First, you will need to teach why grooming and dressing are important skills. Explaining why it is important should be done through a social narrative, or other visual method.
After establishing why grooming and dressing are important, you will need to teach how to appropriately groom and dress. Break it down into 2 topics, grooming and then dressing, focusing on them one at a time.
Within grooming, what are the sub-skills that need to be taught? Do they know the steps to fully clean themselves in the shower? Do they know how to apply deodorant properly?
Once the mechanics are taught, you will likely need to teach specific rules regarding grooming. individuals often like rules and view the world in black and white. So giving the student concrete, specific rules to follow regarding their hygiene and dressing is often a good approach.
Examples of rules include:
Finally, think about what strategies are needed to ensure that the student follows through and applies these rules. Do they need a to-do list? Do they need a structured organizational system in their bathroom?
Then go through the same process for dressing. First, make sure the student can do the mechanics of dressing. Do they have the fine motor skills to button small buttons? If not, opt for shirts with no buttons. Simply creating a clear list of instructions for grooming and dressing may overcome some organizational issues. However, consider whether timelines are necessary additions to assure that the student stays focused and completes these routines in a deliberate manner. Identify the cues necessary to help the student stay focused on the steps of grooming and dressing.
Teach rules regarding dressing. This step is a large task. Because there are fine lines and different opinions regarding dressing, your job is to make it as simple and concrete as possible.
Examples of various rules include:
Or, you could provide guidelines about what type of attire to wear to work. This visual support could be enhanced by using images for additional clarity (see Graphic Organizers for an example).
Finally, think of strategies to make sure these rules are enforced. Does the student need additional organization in the closet and dresser? Do they need a checklist posted to the door before they leave reminding them to check for stains or holes in their clothes? Do they need the full sequenced list of steps posted in a highly visible space where they dress or in the bathroom?
What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?
Perhaps the student needs explicit guidance in determining the appropriate attire for different job interviews. If he is applying to work at a landscaping company, or at a movie theater, is it appropriate for him to wear a suit to the application/interview process? For some students, it will be necessary to target these finer discriminations (Formal interview attire versus business casual interview attire versus casual interview attire: What do each of these “look like”? Where and when should I wear formal attire? Where and when should I wear casual attire?).
Perhaps the student has sensory issues that impact his or her grooming practices (pulling her hair up; clipping finger nails; shaving underarms). For some students, it will be necessary to break down these elements into achievable segments, while taking into consideration the sensory sensitivity that makes such activities difficult.