Spoon-feeding

Spoon-feeding describes the act of providing someone with excessive assistance, information, or support, leaving them dependent and unable to think or act independently. It often involves oversimplifying complex subjects or tasks, preventing the recipient from developing their own skills or understanding. It's characterized by a lack of challenge and opportunities for self-discovery, ultimately hindering personal growth and intellectual development. This approach can stifle creativity and critical thinking, creating reliance and passivity instead of encouraging autonomy and initiative. It can also involve an instructor providing every answer in order to make the student have an easier time.

Spoon-feeding meaning with examples

• The professor's lectures were criticized for spoon-feeding the students information, providing overly simplified explanations and avoiding deeper analysis. As a result, the students struggled to apply the concepts independently on exams, demonstrating a lack of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The course failed to encourage independent research or exploration, stifling intellectual curiosity.
• In an effort to ease her work's workload, the manager started spoon-feeding the new employee tasks by micromanaging and dictating exactly how things should be done. Instead of allowing her to learn by experience, the manager hindered her initiative. This stifled the employee's confidence and self-reliance, making it difficult for her to function on her own.
• The new textbook was a source of frustration as it spoon-fed the readers with every answer. Its detailed explanations and exhaustive illustrations left little room for the reader to formulate their own interpretations. Readers did not need to engage in their own reasoning, and they did not understand the topics as well.
• The coaching style in the youth league involved spoon-feeding the players, with the coach calling out every play and providing constant correction. This prevented the young athletes from making decisions, strategizing, or learning from their mistakes. Instead of fostering their teamwork or game awareness, the coach had the responsibility to dictate the actions of his players.