Simple Accommodations Simple Accommodations for Exceptional Learners for Exceptional Learners in the General Education in the General Education

Class Class

What can I do to make each student successful?

Clear Teaching PointsClear Teaching Points

The learner will engage in meaningful conversation about classroom situations which have been challenging.

The learner will be able to state one new learning about exceptional students and state three accommodations they can make to increase academic success.

Learners will be able to name one High Leverage Teaching Move and how to use it in their classroom.

What do you want to walk What do you want to walk away with today?away with today?

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Good Teaching Know your learners, be interested in

them, try to understand them, create a relationship with them.

Know what your learning objective is for everything that is done in your learning environment and clearly state it in student language visually and verbally.

Know a variety of learning styles and how to teach a subject in a variety of modalities.

Know how to find out what your students know(assessment)

Know how to organize your learning space

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High Leverage Teaching MovesHigh Leverage Teaching Moves

Clear Teaching Point Press for Justification Rich and Engaging Dialogue Use Public Record Journals Ongoing formative assessment Modeling Use of Vocabulary

Students you are learning EnglishStudents you are learning EnglishStudents who are advancedStudents who are advanced

Child with a disabilityChild with a disabilityChild who has experienced TraumaChild who has experienced Trauma

Who are the Exceptional Learners?Who are the Exceptional Learners?

Your ExperienceYour Experience

Turn to a partner and share your experience with exceptional learners.

Share one success Share one situation which was challenging

Students who are talented in Students who are talented in oneone area or anotherarea or another

They need to be challenged They need to create They need social interaction Sometimes they need a special classroom

—some not. Assignments need depth They can develop behaviors that are

disruptive if not challenged.

Students who are learningStudents who are learning EnglishEnglish

Leaning the language as they are expected to know content

May be experiencing culture shock Our education system may be drastically

different then their parents. Need for visual cues Teacher and staff need to know it can take

5-7 years to be really fluent in both understanding and producing language

Disability AwarenessDisability Awareness

Autism ADHD/ADS Severe Learning Disability Emotional/ Behavioral

Autism CharacteristicsAutism Characteristics

Sensory Integration Differences: Noise, crowds, texture, change in routine, can cause over stimulation which can cause behavior issues.

Processing Speed: Give them time to process requests and directions. Don’t repeat yourself, it is like pelting them with information overload. Use visuals in connection with your request.

Autism Cont.Autism Cont.

Reading Comprehension: Some of these students are really good “word callers”. They can decode well. They do not understand much of what they read especially dealing with abstract thought. Create pre-teaching structures that help with comprehension.

ADD/ADHD Characteristics ADD/ADHD Characteristics Inattention: Usually can not stay focused for

very long on most everything that is uninteresting

Impulsive: Can not understand why they do the things they do.

Constant Movement: Need to move, run, wiggle, interrupt

Executive Functioning: Can not organize desk, how to start a project, how to work in a group, how to manage time.

Social/Emotional/ BehaviorSocial/Emotional/ Behavior

Emotional Regulation Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Flashbacks ADHD/ADD Family structure and relationships can be

chaotic/unpredictable There is a function for every behavior. Children who have suffered a trauma or

multiple traumas exhibit many characteristics of emotional/social distress

Severe Learning DisabilitySevere Learning Disability

Generally average or above average IQ

Working Memory. Need “hooks” for how to hold on to information

Phonemic Awareness very weak

Executive Function

Classroom AccommodationsClassroom Accommodations

Positive Behavior Supports: Teaching expectations ( Developmentally appropriate list of rules, visuals to make them concrete)

Clear schedule of the day or period, may need to include visual cues. (Example)

Create check lists for all learners for work and choice time. (Example)

Warning for Transitions and changes in schedule (Example)

