Helping Students Retain and Transfer New Learning:
Making Skills Stick!
In our world of supporting students with special needs, there’s a constant focus on helping them learn and grow. But it’s not just about the "what" of learning - the facts and figures or tasks. It’s also about the "how" - How do we help students retain what they’ve learned and transfer that knowledge to new settings? After all, what’s the point if they can only do something in a single, isolated environment?
Whether you’re a teacher, BCBA, social worker, school staff, or even a parent, everyone plays a part in making learning meaningful and lasting for students with special needs. And let's be real - it can be a bit of a balancing act between teaching, reinforcing, and making it fun! So let’s dive into a few tried-and-true strategies for helping students retain what they’ve learned and use it beyond our lessons.
Marla Watts-Pacheco, MS, BCBA
1. Make It Meaningful
Retention starts with relevance. In other words, what’s the point in learning “this” skill? If students can see why a skill is useful, they’re more likely to hold onto it. We’re all naturally inclined to remember things that matter to us and so are our students! For example, instead of focusing on math for the sake of math, try making it about something they enjoy, like calculating points in their favorite game or working on budgeting for a desired item. This helps create a sense of purpose, showing students how the skill has value beyond the classroom.
Retention starts with relevance. In other words, what’s the point in learning “this” skill? If students can see why a skill is useful, they’re more likely to hold onto it. We’re all naturally inclined to remember things that matter to us and so are our students! For example, instead of focusing on math for the sake of math, try making it about something they enjoy, like calculating points in their favorite game or working on budgeting for a desired item. This helps create a sense of purpose, showing students how the skill has value beyond the classroom.
2. Break It Down (and Build It Back Up!)
Some tasks can be overwhelming if presented all at once. Breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps - what we call task analysis in behavior analysis - can make it much easier for students to learn and remember. Each small step leads to a win, and those wins build confidence! Once students master each component, we can build the steps back up, helping them practice the skill as a complete routine.
For example, hand-washing can be broken into smaller steps: turning on the water, applying soap, scrubbing hands, and so on. If you want to get more technical, we can either start with a forward chain, backward chain, or total task chain, but we can save that for another time. By celebrating each small success, we’re building a foundation for retention.
3. Teach Across Settings
If we teach students how to read in one specific setting, they might only recognize that skill in that setting. To help students generalize, they must practice that skill in different environments. If a student is learning to read signs, start in the classroom, then move to the hallway, the playground, or the cafeteria. This practice is all about generalization, meaning they’ll have a better shot at using that skill wherever they go!
For anyone working with individuals who are learning something new, consider how to bring the lessons taught in one setting into other areas of the student’s life. Reinforcing the same skill in the classroom, at home, and during community outings gives students repeated exposure, which helps it stick.
Marla Watts-Pacheco, MS, BCBA
4. Reinforcement Done Right
Reinforcement is a powerful tool for helping students learn and retain new information, but it’s important to keep it effective. Reinforcers should be tailored to the student, varied, and gradually faded over time. If a student gets a high-five, sticker, or a few minutes with their favorite toy every time they accomplish a task, they’re likely to want to do it again. And when they can do it independently and consistently, we can start to reduce these rewards, knowing the skill has taken root.
But remember, if the skill fades, bring those reinforcements back - there’s no harm in a quick refresher to reinforce learning!
5. Use Visual Supports and Cues
For many students, visuals are the key to unlocking retention. Visual supports like charts, pictures, or schedules can help remind students of the steps needed to complete a task. Visuals serve as cues, helping them rely less on us and more on prompts they can see and use independently.
Think of a student who struggles with remembering the order of tasks in their morning routine. A picture schedule that shows each step can be an invaluable support. They’ll have something to look at and guide them until they no longer need it. Heck, even as an adult I rely on visuals. I rely on the clock, my colorful calendar, my visual list of things to do, and more.
6. Practice Maintenance
The practice of spaced repetition, which means revisiting and practicing a skill over time instead of cramming it all at once, has solid research backing. Behavioral scientists call this maintenance, and maintenance is keeping a learned skill going over time, even without direct teaching.
For example, if you teach a student how to navigate to the school’s cafeteria today, have them practice it again tomorrow, next week, and in different conditions (e.g., when the hallway is busier or quieter). By spacing out practice, students can retain information longer.
7. Encourage Self-Monitoring
Teaching students to self-monitor can be a game-changer. Self-monitoring lets students become active participants in their learning, tracking their own progress and celebrating their successes. It’s a huge confidence boost for them and a great way to make skills stick.
Let’s say a student is working on staying on task during independent work. You can set up a self-monitoring sheet where they check off each five-minute interval they stay focused. This can be empowering for them, building intrinsic motivation, and teaching them to be aware of their own learning.
8. Celebrate Small Wins Along the Way
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of progress. Celebrating small wins along the journey not only boosts motivation but also makes the learning process enjoyable for everyone involved. Remember: Small victories lead to big ones! Every time a student makes a leap - whether it’s mastering a single step in a larger task or transferring a skill to a new setting - make it a moment. Those celebrations create positive associations with learning.
9. Teach Problem-Solving Skills
Instead of always prompting students through tasks, we can also teach them to think through challenges. Encouraging problem-solving can lead to better retention and transfer because they’re learning how to adapt rather than follow a fixed formula.
For instance, if a student is working on identifying emotions, don’t just prompt them to name what they feel. Encourage them to think about why they might be feeling that way and what they can do next. This flexibility in learning will help them adapt their skills to new situations.Parental involvement is another big piece of the puzzle. Parents can reinforce strategies at home, whether it’s practicing flashcards, reading together, or following behavior plans designed to support skill development.
Marla Watts-Pacheco, MS, BCBA
The Big Takeaway
Helping students retain and transfer their learning is all about meaningful, flexible, and engaging experiences. By showing students that the skills they’re learning matter in everyday life, practicing across different settings, and celebrating each victory, we’re giving them a foundation that can support them for years to come.
As we work together, we’re creating an environment where students don’t just learn; they thrive. So keep that balance of fun and function, and keep cheering on every step forward. After all, each one brings our students closer to becoming more independent, resilient, and confident learners!
written by
Marla
Watts-Pacheco
Marla Watts-Pacheco is a qualified behavioral health professional and behavior consultant specializing in family engagement, developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and organizational behavior management. She has been a behavior analyst, behavior specialist, and ABA therapist in clinic, school, and in-home settings. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys time with her family and exploring new places with her husband. Marla is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with her Bachelors in Behavioral Science and Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis.
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