Teaching Students With Learning Diversities

Introduction

1. Combine oral instructions with visual cues, including pictures and specific gestures.
2. Keep all the instructions as short and straightforward as possible [1].
3. Check the understanding of the given instructions before students begin their work [2].
4. Set a routine so that students know what type of task to expect [1].
5. Allow some thinking time after the instructions for students to process them [3].

Assigning Tasks

1. Provide students with a choice between different assignment types [4].
2. Allow students to choose how they will complete a task: individually, in pairs, or in small groups [4].
3. Give students a choice of different content on the same topic [4].
4. Tailor the assignments to the students’ individual learning goals [5].
5. Modify the same assignment materials for students with ability differences [2].

Assessment Strategies

1. Allow students to conduct self-assessments using an easy checklist [6].
2. When preparing a test, modify the question types to suit different learners [2].
3. Co-create learning targets together with students for them to refer back to [6].
4. Provide each student with a self-assessment journal for the school year [6].
5. Allow students to assess each other and each other’s behavior.

Teaching Reading Skills

1. Allow students to choose the materials for the reading activities [3].
2. Divide the students into reading groups according to their reading level [3].
3. Modify the same reading material to ensure that all students can work with it [3].
4. Use visual aids to introduce new vocabulary to the students.
5. Employ a multisensory approach when teaching students reading skills [1].

Teaching Writing Skills

1. Provide students with tracing materials to practice their handwriting [3].
2. Encourage students to practice drawing letters in the air [3].
3. Give students “bumpy paper” to prevent them from writing outside specific boundaries [3].
4. Use a graphic or visual checklist to help students with their assignments [3].
5. Provide students who are unable to write with voice-to-text technology [1].

Behavioral Management Strategies

Disruptive Behavior

1. Ensure all students know and understand the classroom rules.
2. Set specific and enforceable consequences for disruptive behavior in the classroom [7].
3. Design a predictable routine to prevent students from getting frustrated and disruptive [7].
4. Reward good behavior in the classroom by awarding students with small incentives or tokens.
5. Ensure that all disruptive behavior is addressed, with no students being allowed to act obtrusively.

Refusal to Complete Assignments

1. Discover the root causes of a student’s refusal to complete tasks.
2. Ensure that students understand what they need to do when assigning tasks.
3. Design a reward system for completing classroom tasks and homework [7].
4. Encourage competition between the pairs and groups of students to promote engagements with assignments.
5. Allow the student to correct each other’s behavior when needed.

Aggressive Behavior and Bullying

1. Set rules and behavioral expectations for all students in the class.
2. Build rapport with the students to prevent incidents of bullying [7].
3. Design behavioral and social skills interventions for students with aggressive behavior [8].
4. Rewards students for being helpful and friendly towards others.
5. Promote inclusion and avoid excluding aggressive students as it may exacerbate their behavior [8].

Students Being Inattentive

1. Structure the classroom in a specific way to prevent students from getting distracted [8].
2. Ensure there are no distracting objects in the classroom [8].
3. Create a predictable and fast-paced classroom routine for students [8].
4. Keep instructions short and simple and refrain from overexplaining assignments.
5. Keep activities for inattentive students short and vary them often.

Students Refusing to Socialize

1. Establish why the student does not want to engage with others.
2. Rearrange the classroom for students to sit in closer proximity to each other [8].
3. Promote short activities in pairs or small groups to encourage mixing.
4. Build a trusting relationship with the student and reward them for socializing [7].
5. Respect the students’ desire to work alone if that fits their learning style.

References

1. Unlu V. Supporting students with specific learning differences [Internet]. World of Better Learning. 2017. Web.
2. Finley T. Teaching a class with big ability differences [Internet]. Edutopia. 2017. Web.
3. The Understood Team. 6 strategies teachers use to help kids who learn and think differently [Internet]. Understood.org. 2018. Web.
4. Parrish N. Ensuring that instruction is inclusive for diverse learners [Internet]. Edutopia. 2019. Web.
5. Differentiated instruction strategies in the classroom [Internet]. Classtime Blog. 2018. Web.
6. Brookhart S, Lazarus S. Formative assessment for students with disabilities [Internet]. Washington, DC: The Council of Chief State School Officers State Collaboratives on Assessing Special Education Students and Formative Assessment; 2017 p. 1-34. Web.
7. Killian S. 10 potent behaviour management strategies [Internet]. Evidence-Based Teaching. 2016. Web.
8. Banks A. 5 behavior management strategies for students with challenges [Internet]. Insights to Behavior. 2020. Web.