A healthy lifestyle encompasses multiple levels from the
perception of nutrition, attitude of health, and to practice of health habits.
Nutrition curriculum, such as diet selection, meal time planning and so
forth, is an important issue for a basic preparation level of leading to health
and wellness life. Use of proactive instructional strategies is considered
as an important means of teaching health eating behavior delivery
for students with cognitive or physical limitation. According to Simpson,
Swicegood, and Gaus, (2006), guideline principles taken into consideration
include the following:
* Modeling and increased guidance.
"Thinking
aloud" may help students with intellectual disabilities (ID) to
appropriately choose good food and to avoid excessive intake. A guided
demonstration also facilitates more positive learning outcomes students with
ID.
*Scaffolded experiences.
Explicit
guidance regarding clear feedback, multiple prompts based on students' present
level will foster learning step by step. To lead the discussion for students
definitely makes students with ID to clarify their confusion. This may develop
self-monitoring skills.
*Gradual move from the concrete and familiar to the abstract and symbolic.
In an
early stage of nutrition classes, teachers focus more on concrete examples
(e.g., health eating habits) to link to learning of life experiences. When
achieved so, the abstract and symbolic learning such as "divergent and/or
convergent learning styles" may be blended into group discussion for
gaining more understanding of the reasons health eating habits are important
for themselves.
*Model choice-making techniques
To provide
simple self-monitoring skill helps to make consequences of behaviors
appropriate. For example, the "STOP AND THINK" strategy as a self-question
approach is recommended in teaching NE.
*Set clear, specific goals
The goal
must be attainable, manageable and reachable for students with ID. For example,
Roger will lose 20 pounds over an 8-week period, using aerobic and resistance
training 3 times per day, 60 mins per session.
*Design a program for generalization.
Use of a field
trip (e.g., visit Wal-Mart) to practice the appropriate food choices may help
students in their real situation when grocery shopping with their parents.
Thus, a generalization of a nutrition program may be promoted to see how
students with ID to make their decision through the practical food options.
To conclude, we
propose some effective strategies in terms of modeling, scaffolding,
self-monitoring, and goal setting that are integrated into a nutrition
curriculum to expect a better quality of instructions to prevent obesity on
students with ID.
(Program keeps adults with disabilities on healthy track)
References
Simpson, C. G., Swicegood, P. R., & Gaus, M. D.
(2006). Nutrition and fitmess curriculum: Designing instructional interventions
for children with developmental disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children,
38(6), 50-53.
