Do you know if your learning style is visual or written? Are you a hands-on learner who takes in information easily from teachers, but struggles when the teacher doesn’t provide enough examples and details to help make sense of how things work?
Don’t worry–there are various ways for people to learn!
Teachers and tutors use various instructional practices in an effort to reach all learners. Sometimes traditional instruction poses challenges towards students with disabilities because they can be diagnosed as having “learning disabilities” which means that there’s something blocking their ability to process what other individuals do quickly (and more efficiently) without difficulty…or even at all!
All Learning Requires Strategy
Strategies will vary depending on the needs of learners, their unique personalities, and their learning disabilities. There is no “one-size fits all” plan when it comes to teaching children with learning disabilities, no matter the subject, levels from elementary school to high school or age group.
Learning disabilities are a type of learning challenge that affects children. These challenges can be based in one or more common dysfunctions, such as:
Dyslexia – a reading disability caused by the language(s) they speak at home and/or use when interacting with others.
Auditory processing disorder – which makes understanding speech difficult, despite normal hearing capabilities.
Dyscalculia – is sometimes called “number dyslexia” or math dyslexia. It’s a learning disability that impairs an individual’s ability to learn number-related concepts, perform accurate math calculations, reason and problem solve, and perform other basic math skills.
Math anxiety – Although it doesn’t fall under the “disability” category, it does mimic the symptoms of a disability.
“It is an emotional issue involving self-doubt and fear of failing. Both can create test anxiety and lead kids to try to avoid going to math classes.”
The Strategy Process
The educational process shouldn’t just be about what’s on your paper. It should also take into account how you feel when completing an assignment or test, and whether these feelings are caused by accommodations needed for someone who has a learning disability.
Students with diagnosed conditions such as dyslexia often receive extra support outside the classroom in the form teachers called “residence.” These can include specific strategies that help them complete tasks easily while still being held accountable like any other student would need to rely heavily upon his/her own abilities rather than those granted from above – this includes tests too!
When teaching, a set lesson plan is never an option when it comes to teaching students with learning disabilities. You need many available options in order to obtain students’ needs, to assist them reach their goal in achieving comprehensive results of the subject at hand, and have them excel from there on.
Let’s Take A Look At A Few Strategies
- Avoid information overload. Remember an excessive amount of tasks can result in anxiety and this will definitely not assist with the current disability of the student. Observe the students’ focus and concentration span.
- Repetition is key to assisting with memory. Make use of pictures, music, or funny riddles through repetition.
- Make new learning meaningful by praising with sincerity and making use of the students’ name when praising.
- Pre Teaching strategy is an excellent way of assisting with memory and focus.
- Drawing is a cool way to help with visualizing. Making use of different realia can improve interaction and stimulate, ideas, confidence and a passion for learning.
- Use real-life situations that make problems functional and applicable to everyday life.
- Graph paper is a great way of helping students write on lines without seeing numbers floating around.
- Independence Tracking is a great way to have students become more involved with work they already completed or intend to complete.
Some of the most successful people in life are those who have a knack for strategy.
Mathematics is no different, and it requires specific tactics to be mastered by students – both concrete ones, like strategies, that make math easier on your brain or abstract methods which help you see where all numbers come from.
Strategies can also vary depending upon what kind of learning disability someone has.
Some may require more assistance than others do because they don’t allow or accept certain things within their minds easily.
Remember strategies are about choices, decisions, change and results. Strategies are also about accepting a “yes”, “no” and “silence” from a student in order to figure out what to do next.
Keep strategizing to attain actionable steps!
