Parents and teachers report that students with brain injuries often have a difficult time handling seemingly minor transitions such as moving from one task to the next, adjusting to school after a weekend at home, or returning to school after a vacation.  More major transitions such as the passage to a new grade and the change from elementary to middle school, or middle school to high school, can present formidable challenges for students with brain injuries. 

  The difficulties of these students may be due to the cognitive and behavioral impairments that are common after a brain injury.  They may make it hard for the student to adjust to changes in environments, routines, and expectations.  Plus the increasing complexity of content, coupled with requirements for higher-level thinking skills and more independent learning, may cause new problems to surface as the student progresses through school.

Begin transition planning early

• Begin planning well in advance                                   
• Provide activities to prepare the student
• Share information about the new setting
• Schedule visits to the new setting
• Provide opportunities to meet with new teachers
• Hold planning meetings with current and future teachers