Sense of Community

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Daily ScheduleDaily Schedule 9:00 Arrive 9:10 Desk Work 9:25 Circle 9:45 Literacy 10:45 Recess 11:00 Snack 11:15 Math 12:15 Recess 12:40 Lunch 1:00 Read Aloud 1:20 Science 2:00 Choice Time 2:30 Recess 2:45 Art 3:20 Get Ready 3:30 Dismissal

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Specific ImagesSpecific Images

Be Specific

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Report ChecklistReport ChecklistWorkWork

Step 1: Look through book, choose topic. Step 2: Tell the teacher the topic Step 3: On the yellow notecard write three interesting facts

about the topic. Step 4: Use your desk partner to tell them three things you know

about the topic. Step 4: On the blue card label it “Topic Number 1”. Write one

sentence about the topic. Step 5: On the red card label it “Topic Number 2. Write one

sentence about the topic. Step 6: On the green card label it “ Topic Number 3. Write one

sentence about the topic. Step 7: Ask the teacher for a conference to review progress.

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Choice Time Choice Time

Blocks

Library

Painting

Kitchen

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Helpful physical accommodationsHelpful physical accommodations

T-Stool Assigned seats Exercise Balls White boards Beanbags chairs Pencil Grips Wiggle Cushions Net books Water bottle with straw Early/Late Chewing Gum Take a break I-Pods Timers Hoodies or Hats Writing utensils Heavy Backpacks

Good Teaching Cont.Good Teaching Cont.

Create a relationship with the child that is based on mutual positive regard (empathize, listen, create good boundaries)

May need to create a behavior modification system.

https://inside.seattleschools.org/area/teachertools/toolindex.xml

(amazing resource for diverse learners and templets for projects)

But it’s not fair!!!!!!!But it’s not fair!!!!!!!

In my room children needed different things to make education equal and fair.

I need glasses—if those glasses get taken away I would not be able to learn. If my neighbor put my glasses on they would not be able to learn either.

Example: I can’t sit still in my chair, I need space to move—there are developmentally appropriate ways to allow students to move.

Positive Behavior SupportsPositive Behavior Supports

Name 5 positive behavior supports that you have used or seen.

Find someone in the room you do not know and introduce your self and share your list.

Hear anything new????

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Positive Behavior SupportsPositive Behavior Supports

The purpose of a positive behavior support plan should be to listen to what the person is saying with their behavior and then to respond to their communication in a way that uses their strengths to meet their needs and does not harm themselves or others.

Examples:

Seating

Teaching ways for getting teacher attention

Teaching routines for everything you want to child to know how to do

Plenty of opportunities for movement

Clearing stating classroom rules and expectations.

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Classroom RulesClassroom Rules

Respect every person and all materials in learning space.

Be in class on time. Listen to all learners in the classroom. Talk when it is your turn. Help each other learn.

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Classroom RulesClassroom Rules

Take care of the classroom.

Take care of each other.

Talk when it is your turn.

Raise your hand to talk.

Sample Lesson PrimarySample Lesson Primary District Curriculum: Writer’s Workshop 1.) Presentation 2.) Materials a.) paper b.)writing instrument c.) writing folders 3.) Expectations (behavior and academic) 4.) Ways to promote writing ideas a. ) sensory box b. ) pictures c.) highly engaging mini lesson

Sample lesson SecondarySample lesson Secondary

Writers Workshop: Allow students to type, have a scribe, and write about what they are interested in. Please think carefully about peer editing it can be very intimidating for some students.

Homework Accommodations: Allow students to do every other problem, set a time limit because these students are probably working harder then others in the classroom and they are tired.

Useful Websites and BooksUseful Websites and Books

Ldonline.org Readingrockets.org ChrisDendy.com

“Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom” by Diane Heacox

“Teaching with the Brain in Mind” by Eric Jensen

Where do I go from here?Where do I go from here? Create a matrix of the children who are challenging.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Common accommodations that tend to help the student.

Put in sub file, have a copy close at hand when you are doing your lesson plans. Some accommodations will be can be taught to the whole class—not just the targeted child.

Fluid document—meaning it will change.