Practicing Skills Outside of the Classroom: Why Homework is Important
Global Education Therapy, formally known as Worldwide Speech, is the pioneer of online education, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. We have over 12 years of experience providing services online.
What is Generalization?
When teaching a child, we typically begin teaching the skill in a therapeutic or school setting. Generalization occurs when a child transfers skills they have learned in one environment (e.g., classroom, speech-room, etc.) to a new environment (e.g., home) and vice versa. Think about when you first taught your child manners. Initially, they may use manners at home with you, but not elsewhere (e.g., school). Generalization occurs after a child has mastered a skill in one environment and is able to use it in another context.
Why is it important?
Teachers and parents may be frustrated to see inconsistencies in a child’s performance. A child may not generalize a skill to a different environment for a variety of reasons. However, proper emotional and social support often helps a child feel more comfortable attempting a skill learned in the therapeutic environment in a different setting (e.g., school).
School-aged children live in two different worlds — their home and school. And for the globally mobile child, their two worlds are often changing.
In order to generalize a new skill, the child must either master the skill with their therapist or teacher before attempting in a different setting or develop a plan to help the child transition and use the skill to another environment. *Note expecting the child to make this transition alone is an unreasonable expectation for a student with special needs.
Let’s compare to life as an adult. We also experience difficulty generalizing new skills in new environments. Think about learning a new language in the safety of a classroom versus walking into a restaurant and ordering food in a foreign language. How about learning a new exercise with a professional trainer and then trying it alone at home. Our insecurities begin to bubble up. We know it takes time to adjust to new phases and different environments. For children, the generalizing or transferring of new skills to a new setting can be equally and, in most cases, even more challenging.
How does generalization develop in kids?
Let’s look back to your child’s days as an infant and/or toddler. What are some of the first things that we learn as infants (4 weeks to 12 months) and toddlers (12 to 24 months) that need to be generalized/transferred to other settings?
making eye contact with mom while being breastfed versus while sitting in a moving stroller — differences in body positioning, environment, sensory input
taking naps at home versus grandma and grandpa’s house — differences in noise, smells and visuals
playing with mom versus dad — differences in voices, the way she’s being held, the activity chosen
Many babies seem unphased by these little changes and settle quickly and smoothly. On the other hand, some babies need more time and soothing to make sense of and settle with different circumstances.
As infants and toddlers become preschoolers (2 to 5 years), there are independent tasks and more mature relationships to transfer in preparation for a school setting:
going to the bathroom outside of the home — differences in setup, noise, smells, social and emotional needs
eating school food — differences in flavors, smells, level of noise, attention keeping
spending the day outside of the home — differences in emotional stress, order of routine, wait time, scheduled breaks, frequency of unexpected events
When challenges are kept predictable, it allows the child to build confidence and sparks growth. This often helps children adjust to new experiences in life. For example, predictable homes with healthy routines help children feel secure in the world.
But, some children do not immediately thrive in new environments. Imagine a child with a language disorder who does not understand the demands of the classroom. It can be overwhelming. One can imagine for a child who stutters, entering unfamiliar settings can be very upsetting and/or anxiety-provoking. Imagine the child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) whose school just transitioned to distance learning. His/her school routine has been ripped out from under them. The skills that a child with ASD used routinely at school may not generalize/transfer to the home.
Some children do not immediately settle into school routines. When presented with unexpected circumstances and situations, some children truly struggle with adapting to a new classroom or teacher. They can also experience difficulty with transferring a skill to a new environment.
What are some strategies?
Preparing a plan helps set everyone up for success — the child, family, teachers, and therapists. By creating a routine of ‘bringing skills home or school’, the child will start to bridge the two environments with more comfort, safety, and security.
Here are TOP 5 strategies to get you started:
The teacher and classroom assistant verbalize thinking skills to improve self-reliance for the child (“hm how did I practice with Erin” “I need to…”) — triggers the child to pause, recall and execute strategy
Take a video of a ‘successful’ try at home and share this with the teacher. When appropriate, have the teacher review it with the child to get on the same page. Teachers often understand the recommended prompts better in a video than in writing.
Make sure to email teachers and classroom assistants beforehand with the correct strategy so that they are using the correct prompts with your child.
Roleplay different circumstances that might come up in the classroom to help a child create mental images of events that could arise unexpectedly.
Follow up with your child and teacher about how the strategy is going. Being proactive helps to make the teacher feel supported too.
Still need help and have questions? You can always reach out to Global Education Therapy! Go to Global Education Therapy for our:
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Always remember, your child is doing the best they can with the knowledge they have at the time!
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