Thanks for sharing your expertise, Arlyn. In my correctional setting 
students transition out of school and prison into adult life in the 
community and it can be quite a shock. It seems like most of the effort 
in transition goes to preparation for work and career and postsecondary 
education so I am glad to hear from you about concerns with 'readiness 
for community living.'

The majority of our students have disabilities, mostly emotional, but 
also quite a few learning disabilities and ADHD. Our students seem to 
have few tools for planning. They have many deep desires and broad 
goals, but no clue how to achieve them. There are many areas in which I 
feel they need preparation, but I hesitate to say to them that they need 
A, B, and C. Rather, I feel it is important for them to come to their 
own realizations of what they feel they need. It needs to come from them 
and they need to own it. Otherwise they would sit passively while I 
spoon feed them and then when they are on their own, they will continue 
to sit and wait for someone else to lead them around.

 I made up a self assessment that asks them about where they stand in 
various aspects of life. For instance, they may tell me they have a 
place to live but when I ask for their mailing address they can't give 
one. Hopefully the question will get them thinking about where will they 
actually be staying. I ask about their immediate needs. What kinds of 
clothes do they have, how much money do they have, what is the number to 
call to get the electricity hooked up. Will they have a drivers license, 
what do they have to do to get it back, how will they transport 
themselves to the grocery store, to work, to the doctors office. What 
will be the costs to live on your own? How will you pay for it? What 
hobbies do you have? How much spare time will you have to engage in 
hobbies or recreation?

When students say, 'wow. I never thought about that before,' then I know 
the self assessment has started a few wheels turning in their heads and 
it gives us a place to start a discussion.

I would love to hear what others are doing specifically. I hope to 
gather more items to put in my self assessment. In another email Fern 
mentioned self-advocacy. What specifically might that look like in 
community and job settings?
Tom


Arlyn Roffman wrote:


>Hi-

>I wrote earlier about some of the practical skills students in transition to

>the community need. I'm wondering what any of you have done in your settings

>to foster readiness for community living.Are you working on functional

>literacy? If so, how's it working? Any tools to suggest?

>

>I'll be posting more responses to your questions later tonight and tomorrow.

>Feel free to ask new ones as well or to make some comments. Let's have a

>discussion about moving on into adulthood and what teachers can do both in

>high school and in ABE to help people with LD transition effectively.

>

>I will definitely not have all the answers, but it's clear from past

>postings that there's loads of expertise among the readers of this listserv,

>so let's be resources to each other!

>Arlyn

>

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