daily
§ Routines
– Steps needed to complete schedule

Establish a daily & weekly schedule

 Maintain Routines
• Sleep/Wake
– Maintaining physical health
– Good sleep hygiene
• Eating/Hygiene
– Balanced diet
– Toileting/bathing
• Household helping
• Physical activity/Exercise
• Play
• Work/Reading

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Use Visuals
• Visual schedules
– First… then…
• Reminders
• ↓ need for constant
repetition
 Work
Time
• Regular time for homework
– Work with mummy/work alone
– Plan this with your child
• A short, less overwhelming time period
is good to start with
– 10-15 min for younger children
• Allow breaks (for older children)
– Movement breaks
• Use the “First– Then” principle
– “First” – Work
– “Then” – An activity he enjoys
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Space
• Ideally… a consistent work space
– Distraction-free
§ Low traffic
§ ↓ visual distractions
§ Switch off TV, remove electronics
– Including our phones…
– Good lighting
– Desk & chair – right size
§ Feet not dangling – stool for feet
– If a few children share the space
§ a private section - file holder as a
divider
§ a private drawer/box for storage – have
a way to tidy up
– Supplies
§ Stationery, materials
§ Extras/refills
Attention
• Younger students
– Whole Body Listening
– Practise paying attention
§ Use timer
Motivation
• Break down big complex tasks into
smaller chunks
– Make the task seem more doable
– Reward your child & yourself
more immediately for little
steps taken towards reaching goals

• Start with a task

– that the child is able to do
– that is engaging but not too difficult
§ Builds confidence

• Have a clear endpoint (& stick to it)

– Use a checklist
– Use a timer
• “Keep going till you’re done”
 Reading Time

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 Green Time vs Screen Time
• Contentious issue
• Loses opportunities for
other interactions and play
• Parents/the family should
remain in control of the
dose of screen time

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 Being Outdoors, in Nature

• Sunshine
– Vitamin D
• Nature provides
– Rich diverse multisensory experiences
– Opportunities for noisy, boisterous, vigorous,
physically active play
– Opportunities for physical challenge & risk-taking
– Rough uneven surfaces with opportunities for
development of physical strength, balance &
coordination
– Natural elements & loose parts that children can
combine, manipulate & adapt for their own
purposes
• Appreciation of nature

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 Physical Activity
• Health benefits
• Boosts wellbeing
– Builds confidence
– Sleeps well
– Concentrates better at school
– Learns social skills

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 Free Play
• Taking risks
• Socialisation
• Creative thinking
• Executive function
• Emotional regulation
• …

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 Helping in the Household
• Motivation is being
around their parents
• The importance of helping
– Everyone in the family helps
out
• Prioritisation
– First/Then
– Need-to’s come before
want-to’s
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• Advantages
– Learn skills
– ↑ self esteem
§ they are valued as a helper
– It could really help adults
• There is an order to things
– Everything has a
beginning/middle/end
– ‘finishing tasks’
 Helping out at home in Singapore
Age Learning Goal Ideas
2-5 Sequencing Put away toys, put laundry in basket, put plates in sink
6-9 Everything goes Feed pets, water plants
into its place Dinner prep, setting the table
Fold/put away laundry
Manage schoolbag/activities gear
10-12 Independence Make breakfast, snacks
Put trash out
Make bed, clean bedroom
12-16 Prioritisation Laundry, clean bathroom
16+ Preparation for life Iron clothes, sew buttons
Cook meals
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Model what strong planning & organisation skills
look like
• Talking aloud
– Children look to adults as a guide for
their own behavior
– Children see how adults use executive
function skills in their daily lives to be
planful & organised
Organisational Skills
• Getting ready for school the next day
– Getting my uniform ready
– Packing my school bag
– Setting up and using school diary (include
abbreviations/shortcuts for those who need this)

• Placing key items in the same place

– Homework folder
– Water bottle/wallet

• Keep it simple!
• Show what ‘success’ looks like
 Vroom.org
• https://www.vroom.org

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 • The Mom Brain Therapist
– https://www.mombraintherapist.com

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Model & Teach Problem-Solving
• Identify the problem
• Brainstorm solutions
• Consider consequences
– pros and cons
• Pick a solution and give it a
try
– “If it doesn’t work – it’s ok – let’s
try something else!”
ChallengingBehavior.org
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
When Things Don’t Go Right…
Consider teaching:

• Asking for help

• Receiving help
Consider teaching:
• "Social skills"
– How to join an activity that
has already started
– How to get along when the
unexpected happens
– How to win/How to lose
– Buying food, asking for
ketchup
 Encourage & Celebrate!!!
• Catch the children being
good!
– Provide Frequent Positive
Reinforcement and Feedback
– Verbally acknowledge children for
making good choices
– Use stickers, coupons, and ‘trips’ to
reward children for making progress

• Celebrate
– Small steps, small successes
– Strengths, achievements

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It All Takes Time!!!
 Parental Well-being & Self-Care
• Parental wellbeing
– Physical & mental health
– “what is your charging station?”
– Locus of control…
– Doing things that are fun for the whole
family

– Time
– Space
– Resources
§ Caring.Sg
§ Parenting programmes, groups, websites
§ Family service centres, social service agencies,
§ Early childhood intervention and
education centres

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Thank You! sylvia.choo.h.t@singhealth.com.sg