Moving On and Up
Surviving the Transition to High School
Moving On and Up helps children with learning difficulties prepare for the challenges of starting high school to make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.
The program helps prepare children by improving their organisational skills and ability to cope with the different teaching environment and expectations of high school. By doing this, their confidence and self-esteem will increase. |
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In the longer term, children will be happy at school and less likely to truant or drop out due to stress, low confidence or feeling that they have little hope for the future.
Leaving Year 6 and the comforts of primary school can be a challenging time filled with uncertainty and excitement for both children and parents. The safe environment with one teacher and the same classroom each year is replaced with a strict and often complicated timetable, room and teacher changes, increased resources to manage and an increased workload to address.
For children with learning difficulties, the thought of high school is usually approached with anxiety, stress and, in many cases, fear. Many of these children have poor organisation skills and find change difficult and stressful.
Children with learning difficulties need to develop strategies to help them cope with the change, additional demands and less personal approach in high school.
Without help, a child can struggle to manage their time and resources, receive negative feedback from teachers and frequent disciplinary action. As a result their confidence and self-esteem suffer. Research indicates that if this continues, they are more likely to truant or drop out of school resulting in a negative impact on society.
Learning Links has successfully run Moving On and Up for children with difficulty learning for two years. This program was developed by our teachers, therapists and psychologists to give children the best chance of staying in school and going on to further education.
Moving On and Up prepares children with learning difficulties for high school during the last term of Year 6 and supports them during the first term of Year 7. It also supports their families through this challenging time.
The program:
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gives children the opportunity to discuss and address their fears and the potential challenges they may face at high school; |
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teaches children how to read and use diaries, maps and timetables; |
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focuses on comprehension, study techniques, strategies for exams, assignment preparation and high school writing techniques to prepare children for the expectations that will be placed upon them; |
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gives parents strategies to help their child cope with the transition; and |
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places emphasis on the positives of high school so the child looks forward to the experience, rather than being afraid. |
Moving On and Up is a weekly one-hour group program that operates during Term 4 of Year 6 and Term 1 of Year 7 (18 weeks in total). It is delivered by a
multi-disciplinary team including a teacher, speech therapist, occupational therapist, family counsellor and/or psychologist.
The program includes a parent session that discusses different learning styles, coping with transport, home study areas and other relevant topics that will help parents help their children prepare for high school and cope themselves.
The Learning Links' team also makes contact with the children's schools and provides them with advice on what they need to consider help accommodate children's difficulties.
Each year we raise funds to cover the fee of running this program but if we are unable to raise enough, we have to charge families to attend. Unfortunately, this often makes the program inaccessible to children from financially disadvantaged families.
The 8-week program costs $2,212 for six children.
How do I give?
Please send a cheque or your credit card details to:
Learning Links
10 Railway Pde
Penshurst NSW 2222
(specifying that your donation is for "Moving On and Up")
Or simply fill out the online donations form.
Is there an allowance for administrative fees? No, all money goes directly to fund children's tuition and therapy.
Contact details for further information:
Robyn Collins, General Manager Business Services, Learning Links
Telephone: (02) 8568 8249
Fax: (02) 9580 4788
Email:
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