How To Teach Life Skills in Special Education

Teaching life skills to a group of special education students can be a very fun and rewarding experience.  The majority of special education students to whom life skills are taught are those with developmental disabilities, those with learning disabilities so severe that they may affect day-to-day living, those with high functioning Autism or Autistic tendencies, or those with Asperger's.  Life skills are generally those skills that the students will need to survive in everyday life (skills such as money management, hygiene, and shopping for groceries).  These skills are essential for special education students to learn because they enable the transition from school to life in the "real world."

There are so many fun ways to teach life skills to special education students.  Because so many special education students learn things better when they are not confined to the classroom, sitting behind a desk or staying in one spot, learning life skills should be something that the students are doing instead of hearing about.  Therefore, if you are trying to teach life skills to a group of special education students, try getting them involved in the learning process; have them learn while doing!

1. Money Management Skills:  Money management skills can be taught all day long, everyday in the special education classroom.  Why not implement a system in your room where the students earn a specific amount of "fun" money for doing certain things throughout the day?  For example, if your students get all of their work done in class on time, they can earn a specific amount of money for doing so.  This money can be banked in checkbooks that the students keep in their desks.  When money is received throughout the day, the student is responsible for recording this in the checkbooks.  Of course, the teacher must teach how to record money in these checkbooks, but honestly, this is most likely something that the students will also learn by you showing them one-on-one and then doing with assistance everyday. 

   Students should also be allowed to spend their money throughout the day if they wish.  Does your student want to have some free time during study hall?  If so, why not have him write you a check, using some of his money to pay for that free time?  As you can see, teaching this specific life skill to students is one that can occur all day long.  This banking system is a good one to start right at the beginning of the school year and follow throughout the year. 

2. Grocery Shopping:  When teaching this important life skill, there is nothing better than actually going to the grocery store and doing a little shopping.  If you are teaching grocery shopping skills to your students, try contacting your local grocery store for some assistance; by telling them that you plan to bring special education students into that store throughout the year, their employees will be ready to assist you.  Of course, as with any field trip, you must get parental permission to take the children off of the school campus. 

   A good way to begin teaching how to go grocery shopping is to just start talking to your students about it beforehand. Share with them stories of how you shop for groceries.  Explain what a grocery cart is and explain how to find an item for a reasonable price.  Tell the students that all groceries must be paid for and, to do this, you must stand in line patiently and wait until it is your turn to go through the line and pay for your items.  You can even practice how to pay for groceries, how to ask assistance from a store employee if needed, how to make a grocery list and how to stick to that list -- all within your classroom.

   Once you have practiced this in the classroom, it is time to take the students out to the store.  Have every student prepare a list of items he or she needs to find.  Obviously, these lists will be pretend, but this will help students practice for the real deal.  Prior to the trip, call the store that you are coming and that you are doing a practice grocery-shop run.  Once at the store, have each student pick a grocery cart and begin her shopping.  With a teacher and, most likely, a teacher's aide, the students will learn the dos and don'ts of grocery shopping.  This is a process that can be repeated several times throughout the year.

3. Hygiene:  Teaching hygiene, while a very important life skill, isn't always the most comfortable skill to teach.  It is, however, one that every special education student must know about.  Having proper hygiene is a tool that will most likely help these students get a job and maintain a job, and also maintain friendships.  Let's face it -- very few people want to hire someone who doesn't have good hygiene.  Besides that, hygiene is important for overall health.  Therefore it is an important life skill for a special education student to learn. 

   This skill isn't one that can be taught easily by doing, but it is one that can be practiced in the classroom throughout the year.  At the beginning of the school year, try starting with a unit on personal hygiene.  Ask the students why hygiene is so important and ask them what they think of when they think of hygiene.  Explain when are good times to shower and bathe -- either in the morning or at night -- and why keeping clean is such a good thing!

   Once you have had a discussion, then it is time to start teaching how to take to care of your body.  If you call a local doctor's office or hospital and explain that you are teaching hygiene to a group of special education students, most likely they would be happy to send you samples of different products that can be used for cleaning oneself.  Each student may be able to receive a sample-size deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrush, and even a sample-size soap and shampoo.  When you have received these products, bring in some old washcloths of your own and instruct the students on proper washing.  Show the students how to lather up their soap and place it on their washcloth.  Let them practice this once you have shown how to do it.  Bring in a dentist to go over how to brush your teeth properly and let them practice with their toothbrushes.  Remind students how often teeth should be brushed and how often you should go to the dentist.  This isn't a life skill that should only be taught once. It is a good one to touch upon weekly or monthly, because it is one that special education students often struggle with.

Life skills are very important lessons for a special education student, and there are so many skills to be taught.  When teaching life skills, it is important to remember that students, especially those in special education, learn best by doing.  Anytime you can teach life skills and make it a hands-on activity is a wonderful learning experience!