Students with learning disabilities are probably the largest group of students with disabilities. These disabilities may include difficulty in remembering, difficulty in writing or reading, ADHD, emotional disorders, autism, developmental delays, speech or language impairment, limited cognitive functioning, or physical impairment. Teachers should not try to generalize all students with disabilities into one behavioral or learning group, but approach every single student to his or her own personal characteristics.
The Learning Disabilities Association of America after comprehensive research on students with special needs have offered viable suggestions to teachers that provide them learning strategy instruction; by using a multi-sensory approach to teaching and focusing more on individual learning, progress and achievement. The best way to teach students with learning disabilities is by allowing the student with special needs to acquire skills. To achieve this, the teacher needs to:
- break learning into small chunks
- supply quality feedback
- provide intensive and independent practice
- engage all students in interactive sessions
Teachers should implement research-based teaching strategies in their classroom that show verified successful results for students with learning disabilities. Proven teaching strategies can assess the speed with which students absorb what they are learning, how they are being taught and how the teacher can work on impart knowledge more efficiently.
A teacher should employ teaching methods that do not make the student feel embarrassed, uncomfortable or feel different from his/her peers in any way.
Teachers must also be cognizant of their student’s emotional well-being, as well as, educational progress.
Below are key guidelines for teachers who teach students with disabilities:
- Assure that the student understands the skills and concepts learned in the previous lesson before moving on to the new one.
- Ask questions and create an interactive discussion with the student, asking them to explain how they arrived at their answers.
- Provide examples, models and problems that have a solution that the student can discover on his/her own.
- Allow and encourage lots of practice and frequent revisions to improve long-term memory.
Since all students are unique and have their own learning preferences and strengths, the teacher should adapt their teaching strategies to meet the needs of each student, including the needs of students with learning disabilities.
It is vital for instructors to become familiar with the type of learning disabilities their students have in order to help facilitate a positive learning experience.
Nakata Consulting provides sound and practical advice to families and works with schools in an advisory role when they need guidance. Get in touch with Nakata Consulting today for more details.
