Skip to main content
Log in

Kindergarten Transition Preparation: A Comparison of Teacher and Parent Practices for Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

  • Published:
Early Childhood Education Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The transition to kindergarten represents an important developmental milestone for children and may pose unique challenges to children with disabilities, their families, and teachers. The primary goal of the current study was to investigate teacher concerns regarding the transition to kindergarten as well as teacher and parent-reported transition preparation practices and involvement for a sample of children with autism spectrum disorders (n = 19) and children with other developmental disabilities (n = 76). Teachers reported significantly more concerns for children in the ASD group than for children in the DD group, although there was no difference in total involvement in transition practices between groups. Although teacher and parent involvement in transition preparation was generally high, generic less individualized practices often were utilized. Study findings are discussed in the context of future research directions to help facilitate kindergarten transitions for young children with disabilities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, K. L., & Entwisle, D. R. (1988). Achievement in the first two years of school: Patterns and processes. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 53(2, Serial No. 218).

  • Carta, J., Atwater, J., Schwartz, I., & Miller, P. (1990). Applications of ecobehavioral analysis to the study of transitions across early education settings. Education and Treatment of Children, 13(4), 298–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denkyirah, A. M., & Agbeke, W. K. (2010). Strategies for transitioning preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders to kindergarten. Early Childhood Education Journal. Published online early 31 July 2010. doi: 10.1007/s10643-010-0407-z.

  • Early, D. M., Pianta, R. C., & Cox, M. J. (1999). Kindergarten teachers and classrooms: A transition context. Early Education and Development, 10, 25–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Early, D. M., Pianta, R. C., Taylor, L. C., & Cox, M. J. (2001). Transition practices: Findings from a national survey of kindergarten teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 28, 199–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckert, T. L., McIntyre, L. L., DiGennaro, F. D., Arbolino, L., Begeny, J., & Perry, L. J. (2008). Researching the transition to kindergarten for typically developing children: A literature review of current processes, practices, and programs. In D. H. Molina (Ed.), School psychology: 21st century issues and challenges (pp. 235–252). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, E. (2003). Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with and without intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 47(1), 51–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forest, E. J., Horner, R. H., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Todd, A. W. (2004). Transitions for young children with autism from preschool to kindergarten. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6, 103–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, S. A., Schwartz, I., & Atwater, J. (1991). Perspectives on the transition from preschool to kindergarten for children with disabilities and their families. Exceptional Children, 58, 136–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W., & Price, J. M. (1987). Predicting children’s social and school adjustment following the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Child Development, 58, 1168–1189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Ager, C., & Shapiro, E. S. (1995). Template matching as a strategy for assessment of and intervention for preschool students with disabilities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 15, 187–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, L. L. (2008). Parent training in young children with developmental disabilities: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 113, 356–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, L. L., & Wildenger, L. K. (2011, in press). Examining the state of the science: Empirical support for kindergarten transition practices. In D. M. Laverick & M. R. Jalongo (Eds.), Transitions to early care and education: International perspectives on making schools ready for young children. New York: Springer.

  • McIntyre, L. L., Blacher, J., & Baker, B. L. (2006). The transition to school: Adaptation in young children with and without intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50, 349–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, L. L., Eckert, T. L., Fiese, B. H., DiGennaro, F. D., & Wildenger, L. K. (2007). Transition to kindergarten: Family experiences and involvement. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35, 83–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, L. L., Eckert, T. L., Fiese, B. H., DiGennaro, F. D., & Wildenger, L. K. (2010). Family concerns surrounding kindergarten transition: A comparison of students in special and general education. Early Childhood Education Journal. doi:10.1007/s10643-010-0416-y

  • Pianta, R., & Kraft-Sayre, M. (2003). Successful kindergarten transition. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pianta, R. C., Cox, M. J., Taylor, L. C., & Early, D. M. (1999). Kindergarten teachers’ practices related to the transition to school: Results of a national survey. The Elementary School Journal, 100, 71–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Pianta, R. C. (1999). Patterns of family-school contact in preschool and kindergarten. School Psychology Review, 28, 426–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Pianta, R. C. (2000). An ecological perspective on the transition to kindergarten: A theoretical framework to guide empirical research. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21, 491–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S., Pianta, R., & Cox, M. (2000). Teachers’ judgments of problems in the transition to kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15(2), 147–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rule, S., Fiechtl, B. J., & Innocenti, M. S. (1990). Preparation for transition to mainstreamed post-preschool environments: Development of a survival skills curriculum. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9, 78–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schulting, A. B., Malone, P. S., & Dodge, K. A. (2005). The effect of school-based kindergarten transition policies and practices on child academic outcomes. Developmental Psychology, 41, 860–871.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, S., Reiss, M., Rothlein, L., & Hughes, M. (1999). Kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of instructing students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 20(3), 184–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This paper was supported in part, by grant R03HD047711 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development awarded to the second author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Lee McIntyre.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Quintero, N., McIntyre, L.L. Kindergarten Transition Preparation: A Comparison of Teacher and Parent Practices for Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Early Childhood Educ J 38, 411–420 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0427-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0427-8

Keywords

Navigation