Planning for Generalisation

Generalisation is a core skill in learning and one that needs conscious planning in therapy. It means learning something in one situation and being able to apply it to other objects, people, settings, or contexts, instead of tying it only to the original teaching materials.

What is generalisation?

When we generalise, we recognise the underlying concept, not just the specific example.

• For object identification, a child may first learn that something with a trunk, branches, and leaves is called a tree.
• Generalisation is when they see a different tree—with different leaves or flowers—and still recognise “this is also a tree” because it fits that general framework.

This is closely linked with categorisation. For example:

• Things with trunk, branches, and foliage are called trees; smaller similar plants may be called plants.
• Things with four legs, a tail, a head, and a snout fall under the broader category of animals.

Generalisation and categorisation together help expand vocabulary, language use, and flexible thinking.

Why we must plan for generalisation

Generalisation does not always happen automatically, especially when skills are taught in very controlled or narrow ways. A child can learn to respond correctly within a specific teaching set, but not yet understand the concept in a broader sense.

Because of this, planning for generalisation is essential:

• After teaching a concept like “big” and “small” with one set of materials, we need to test it with new objects that were not part of the original teaching set.
• If the child can still distinguish big from small with new objects, that suggests the concept has generalised.
• If they cannot, it may mean they have only learned the labels for those exact teaching objects and not the underlying idea of size.

Practical steps for facilitators

For each concept you teach, build generalisation into your plan:

• Start with a teaching set (for example, three pairs of objects for big/small).
• Once the learner is successful there, introduce new objects, pictures, or real-life examples that differ in colour, shape, or context but still illustrate the same concept.
• Observe whether the learner can apply the same word or discrimination without extra prompting.
• If generalisation does not occur, revisit the concept, use more varied examples, and support understanding before moving on.

In this way, generalisation is not left to chance. It becomes an intentional part of teaching that helps learners build flexible, useful knowledge they can carry beyond the therapy room.

Generalisation Check

Use this for each concept you teach (e.g., big/small, colours, categories, actions).

Teaching phase

• Has the learner learned the concept with the original teaching set of objects or pictures?
• Do they respond correctly with these familiar materials most of the time?

Generalisation test

• Have I tried the same concept with new objects or pictures that were not part of teaching?
• Can the learner still apply the concept (e.g., big vs small, tree vs plant, animal vs not animal) with these new examples?

If generalisation is weak

• Does the learner seem to know the word only for specific teaching objects rather than the broader idea?
• Do I need to add more varied examples (different colours, shapes, sizes, contexts) for this concept?
• Should I slow down and re-teach the concept as a general idea, not just as a label tied to a particular item?

Ongoing reflection

• For this goal, have I planned specific times and materials to check generalisation?
• Am I regularly checking whether skills show up in different places, with different people, and different materials—not just in one teaching setup?