“LifeSkills” covers a range of products, design, installation, and training services which are designed to enable children to be taught independence skills from a young age, in an educational environment.

Teaching Skills for Life

All children need to be taught independent living skills from a young age. Special schools around the country can use electronic assistive technology and environmental control to inspire children of all abilities and motivate them to participate in everyday activities. Imagine being able to bang a button and vacuum the classroom or use a whiteboard to open the classroom door to visitors. Take it one step further and we have teenagers making doctor’s appointments or the group activity of ordering a pizza. These activities raise the level of expectation and help pupils to realise an accessible life is possible. The astounding evidence is that relationships between adult services and school leavers is being strengthened year on year as a LifeSkills curriculum now has a place in over 30 schools and colleges in the UK.

Example: For pupils with physical impairment and associated learning difficulties.

Learning Objective: To develop an understanding of cause and effect.

Activity:

1. Pupil to open and close the door using the environmental controls with support.
2. Pupil to open the door unaided to allow teacher to come in or close it to prevent the teacher coming in.

Learning objective:To develop turn taking skills.

Activity:
Musical doors.
Group to sit in a circle and pass a door symbol round as the music plays. When the music stops the pupil with the symbol must try to close the door before the teacher can get through. Game to continue until every one of the group has had a turn.

Learning Objective: To develop an understanding of cause and effect. Pupils perform actions, often by trial and improvement, and they remember learned responses over short periods of time.

Activity:
The Disco - Pupil to take it in turns to switch on the stereo for the others to dance to. 

How can it be customized?

LifeSkills CD and Support Packages

Possum provides a full support package from advice and assessment of users’ needs through to installation, training and ongoing adaptations as individual requirements change. We can provide assistance and guidance with setting up LifeSkills rooms. We have a training pack which covers areas of the National Curriculum and City & Guilds such as Science, Geography, Music and a number of others. Exercises are structured for Pre-school, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and home use. The exercises can be accessed by interactive whiteboards using PowerPoint with direct access or switch scanning, from environmental control units or many communication aids. Possum is the only company which understands and implements all aspects of Electronic Assistive Technology. Please contact us to arrange a free demonstration.