Strategies for Kickstarting Tasks in High School for Teenagers
Fostering Flexible Thinking in Neurodiverse Teens and Young Adults
Flexible thinking, also known as cognitive flexibility, is a valuable skill for everyone, particularly neurodiverse individuals. This ability to adjust thoughts, plans, or actions in response to new information or unexpected changes is essential for problem-solving, managing emotions, and building stronger relationships.
Neurodivergent individuals may face challenges in developing flexible thinking skills due to difficulties in executive functioning, anxiety in response to change, preference for routines, and difficulty understanding social cues. However, with the right strategies, these challenges can be overcome.
Parents and teachers play a crucial role in helping neurodivergent teens and young adults develop flexible thinking skills. Here are some key strategies that can be employed:
- Co-create routines and choices: Involve youths in designing schedules or projects to increase their sense of ownership and willingness to adapt when changes occur. This not only empowers them but also helps them understand that flexibility is an integral part of routine-building.
- Model flexible thinking: Parents and teachers can openly narrate their own thought processes and adjustments to demonstrate flexibility in problem-solving and decision-making. This helps neurodivergent learners understand that flexibility is a normal and beneficial response to change.
- Use scaffolding: Gradually support executive function skills like planning, problem-solving, and cognitive flexibility by breaking down tasks and providing guided choices until young people build independence. This approach allows them to develop these skills at their own pace.
- Incorporate play and reflective activities: Use games, books, or role-plays that encourage perspective-taking and problem-solving, then discuss what strategies were used and how to try different approaches next time. This helps neurodivergent learners practice flexible thinking in a fun and engaging way.
- Provide sensory breaks and physical activity: These help reduce overstimulation and improve brain functions linked to flexible thinking, such as attention and impulse control.
- Teach self-advocacy and emotional regulation: Encourage neurodivergent youth to express preferences, ask for help, and manage emotions to enable adaptive thinking and decision-making. This helps them become more resilient in the face of change.
- Celebrate effort and progress: Emphasize persistence and incremental improvement over perfection to foster a growth mindset and reduce anxiety around change. This encourages neurodivergent learners to view change as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat.
These approaches create supportive environments where neurodivergent teens and young adults can safely stretch their cognitive flexibility, gradually becoming more adaptable thinkers capable of handling life's uncertainties.
Remember, practicing flexibility in low-stress situations can help build confidence in handling change. Examples of flexible thinking include adjusting schedules, trying new activities, and adapting to new roles. Playing strategy games that require adaptability can help improve social awareness in neurodivergent learners. Phrasing challenges as opportunities for creativity can invite neurodivergent learners to engage their creativity. Discussing mistakes as learning opportunities can encourage resilience in neurodivergent learners. Visual schedules with "change cards" can help neurodivergent learners practice adapting to new plans.
By employing these strategies, we can help neurodivergent teens and young adults develop the flexible thinking skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
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[3] Dajani, S., & Uddin, L. Q. (2018). Flexible thinking: A review of the construct and its relationship to cognitive flexibility. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1988.
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- Encouraging mindfulness and learning through education-and-self-development resources can aid neurodiverse individuals in cultivating resilience, a fundamental aspect of developing flexible thinking.
- To promote personal-growth and foster adaptability during life skills instruction, educators and parents can incorporate activities that emphasize learning from mistakes, which can reinforce the idea that change is an opportunity for growth.
- In the pursuit of building flexible thinking, teachers and parents can also guide neurodiverse teens and young adults in setting realistic goals, working on self-advocacy, and engaging in mindfulness practices to bolster their emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility.
