Teaching Skills to Youth with Disabilities
Teaching can be tough, especially teaching skills to youth with disabilities. Like living in the high desert, it has a way of teaching resilience, patience, and the importance of having a solid foundation. Just like the landscape I grew up around, raising a child with a disability is a journey. A journey that requires a sturdy framework to help them navigate the often rocky path toward independence and adulthood. This is why I want to share the B.U.I.L.D. framework with you. I developed this method to help parents like us teach essential life skills to our youth with disabilities.
This framework is designed to be practical, easy to understand, and adaptable to the unique needs of your child, whether they are 10 or 21. We’ll walk through this step by step, so you can learn to use the B.U.I.L.D. approach to help you kiddos climb the mountains of life with confidence.
(By the way, this is a simple and effective teaching method that can be applied to homeschooling at any age 😉)
B = Background Information
Every mountain has a base, and every journey starts with understanding where you are and what you need to move forward. In the B.U.I.L.D. framework, this means starting with the background information—the foundation of any skill.
When teaching a new skill to your child, begin by assessing what they already know. This is their prior knowledge, the base on which you’ll build. For example, if you’re teaching your teen how to manage money, you might start by asking or assessing what they already understand about money—do they know how to count change, understand the value of different bills, or recognize the importance of saving? This can be as informal or formal as you’d like it to be, the important part is just to determine what they know and what you can build on.
This is also your chance to find the weak areas on their foundation. Do they have any prior misconceptions that need to be addressed in order to move on.
It’s important to approach this step with patience. Think of it as gathering supplies for a hike—you wouldn’t set off without making sure you have everything you need. Similarly, ensuring your child has a strong grasp of the basic information will make the rest of the journey smoother.
Tips for Parents:
- Ask questions: Engage your child in a conversation about what they already know about the skill you’re focusing on.
- Use visuals and/or hands-on examples: Sometimes, concepts are easier to grasp when they’re visualized. Use pictures, videos, or real-life examples to help explain background information.
- Be patient and revisit: If your child struggles to understand, that’s okay. Take a step back, revisit the basics, and try different ways of explaining or teaching.
U = Understanding
Once you have a solid foundation, it’s time to move to the next step—understanding. This is where your child begins to truly grasp the concept or skill, moving from knowing about it to actually being able to perform it with some support.
Think of this step as the climb up the mountain. It’s challenging, requires effort, and sometimes a helping hand. Your role as a parent is to guide and support your child through this process, providing them with the tools they need to understand and practice the skill.
For example, if you’re teaching your child how to prepare a simple meal, start with guided practice. Show them how to follow a recipe, measure ingredients, and use kitchen tools safely. At first, they might need a lot of help, but with practice, they’ll start to gain confidence.
Tips for Parents:
- Break it down: Large tasks can be overwhelming, so break them into smaller, manageable steps.
- Model the skill: Demonstrate the skill yourself first, then guide your child as they try it.
- Provide practice opportunities: The more your child practices, the more comfortable they will become. Create opportunities for them to practice the skill in a safe and supportive environment.
I = Independence
The summit of our journey is independence. This is the point where your child can perform the skill on their own, without needing your help. It’s a milestone moment, like reaching the top of a mountain and taking in the breathtaking view.
Independence takes time, patience, and practice for both you and your learner. It definitely doesn’t happen overnight. BUT with consistent effort and fading support, your learner will begin to perform tasks on their own. This leads to gaining the confidence and self-esteem that comes with doing something by themselves.
For instance, after weeks of practicing meal preparation, your child might be able to make their own breakfast without any help. This step is crucial as it prepares them for adulthood, where they’ll need to perform many tasks independently.
Tips for Parents:
- Gradual release or fading responsibility: Start by guiding your child through a task, then slowly step back as they become more confident.
- Celebrate successes: Every step towards independence is a victory. Celebrate these moments to encourage further progress. They NEED to know what they are doing correctly.
- Encourage problem-solving: If your child encounters a challenge, resist the urge to step in immediately. Instead, encourage them to think through the problem and find a solution on their own. Struggle is okay, and so is taking a break.
L = Lead
Reaching the summit is an incredible achievement, but the journey doesn’t end there. The next step in the B.U.I.L.D. framework is to lead—can your child teach others how to perform this skill or apply it across different environments?
This step is like moving from a solo hike to leading a group expedition. It reinforces their knowledge and skills and builds leadership and communication abilities. If your child can teach a sibling or friend how to prepare that same meal, it shows they have truly mastered the skill.
Being able to perform the skill across different environments is vital. For example, can they make breakfast not only at home but also at a friend’s house or in a different setting? This flexibility is crucial for adapting to new situations in adulthood.
Tips for Parents:
- Encourage teaching: Ask your child to explain the skill to you, a sibling, or a peer. Teaching reinforces their learning.
- Practice in different settings: Take the skill on the road. Encourage your child to apply what they’ve learned in new environments.
- Build leadership opportunities: Find ways for your child to take the lead, whether by teaching others or making decisions related to the skill.
D = Discover
Finally, the B.U.I.L.D. framework encourages your child to discover—what other skills can this newfound ability lead to? Much like how summiting one peak often reveals the path to the next, mastering one skill often opens the door to others.
For example, if your child has learned to manage money, the next step might be to explore budgeting, saving for a goal, or even understanding basic banking. This discovery step is about expanding opportunities and building on the foundation you’ve created together.
As your learner prepares for adulthood, this step becomes increasingly important. Life is full of interconnected skills, and the ability to build on what they’ve learned will help them navigate the complexities of adult life.
Tips for Parents:
- Explore related skills: Once a skill is mastered, discuss with your child what else they might want to learn that relates to it.
- Encourage curiosity: Foster a sense of curiosity and exploration. Let your child take the lead in deciding what they want to learn next.
- Set new goals: As your child discovers new skills, help them set achievable goals to continue their development.
A Journey Worth Taking
Teaching your teen or young adult with a disability essential life skills is like guiding them on a journey through the mountains. As with anything, there will be challenges and setbacks. With the B.U.I.L.D. framework, you have a map to help them navigate the path to independence and beyond.
Recap!
Background Information, Understanding, Independence, Lead, and Discover—builds on the last, creating a solid foundation that will support your child as they move into adulthood. Like any great journey, it’s not just about reaching the summit but about the growth and learning that happens along the way.
So, as you stand on the ridge, looking out over the vast possibilities that lie ahead, take a deep breath. Trust in the process, and know that you are helping your child build the skills they need to thrive in life. The mountains may be high, but together, you and your learner can conquer them, one step at a time.
