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How to develop growth mindset in Autism?
Having a growth mindset is a significant element for children with autism. We know that children with autism often adopt a fixed mindset, having an all-or-nothing (black and white) thinking leading them to be very negative towards their capabilities and skills. As a result, they easily get overwhelmed by challenges and see mistakes and failures as bad.
Hence, we need to teach children with autism to have a growth mindset and guide them to be competent when facing challenges and solving problems.
In RDI, we can help you and your child develop a growth mindset through our personalised parent coaching programs. Here are some simple tips below to get you started.
Encourage Independence and Self-Autonomy
Give children a sense of control and responsibilities of their own. Include them in simple chores and activities that promote opportunities for independence.
Embrace Mistakes and Failures
Show them that it’s okay to make mistakes—model how you cope with mistakes and that it’s not the end of the world. For example, “Oh no, we did the puzzle wrongly. But, it’s okay, let’s figure out how to fix it together.”
Declarative Communication
Use more open-ended questions to invite children to think and problem-solve instead of giving instructions. For example, instead of “take this and put it there” or “use this to wipe”, we can provide statements that encourage dynamic thinking - "I wonder how we can fix this?" or "Let's think of ways to solve this problem, shall we?"
Praise
Spotlight children’s effort for their dynamic thinking and solutions. "I love how you think and came up with that solution!" or "That's a good idea! Thanks for trying" Children love this positive feedback because you acknowledged their effort.