Basa Pilipinas

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Session 7:
The Importance of Transitions

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Objective

•  To understand the importance of transitions for

children in the classroom

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Transitions

•  A “passage from one place to another”.

•  For learners à “having to hurry up” or “waiting”.
•  For a teacher à “chaos”.
•  transition = change

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Types of Transitions

1.  Transitions between activities within a given

setting (e.g., small group to large group
situations, snacks to Story Time)

2.  Transitions between settings on the same day

(e.g., home to school; school to an enrichment
program)

3.  Transitions between programs (e.g., daycare to

Kinder, Kinder to Grade 1) 5
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Why is it important to address

TRANSITIONS?

•  Transitions take a great deal of time

•  Transitions = waiting
•  Transitions can be frustrating
•  Aim to reduce transitions à learner engagement
•  Setting clear expectations
•  Importance of making independent transitions
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Before Transition Strategies

•  Plan your daily schedule to include the minimal

number of transition times possible.
•  Consider what the children and adults will do
during these times.
•  Provide verbal and nonverbal cues before
transitions
•  Minimize the number of transitions during which
all children have to do the same thing at the same
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During Transition Strategies

•  Sing songs, play word or guessing games, recite

rhymes, or do finger plays with children
•  Plan a gradual increase or decrease in the level of
activity and a good balance of active and quiet play
•  Allow children adequate time to finish projects or
activities
•  Plan something for those children who finish an
activity quickly so they are not waiting without
something to do 8
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After Transition Strategies

•  Provide positive attention or sincere feedback to

children during AND following smooth
transitions.
•  Give very specific positive feedback after
transitions.

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Transitions: Promoting Independence

•  Allow children to move individually from one area

to another area when they complete an activity
•  Teach children to help others
•  Help children self-monitor during transitions

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Video: Transitioning in a Kindergarten Class

1.  How many transition situations did you identify?

2.  What transition strategies did you observe
before the transition?
3.  What transition strategies did you observe
during the transition?
4.  What transition strategies did you observe after
the transition?

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KEEP IN MIND:

•  Children need to transition smoothly and

independently from one activity to another.
•  In Kindergarten, most classroom management
issues can be addressed by proper and
appropriate transition planning.
•  Transitions make Kindergarten classrooms run
more smoothly by reinforcing a sense of
community and an environment that is conducive
to learning. 12
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Maraming
salamat po!
Daghang
salamat! Agyamanak!

Yayi Espenilla-Fua
Early Childhood Development Specialist
USAID/Basa Pilipinas
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yfua@edc.org