How to Teach Adults With Developmental Delays

Teaching an adult with developmental delays can be frustrating but also satisfying. You are truly making a difference in a person's life. Adult education is different in many ways from teaching kids. You do not have to deal with disciplinary issues, and adults are usually quite well-motivated. There are other differences when you are teaching adults who have learning difficulties. They may have a wide range of cognitive disorders, ranging from autism to Down's syndrome. In addition, these adults will have had very different experiences of education up to now. The more background information you have on the students, the easier your job will be.

Instructions

    • 1

      Assess each of the students. Liaise with other professionals who have been involved with them up to this point. Develop a learning plan for each student. Ideally, you should work with a small group of adults with developmental needs, as you will need to spend significant amounts of time with each student. Your teaching is also likely to be more successful if the needs of the students are not too diverse.

    • 2

      Set small objectives for each student. One student may, for instance, be able to learn to do some work on the computer. This will be both useful and entertaining for him. Another student may be interested in cooking. Teach as many life skills as possible, including shopping, handling money and filling out forms. Spend some time on basic literacy and numeracy, as these are key to many other activities.

    • 3

      Spend short intense periods of time on a subject, rather than holding long sessions, as the students' concentration span may be limited. Be prepared to repeat instructions until the students have grasped them. Set small individual goals; for instance, two of the students may aim to produce a simple meal for the whole group. Use praise and positive reinforcement. Help the students to think about some form of future employment, if this is feasible.

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