Implementing an individual educational programme for a child with special needs in a small-group Lifeskills programme

Abstract

The teaching of lifeskills such as self-help skills, relationships skills and skills in the community services has been recognised as a necessary part of the formal curriculum for all children, and more particularly for children with disability. The purpose of this project was to illustrate how such teaching can be planned and implemented. A project approach was adopted for this study. A skill in community relationships - use of the telephone - was chosen as a priority target for an 8-year-old boy with Down Syndrome. The target was chosen and taught in collaboration with the parents. The researcher taught the skills in 10 steps. Each step was taught in a group-situation. Ten sessions of one hour each per week were held. The learning outcomes of each session were evaluated. It was found that certain conditions were necessary for the programme's effectiveness: the targets had to be meaningful to the child; each step had to be achievable by the child within the session; each step had to be consolidated through learning in a classroom situation, using role play, and practice in real situations and at home; because the target was a social skill, it was more easily taught in a group situation.