Life skills are basic, everyday skills we take for granted. For example, cooking and cleaning are life skills. For people with special needs, these skills can be extremely difficult to learn, requiring a step-by-step approach to learning. Life skills activities help the student learn the fundamentals of these processes without the pressure of a final product.
Special needs students may have difficulty learning life skills, especially when they are not provided with the proper environment or given the opportunity to practice these skills. The activities below can be used in the classroom environment to help your students learn and practice essential life skills.
As a teacher of special education students, you want to provide the same opportunities for your students to learn life skills as you would for any other student. However, this can often be difficult because of the varied abilities and needs of these students. To help you find ways to engage these students in life skills, consider using some of the following activities.
For special needs students, any activity that develops a student’s general life skills is a good activity. Compensatory life skills are those that help a student make up for the things they have difficulty doing by themselves. These will vary from student to student, but may include making small talk, entering and exiting conversations, and initiating conversations in the first place. Another compensatory life skill students may need help with is maintaining their personal space and the personal space of others.
The importance of healthy eating cannot be overstated, so this is an especially important area for teachers to focus on. Teaching special needs students about food groups and nutrition through pictures can help them learn what they are eating. This can also be taught using books or videos; the teacher should choose the best medium for each particular student or group of students. Another activity idea is to teach the students how to read nutritional labels on food packages; this can be done through direct teaching or through practice with real foods in the classroom. Students may also enjoy cooking projects that reinforce proper nutrition.
Life skills are the most important skills that teens can learn to prepare them for adulthood. These skills can include cooking, cleaning, maintaining personal hygiene, managing finances and even applying for jobs. For teens with special needs, these life skills can be even more difficult to learn. As a teacher or parent of a special needs teen, there are a variety of activities you can incorporate into your daily life to help your teen learn the essential life skills they will need to succeed as an adult.
Teaching your special needs teen independent living skills can go a long way toward helping him become a functional adult. Not only does it reduce your burden as a parent or caregiver, but it also helps your teen gain confidence in his ability to take care of himself and navigate the world by himself. One way to teach this is through role-playing in different scenarios. For instance, you could ask the student to pretend she is applying for a job—you could play the part of the boss asking her questions about why she would be good for the position, what past work experience she has and any other pertinent information.
Basic life skills are essential for independent living. These life skills include being able to communicate effectively, personal hygiene and grooming, home management and money management.
The ability to communicate effectively is an important life skill. Being able to communicate effectively helps with all other areas of life, from schoolwork to forming and maintaining relationships. Communication is made up of four basic categories: reading, writing, speaking and listening.