Life Beyond High School: How to Choose a Transition Program
The importance of choosing a great transition program
Finding the right transition program for your child is essential in preparing them for a positive future and helping them discover themselves. We’ve put together a few important questions to ask when trying to choose the best program for your child.
How does the transition program test students’ abilities?
In a good transition program, students with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) or other exceptionalities should not be expected to take traditional pen and pencil tests. These tests can not only cause stress, skewing results but are also not a good indicator of their strengths.
Traditional tests notoriously show students’ weaknesses. A transition program should allow students to demonstrate their abilities and uncover new skills by applying them to real-world scenarios.
How can this be accomplished?
A transition program that truly simulates the work environment is a great way for students to gain the independence and confidence they need to enter the workforce.
Instructors assess students throughout the program while teaching them new skills, versus testing them. This is called performance-based application and curriculum, meaning that students are taught and assessed at the same time. This approach allows students to focus fully on the job in front of them, demonstrating their potential to ‘employers’ aka instructors.
How is success measured?
In a transition program focused on performance-based application, each student is assessed on an individual basis (versus traditional pencil and paper testing.) The results will focus on the student’s strengths, which can be used in conjunction with the student’s Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) team to develop appropriate post-high school transition goals and objectives.
How much hands-on work will students do?
A good transition program should minimize the amount of assistance provided by instructors so that students can learn problem-solving skills on their own. This helps create a more accurate, customized picture of a student’s true potential – inspiring and empowering them to achieve more.
What activities should the transition program offer?
Students should be able to try a wide array of different “jobs” to find what best suits their interests and abilities. A good program will offer a variety of opportunities, such as wiring circuits, fitting pipes, using Excel, counting change, measuring ingredients, sorting mail, etc.
What if my student lacks basic skills and isn’t ready for the world of work or higher-ed?
A transition program should take all students’ needs into account, regardless of their current abilities. Programs customized to each student are key to ensuring success for all students.
To wrap things up...
If your student is unsure of what happens after high school, there are options. Here at PS Academy, we are bringing the workplace into the school with our program, Lyfe Launch.
Our simulated lab converts teachers into employers and students into employees, allowing students to “work” and apply their skills and interests to jobs they could actually have in the future.
Learn about our transition program, Lyfe Launch, by filling out the form below! Also, learn more about post-high school options for your student in our latest blog, here. >
