Think: How?
How can I teach barrier-related skills?
Consider methods for the learner to develop skills. Stop thinking like a teacher and start thinking like a facilitator. A teacher often sees themselves as a “deliverer of content,” whereas a facilitator coordinates opportunities to learn. By thinking as a facilitator, you’ll find creative ways to deliver content that may not include you physically delivering it within the confines of your classroom.
Show Examples
Edcators need to be creative in creating instructional opportunities. For example:
- Online videos and other resources that teach skills
- Assignments completed outside of class
- Alterations made to assignments and projects that lift opportunities to develop barrier-related skills
- Create peer-to-peer opportunities where students serve as mentors to their peers.
- Explore online courses, classes, games, and other resources
- Is there an app that can help?
Think: When?
When can I teach barrier-related skills?
Consider all opportunities for the learner to develop skills. Scan the learner’s day for opportunities.
Show Examples
Be aware of school-day opportunities to teach skills. For example:
- Homeroom, study hall, lunch, or even while playing during recess
- When the learner completes a test or assignment while waiting for others to finish
- Etc
May include time outside of school – encourage the learner to participate in activities that develop barrier-related skills. For example:
- Join karate to develop self-control skills
- Join dance to develop coordination skills
- Visit the public library to increase exposure to literature
- Volunteer at the local pet shelter to learn to complete task
- Manage a yard sale to develop money skills
Think: What?
What resources can we use to develop the learner’s barrier-related skills?
Find creative content and resources that can be used to develop the learner’s skills.
Show Examples
Content isn’t just books, videos, and website. By thinking outside the typical box you’ll find lots of instructional resources at your fingertips! For example:
- Consider the resources listed in Accomods’ Browser under “Skill Building Resources”
- Go to chat GPT and type “Help me develop ways to teach a child (name barrier} skills in my classroom?
Think: Inter-disciplinary
To what other instruction can I couple barrier-related skill development?
Finding dedicated time (or enough time) during the day to develop barrier-related skills can be tough. This is when you harness the power of one of the most effective instructional strategies in the world—interdisciplinary instruction!
Interdisciplinary instruction is a method of teaching and learning that couples two or more instructional outcomes into one lesson, activity, or assignment.
Show Examples
No matter what you’re teaching, if you’re creative, you can couple your instruction with additional skills. For example:
- https://liftwithboystown.org/blog/blend-social-skills-with-academic-teaching
- Consider selecting reading assignments that teach a barrier-related skill concurrently while working on reading skills
- Consider research/writing assignments that explore barrier-related skills
- Consider projects that overlay content instruction with barrier-related skills.
- Consider the learner’s talents and academic strong suits (art, physical activity, etc) and find ways to integrate barrier-related skill instruction into these settings and activities
Think: Who
Who can I work with to help build the learner’s barrier-related skills?
You don’t have to do it alone! The first, and most important, parner is the student! Always get the student on board and working with you to build skills. Beyond that – bring in anyone and everyone you possibly can!
Show Examples
Explore everyone connected to the learner and bring them on board! For example:
- A learner working to improve communication skills visits their grandmother weekly and engages in one-on-one conversation
- A Little League coach supports a learner working to develop social skills
- A cheerleading advisor partners with a member’s parents to build responsibility
- A wrestling coach, who is also a teacher in the school, partners to teach a learner to recognize the consequences of their actions
Think: Practice
Practice makes permanent!
Recognize and create opportunities for the learner to rehearse their new skills. Authentic rehearsal works best, so watching for and creating opportunities in a meaningful context will make the most impact.
Show Examples
To make skills permanent, practicing them frequently and in various settings is important. For example:
- After learning social interaction skills, a child is encouraged to practice them while playing with peers at recess while being monitored and encouraged by a paraprofessional.
- A student who has been working to master the skill of identifying unknown words using context clues is presented with new science vocabulary terms in sentences written at their reading level.
Think: Intensity
Overcoming a barrier isn’t always simple!
There are various ways to ensure intensity, including the amount of time we dedicate to the effort, the type of program we use, and the people we involve. However, we have to recognize that building barrier-related skills requires a laser effort!
Show Examples
To overcome a barrier, teams must recognize that, depending on the level of challenge, it takes some intensity. For example:
- Prioritize the priority – It’s most important to identify the presence of a barrier before it becomes a huge problem, but let’s face it, sometimes this doesn’t happen. When it gets to the place where the child’s barrier is so significant that it’s impacting their ability to participate, then it’s time to prioritize the priority! As all good Kindergarten teachers know, you must build a child into a student before expecting them to behave as one. Hence, all kindergarten classes spend significant time teaching the child the skills they need to become a student before getting into the academics of the grade.