Using Community Based Instruction to Teach Functional Life Skills to Students with Intellectual Disabilities By Jayne Redelman EDSE 536

Definition Life skills are the skills necessary for successful living. A functional life skills curriculum needs to include instruction in the following areas: recreation / leisure; maintaining a home / personal care; and participation in the community. Mastery of a skill is when a student can perform skill in a variety of places for a variety of people.

Why Teach Life Skills Students with intellectual disabilities require more specific, intensive, and repetitive teaching of skills needed for a fulfilling life. For learners with moderate and severe disabilities, instruction of specific skills should average between 30 sessions, over approximately 4 months while generally fewer sessions are required for students with mild cognitive disabilities. Students will use these skills whether living at home, living in a group home, or living independently.

Community Based Instruction Teaching life skills starts in the home with the parents. Therefore communication with the parents is vital in the teaching of life skills. CBI includes instruction in the home, classroom, school, and the community. Teachers need to include the parents in all aspects of instruction so skills learned can be generalized into other areas of the students’ life.

Shopping

Definition Shopping includes purchasing items in grocery stores, department stores, specialty stores, fast food places, and restaurants. It requires the student to locate an item and purchase an item.

Skills Needed Communication: ask for assistance, conversation w/ cashier Social Skills: waiting in line, staying in your space Physical Skills: pushing a cart, getting money out, locating items, putting money in machines Academic: matching, write shopping lists, following directions, reading a map, keying in pin number counting coins/bills, rounding up, estimation, change, tax

School Activities Breakfast/Lunch- selecting items, keying in number (use template in class to teach number routine), communication, waiting in line Vending machines-counting coins, putting money in Writing lists, drawing maps, locating items

Community Activities Grocery Stores- reading lists, locating items, estimation of prices, counting out money, communication w/ cashier, adding tax, purchase items needed in home or classroom, generic vs. brand name items Restaurants- ordering, counting money, adding tax & tip, eating in public Banks- learn about money, checking accounts, ATMs

Home Activities Have parents write or send in items used at home so students can match items Ask parents what stores or restaurants they frequent Encourage parents to allow student to purchase items in store as part of weekly shopping trips Encourage parents to have children order meals in restaurants

Cooking

Definition Cooking is a skill which involves making healthy meals. These meals include breakfast, lunch, dinner, & snacks. Foods are either raw or cooked and need to include items from all the basic food groups.

Skills Needed Communication- asking for help, making choices Social Skills- handling frustration Physical Skills- using utensils, pouring, stirring, mixing, using the microwave or oven, cleaning up prior to & after cooking Academic- matching, measuring, reading & following directions, telling time

School Activities Plan meals Make lunch & snack in the classroom Cook meals in the microwave Cook meals in Home Ec ovens Make & sell food items (cookies, coffee, meals) to staff Make refreshments for staff or parents (Conference night) Make & compare generic / brand name foods

Community Activities Purchase foods at grocery store (practice skills used for shopping) Visit a farm, restaurant, bakery to find out how foods are grown / made Plan, prepare, & have a picnic at school or park

Home Activities Help plan meals Students make their own meals / snacks (cereal, sandwich, microwave foods) Student plans & prepares weekly meal Students assist with grocery shopping Students assist with putting food away, setting & clearing table, washing & drying dishes

Housekeeping

Definition Housekeeping includes laundry (sorting, washing, drying, folding), dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, washing & drying dishes, cleaning bathroom, making beds. How to manage a household budget is also an important skill.

Skills Needed Communication- asking for help Social Skills- working with others Physical Skills-using a broom, wiping an area, folding, washing dishes, hanging up clothes, making a bed Academic- sorting, measuring detergent, managing a budget

School Activities Wipe tables in room or cafeteria Sweep room (use free standing dust pan) Wash dishes after cooking Have students do the laundry for school sports team

Community Activities Visit the following sites to see how housekeeping skills can become vocational skills- store (straightening & dusting shelves), hotel, restaurant

Home Activities Have students assist with housekeeping duties Have students do their own laundry (use color coded baskets to separate laundry) Have students responsible for different chores around the house

Leisure Skills

Definition Leisure skills include indoor / outdoor activities and individual / group activities. Television, computer, and video games should be allowed in moderation. However, students should be taught how to operate a computer. Leisure activities provide for social interaction and exercise for our students.

Skills Needed Communication- express needs & wants, making choices Social Skills- interacting with others, sharing, turn-taking, knowing the rules of a game Physical Skills- running, catching, throwing, rolling, fine motor skills Academic- matching, keeping score

School Activities Card games (use an automatic shuffler & card holder) Games- make sure age appropriate and allow enough time to complete game Computer- teach how to turn on & off, navigate the internet Start a Special Olympics team

Community Activities Take a trip to the park, play frisbee Bowling, movie theatre, YMCA-swimming Special Olympics (join with another school to create a team) Video Arcade, Fun Land, Kings Dominion

Home Activities Encourage parents to become involved in Special Olympics, Challenger Baseball, church activities, play groups Weekly family games night Camp outs with family Family get-togethers

Vocational

Definition Vocational Skills include those skills needed to secure employment. While “hard skills” (job requirements) are important in getting a job, “soft skills” (communication & social skills) are needed to keep a job.

Skills Needed Communication- looking at people, talking with peers & superiors, asking for help, accepting criticism Social Skills- eating & restroom etiquette, break time interactions, interactions with peers Physical Skills- able to complete job tasks Academic- Read & follow a schedule, read & follow directions, counting money & making change

School Activities Explore various jobs to find students’ likes & dislikes and areas of skills Set up classroom like a job site- pay students for work completed Teach students to follow a schedule Teach students how to communicate with superiors Use Social Story to teach “soft skills” Set up job situations with students making & selling items to staff

Community Activities Visit various job sites to explore jobs, what skills are needed at jobs, learn & practice skills Examples- garden/nursery, department store, restaurant, office, grocery store, bakery, hospital

Home Activities Encourage parents to contact Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) & Community Services Board (CSB) to set up case management Encourage parents to network with family & friends to find job opportunities Encourage students to volunteer in the community

Preparation Talk to cafeteria workers, custodians, office staff, store employees before & after students interact with them, so they know what specific skill you are working on & how well the student accomplished goal. Know how much money the student has to spend Be familiar with store layout Be prepared to stop other shoppers from “helping” students

Discuss future goals with parents (job, living situations) Discuss w/ parents places they frequent & teach skills needed to be successful in those environments Be structured, but flexible during lessons Have sensory materials with you on CBI trips Keep data on skills learned & mastered

Special Concerns Make sure enough time is allowed to accomplish goal, but not a lot of down time. Make sure you have enough staff for proper supervision Make sure areas are not crowded Write & read social stories before trips so students know what to expect Make sure students know schedule of events (use a visual schedule) Teach skills so that students can perform them by themselves

Use the back of a spoon for spreading instead of a knife Use color coding for cooking (measuring ingredients, microwave, oven, & stovetop cooking) Use pre-measured dishwasher & laundry detergent No Money?- check with administration & walk to community site, split CBI trips w/ another class or school, split trip/staff/students & go to several sites Students on the Autism Spectrum may take up to 5 years to fully integrate a new routine

Agencies Rappahannock Community Services Board (CSB) Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) (540) Rappahannock Goodwill Industries (540) The Arc of Rappahannock, Inc. (540) disAbility Resource Center (540) Special Olympics-Area 11 Autism Support Group of Fredericksburg Local Parent Resource Center / Special Education Advisory Committee

Resources Attainment Company PCI Education Touch Math Abilitations Remedia Publications National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center Lesson plans