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When you think back on your educational experience, did it center around trying to keep up with your classmates? Was your success measured through testing and grades alone? This standard learning environment often focuses on group instruction and general challenges for all students, regardless of their individual skills. It’s also a system where children move forward to the next lesson even if they don’t completely grasp the information they’ve gained.

Unlike this standard approach to education, our team at Scottsdale Children’s Institute takes an individualized approach to curriculum and teaching. Our experts in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) offer these insights into the advantages of individualized curriculum.

Why individualized instruction matters

You’ve probably heard the phrase “no child left behind.” Unfortunately, current education standards can leave many children behind. However, there is a better way. An individualized curriculum can increase success by treating students based on their unique abilities and backgrounds. Individualized instruction takes into account the following:

• Diverse learning styles and intellectual strengths
• Different rates of learning
• Varying socioeconomic backgrounds

If you ignore these differences, you can prevent students from achieving their potential, especially in a learning environment.

How individualized instruction works

One of the key components of individualized instruction is allowing students to learn in their own way and at their own pace. Our team does this for children ages 0-11 through careful evaluation, so we can identify how they learn and what motivates them.

Based on these findings, we create individualized ABA curriculums using a science-based school readiness model similar to the Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis for Schooling (CABAS®). Then, we calibrate our instruction to their individual pace. That means that — even in an inclusive education setting with other students — each child can advance through the material at their own speed based on their specific learning needs.

With this approach, you can rest assured that your child will master the skills they need to succeed and thrive, whether they:

• Need more time reviewing material previously covered
• Don’t need more time on mastered content
• Need to move through curriculum at a slower pace

Following an individualized curriculum plan also allows students to completely immerse themselves in a specific principle or topic in order to grasp it.

What to expect from individualized instruction

A large part of your child’s individualized curriculum will involve their readiness as a student and their interests. We also rely on clinically proven models and evidence-based instruction methods to ensure academic success at Scottsdale Children’s Institute.

Our process also includes continuous assessments, and we record each child’s progress in their program on a daily basis. By capturing empirical data on observable behavior, we can constantly tweak our teaching approach to help them love learning.

Part of our instructional strategies often include:

• Cooperative learning
• Hands-on learning
• Problem-based learning and reciprocal teaching
• Peer tutoring
• Projects
• Roleplay
• Simulation

Plus, with our expertise in applied behavior analysis, our techniques all focus on positive reinforcement.

To learn more about the importance of individualized curriculum, book an appointment online or over the phone with Scottsdale Children’s Institute today.