Unit 2: Decision-Making Skills

Lesson 2: Modified Problem-Solving Procedures

OBJECTIVE

1. Identify the steps in a modified process to solve problems and make decisions.

MATERIALS NEEDED
marker board or something to write on

see suggested materials for activities listed below

INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT
This lesson will provide additional problem-solving procedures for those students who may find the standard process too complex. Researchers have been successful in training people with developmental disabilities to problem solve (Hughes, Hugo, & Blatt, 1996, Hughes & Rusch, 1989, Park and Gaylord, 1989). Students will learn best if they try to solve real-life problems instead of hypothetical problems. There are some "real-life" problems suggested, but they may be difficult to implement. Hypothetical problems also are suggested.

1. The process described below was shown to work with people with severe mental retardation to solve problems (Hughes, 1992). Trainers should utilize self-instruction training (see "Teaching Strategies" at the beginning of the manual) to train students in this process. Use an example of spilling a bucket of water at work to demonstrate this process.

   1. State the problem – "The floor is wet. It is dangerous."

   2. Make a generic response to fix the problem – "I need to clean it up."

   3. Make a specific response to fix the problem – "I need to go to the janitor's closet and get a mop, a bucket, and a wet floor sign."

   4. Provide a self-report – "I have mopped up the water."

   5. Provide self-reinforcement – "Good job."
      
      

2. Pose the following problems to the students and train them to use this process when solving the problem. Instead of describing the steps as they are listed above, use the following prompts: What is the problem? What do you need to do? How are you going to do it? Did you fix the problem? Did you do a good job?
   
   

   • Spill a cup of coffee, can of pop, or some other liquid. Have a mop and bucket available.
     

   • During vocational training, assign a task to a student, but do not give him all of the materials to complete the task.
     

   • Bring some type of battery-operated gadget (flashlight, toy, radio) with dead batteries in it. Have a student try to turn it on. Prompt her to try to figure out the problem. Have different types of batteries on hand.
     

   • Bring a television to class. Set it up, but do not plug it in. Tell the class that they are going to watch a short video. When it does not turn on, ask a student for assistance.
     
     

3. If these problem situations cannot be practiced in the classroom, pose the following hypothetical situations for the students to try to work through.
   

   • You just missed your bus to take you to work.
     

   • A co-worker tells you to clean the floors, but your boss wants you to empty garbage. You want to be helpful to the co-worker.
     

   • A neighbor keeps trying to borrow money from you. He never pays you back and you never have enough money to buy things you need.
     
     

4. Discuss a final strategy for solving problems. This process is actually a series of questions that might be more understandable for people with mental retardation (Foxx and Bittle, 1989).
   

   • Who should I talk to?

   • Where should I look for help?

   • What should I say?

   • When will the problem be solved?
     
     Have the students answer these questions in an attempt to solve any of the problems in this lesson or the previous one. Have the students actually practice what they will say to the person from whom they are getting help.

       Foxx, R. M., & Bittle, R. G. (1989). Thinking it Through: Teaching a problem-solving strategy for community living. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

      Hughes, C. (1992). Teaching self-instruction utilizing multiple exemplars to produce generalized problem-solving among individuals with severe mental retardation. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 97, 302-314.

       Hughes, C., Hugo, K., & Blatt, J. (1996). Self-instructional intervention for teaching generalized problem-solving within a functional task sequence. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 100, 565-579.

       Hughes, C., & Rusch, F. R. (1989). Teaching supported employees with severe mental retardation to solve problems. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 365-372.

       Park, H.-S., & Gaylord-Ross, R. (1989). A problem-solving approach to social skills training in employment settings with mentally retarded youth. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 373-380.

SIGNS OF GENERALIZATION
Students are using good-decision making and problem-solving skills in everyday life. As much as possible, training these skills should occur outside of the classroom. Students should be encouraged to seek the assistance of trainers when they encounter problems. This will allow trainers to coach them through the decision making process. By using a process, students will improve the decisions they need to make.

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