Strategies for Improving Skill Generalization

 When it comes to Low-Incidence disabilities, some individuals will have cognitive limitations. These limitations can affect their day-to-day learning, navigating, and interacting with others and their environments. According to Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities, there is a weakness in perceiving the conditions and specific stimuli that normally direct a person to engage in a previously learned skill in different conditions.

For example, an individual might need visual reminders on each step to brushing their teeth (if not in the same bathroom/home they typically do it in) or they may forget the order or steps to do so. This blog will touch base on strategies Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities highlighted for improving skill generalization. 

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING SKILL GENERALIZATION: 

• Teach in Natural Settings:
• Skills learned in natural environments are likely to generalize to other natural environments. 
• For example, an educator teaching a student to brush teeth in the bathroom or over a sink. 
• Teach Loosely:
• Occasionally using unplanned variation in both the prompts and the form of the behavior exhibited by the learner. 
• For example, an educator is not just pointing to visuals but saying the verbal steps. So, an individual doesn't rely only on visual cues. 
• Use Sufficient Exemplars:
• Using different stimuli during instruction. As the child learns to respond to one condition, introduce new ones slowly. 
• For example, if a child recognizes the word "horse" in one book, find a different book with the word "horse" and make that connection. 
• Use General Case Method:
• This requires the teacher to identify the universal or desired generalized conditions and teach the student to respond appropriately under all appropriate conditions. 
• For example, ordering food from any fast-food restaurant. 
• Use Computer-Based Video Instruction (CBVI): 
• Recent studies have found that using CBVI can be used to teach skills. To test this generalization, educators should take students to actual settings where the target skills are tested. 
• Reinforce to Facilitate Generalization:
• Reinforcement is delivered during instruction
• For example, if a student is learning a food preparation task, eating the food after it is prepared (not before) should be part of the reinforcement. 
• Or, if learning steps of playing a game, the student should win sometimes but not know when. 
• Use Peers to Improve Generalization: 
• Inclusion is so valuable in the special education world. Inclusion allows students with severe disabilities to be with peers without disabilities. This can help low-incidence students to generalize new skills, especially communication/social skills. 
• Use several peers so students with disabilities learn to interact appropriately with a variety of people.
• Mediating Their Own Behavior:
• Some students can manage their own behavior. They may use this to improve generalization in the following ways: 
• Self-Instruction
• Self-Monitoring
• Self-Reinforcement
• This helps remind oneself what is being done, what is to be done later, and where it will be done. 

WHY IS GENERALIZATION IMPORTANT? 

Generalization strategies are crucial to allow students with low-incidence disabilities to be more independent in environments and settings that go beyond their home or school. They can use these skills to effectively and appropriately navigate real-world situations. It allows them to build confidence and independence that will benefit them in their adult lives. 

As educators and parents, we want to EMPOWER our students and children to live fulfilled lives. These strategies can help to: 

• Promote Independence
• Enhance Functional Living Skills
• Increase Confidence and Social Interaction
• Ensures Long-Term Retention
• Reduces Reliance on Specific Settings
• Meets Legal Mandates like IDEA