Hey there, teacher friends!
Special education life skills are essential for students with disabilities to lead an independent life.
However, teaching life skills to these students can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to keeping them engaged.
Engaging students with disabilities in life skills training can at times a little tricky, but there are plenty of ways to make it more fun and interesting! In this blog post lets chat about 5 simple ways to make special education life skills more engaging:
Incorporate Technology
Technology can be a valuable tool in teaching life skills to students with disabilities. Using educational apps, online resources, and assistive technology can help make learning more engaging and accessible for students.
For example, apps can be used to teach budgeting, time management, and personal safety skills.
Assistive technology such as voice recognition software and text-to-speech programs can also help students with disabilities overcome challenges and become more independent.
Making it Relevant
One way to engage students in life skills training is to make it relevant to their personal lives.
Students are more likely to be interested in and motivated to learn skills that they can apply to their daily lives.
For example, teaching cooking skills by having students prepare their favourite dishes or budgeting by having them plan for a fun outing can make learning more meaningful and engaging.
Working in Groups: Collaborative Learning
Working in groups can be an effective way to teach life skills to students with disabilities.
Collaborative learning can help students develop communication, problem-solving, and social skills while learning important life skills.
Group projects can also make learning more engaging and fun. For example, students can work together to plan and prepare a meal, organize a community event, or create a budget for a group outing.
Community Involvement
Community involvement can be a great way to teach real-world skills to students with disabilities.
Taking students on field trips to local stores, restaurants, and other community venues can provide opportunities to practice and develop life skills such as money management, social interaction, and personal safety.
Community involvement can also help students become more familiar with their community and develop a sense of belonging.
Use Visuals
Visual aids such as pictures, videos, and diagrams can make a huge difference in engaging students with disabilities.
Use visuals to teach life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene.
Visual aids help to break down complex tasks into simple steps and make it easier for students to understand.
We use “Life Skills Bulletin Boards” in our classroom. Theta are fun, visual and tactile and come in a range of different shops for your students to experience.
Click here to for bulletin board resources
So, what are your favourite teacher resources that make life skills more engaging in your classroom?
Let us know in the comments below! And if you’re looking for some amazing teaching resources to support your special education students, check out our website for some great ideas!
Thank You! ❤️
Thanks for hanging out with us!
We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students.
Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at.
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