Are We Accidentally Creating Inflexible Learners?

When we think about supporting autistic children, most of us lean on structure, routine, and repetition. These tools feel safe, predictable, and comforting—for both the learner and the adult. But here’s the surprising truth: sometimes the very strategies we use to help may actually be creating rigid and inflexible learners.

Think about it. If a child is always taught to follow the same steps, with the same materials, and given the same prompts, what happens when something changes? Fire drills, substitute teachers, unexpected schedule shifts—real life is full of change. If our learners haven’t had safe opportunities to practice flexibility, those changes can feel overwhelming.

In this week’s conversation, our founder Susan Golubock, an autistic retired Occupational therapist and I (Staci, a Neurodivergent Speech-Language Pathologist) talk about a simple but powerful idea she calls predictable change. Instead of overwhelming learners with big changes, predictable change introduces small, intentional shifts so flexibility becomes safe, expected, and even empowering.

Why This Matters

• Strict routines build rigidity – When everything stays the same, learners don’t get to practice adapting.

• Memorization isn’t learning – If we teach performance instead of thinking, students may shut down when things aren’t “exactly right.”

• Flexibility is a soft skill – Just like communication or problem-solving, flexibility has to be modeled, practiced, and encouraged.

  
  

What You’ll Learn in the Video

This 15-minute video is full of practical strategies that parents, teachers, and therapists can start using right away. Here are just a few highlights you’ll hear about:

• How to weave small changes into daily schedules so students learn to adapt.

• Why building blank spaces into a schedule helps with problem-solving and flexible thinking.

• The importance of talking through your own problem-solving out loud so autistic learners understand how you came up with solutions.

• How to use predictable change to reduce anxiety and make flexibility part of everyday life.

  
  

Why You Should Watch to the End

This isn’t just theory. Throughout the entire video, Susan shares practical examples and strategies that build on each other. The last five minutes are especially important—they explain how to combine flexibility, problem-solving, and self-advocacy into daily routines without adding extra curriculum or complicated programs.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why is my child or student so rigid?” or “How can I help them handle change without meltdowns?”—this video has the answers.

👉 Watch the full 15-minute conversation here and discover how predictable change can transform rigidity into resilience.