Welcome to a deep dive into the essential building blocks of education: Learn Skills. As educators, we often focus on academic milestones, but sometimes, the key to unlocking a student’s potential lies in the foundational abilities that enable them to learn effectively in the first place. These are often referred to as “learning to learn skills” or “learning readiness skills,” and they are particularly vital for students with autism and other learning differences, but beneficial for all learners across age groups.
What Exactly Are “Learn to Learn” Skills?
“Learn to learn skills” are the fundamental abilities that equip students to engage with instruction and thrive in a learning environment. Think of them as the prerequisites for academic learning. These skills aren’t necessarily about subject matter like math or reading, but rather about how students approach and interact with the learning process itself. They encompass a range of abilities, from basic attention and focus to understanding and following directions.
For many young children, these skills develop naturally through early childhood experiences, preschool, and kindergarten routines. They learn to observe, imitate, and respond to instructions within structured environments. However, for students on the autism spectrum and those with other disabilities, these skills may not emerge as readily. They might need explicit instruction and targeted support to acquire these crucial foundations. Even in older students, a lack of these skills can be a hidden barrier to academic progress, leading to inconsistent performance and frustration.
Why are “Learn to Learn” Skills so Crucial?
These skills are not just beneficial; they are essential because they:
- Enable Access to Curriculum: Learning to learn skills act as enabling goals, allowing students to participate in and benefit from the general curriculum. Without these foundations, academic content becomes inaccessible, regardless of a student’s inherent potential.
- Promote Effective Instruction: When students possess these skills, teachers can instruct more effectively. Classroom management becomes smoother, and instructional time is maximized as students are better equipped to understand and respond to teaching.
- Foster Independence: Developing these skills cultivates greater student independence. As students learn to attend, follow directions, and imitate, they become more self-directed learners, reducing reliance on constant prompting and support.
- Bridge Learning Gaps: Sometimes, students may appear to have certain academic skills, but struggle when the material becomes more complex. This can be due to underlying deficits in learning to learn skills, which were masked by rote memorization or simpler tasks. Addressing these foundational gaps can unlock true learning potential.
- Support Social Learning: Many learning to learn skills, like imitation and attending to cues, also have significant social components. Developing these skills can enhance a student’s ability to learn from peers and navigate social learning environments.
Key “Learn to Learn” Skills to Focus On
While the spectrum of learning to learn skills is broad, here are some core areas to prioritize, especially when working with students who may be struggling:
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Attending to Name: This foundational skill is about ensuring a student recognizes when their attention is being called for. Instead of focusing on “look at me,” which can be uncomfortable or even distressing for some students, the goal is to establish a reliable signal that the student has heard and acknowledged their name. This could be:
- Orienting their body or face towards the speaker.
- Making eye contact (if comfortable).
- Using a hand signal.
- Providing a verbal response (for verbal students).
The key is to find a method that is comfortable for the student and effectively signals their attention without causing distress. Start practicing in quiet, one-on-one settings and gradually generalize to group settings and more distracting environments.
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Following Simple One-Step Directions: The ability to understand and execute simple instructions is crucial for classroom participation and learning. Start with clear, concise directions paired with objects and actions. Examples include:
- “Put in” (placing an object in a container).
- “Give me five” (high five).
- “Touch your nose.”
Initially, focus on directions that involve physical objects and hand motions as these provide visual cues. As students progress, move towards directions without objects and then to multi-step directions.
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Imitation: Learning through imitation is a fundamental human learning mechanism, especially for young children and those for whom language is a barrier. Start with imitating actions with objects, as this is often easier for learners. Examples include:
- Stacking blocks.
- Ringing a bell.
- Stirring with a spoon.
Model the action and then use a simple cue like “You do” or “Do this.” The goal is for the student to understand that they need to replicate your action. Gradually move to imitating actions without objects, such as clapping hands or raising arms, and actions that are more functional and age-appropriate for older students.
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Matching: Matching skills are the precursors to object and picture recognition and vocabulary development. Begin with object-to-object matching, then progress to object-to-picture, and finally picture-to-picture matching. These skills are fundamental for:
- Building vocabulary.
- Developing item recognition.
- Discriminating between different items and concepts.
Matching activities lay the groundwork for receptive and expressive language skills and are essential for many academic tasks.
Integrating “Learn to Learn” Skills into Your Teaching
The good news is that teaching these skills doesn’t require separate, isolated drills. You can seamlessly integrate them into your daily classroom routines and instructional activities.
- Assessment is Key: Begin by observing and assessing your students to identify any gaps in these foundational skills. Where are they struggling during instruction? Is it attention, direction following, or imitation?
- Naturalistic Teaching: Embed instruction within natural contexts. For instance, practice following directions during transitions, game time, or art activities. Work on attending to name during group lessons or circle time.
- Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement to encourage and reward students as they demonstrate these skills. Verbal praise, tokens, or preferred activities can be effective motivators.
- Individualized Approach: Remember that each student is unique. Tailor your approach to meet individual needs and preferences. Some students may need more intensive, one-on-one support initially, while others may learn best in small groups.
- Consistency is Crucial: Practice these skills consistently and across different settings to promote generalization. The more opportunities students have to practice, the stronger these skills will become.
Take Action: Assess and Integrate
This week, take the time to assess your students, especially those who are facing instructional challenges. Identify whether deficits in learning to learn skills might be contributing to their struggles. Then, start thinking about how you can intentionally integrate the teaching of these skills into your daily interactions and lessons. By prioritizing these foundational abilities, you can unlock your students’ learning potential and set them on a path to greater academic success and independence.
By focusing on “learn skills,” we empower students to become effective learners, ready to tackle any academic challenge that comes their way.
