A case for Teaching Functional SkillsIt is not uncommon to find instances of curricular content for students with moderate to severe handicaps based primarily on information derived from the administration of norm-referenced evaluation instruments. A dilemma often reults when an attempt is made to translate test items failed at particular levels or mental ages into actual tasks to be taught. Not only were these evaluation tools never intended to be used in this manner, but the result is that students end up spending a majority of their school day being taught skills that are totally artificial and/or extremely age-inappropriate. Given the time it takes students with moderate to severe mental handicaps to acquire and maintain even functional skills, there is no time or justification for devoting instruction to teaching items that are selected from a developmentally-based hierarchy of supposed "pre-requisite" skills. A scenario of the outcome for one such student is portrayed below. My brother Daryl 18 years old, TMH (30-40 IQ). Been in school 12 years. Never been served in any setting other than elementary school. He has had a number of years of "individual instruction". He has learned to do a lot of things! Daryl can do lots of things he couldn't do before! But he can't put quarters in vending machines. Upon command he can "touch" nose, shoulder, leg, foot, hair, ear. He's still working on wrist, ankle, hips. But, he can't blow his nose when needed. He can now do a 12 piece Big Bird puzzle with 100 percent accuracy and colour an Easter Bunny and stay in the lines! But, he prefers music, but was never taught how to use a radio or record player. He can now fold primary paper in halves and even quarters. But, he can't fold his clothes. He can sort blocks by color; up to 10 different colors! But, he can't sort clothes; whites from colors for washing. He can roll Play Dough and make wonderful clay snakes! But, he can't roll bread dough and cut out biscuits. He can sing his ABC's and tell me names of all the letters of the alphabet when presented on a card in upper case with 80 percent accuracy. But, he can't tell the mens room from the ladies room when we go to McDonald's. He can identify with 100 percent accuracy 100 different Peabody Picture Cards by pointing! But, he can't order a hamburger by pointing to a picture or gesturing. He can walk a balance beam frontwards, sideways and backwards! But, he can't walk up the steps or bleachers unassisted in the gym to go to a basketball game. He can count to 100 by rote memory! But, he doesn't know how many dollars to pay the waitress for a $2.59 McDonald's coupon special. He can put the cube in the box, under the box, beside the box and behind the box. But, he can't find the trash bin in McDonald's and empty his trash into it. He can sit in a circle with appropriate behaviour and sing songs and play "Duck, Duck, Goose." But, nobody else in his neighborhood his age seems to want to do that. I guess he's just not ready yet. |