Creativity / Originality
- These learners may have weaker abilities when it comes to creativity and
originality. They may want to continue doing familiar tasks and may be resistant
to change. New ideas may not be thought of independently. The tutor should
then present learners with interesting choices.
Incidental Learning
-
Incidental learning occurs when students learn things that
were not necessarily part of a planned curriculum – they may “pick
up” things based on others’ conversations, through making mistakes,
or through observations that they can apply to their own situations. However,
this is often an ineffective mode of learning for adults with intellectual
/ developmental disabilities. In most cases, stressing the “obvious”
will be necessary for these learners. Cause and effect in learning situations
will need to be explicitly emphasised.
Generalization Skills
-
Learners with intellectual / developmental disabilities
often have difficulty transferring information and making generalizations.
Ideas may not be easily transferred between contexts for these learners.
It can be difficult for them to adapt existing knowledge so that it applies
to new circumstances. The tutor should be aware of these facts, and try
to help the learner to develop generalization strategies. The tutor can
clearly relate new learning with previous learning, and clearly discuss
different contexts or purposes for which the knowledge may apply.
Frustration
-
These learners may have a lower “tolerance”
for frustrations. The tutor should then structure learning tasks that are
brief, uncomplicated and only address one new element at a time. Focus on
achieving mastery before adding new elements. Review often.
-
Frustration can be avoided if learning priorities are reasonable.