1. 1
OVERVIEW
This is an article review of Anthony M. Denkyirah and Wilson K. Agbeke 2010,
which investigated the Strategies for Transitioning Preschool with Autism Spectrum
Disorder to Kindergarten. The article was published in Early Childhood Education
Journal. Research (Rice and O’Brien (1990), Rule et al. (1990), and Wittmer et al.
(1996) found that an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children who sustained
suitable services in their preschool years, they are able to face academic challenges
and try to continue developing their cognitive, living and social skills.
How the children with ASD adopt the transition to kindergarten it’s depend partly on
how the teachers control, manage and develop strategies when working with their
family. This research was one, to identify strategies that teachers of preschoolers with
ASD considered to be effective in transitioning preschool to school settings.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODOLOGY
A quantitative approach was used in this study. The population of 306 preschool
teachers from public schools in eight counties in a Midwestern state in the USA
involved in this study together with their counterpart from early childhood programs
in eastern and central region of Ghana as many as 82 persons. In this study the
selected participants sample were female.
The most important issues identified by the participant are: -
1. Planning and preparation time
2. Find resources to help the family
3. Information sharing with family
4. Visits their home
Title of Article Strategies for Transitioning Preschool with Autism Spectrum
Disorder to Kindergarten
Name of Journal Early Childhood Educational Journal
Volume 265-270
Year Published 2010
Name Siti Marissa binti Hussin
ID Number 2012510817

2. 2
EVALUATION
Autism children can be educated. The uniqueness of the learning patterns is caused by
the inability in cognitive information processing. These disabilities can be overcome
by providing a structured learning programmed and encourage stimulation. Structured
learning program should be initiated as early as possible with their parents and their
parents have to act as teachers.
Learning programs for children are patterned towards the analysis of the behavior and
encourage the use of speech and communication. Children with severe levels of
autism must be taught individually, but for those who are moderate and mild,
integration with normal children make them more effective. Parents and teachers need
to identify factors strengthening them like giving cookies or other, in addition to the
praise given.
Two major types experience by ASD children are vertical and horizontal transition.
Where vertical transition is like preschool program to kindergarten, while horizontal
transition for the development and predictable scope.
Parents and teachers can also use social reinforcement to ensure that they show good
behavior and keep learning. It is important to maintain a regular schedule is followed,
making the environment as something to be expected by the child. When the need to
make changes, guardian or teacher must be prepared for children with autism will
become uncomfortable and show resisting behavior. While in communication, the
increase can be done using the appropriate movement and gestures.
DISCUSSION OF IMPLICATION
Based on the study, only teachers with special education qualification were credential
to participate in this case. Of course the one who had taught or were teaching
preschool with Autism Spectrum Disorder children are selected for this survey. For
private school like mine, it is very difficult to deal with ASD children because we
don’t have qualification towards that. The parents supposed send their children to
special school but they don’t. Some of them denied or cannot accept that their
children have this kind of problem.

3. 3
As parents they want the teacher to focus on their child more compared to others. But
teachers cannot be biased and must treat the children equally. Parents supposed to
understand teachers and help lighten the load together. Parents should provide
suitable and better place to improve child performance, understanding and encourage
them for the transitional in the future.
Preparation programs for early childhood special education by the teachers must be
address to the parents’ professional collaboration in their critical area. This will help
early childhood educators to develop skills they need to work with parents. Then, the
teachers must prepare transitional planning to the parent as early as 6 months before
they move to kindergarten. This will give strengthen, confidence to ASD children and
they ready to moves. Inappropriate planning will lead to problems.
Other than that, parent should give additional support to their children to make them
calm because they will face new environment, new friends, and new placement.
Maybe they can go after school programs for community resources and learn how to
deal with changes. Moreover, preschool teachers also can recommend and visit
potential kindergarten with that service to look an opportunities and experiences of
the staff. They should go for open day to get information and procedures of the
kindergartens to be compared.
The effectiveness of the transitions for children, who had ASD from preschool to
kindergarten, depends on how the strategies plan by the teachers. Further more, the
teacher must prepare not only strategies but time planning as well and how much the
kindergarten teachers are prepared for in-coming child. Sharing information and
participation from parents are important to support their children with ASD.
More studies should be done to promote a better understanding among teachers
regarding similarities and differences that exist in educational practices in developed
and developing countries.