Achieving Personal Growth: The Role of Life Skills Programs for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

An important aspect of programs that teach life skills for adults with disabilities is that they realize that what constitutes achievement will look different for every student. Rather than focusing on rigid and sometimes arbitrary standardization across all students, they focus on how to ensure that each individual has the opportunity to achieve personal growth, whatever that looks like for them.

Identifying a goal

Adults with intellectual disabilities who attend a life skills program will not all want the same thing in life. Some will want to increase their independence, some may want to pursue further education, and others may hope to enter employment. One of the first things that teachers will need to do is identify each student’s individual goals so that they can tailor the program accordingly. This will first require an assessment of the student’s current situation, including strengths and weaknesses, so they know the areas on which they need to focus. In some cases, teachers may also advise on how to make goals more achievable.

Building skills

Once the teachers have a good understanding of a student’s current situation and have helped them set realistic goals, they can begin to work with them to develop their skills. This could include the skills of independent living, such as budget management, meal planning and preparation, or other household chores. It could include social skills such as relationship building and etiquette. Self-advocacy can form part of social education, as it involves approaching others to express your needs. It may also include functional skills such as language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy, often with the aid of assistive technology and software. These skills are useful in a variety of ways in the outside world, and as well as learning them in the classroom it is also important to learn how to apply them in a practical way.

Measuring achievement

Just as each student will have their own unique goals, based on their own interests, strengths and weaknesses, the way they measure success will also be different. For some students, it will be achieving a certain level in literacy or numeracy, as shown through assessment. For others, it may be creating a new friendship with someone inside or outside of the program. Some may want to apply for a job. In all cases, it is not about how they compare to others, but about their own growth since the start of the program and taking pride in that.

Regardless of the specific goal, one of the primary aims of programs for adults with intellectual abilities is to build the confidence of their students. Realistic goals supported by understanding teachers and reasonable accommodations mean that students are more likely to achieve their aims, and therefore develop a sense of personal accomplishment. They will be more engaged, and willing to challenge themselves more to progress further. This also makes it more likely that they will be able to advocate for themselves and the accommodations they need, meaning they can live more independently, whilst still receiving support when they need it.

Conclusion 

Personal growth can look very different for different people, but programs that teach life skills to adults with disabilities should work to ensure that all students have the chance to learn and improve their skills so they can continue to progress toward their life goals. The sense of achievement that results should lead to happier and more confident adults who are better able to manage their own lives and emotions.

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