Support Strategies for the Classroom
1. Advance organizers: provide written or oral summations with headings and subheadings, semantic maps or questions before reading and writing assignments; never assume knowledge that is normally gained through reading.
2. Alphabetic sequencing: as the student will require the use of a dictionary throughout life the sequence of the alphabet should be practiced frequently; when established, teach specific dictionary skills; show how to find the four quartiles by dividing each half of the dictionary; encourage the use of personal pocket spelling dictionaries.
3. Assistive technology: cassette tape recorders, dictaphones; spell masters / word masters; PCs with word processing packages; laptop computers; voice- activated – text writing soft-ware; text reading software; teach keyboard skills early.
4. Avoid lengthy copying & unnecessary dictation; allow the use of a tape recorder in class or let student’s photocopy your or a peer’s notes; let a peer use NCR or carbonless paper to make a copy.
5. Avoid unnecessary rote memorization.
6. Avoid white boards and fluorescent lighting; many students have problems with glare.
7. Bookmakers or rulers can be useful to help a student keep his/her place while he/she reads.
8. Books on tape; provide access to age appropriate information and required texts and supports independent reading skills development.
9. Collaborative learning; teacher-student talk; peer-tutoring; group discussion; reciprocal teaching.
10. Correction: this is best when individualized; grade content and transcription separately; encourage and guide self-correction to increase learning and self-awareness; limit number of corrections.
11. Direct and explicit instructions: given one at a time and briefly, will increase the chances of comprehension and compliance.
12. .Discipline: consider the specific learning difficulty before disciplining students for not doing work; when disciplining, avoid punishments based on written work; avoid long lectures; after you have explained what he/she did wrong, ask them to repeat (this verbalization can help processing and increase understanding).
13. .Don’t force oral reading: if a learner finds oral reading difficult and embarrassing, don’t make them do it; you may be creating a discipline problem or publicly humiliating them; if oral reading is absolutely necessary, show them what they will have to read beforehand, so that they can practice it with a reader at home.
14. Don’t write too much on the board: a black- or white- board with a lot of writing is harder to read and its harder for the learner to find the new information and keep their place; less is better; erase before you write more.
15. Encourage study / learning groups and group projects: many students will learn more with the support of a group; group work can allow them to use other skills (e.g. artistic, oral, mechanical, reasoning personal).
16. Give assignments, instructions and explanations in writing and orally: two channels of presentation are more helpful and increase the chances of comprehension and compliance.
17. G raphic presentation: provide information pictorially through illustrations, graphs, maps, charts, photographs, posters; teach specific skills of reading / interpreting pictorial information.
18. Grouping: be flexible about how and when you divide the class into working groups; grouping does not have to be dictated by ability; consider mixed – ability – grouping.
19. Individual help: for any significant length of time is not possible in the mainstream classroom, but try to give a few minutes regularly throughout the week to ensure the learner is succeeding in at least some of her/his work.
20. Learning style: always consider the student’s learning style; many learners with a specific learning difficulty have a more holistic or global learning style which is in contrast to the sequential and systematic approach of most teachers.
21. .Make allowance for tiredness: many learners with a learning difficulty find learning and the demands of the school day more exhausting than their peers; this is due to the degree of concentration that they must operate at and the amount of effort required to try to learn and to keep up.
22. Memory skills: either or both short term and long term memory may be a problem; many learners with a specific learning difficulty do not seem to naturally acquire efficient strategies (e.g. rehearsing, chunking) to support memory; these can be taught directly in class; avoid direct competition between those with naturally good memories and those without.
23. Model and demonstrate: don’t just explain how to do something, show how it is done, step by step, and talk students through it prior to all independent work; encourage them to verbalize while they work independently, i.e. repeat or imitate how you talked them through the task.
24. Modify test formats: try alternatives to formal written tests, e.g. oral tests; T/F, multiple choice, graphic formats; fill-in; practical tests; continuous assessment portfolios; with written tests allow extra time or unlimited time and/or the use of a reader and/or scribe or a tape recorder; test questions can be put onto an audio tape.
25. Modify homework expectations: reduce length and number of assignments; avoid unnecessary writing out of questions; set a maximum amount of time to be spent on a subject or assignment; parents can monitor and record time spent in the homework journal.
26. Modify homework format: try oral, or audio- or video-taped assignments or the use of graphic presentations, e.g. illustrations, mind-maps, outlines, dioramas, collages etc….; accept work done on a computer.
27. Modify teaching materials: control readability; simplify language; print carefully or type; use headings and sub-headings; reduce extraneous detail; highlight critical features; use graphic information; use concrete materials.
28. Multisensory: learners have five senses and therefore five pathways for learning; try to use more than one learning channel in every teaching activity; this will reinforce learning and help to compensate for any learners sensory, perceptual or processing difficulty.
29. Novelty: attention in class can be more readily established and maintained if a presentation or activity has some novelty value.
30. Pre-test: as part of program planning; always check a present level of knowledge, skill or understanding before planning what and how to teach.
31. Print: rather than using joined or cursive, when writing worksheets and tests or writing on the black- or whiteboard or using the overhead projector.
32. Provide alternatives to reading text: read text book aloud in class or use audio and video tapes, drama, debates, small and large discussion groups, CD-ROMs, reading software to support or replace text.
33. Provide specific training: to support present and future independent work; train learners in answering oral and written questions, planning written work, proof-reading, mind mapping, listening, studying, note-taking, thinking.
34. Reader and/or scribe: allow a parent, sibling or peer to read and/or write homework for the learner.
35. Revision: provide more frequent reviews and revision; learners with learning difficulties tend to need more repetition and reinforcement than their peers.
36. Seating arrangements: seat the learner with learning difficulties in a position where you can give help easily, minimizing embarrassment; this learner must be facing the front of the room so she/he can easily see you and the board; having to turn around, will cause disorientation and additional difficulties in copying down information.
37. Structure teaching for success: tangible success will motivate and enhance self-esteem; take every opportunity to give genuine praise whenever possible; measure success against self, not others.
38. Task analysis: analyze all learning tasks; be aware of preprequisite learning and skills; sub-divide objectives; small steps and short term goals are more easily attained and are more motivating.
39. Teacher-student interaction: provide more frequent and positive interaction, more direct assistance and frequent feedback; schedule conferencing sessions to discuss specific work or general progress.
40. Use student-centered teaching methods: e.g. whole class, student-led discussions, oral reports, drama, role play, peer teaching, circle time.
41. Wait time: provide a longer time for oral responses for students who are slower processing language.
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Last Updated 9/2/2007