Grades 3 - 5
Transition Across the Grade Span: From Pre-K to Post-Grad
- Using positive language, begin to have conversations with your child about their disability (e.g., brain difference vs. disorder). Be factual and informative
- Answer your child's questions about their disability and validate their feelings
- Model how to use positive, non-judgmental language to describe themselves
- Discuss with your child how accommodations and services support their strengths, interests, preferences, and needs
- Identify short and long-term goals at school and as a family
- Talk to your child about what the IEP is and encourage them to attend and meaningfully participate in meetings (Student Rubric for IEP Participation)
- Encourage your child to know what they need and advocate for themselves at school, at home, and in the community
- Help identify components of a Good Day Plan and the I'm Determined One Pager and share with your child's school team
- Talk to your child's team about factors to consider related to assessment and diploma options
- Work with your child to set up effective routines and / or study environments at home
- Encourage increased independence and use of tools for scheduling, organization, and homework / activity / task completion
- Explore tools such as the Academic and Career Plan Portfolio (ACPP) that your child will be completing at school
- Discuss skills and behaviors essential to success (punctuality, courtesy, reliability, responsibility, self-regulation)
- Relate individual effort, hard work, and persistence to achievement
- Use tools such as Virginia Career View to identify career options through exploration
- Inquire about school-based jobs
- Volunteer with the family in the community
- Help extended family members or neighbors with tasks in their home or the community - help with shopping, raking leaves, picking up sticks in the yard, etc.
- Increase responsibilities with home chores
- Complete self-care tasks
- Participate in school extracurricular and community recreational activities
- Help children build social skills (i.e. understand what it means to be a good friend)
- Support children's relationships with friends
- Provide opportunities to practice time management skills (e.g., setting an alarm to get up in the morning, using a daily or weekly schedule / calendar)
- Encourage exploration of extracurricular activities, hobbies and recreation to discover and develop strengths and interests
- Ensure your child has opportunities to problem-solve and learn from mistakes
- Practice with your child what to do in emergencies
- Assist your child with creating weekly goals and tracking progress toward completion.
This product was created by the Family Engagement Network (FEN), through a grant provided by the Virginia Department of Education and managed by the Center for Family Involvement at the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University.
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