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Ready4School

Research has shown that early interventions are crucial for children with ASD, as they can greatly benefit from them. A smooth transition from preschool to primary education can also ensure their continued success and development (Ganz, 2007; Rogers, 2009). The transition to primary school is a critical milestone in early childhood education. As Currie (2001) noted, “it marks the beginning of a new stage in the child’s educational journey and can have long-term consequences for their academic and social development.” For young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a smooth transition from preschool to primary education can set the stage for future success in school and beyond. Unfortunately, the change from a familiar, structured environment to an unfamiliar, unstructured one can be particularly challenging for children with ASD, who often have difficulty with change and transitions” (Zucker & Lawton, 2017). Transitioning from pre-school to primary education is often marked by a number of challenges, including changes in routine, unfamiliar social and physical environments, and a lack of familiarity with new teachers and peers (Chawarska, Klin, & Volkmar, 2008). Therefore, there is a critical need for effective interventions to support children with ASD during this transition period. The main goal of the Ready4School project is to increase the quality of special and inclusive preschool programs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and facilitate improved transitions from preschool to primary education. The project aims to achieve these goals by developing, testing, and publishing an innovative assessment and programming educational kit for preschool teachers working with children with ASD. Resultantly, the concrete outcomes of the project will be an innovative and effective educational kit based on the principles of ABA and adapted to be easily implemented by educators without formal ABA training. To further promote accessibility, the developmental assessment with school readiness checkpoints/assessment tool based on the preschool teaching curriculum, detailed lesson plans following the teaching curriculum, and data sheets for successful monitoring and evaluation of progress will be made digitally available.

Impact

The project’s broader impact relies on the successful integration of the educational kit into the daily routines of preschool teachers working with children with autism. The potential influence spans several areas: firstly, the educational kit empowers teachers to assess and address the developmental needs of children with autism, enhancing the quality of special and inclusive preschool programs and benefiting both children and their families. Secondly, by providing a well-structured educational program, the project aims to facilitate a smoother transition from preschool to primary education, reducing stress for children with autism and their families. Additionally, participating organizations can develop their capacities in special and inclusive education, fostering new partnerships and collaborations. The project’s outcomes serve as a reference for other preschool programs, contributing to the improvement of special and inclusive education at various levels. While the impact may vary among participating organizations, all benefit from improved program quality and enhanced skills. Furthermore, families of children with autism, local communities, and decision-makers at different levels can gain from the project’s efforts to raise awareness about autism, contributing to the creation of a more inclusive society that values diversity and ensures equal opportunities for all.

Our Role

The Innovation Hive plays a central role throughout the life of the project, overseeing all activities from inception to completion. In particular, Innovation Hive’s talented technicians will develop the digital application of a validated assessment tool that measures the school readiness skills in children with ASD. The digital application will allow for easy administration and interpretation of the assessment, and will provide feedback and recommendations for intervention based on the assessment results. It is also leading Work Package 4, which aims to collect feedback on the curriculum and lesson plans developed in WP2 and the assessment tool with its digital application (WP3). In addition, our specialist IT department will create the project website.

Ready4School

Project Name: Teaching School Readiness Through an ABA-based Preschool Programme

Project ID: 2023-1-CZ01-KA220-SCH-000156079

Start Date: 01/11/2023

End Date: 31/10/2025

Coordinator:

🇨🇿 Masarykova Univerzita

Partners:

🇲🇰 Sina Svetulka

🇨🇾 Vimodo Itd

🇭🇷 Centar za autizam

🇬🇷 Innovation Hive

🇺🇦 Odessa Regional Academy of In-Service Education

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that might be made of the information contained therein.
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