St Anthony’s School Preparation Program

The school preparation program aims to teach functional skills that children with autism may need to make a successful transition into mainstream schools. These skills deal with attending, compliance, sharing, turn taking, expressing needs and wants, following directions, ability to follow classroom routines and rules, and ability to function independently.  Acquisition of these skills may assist children to adapt with ease into the most appropriate and inclusive school environment.

Children with autism need preparation to successfully accommodate the transition from early childhood settings to kindergarten. Different classroom demands are placed on preschoolers and kindergartens. Without specific instruction children with special needs may not acquire the survival skills necessary to learn in kindergarten.

Assessment of kindergarten survival skills based on scientific research findings will be administered in order to determine presence or absence of these skills. Assessment will
involve observation of the child and some direct testing. After administering the appropriate assessment tools, skills that are most likely to interfere with successful transition will be identified and the School Preparation Program will be developed.

Details

The school preparation program will include:

1:           Assessment of kindergarten survival skills
2:           Developing School Preparation Plan
3:           Implementing the School Preparation Plan
4:           Monitoring and updating the program

Duration:             10 weeks—2 hours per week centre based.

Cost:                      $1000