Programming generalization of in-class transition skills: teaching preschoolers with developmental delays to self-assess and recruit contingent teacher praise.

The team worked with preschoolers who had developmental delays. They wanted the kids to move smoothly between classroom centers without adult cues.

First they taught each child to score his own transition. Kids gave themselves a happy face if they moved within ten seconds. They practiced in a quiet corner.

Next they added praise recruitment. Children learned to show their happy-face card to the teacher and say, “I did it!” The teacher then gave quick praise.

Self-scoring alone helped during practice, but the skill did not stick in the real classroom. Some days the kids moved quickly, other days they did not.

When praise recruitment was added, every child started shifting centers fast and kept doing it. The skill now worked at circle time, blocks, and art.

McGee et al. (1983) tried a similar plan with older students in a resource room. They also saw that self-evaluation alone was shaky until extra cues and rewards were added.

Leung et al. (2014) later showed the flip side: even well-taught social skills faded unless teachers were told exactly what to look for. Together these papers form a clear line: child self-management helps, but adult praise must be part of the package.

Winett et al. (1991) pushed the idea further by proving that hallway behavior also needs its own teaching round. The pattern is steady across ages and places.

If you run a preschool room, do not stop at self-check sheets. Build in a quick praise step that the child starts. Teach the cue, practice the hand-off, and keep the teacher’s response fast and specific. You will see smoother transitions with almost no adult nagging.