A high school student with severe intellectual disabilities is learning to clean up after themselves when finished eating lunch. Which of the following will best support the students in learning the task?

A high school student with severe intellectual disabilities is learning to clean up after themselves when finished eating lunch. Which of the following will best support the students in learning the task?

• A. Showing the class a video of staff cleaning a fast-food restaurant while listening to music
• B. Having the students watch cafeteria workers rapidly clean up between lunch sessions
• C. Providing students with a written, ordered checklist of the steps they need to complete
• D. Breaking the task down into smaller, manageable components for the students to practice

Answer: (D)

This question emphasizes teaching a multi-step routine by breaking it into small, manageable steps. Using a task-analysis approach lets you guide the student through each part of the cleanup with prompts and reinforcement, building independence one step at a time. By practicing one component at a time and gradually fading prompts, the student learns the proper sequence and gains confidence to complete the whole task. For lunch cleanup, you would define and practice each step separately—like picking up items, clearing the table, wiping surfaces, and washing hands—before putting them together into the full routine. The other options rely on watching or listening to demonstrations without structured, guided practice and at a pace that isn’t suited to someone with severe disabilities, making it harder to achieve reliable, independent performance. Overall, breaking the task into smaller components provides a clear path to mastery and independence.

This question emphasizes teaching a multi-step routine by breaking it into small, manageable steps. Using a task-analysis approach lets you guide the student through each part of the cleanup with prompts and reinforcement, building independence one step at a time. By practicing one component at a time and gradually fading prompts, the student learns the proper sequence and gains confidence to complete the whole task. For lunch cleanup, you would define and practice each step separately—like picking up items, clearing the table, wiping surfaces, and washing hands—before putting them together into the full routine. The other options rely on watching or listening to demonstrations without structured, guided practice and at a pace that isn’t suited to someone with severe disabilities, making it harder to achieve reliable, independent performance. Overall, breaking the task into smaller components provides a clear path to mastery and independence.