What changes do you make to your homework and class work for students with disabilities? I find it hard to know who much to give them and how much is enough? Can anyone give me some ideas.
Thank you!
Re: Lesson plan changes
One thing to do is to recognize that while some students learn by writing things, lots of kids with LDs find that just makes things take longer and get more confusing. So if theyr’e supposed to “answer in a complete sentence” — have them do that for the first two questions and then let them do the rest in phrases.
Figure out what the *most* important ideas are — the ones you want them to know three years from now. I’m talking very, very, very basic. *Most* of the college-age kiddos I”m working with have done worksheets galore… but they really don’t know what we celebrate on the fourth of July. I’ve also done a lot of help w/ kids and homework — and gotten totallyf rustrated because I’d have loved to spend the time to get them to rephrase main concepts and terms and ideas — except there were 20 more questions to answer and there just isn’t time.
*Repeat and Review* the important stuff — technically that’s putting more into the assignment — but if the kiddo could get to where s/he *knew* some answers and didn’t have to hunt them out (so s/he could copy the words and forget them), then … learning just might happen, connections might get made. The notion that “at least I have exposed them to this” is a straw to grasp at — but it isn’t teaching.
Re: Lesson plan changes
Are you the only teacher assigning them homework? If many of your students are coming in with their work undone, that’s a signal.
I’m not a believer in giving homework for the sake of homework. Students and their families are entitled to their evenings. If it’s absolutely necessary to give homework, I keep it light, short, and to the point.
Here’s something few teachers do. Sit down and do the homework you assign. Actually do it. Look at the clock and note what time you start. Then start looking up the vocab words and writing down their definitions, or do the math problems, or read the chapter - whatever you’ve assigned. Note the time you’re done. How much time did it take you? Triple that, maybe even quadruple it and you’ll have how much time it will take a young student, especially one with learning differences.
Re: Lesson plan changes
Really, really good idea. We have quite often run into the problem that teachers assign thinking that it’s “easy”, with no thought to how LONG a task will take. If something takes too long, it becomes “hard”, even if the basic task is well within a child’s capabilities.
That was the problem we had all fall in my son’s old class. There was very little that he “couldn’t” do, but the QUANTITY of the work totally overfaced him.
Karen
There are a wide variety of ideas you can use but make sure that there are validated within the IEP. If they are not - don’t do them. Be at as many IEP meetings as a teacher as possible - I have been very instrumental in informing the individuals involved about possible methods I have used.
1. If an assignment appears by the norm standard to be difficult, let two or three (of roughly the same playing field) depending on… work together to solve or write or complete problems. This inforces the idea of cooperative learning and how this may flow over to the work force. I will use this even on testing formats at times. However, do not rely on this totally - the students become reliant on it.
2. If #1 is not possible, In your watchful eye allow other students to do the reading or scripting. As for the amount of an assignment - sometimes I allow them to do selected problems or write a certain amount - always judge them based on their IEP goals.