Cognitive Load

Cognitive load

• Introduction of switches is a high cognitive load and likely a high physical load for our students.  

• It is a high cognitive load because the student is being asked to 

  • use a switch(es) as a tool to interact with something from a distance

  • process their response to a request

  • initiate movement

  • process and respond to the consequence (do they want to make the consequence happen again)

•  “It is difficult to find tasks that challenge our students at just the right level. As a result children who face significant challenges are often presented with a task that is either too easy or too difficult physically or cognitively” Burkhart

• • When learning to refine the motor movement, use an activity that is familiar to the student or a fun playful activity

  • When student has motor automaticity (can use the switch without thinking about it), then can increase cognitive load